Expert: Marcia Owen - 10/21/2007

Question
My 1 year old domestic long hair queen Catarina is 66 days today.  The dates are 100% accurate because she is an indoor cat but managed to escape for 2 days 1 night.  The hair on her neck was mattered and knotty on her return so I assumed she'd been mated and marked the calendar.  I see from reading other posts that the pregnancy can last for 70 days.  My question is when should I take her to the vet if nothing happens?  She is eating small frequent meals, using her kitty litter constantly and is very uncomfortable.  I can feel the kittens moving actively.  Her nipples have grown but I can not feel any signs of fullness or swollen glands.  She is showing no signs of nesting just moving around trying to get cool and comfortable.

Also how long after the kittens are born can the queen be spayed?

Thanks in advance
Rae

Answer
Hi Rae

Indeed cats can go to 70 days without too many problems, but if you think that the kittens have gone unduly quiet then do make that appointment with the vet.  Certainly 66 days is no problem especially with a first litter.

Not all cats necessarily nest before they kitten, some just pick the place to have them and get on with it, whereas others nest for days before.  Likewise, the milk doesn't always come in before the kittening.  I have had girls kitten and then feed their kittens with no problems without seeing any swollen milk glands.  

Your girl may be another day or two so don't worry as long as the kittens can be seen moving.  If you do feel something isn't quite as normal as it has been then do pop her to the vet for a check.  Better to be safe than sorry.

As to how long before she can be spayed, once she has reared them and has no milk left then there is no reason why you shouldn't get her spayed.  This would usually be from around 8 weeks after the kittening.

Good luck and I hope Catarina will have her babies before too much longer.  The waiting is the worst!

Marcia.