How often should mommy be feeding the babies? Also, can the babies overheat very easily outside? She had the kittens in a large dog crate on our screen porch. How soon after giving birth can she go in to be fixed? Last time we went to have her fixed we found out she was preg. and didn't want the vet to get rid of the babies...

Anything anyone can tell me about having young kittens around would be great. I stay at home 24/7 so I'm always keeping an eye on them and just want to make sure everything going good.

Oh and is it normal for the mother to spend time away from the kittens and sleeping away from the box with the kittens in it?

Your mama cat can feed her kittens as offer as she likes. The babies should be fine on a screened porch; if you're too worried about the heat you could set a fan on low for them in the heat of the day so they can get a breeze. And it's perfectly normal for the mama to have some alone time and leave the kittens, because she needs rest to recooperate.

You should hold off on spaying her for at least about 5 weeks or until the kittens are completely weened. Your vet can make a judgment call to make sure she's ready for it.

Your mama cat obviously trusts you with her babies since she'll leave them alone around you, so you shouldn't have to worry about her moving them to another spot - although you should be prepared for it just in case. Some will, some won't - I've had mamas that go both ways. Giving mama some good fatty meat (real meat is better as opposed to canned meat) will help her to stay healthy while she's nursing. You can try good fat like fish and chicken.

Around four weeks you can start introducing the kittens to watered-down Kitten Chow to help them ween. It's very fun to watch them try to figure out how to eat it, but they'll eventually get the idea. And as they get stronger teeth (around 7-8 weeks old) you can start adding less and less water to the Kitten Chow. It is important for the kittens to eat Kitten Chow (as opposed to regular cat food) for at least the first few months of their lives. It has nutrients that will help keep them healthy.

Other than that, enjoy the little guys while you have them - kittens grow up way too fast! Good Luck!!