Expert: Ali - 5/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Ali,
My cat is pregnant and i am reeeaaallllyyy excited for her to have kittens but she has been pregnant for a long time (or so it seems.) but could you tell me the signs of when a cat is about to have babies??

ANSWER: Megan,

A feline pregnancy lasts between 60-68 days, most queens will deliver their kittens at about 63 days into the pregnancy. If you want to know for certain just how far along your queen is into her pregnancy you can have your vet perform a physical exam. The vet will decide which tests are necessary after the exam, it's possible that your vet will want to take x-rays and/or perform an ultrasound. The vet will then be able to give you an educated guess as to when the kittens are due.

I really can't tell you for sure how far along your cat is. This is an instance where a vet should be consulted if you want to know for sure how far along your queen is, your vet will be able to determine an estimated fetal age based on a thorough physical exam combined with an ultrasound, x-ray or both. If your vet takes an x-ray and s/he can't see the kittens' skeletons it will provide vital information, because a kitten's skeleton only becomes visible by x-ray at a certain gestational age. The time that you can feel and see the kittens moving inside their mother really does vary depending on the queen. It's similar to human beings because different women show obvious physical signs of being pregnant and feel fetal movements at different points in their pregnancies based on physical build, pre-pregnancy weight and genetics.

Since your queen is pregnant it's very important that you keep her indoors, this will help to minimize her chances of delivering her kittens in an uncontrolled environment outdoors or having accidents that might harm her or her kittens such as being hit by a car. As your cat gets closer to her due date you'll notice that she has an increased appetite and her activity levels decrease somewhat. This is nature's way of preparing mom for the hard work of labor and making sure she has the energy levels to deliver her babies, of course that's if there aren't any major complications with her labor or delivery. Mom's milk will often come in a few days before she delivers and it can be tough to judge when this has happened for someone that isn't experienced. It's not unheard of for a queen's milk to leak from her nipples shortly before or during labor and delivery.

Most cats prefer to give birth in a quiet, private, dimly lit room so I recommend providing an appropriate place for queens to labor and deliver their offspring. I would recommend getting ahold of a large cardboard box or plastic storage tote with sides high enough to discourage kitten escape artists and keep them safe, but the sides also have to be low enough for mom to come and go with ease. The box or bin should be lined with old towels or a blanket so that the kittens and mom can settle down in a warm, comfortable place to cuddle and nurse.

Before mom goes into labor you'll want to consider lining the box with disposable incontinence pads or newspaper to absorb the fluids that are a normal part of the birthing process. If you choose to use disposable incontinence pads you can purchase them in packages containing multiple pads at retail outlets like Walmart, home health care outlets or your local pharmacy. I prefer disposable incontinence pads for lining the bottom of the birthing box because they're more absorbent than newspaper and they have the added appeal of being hygienic and easy to dispose of.

Once you've prepared mom's birthing box leave it out in the open or in a room that's normally quiet, dimly lit and private so that mom can get accustomed to it. It's important to realize that cats are quite independent and you never can tell just where they'll decide to have their babies. It's possible that mom will reject the birthing box in favor of a closet, under a bed or piece of furniture while she's actually in labor, but it's not uncommon for queens to move their litter after they've given birth and you can certainly encourage mom to use the birthing box as a nursery by waiting until she's given birth and gently moving her kittens into the box you've prepared.

I don't recommend adding a heating pad or heat lamp to the birthing box because newborn kittens aren't able to maintain their body temperature on their own so too much heat that the kittens can't escape from is just as dangerous as having the kittens get cold. Mom will usually provide enough warmth with her body heat so that her kittens are comfortable. If your home is quite chilly the kittens may require a bit of special care to stay warm in the hours after they're born. In this instance you could use a small heating pad set on low, but it's important to make sure that the heating pad doesn't take up more than 1/3 of the birthing box and you'll want to position the heat source so the kittens can easily move away from it if they're too warm. It's important to avoid the possibility of the newborns getting too cold and becoming hypothermic, you also don't want the babies to overheat because it can cause heat stroke. If you happen to be present when mom's in labor it would be safer for the kittens if you filled a small hot water bottle and covered it with a small towel, in my experience it's the safer way to go.

During the process of labor cats don't want to be in a noisy area where there's lots of activity and movement. Although you may be tempted to video tape the delivery or take pictures it's best that you don't, stressing a queen out when she's in labor or giving birth can cause the labor to stall and that can be a very serious problem. If you're able to be present during the birthing process it's important to keep things as calm, quiet and stress free as possible and it's best to avoid intruding - after all although watching your cat give birth can make a cat lover anxious, it's important to remember that your queen will usually instinctively know what has to be done.

If a queen is stressed out or doesn't feel secure after the births she may move her kittens repeatedly. Anywhere between 6-24 hours before the actual delivery your queen may start pacing, panting, shivering or being more vocal than normal. I understand that it's difficult to see a much loved cat go through that whole process, but it's important to remember that what's new and upsetting for you is instinctive for your cat. There's nothing wrong with taking the time to reassure your cat and provide some quiet words of encouragement, but it's best to keep things as calm and quiet as possible.

In general it's best if you maintain a hands off policy during the delivery, you may be tempted to play the role of midwife, trying to help during the delivery when it's not needed can cause all sorts of complications. It's quite normal for mom to yowl loudly when she's delivering her kittens, this isn't a sign of trouble and first time moms can be quite loud and dramatic during the birth process. It's not uncommon for cats to deliver kittens in a squatting position similar to the one they use when defecating.

In any labor and delivery there are potential risks and complications for any new mother. If your queen passes a dark green colored fluid before delivering kittens it may be an indication that the placenta has separated from the uterus prematurely. The reason that this is a serious problem is because the placenta is the kitten's lifeline and it provides the baby with nourishment and oxygen. If a placenta separates before it's time and s/he isn't born relatively quickly it's a good possibility that the kitten will be stillborn.

If you notice that mom has been straining hard for more than an hour without delivering a kitten that could be a sign that she needs help from a qualified vet. Sometimes this happens because a large kitten gets stuck in the birth canal and acts somewhat like a cork preventing the other babies from being born. In some cases the vet can deliver the kitten using forceps, but if a large kitten's stuck many vets will opt to perform a caesarian.

If your queen starts trembling in the hours or days after she gives birth it could be a sign of eclampsia which is a potentially fatal deficiency in calcium and magnesium. This situation requires emergency vet care as soon as you notice what's happening to give your cat the best possible chance to recover. If mom seems weak, nervous, restless or she's neglecting her kittens it might be a sign that someone's been left behind, so it's important to have her assessed ASAP by a vet.

If your vet recommends a c-section it's important to understand that anytime an anesthetic is administered there are risks involved. While mom's under anesthesia the kittens are anesthetized as well. This means that it can take longer for kittens born by caesarian to come around after surgery and they often have to be stimulated quite vigorously before they start breathing on their own and making noise. If your queen delivers by caesarian it's best to have her spayed at the same time because spaying your queen will prevent your queen from having anymore litters of kittens. A spayed queen is also spared difficult obstetric problems in future. If your mama cat needs a caesarian it's a good idea to have her spayed at the same time because she only has to undergo one anesthesia and surgery instead of two. If mom has delivered one or more kittens prior to having difficulty during the birthing process it's important that you bring her kittens along when you go to the vet, this will lessen the risk that the maternal bond will be broken.

When cats give birth it's absolutely normal for them to eat the membranes around each kitten. Shortly after birth the queen will lick the kitten to stimulate breathing and start drying the baby off. It's not uncommon for queens to eat stillborn kittens, but if you don't want your kitty to do so you'll need to remove the kitten from the nest and dispose of the body according to local laws. Queens routinely eat the placenta from each kitten, this is an instinct developed to keep the kittens safe from predators because there isn't any evidence left for predators to tell them the cat's given birth. Eating the placenta is nature's way of providing mom with a nutritious energy boost and the placenta contains a hormone that helps to facilitate bonding between mom and baby which makes it less likely that mom will reject her offspring, the hormone also helps to stimulate contractions lessening the chance that a normal labor will stall.

If your queen has a kitten and doesn't open the sac and clean the baby off after 30 seconds or so you'll need to wash your hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water and dry them on a clean towel before you start helping the newborn. Once your hands are clean and dry you can go ahead and remove the amniotic sac starting at the kitten's nose and mouth and working towards the tail. You'll need to gently clean the mucous from the baby's mouth using your fingertip or a bulb syringe made for babies (you can buy these cheaply in the baby aisle of your pharmacy, they're designed to clear mucous from a human baby's mouth and nose). Once you've cleared the kitten's airway you can rub him down with a rough hand towel. After you've done this you can place the newborn near your queen and try to gently encourage her to take over, cut the cord and clean her kitten off. If mom doesn't start cutting the umbilical cord in a minute or so you'll need to cut the cord yourself. To cut a kitten's umbilical cord you'll need two pieces of thread that you've cleaned by dipping them in alcohol. Tie a length of thread about 1 1/2 inches from the kitten's belly, the other should be tied 3-4 inches from the placenta. Once you've tied the cord off you'll need to snip in between the pieces of thread with sterilized scissors. After the cord's been cut you'll have to dab the end with iodine to prevent a serious infection. When you're finished dealing with the umbilical cord you have to rub the kitten down vigorously while holding him so that his head is facing the floor, that's so the mucous can be removed from his nose and mouth. You'll need to check if the tiny newborn is breathing, you can do this by watching him closely, if your kitten squeaks then you know he's breathing well on his own. Once the kitten is breathing on his own you can put him by mom's tummy so he can start nursing.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well what should i do if we dont bring our cats to the vet and we cant have them inside the house. so  like is there any like actions that they may do?

Answer
Megan,

Unfortunately there's not much more I can offer if you won't allow the cat indoors or consider taking her to the vet. If your kitty isn't allowed indoors it's very important that you provide her with some form of secure, climate controlled shelter to protect her and her babies from predators. It really is preferable to have mom come inside before she has her babies so that she's safe, you can keep an eye on mom's health and how her kittens are growing and developing. Maybe housing her in a shed or garage is a possibility?