mama cats milk

Question
We gave away our cat's 3 kittens yesterday. They are 8 weeks old, but mama still has milk and is very hard and full of milk. Is this very painful for her? Can we do something to dry her out and alleviate her discomfort?

Answer
Hi Joanna.  She will probably begin feeling quite a bit of discomfort, especially over the next couple of days.  The worst of it will usually be over about 10 days after the kittens have gone, when she has stopped lactating.  The body will begin to resorb the milk, and the swelling will start to subside.

Until then, if she will allow you to, you can hold some warm, wet compresses to her mammary area.  Not all cats will tolerate it, but this can help to draw out small amounts of milk to relieve some of the pressure.  If possible, prepare the compresses with parsley.  Take a folded cloth, and top it with parsley (dried or fresh).  Close the cloth with a rubber band, and allow it to soak in hot water for 10 minutes.  Then remove the cloth from the hot water, open it and apply it with the parsley onto the skin.  Parsley acts as a mild diuretic, so it can help further reduce swelling.  It's also a tasty treat, so she won't mind grooming herself if any parsley is left on her fur.  You can apply compresses up to 6 times a day and keep them on her for up to 20 minutes.

Also, if you are feeding her kitten food, as is suggested for nursing moms, you may want to switch to a weight management (light) food just for now.  Kitten food has a high fat and protein content that can encourage milk production.  Once she's stopped lactating, you can transition her slowly back onto her normal food.