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Expert: - 7/27/2010


Question
Hi Norman!  My female cat is due to have kittens soon.  I have provided her with a nesting box inside of my closet. (made adequate space for her, the box etc.)  My worry is that she will not use it.  She's the type of cat where noise doesn't bother her.  I can vacuum quite close to her until she eventually leaves, but she's not skittish at all.  Her favorite spots to sleep are here on the main level of my home. I have 4 children so it can get quite noisy.  I worry that she'll be more comfortable under my couch and give birth there, where I have very little access, thus cannot provide much care should she need it.  Should I move her nesting box to a corner down here?  I had a nightmare that she gave birth on the cold floor in the basement, thus prompting my questions and fears. Thank you!

Answer
Lisa,

You may want to confine here to the room where the closet is. This will help make sure she uses her birthing box.

A mistake many people make with a cat nearing delivery is to let the queen have free range of the house.  Ideally, you should pick where you want her to have her kittens and not give her the opportunity to pick another place.  Once the kittesn are born, she may not be so cavalier about the noises and the children, so you may want to limit access for kids and other pets for at least a week or so.

Please let me know how she does.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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