My mom cats tits have hardened up and she had kittens last night

Question
Hello, my mother cat's tits have hardened and she had kittens last night. I made an appointment at the vet for next week because I thought they would have to take the kittens out, for fear that she wasn't going to go into labor. They seem hungry, but they aren't whining. I felt of their bellies and they don't feel full. How do I know if they are getting enough milk?

Answer
Jessica,

The best way to tell if the kittens are getting enough to eat is to weigh each kitten.  A digital postal scale is one of the best things to use. Put an empty cardboard box on the scale and get its weight. Put each kitten in the box one at a time and record the difference as the weight of the kitten.

In the first week, each kitten should double their birth weight in the first week and then gain about 4 oz (100 g) in each subsequent week.  They should appear rolly poly once they get the hang of nursing.  If the kittens are not whining, they usually are getting enough to eat, but this is not fool proof.

It sounds to me as if mama should go ino the vet for a check up. If you transpoort mama and kittens, they need to go in separate carriers.  In the first couple of days of life warmth is just as important for the kittens as feeding.  If you need to supplement the kittens, you may need to tube feed them.  Your vet can show you how.  I would get to the vet as soon as possible, if your kittens are not gaining weight.

Best regards... Norm.