Should I massage my cat to increase milk for her new kittens?

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.

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 :-)

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.

I am sorry she lost her kittens. The best thing is not to do anything except check the mammary glands frequently for redness and heat and pain. If that occurs you will need to take her to a vet , as me may be getting mastitis. Other than that, feed her normally, make sure she has enough to drink (water. The pressure of the milk will stop the milk production and the teats should get smaller over the next week . Give her lots of lovings!

There is nothing specific you can give Bella to increase her milk supply. I would give her a kitten formulated food, as diet can sometimes help. You likely will need to supplement the kittens with KMR (kitten milk replacement). I would go get some now as well as bottles to feed the kittens. Best of luck.

There are no signs of mastitis from those pictures but there is no way to know about milk production from the photo. If the kitten have not eaten in a week they wiukd not have made it this long so they are getting something. At that age you can syringe milk to them or try kitten food to wean them. If she has milk still you would be able to express some

Bella may not be producing enough milk, and you are doing exactly the right thing by giving them KMR. One way to see if Bella is producing enough milk is to weigh the kittens daily to see if they are gaining weight. If they aren't gaining weight, keep supplementing them with the KMR. Keep up the great work!