Stray momma & 4 newborns

Question
Thank you so much. This information is very helpful.But I'm still a little confused. The info below states that the kittens should be handled very little during the 1st 3 wks. Does that mean I touch them only once a day for short periods of time? Also the Momma's right eye is very cloudy.Could it be cataracts from an injury?Im not sure if she has any vision in it.Any information will be greatly appreciated!!Thanks again!
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

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Thank you for your availability to answer my question, expertise, great reputation & your love for cats!!!

I have a small dilemma.I had been feeding a stray adult cat for 1 1/2 yrs. outdoors. I finally got her in my basement mid Jan. I have 3 indoor cats therefore that was the best place. Well.....she had 4 kittens! All are fine. She's eating well & nursing them.I cannot touch her nor dare attempt to touch her kittens. They are now 12 days old & their eyes just opened today.I know I will need to enclose the area around them since Momma has not taken the kittens into the box I provided for them....but how can I do this without stressing Momma, getting hurt or perhaps turning Momma away from nursing her kittens completely? Please tell me when it will be ok to touch the the kittens. Should I just feed Momma way in another spot & then move them into the box? I'm concerned that my scent will be be deterrent......all kidding aside.It sounds so simple yet in actuality it is not at all.

Thanking you in advance.
Paula
a fellow cat lover

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Hi Paula,

Actually this is the right time for you to handle the kittens. And what you said would work out fine. Feed her in a different area if you are afraid of her attacking you. You handling her kittens shouldn't put her off feeding them. she may want to try to move them though. just make sure she doesn't have access to any area were she could put the kittens so you couldn't get at them. You need to get the little ones familiar with you and used to being handled. I am also attaching a good article on what stages kittens go through. One other thing with mama cat, feed her some kitten food with her regular food. It has a high nutritional value that she needs since she is nursing 4 kittens. Good luck and let me know what happens.

Ciao, Karen


When kittens are born they rely completely on their mother. As a necessary first function, the mother cat will lick her kittens right after birth to help start their breathing. She also does this after they eat to help stimulate digestion. Kittens are born with their eyes and ears closed. For the first three weeks a kitten's life entails eating and sleeping. During this time they huddle with their mother and littermates to keep warm. Kittens begin to open their eyes when they are around 8 days old and generally they are fully open by the 14th day. An intriguing fact is that all cats are born with blue eyes. The 'adult' eye color begins to appear after 3 to 12 weeks. Kitten's ears open between the 5th and 8th day, and are generally up strait by three weeks. Crawling starts at 18 days and standing at 21 days. The kitten will start to orient itself by sight and sound around the 25th day.

One sign of a healthy kitten is that it is firmly packed and nurses vigorously. A kitten should double its weight in the first week. Unless there is a health problem, kittens should be handled very little during the first three weeks. Being close to its mother and littermates is very important for the proper development of a kitten. Two of the most important health factors for a kitten are that it eats well and stays warm. Kittens can lose body heat rapidly if not kept warm. This can be life threatening. When kittens sleep they will often move and twitch. This is called activated sleep it helps the kitten develop muscle tone.

By the fourth week, most of the kitten's senses are well developed. At this stage the kitten interacts with its littermates, its teeth will begin to come in, and it will begin walking. By the fifth week, the kitten's sight is developed. Its motor skills and social interactions will be well developed and the kitten will be able to groom itself. At this time, there will be a change towards an adult sleep pattern.

Between 7 and 14 weeks a kitten learns mainly by playing. For this and other reasons, it is recommended that a kitten be at least 10 to 12 weeks old before adoption. At 3 to 6 months the kitten will start to develop and understand social structures and territory. From 6 to 18 months a kitten learns by exploring and challenging boundaries. A kitten will physically mature to an adult cat at this point.  

Answer
Hi Paula,

No you can touch them more than once a day but try not to keep them away from the mom for more than 5 minutes at a time. The first time the mom will be very nervous so talk to her soothingly while holding her kittens.
Her eye cloudiness sounds like a cataract. It could be from an injury, malnutrition, or diabetes. It sounds like your cat , because it is in one eye only, is from an injury. Cataracts also look worse than they are. She probably has some sight in it. A vet could tell you for sure. She will be fine with just the one good eye. You did a good thing by taking care of her and her little ones. Write to me if you need any other questions answered. I will be happy to help you.

Ciao, Karen