Relieving Mammary Lumps in Nursing Cats During Lactatio

Section 1: Reasons for Lactating Queens to Develop Hard Lumps

Cats often experience symptoms such as bloating, enlarged breasts, lumps, and pain during the lactation period. This is usually due to overindulgence in the pet owner's care, leading to excessive nutrition and milk production. It can also occur when kittens suddenly leave their mother, causing an overflow of breast milk supply.

Section 2: How to Alleviate the Lactation Swelling in Queens

1. It's best for the queen to allow kittens to nurse freely. If there are no kittens to nurse, you can use methods such as artificial heat application, massage, and milking to help the queen relieve breast pressure. Applying a warm towel for about 20 minutes daily can be very effective in reducing breast lumps. When milking the cat, ensure that your hands, nipples, and milk bottle are sanitized to prevent infection. Gently massage the area around the nipples and slowly push inward from the outside. The milking action should be gentle and avoid excessive force.

2. Avoid excessive consumption of nutritional supplements during nursing, as this can increase milk production. Opt for a light diet, avoiding greasy foods, and include more vegetables like carrots and spinach in the cat's diet.

3. If the queen's lactation swelling is severe and the owner is unable to help alleviate it, it is advisable to take the cat to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible. The vet may prescribe hormone medications like medroxyprogesterone to help stop milk production.

Section 3: How Long Does It Take for Lactation Swelling to Subside?

With effective assistance in milking, the queen's lactation swelling typically subsides within a week. If the breast lumps persist for a long time, it is necessary to take the cat to a vet for examination and treatment. Besides milk congestion, breast lumps can also be caused by breast blockage or mastitis, so it is important to determine the specific cause and take appropriate medication and treatment measures.

Additional Knowledge:

If the kittens are already one and a half months old when the queen develops lactation swelling and breast lumps, it is advisable to stop them from breastfeeding. Continuous nursing by the kittens stimulates the queen to produce more milk, which can exacerbate the lumps. Over time, as the kittens stop nursing, the breasts will gradually shrink, and the lumps will disappear.

Important Tips: For more information on postpartum care for queens, check out "Pet Birth" for further insights!