Expert: Norman Auspitz - 12/20/2010

Question
QUESTION: we think that my kitty Bubble is due on around the 22nd of December this year, so about 4 days... and she's always been a pretty antisocial cat up until her pregnancy... and she has become a lot more affectionate to me... Today we saw her acting as if she is in heat. She has been ''talking'' to my little brother and rolling around on the floor a lot today.. Is this normal for a cat who is about due to give birth??? Regards, Suzie

ANSWER: Suzie,

I am assuming she is still rather big and you can see the kittens moving around.  Like people, cats do get "hormonal" when they are pregnant and this can affect their behavior.  So, yes it can be normal.

On the other hand, if she has lost weight and no longer looks like she is pregnant, she could have reabsorbed the litter and may, indeed, have come back into heat?

Has Bubble had kittens before?

Seasonal regards... Norm



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

QUESTION: No, This is her first litter, I believe that she is still about the same size as she was last week, but as you can see in the picture, she is a very small cat...

ANSWER: Suzie,

I would keep an eye on her.  If she goes over 68 days, I would take her to your vet.

Do you have experience birthing kittens?

Best regards... Norm.



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

QUESTION: We don't really have any experience birthing kittens... this is the first time...    We have also noticed that when she lies down she spreads out her back legs and we are presuming that this is maybe the pressure of the kitten(s)????  And how long after she has the litter (if) will we have to wait before we can have her spayed??

Answer
Suzie,

I would wait until after the kittens are weaned and her milk has dried up.  We usually wean our kittens by 5 weeks of age and the milk is usually dried up within two weeks after that.

Here is a bit of an information dump on what to expect during the very later stages of pregnancy.  I suspect you know most of this, but there may be some things that may help you:

Cat gestation is normally 65-67 days with 63 days being a normal minimum and 69 days being a normal maximum.  Anything over 68 days would mean a visit to the vet!  You should be able to see and feel the kittens moving in the last week and a half to 2 weeks of pregnancy.

Here is the problem.  Every queen seems to want to do it a little differently, so the best I can do is give you some guidelines.

Anywhere from a week before birth up until the onset of birth or anywhere in between, she will get her milk in.  In this time frame she may also have a mucous/bloody discharge. (Although these events may start at different times during this time frame).

Anywhere from a few days before birth up until the onset of birth or anywhere in between, she may exhibit nesting behavior and restlessness.  Also, in this time frame her kittens will form hard knots and begin to move backward and downward in her abdomen.  This is really the very early stages of labor. (Although these events may start at different times during this time frame).

Anywhere from a few hours before birth up until the onset of birth or anywhere in between, her water may break and she will have what are called positioning contractions where she begins to get the kittens in line for birth.

You will know hard labor when you see it.  Once she starts her birthing contractions, it is usually about an hour before the first kitten is all the way out.  About 50% of the kittens are breech, so although it is a bit tougher, it is normal for the first kitten to be breech.

A couple of things you want to have handy are a roll of paper towels, a bottle of isopropyl alcohol, scissors (in case you have to cut the cords), and a soft face cloth to clean the kitten's face if mama does not do it immediately.

I like to use a "jumbo" cardboard storage chest (10" X 16" X 26") as a birthing box.  Put some old sheeting or toweling in side.  Put it somewhere you can easily get to, in a warm spot away from drafts, and away from young children and other pets.  You can half cover it with a towel, so it seems more den like.

Make sure your vet knows what is going on, so, in case she has trouble, you have arrangements about what you must do.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.


Seasonal regards... Norm.