Postnatal - cat

Question
My neighbor has brought in a stray cat, whom we've been feeding for several years,(into her garage) who gave birth to 3 kittens on 3/20/07.  They seem to be doing fine, but she is a bit concerned that the mother cat isn't eating as much as usual.  Is this normal?

Answer
Hi Karen, thank you for the question. It is not unusual for a mom cat to eat less the first 24 hours after the kittens are born, but after that she should quickly get back up to the amount she was eating before the delivery and even more ! Is it possible the mom cat is getting food from somewhere else? If she is a stray perhaps another neighbor is feeding her also when she is not with the kittens in the garage??
How are the kittens doing? Are they growing a lot each day and do they look "fluffy" ? If no one else is feeding her and she seems listless at all I would advise that you seek veterinary help with her. It is not easy to get a stray into a cage or box but if you pick up the kittens and put them into a travel cage she will usually follow them in. Take the kittens with her if she requires a vet check up.
Teresa