My cat had kittens, no milk. Her nipples aren't visible. What's wrong?

Congrats on your kittens! Even though you are squeezing Peky's nipple and no milk is coming out doesn't mean that she isn't producing enough milk for her kittens. Newborn kittens are very fragile and require round the clock feeding. If they weren't getting enough food, they would every weak and crying all the time. Kittens will fight over specific nipples, this is normal behavior. As long as they are feeding, not acting weak or crying all the time, and are gaining weight every day, they are getting enough milk from their mother and you have nothing to worry about :-)

Even though Cleo's nipples don't feel like they have milk, there will be milk present. I would weigh the kittens daily. Gaining 1/4 to half an ounce daily until they are weaned is considered healthy. Healthy kittens weight between 2.8-6 ounces when they are born. If you notice the kittens aren't gaining weight, then you may have to bottle feed them with kitten formula such as KMR to make sure they get enough nutrition.

If the nipples are not hot or painful and your cat is well in herself (she is not lethargic and is eating and drinking well) there is most likely nothing to worry about. You may try to put the kittens on the bottom nipples and see if they will latch and if the mum would let them feed from these nipples. If you noticed that the nipples became hot and painful you should get your cat checked by your local vet as these may be signs of mastitis.

Hello. Yes, if the bond is strong. If you are not sure Lily is producing enough milk ( the kittens will be restless, crying, producing less urine & feces ), you may need to supplement them with a kitten milk replacer. But if the kittens seem to be latching on & fall asleep after nursing, then she may be producing enough milk for them. If you are not sure, you can purchase a postal scale & weigh them every day. If there are tiny gains, they are nursing well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Your cat may not be far along enough yet to produce milk. I'm not sure how old this kitten is, but it may be old enough to start on a kitten food gruel. I'd have him seen by a vet now to get an age and help getting it fed. Best of luck.

The best way to determine if your cat is producing milk is by observing the kittens. Newborns spend long hours nursing - up to 8 hours per day - with sessions lasting up to 45 minutes. When the mother's milk is being let down, the kittens will each latch onto a preferred nipple and stay there. If you observe closely you will be able to see their little mouths and tongues moving from the suckling action. Often their ears may move as well. Nursing kittens will knead the mother's abdomen which is an important stimulus to milk let down. After a feeding session, the kittens will have round, full bellies and will fall asleep. Ideally, healthy kittens who are nursing well will gain 7-10 grams every day. They can, and should, be weighed every few days to confirm gains.

Some kittens don't make it no matter what we do to help them out, and some cats are just not cut out to be moms. There is also the possibility that there is a congenital internal defect. If the kitten is very weak and won't suckle from the nipple or a bottle, you can try to slowly syringe the kitten milk replacer, but there is an increased risk of it going into his lungs and causing aspiration pneumonia. If this doesn't work, you should take the kitten to get checked out by a vet. The vet can show you how to safely tube feed the kitten to get its proper nutrition. Make sure that the kitten is staying warm and clean, and that you are stimulating urination and bowel movements. Here is a good article on raising orphan kittens: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=576