Expert: Ali - 9/29/2008

Question
We are relatively sure that our ten month old calico is pregnant.  The last time she went into heat was mid-August so I think she has 3-4 weeks to go.  What should I do to get ready for the kittens?  I have a card board box that's lined with a waterproof pad and towels, but other then that I don't really know what to do.  I was also wondering if you could confirm how far along she is in her pregnancy.  Her nipples are more pronounced and have gotten much bigger and she is a bit rounder.  Well, thanks in advance for your help!

Answer
Angela,

It's a good idea to have a small kitchen scale on hand that measures weight in grams up to two pounds so that you can chart the growth of the kittens. Having a quiet, private, dimly lit place to put the birthing box would be best, a cat's labor can stall if there is too much noise, stimulation or activity. I would also recommend that you have a hot water bottle on hand just in case it's drafty in your home, newborn kittens aren't able to maintain their body temperature so a chilly environment could cause them to become hypothermic. Heat sources such as a hot water bottle or a heating pad mustn't be used when you aren't able to be there to be sure that the kittens don't overheat. I don't recommend that you use a heating pad in the new family's bed, but if the kittens seem chilled and you don't have a hot water bottle then a small heating pad with an automatic shut off feature will work if you are able to pay close attention to the kittens. If you use a heating pad it should only be placed on the lowest setting covered with a couple of towels. It's very important to be sure that the heating pad doesn't cover the entire birthing box because the kittens need to be able to move off of the heat source if they become too warm. It's not a bad idea to have a can of powdered kitten milk replacer, bottles and oral syringes (found in the infant section of your local pharmacy) on hand just in case your queen has a large litter or doesn't seem to produce milk. If your little mom doesn't produce milk your veterinarian can give an injection of hormones to help let the milk down because mom's milk is the best possible source of nutrition for kittens and the colostrum produced in the first 24 hours after birth is full of antibodies that will help to protect the newborns against viral and bacterial infections. Hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap are important things to have around so that in the event that you do need to help one or more of the little ones out by using a baby syringe (the kind with the bulb on one end and a small opening on the opposite end) to suction the mucous and fluid from their airway, the chances of infection will be reduced. Several extra towels to use as bedding, several hand towels from the dollar store, and a couple of extra waterproof pads (like the kind often sold in home health care stores to go onto beds and other furniture) will ensure that the new mom and her little ones are kept warm, dry and comfortable. It's best to allow mom to be quiet and have the babies on her own. Feel free to check up on mom every half hour or so while she's in labor just to make sure that the kittens are being born without mom being in medical distress. If your little one has been pushing steadily for an hour and hasn't produced a kitten it's best to take her to the vet right away. There are a number of serious complications which could be life threatening to mom and the babies. If you see that mom has passed a dark green fluid during her labor and delivery you will need to take the entire little family to the vet as this could mean that the placenta has separated prematurely placing the new baby at risk. If mom starts to become weak or restless about a half hour after the labor process seems to have stopped it may well mean that there is a kitten stuck in the womb or birth canal and this requires immediate medical attention to be sure that mom survives. Some typical signs of labor include panting, shivering, pacing, or looking for a place to give birth. Some cats will be fairly vocal during labor and delivery while others are very quiet. It's best to keep mom as quiet and stress free as possible, this isn't the time for a crowd or cameras, this type of activity may cause mom to become anxious and her labor may well stall. It's perfectly normal for mom to be vocal as she pushes her kittens out, loud meowing doesn't mean that there is anything wrong, giving birth is painful. Many mothers will instinctively eat the placenta, this is a perfectly normal measure that cats have evolved to reduce the likelihood that a predator will find newborn kittens.

Sadly there is a serious pet overpopulation issue affecting animal shelters and communities worldwide. There are a number of good medical and behavioral reasons to have a cat surgically sterilized. Female cats (queens) who are sterilized never have to go through the traumatic experience of a long and difficult labor and delivery. Other medical benefits to spaying and neutering household pets include the decrease in certain types of cancers like those which commonly affect mammary tissue. Surgical sterilization of cats also prevents uterine, ovarian, testicular and prostate cancers. Cats who haven't been spayed or neutered are at an increased risk of contract serious infection that affects their mammary glands called mastitis (queens only), urinary tract (toms and queens) and reproductive system (toms and queens). An infection of the womb in unspayed female cats is called pyometra. In the case of a female cat with a uterine infection the only cure is emergency surgery to remove the pus filled uterus and ovaries. There are significantly higher risks of surgical complications in a case of pyometra because the uterus could burst which would spread infection throughout the abdomen. An infection in the abdomen carries a very poor prognosis.
Many people believe that spaying or neutering a cat changes their personality. The most common changes in a cat that has been surgically sterilized are related to the fact that mating and giving birth are not the primary instinct any longer. Some cats are naturally more high strung than others as a result of territorial instincts and the hard wired instinct to reproduce. Most cats will settle down some, but there aren't really any changes in their actual personality. Having cats spayed or neutered also decreases the potential for serious behavioral issues including aggression, being an escape artist, late night howling and caterwauling to advertise her availability to mate as well as urinating and defecating to mark her territory. The reason that the behavioral changes matter so much is because the number one cause of death in cats is behavioral issues. Cats that have been surgically sterilized usually become less preoccupied with instinctive territorial behavior and the urge to reproduce after she is spayed which can certainly mean that your kitty will be more focused on bonding with her human family members. Many animal loving vets and staff within animal shelters are forced to make difficult and heartbreaking decisions to euthanize perfectly healthy, adoptable cats and kittens simply because they just don't have the resources to hold onto them indefinitely. In North America it is estimated that only 3% of cats and kittens admitted to animal shelters are reclaimed by their human caregivers, this suggests that cats are seen as disposable pets. Millions of pets are euthanized every year, simply because they ran out of time or the shelter ran out of space, spaying and neutering saves lives. Spay/neuter surgeries are quite routine and although any surgery carries a small risk technology, newer anesthetics and constant monitoring have made the risks of sterilization minimal. Veterinarians provide pain medication to ensure that the pet is kept as comfortable as possible after he/she wakes up from the anesthesia. Staff in vet clinics often recommend that you try to keep a pet as quiet as possible so that they can recuperate from their surgery. In my experience most cats are certainly not concerned with following the doctor's orders, running around during playtime is more important. Pets tend to live longer and healthier lives as a result of the routine spay/neuter surgeries. Sexually mature cats that haven't been sterilized are hard wired to reproduce, many cats become far more focused on their human families because they no longer have to concern themselves with mating and reproducing.

I am unable to provide a due date for the kittens as I don't know when your little girl was mated or which mating has produced the kittens. The gestation period for cats is 60 - 68 days. If you want to have a more accurate idea of the litter's gestational age your vet can take x-rays and palpate mom's abdomen which will allow him/her to make an educated guess as to when you can expect mom to have her litter. Finding out an approximate due date is a job for your vet as he/she has all of the equipment needed to provide you with a general idea of when you can expect mom's little ones.