Expert: Norman Auspitz - 8/24/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I have a cat that I am fostering out from a shelter. She is pregnant
and I have committed to taking her until herkittebs are 8 weeks. The
shelter told me that they predicted she is due in 2-3 weeks. I have
researched well the signs of labor and what they do the days before birth.
My cat has is undergoing what seems to me to be the signs that she will
deliver in a matter of days. She has not picked a specific spot in my
bedroom yet but has been very loving and always wanting to be with me,
seems very anxious and excited which I assume by tail movements and
not sitting still for more than 1 minute. She also paces and has not eaten
very much in te past 24 hours. I know that cats gestation can be very
unpredictable because there could be a difference of about 20 that the
queen could deliver. Do you think yay maybe she is going to deliver in a
matter of days? Weeks? Of you could help me out, that would be great.
Thanks!

ANSWER: Nathan,

Back to basics.  I do not know what you have read, but you are right things can be unpredictable,  so I will give you a bit of an information dump, most of which you know, but, still, it should be helpful:

Cat gestation is normally 65-67 days with 63 days being a normal minimum and 68 days being a normal maximum.  69 days or over 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.

Best regards... Norm.




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

QUESTION: Hello again. My cat went I to labor this morning and now has 4 beautiful
kittens to keep her busy. The only problem was, because she was a new
mother she didn't chew the cords so I had to cut them with the scissors. I
made a hug mistake though, I did not sterilize the scissors. Do you think
the kittens are okay? Could anything happen to them because of my
foolish mistake? Please help because I feel like a terrible person. Hope to
hear from you soon!

Answer
Nathan,

Congratulations on the new litter

The kittens will probably be OK, but as a preventative, I would get some amoxycilln liquid from your vet and dosage specifications in case the kittens show any signs of distress.

The odds are they should be OK, but you should be prepared just in case.

Don't feel like a terrible person! We were all newbies once and we have all made mistakes. Hopefully, there will not be dire consequences.

Please let me know what bhappens.

Best regards... Norm.