[P_Skittles]

3 weeks ago, one of my cats had 5 kittens - my other female is almost ready to give birth (bad timing in the winter, with no money to have them spayed). Yesterday, the pregnant female started to feed the other's kittens. I'm concerned what will happen when the new kittens are born. The first one is very thin, so they've been going to the other readily. I've got them both on high quality food to keep them healthy and their appetites are good. Will there be problems when the kittens are born? I'm finding it very difficult to keep them apart (one of them clawed the carpet up by the doorway when I tried to contain them in a bedroom - not a good move I guess). Suggestions please. Thanks.

[hheath541]

I would suggst doing your best to keep the kittens from feeding from the pregnant mother for now. Her kittens will need the colustrum right after they're born. It might be too late for that, though.

As long as neither mother cares who's kitten she's nursing, and all the kittens are getting fed, I don't think there's any problem with it. I assume both mothers are healthy. They're getting the same food. They live in the same place and are exposed to the same thing.

I don't think it's any different than when people used to find a wet nurse for a human baby. Cat milk is cat milk. Just like human milk is human milk.

You WILL need to keep an extra close eye after the second litter is born. You don't want them pushed aside by their older 'siblings' and unable to eat. You may HAVE to find a way to separate them if that happens. If you don't, it'll be up to you to bottle feed the new babies until the older ones are weaned.