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Cat Forum / General Topics / May 2004Synchronized nursing?
I've posted a few times about the stray, pregnant cat we recently took in. She had five kittens. Question, I've noticed something odd. The kittens will nurse quietly for awhile, several minutes, and then something happens. It's almost like milk starts coming all at once. I can hear all of them suddenly making loud sucking noises, and their ears moving forward in unison with each gulp. It lasts about 30 seconds, then it stops. (I've been calling it the "mother lode.") Some will fall asleep at that point, some will keep nursing (quietly again.) Is this unusual? Rhonda > I've posted a few times about the stray, pregnant cat we recently took > in. She had five kittens. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Rhonda Don't have an answer to your question, but cute story! :) I was 7 the last time I was around kittens so I don't remember too much of the experience. Mar ---------------------------------------------------------------- It's better to let someone think you're an idiot than to open your mouth and prove it. > I've posted a few times about the stray, pregnant cat we recently took > in. She had five kittens. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Is this unusual? I noticed this same behavior with Little Bit. I thought perhaps it was because as soon as one decided to eat the rest followed. You rarely saw any of the litter nursing alone...always with 2 if not all 3 other. I didn't notice the "mother lode" moment <g>. Little Bit was a glutton for attention so if I went near when she was nursing the kittens she would just get up. Consequently I only saw her nurse from the door of the room. So what do the kittens look like? How old are they now? Isn't it fun! It's a lot of work and I am not ready to do it again but I sure enjoyed the heck out of those kittens when they were here. AG Hello AG, > I noticed this same behavior with Little Bit. I thought perhaps it was > because as soon as one decided to eat the rest followed. You [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > nursing the kittens she would just get up. Consequently I only saw > her nurse from the door of the room. Our cat sometimes jumps up when nursing too, but she's pretty good about letting us be there. I hang out in the room with them and she decides it's time for a meal, even with me there to watch. I feel privileged. A vet on alt.med.vetinary answered my question -- she said it's called "milk ejection reflex" or "letdown." I looked it up more on google, sounds like the nursing action triggers mom's brain to send more milk from the back. Very interesting... > So what do the kittens look like? How old are they now? Isn't it > fun! It's a lot of work and I am not ready to do it again but I > sure enjoyed the heck out of those kittens when they were here. The kittens are four weeks old today, and are incredibly cute. It's almost too much cuteness to take! Here's the rundown: 1) Black and white kitty, probably long-haired (looks like he got caught in a wind storm.) 2) Cream and white kitty with gray points, and the cutest black button nose. She has a teddy bear face. 3) Smoky gray kitten with cream, tabby swirls on the side. He was born with no tail! 4) Cream kitten with tiger points. He has a tiger tail, legs, and some stripes on his face. 5) Tiger kitten -- brown with lots and lots of little black stripes. He was the smallest, at week two I had to intervene and make sure he got several all-you-can-eat meals per day. The other guys were pushing him away from the table. Thanks for asking about them. They are a lot of fun. They are starting to play, they run for a few steps and then fall. I try not to laugh too loud. It's also time to start introducing litter boxes and kitten food. The real fun begins! Take care, Rhonda >A vet on alt.med.vetinary answered my question -- she said it's called >"milk ejection reflex" or "letdown." I looked it up more on google, >sounds like the nursing action triggers mom's brain to send more milk >from the back. Very interesting... Yep, it's the letdown. I've nursed two children and it happens every time. Normal, expected - it's just how nursing works. > > So what do the kittens look like? How old are they now? Isn't it > > fun! It's a lot of work and I am not ready to do it again but I > > sure enjoyed the heck out of those kittens when they were here. >3) Smoky gray kitten with cream, tabby swirls on the side. He was born >with no tail! Are you sure he was *born* with no tail? My friend's cat named "26", gave birth to a small litter in 1993. My friend called me and I went over when the kittens started being born. A little cat she eventually named "Dog" was born *with* a tail, however the mother cat mistook the tail for the umbilical cord and accidentally chewed it off. One minute the kitten was born and had a tail, we went and had a cup of tea in the kitchen, came back and the tail was gone. We found it in the mother cat's birthing bed. Dog was claimed by a Truck driver who took and still takes her in the truck and on the road with him. Cool little cat, weird name for a cat with no tail though. H. Hmmm, I think our "Dog" was born without a tail. Although I couldn't tell you that I checked everything out right at birth (3am and we were nervous wrecks), but it was soon afterwards. Also, the mom's tail is bent at a right angle. We thought it was broken, but the vet said there was no swelling or pain. One of the other kittens has the same right-angled tail. I think tail issues are in mom's genes. Hope Dog is still out there enjoying life! Rhonda >>3) Smoky gray kitten with cream, tabby swirls on the side. He was born >>with no tail! > > Are you sure he was *born* with no tail? My friend's cat named "26", > gave birth to a small litter in 1993. My friend called me and I went > over when the kittens started being born. A little cat she eventually > named "Dog" was born *with* a tail, however the mother cat mistook the > tail for the umbilical cord and accidentally chewed it off. One minute [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > H. |
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