Important question for cat people

[h2t99]

We have 4 barn cats 3 boys and a girl, the female is pg and ready to have them any day. One of the boys has always sucked on her like he was nursing. He is a year old and when we got him he was in bad shape and to young. Well he never actually nursed, Molly is only a couple of months older.

He is nursing and getting milk!!

I am not sure how this will effect when Molly does have kittens. ANy suggestions??

Molly will be spayed after this litter

 

[candycar]

Gee! I wish I had some experience to help you, this is a new one for me! Hopefully She will "kick him out" when she has the babies. If at all possible, could you keep him away from her for a little while?

After she has the kittens, she may keep him away on her own, but I would be concerned that he would interfere with the birthing and feeding of the babies. She sounds close if she has milk already. Gads! hope everything works out ok!

 

[Valerie]

You didn't mention if the boy cats were fixed or not, so if they are not, then don't be surprised when she has the kittens that one of the tom cats kills the babies. I am just stating this based on things that happened when I was growing up with barn cats....just something to think about. Not a pleasant thought I realize, but it could happen.

 

[tinacvt]

I agree with Valerie on the possibility of the tom killing the newborns. I would worry about the other one pushing the other kittens away and them not getting milk, some mom's will let this happen. Good luck with the kittens.

 

[Miniv]

Ditto to what both Valerie and Tina posted...... Tom cats of all breeds (big and domestic) kill kittens....especially going after the male ones, because in the wild they don't want the competition. And yes a momma cat will allow "the strongest" to push the others away. If you momma sees the older cat as one of her kittens, she may allow him to dominate her newborns. AND he may also kill them!

 

[HGFarm]

Yep, I can vouch for the tom cat thing too with babies. They are not all that way, and I have had a couple that actually babysat the kittens, but if this big cat is nursing- he is stealing nourishment from the kittens AND the mother! Also, if she has not kicked him off now, she probably will not! She puts up with anything. He will end up laying on the babies, or shoving them out of the way to get to her. I would seperate them any way you can so he can not do this!! Find him another home even??

 

[muffntuf]

Well she is allowing him to suck milk now - you aren't going to have kittens, they will go one way or the other. I would corner her and bring her in the house for her to have the kittens. I a surprised you have 3 toms in the same barn, one sounds like only a year old, but what are the ages of the other two? If they are the same age, one of them will come out dominant and push out the others.

 

[h2t99]

We rescued all 4 last year, 2 are brothers, all 4 will be fixed in the next month or 2. Well at least the boys will be and then Molly after the kittens are old enough!! We plan on keeping the kittens, if we can not find good homes. I think the problem has been solved, between me and MOlly, I think we have stopped the bad behavior!! If he should be caught again she will be brought into the house until the kittens are born. As soon as she has them I will post pictures, She is white with a splash of gray and orange on the top of her head, so I am hoping for a calico in the litter!!

Thanks

 

[mydaddysjag]

Even if the tom isnt nursing off of her, if he has access to the kittens he will probably try to kill them. Do you have a feedroom or anything if your barn you could put momma in a few days before and while the kittens are young? dont want anything bad to happen to the little cuties.