Expert: Becky - 5/25/2007

Question
Hello there. My cat Tinker-bell is having her first litter. I have no idea what to do or how to help. I plan on making one room safe for her and the babies. If anyone could help, I would be very thankful.

Answer
So, kittens are on the way!

Maybe you didn’t get your cat spayed in time, or perhaps you inherited or adopted a pregnant cat.  It’s best to prepare ahead of time for the arrival of the kittens. A cat who give birth to kittens  is commonly called a “Queen” in the cat world.  Here are some suggestions to help you and your “Queen” prepare for the birth of her kittens!

Preparation for Delivery

A cardboard box that has room enough for the queen and her kittens is usually a good choice for the kittens to be born in. If you set it up ahead of time, she will get used to sleeping there and will most likely deliver her kittens there.  Use newspaper to line the box, then shred some up so she can scratch around and make a “nest”.  Do NOT use towels or blankets as it has been known for kittens to accidentally get wound up in the material and suffocate.  Newspaper is not only easy to replace, but it will absorb moisture and will keep the kittens warm as it is an excellent insulator.  Keep a litter box, food and water close by. . Place the box in a secluded yet familiar area of the home, away from family traffic, to allow mother and kittens solitude and rest.

If you want to know more precisely when delivery is near, check the rectal temperature twice daily, starting on the 60th day. Rectal temperature drops below 100 F within 24 hours before the onset of labor. Normal rectal temperature ranges from 100.5 to 102 F.

Labor and Delivery

During the first stage of labor, the mother cat (queen) seems uneasy and restless. She may refuse food or water. The cat's rectal temperature drops, and she seeks dark, secluded places. Considerable howling may occur. This stage lasts 12-24 hours.

In the second stage, contractions and expulsion of the kittens begin. Delivery starts with a small, greenish sac protruding from the vaginal opening. This is followed by a kitten and the attached placenta. The normal presentation of the kitten is nose first, lying on its abdomen. Some kittens, however, are born hindquarters first. After the delivery, the mother normally opens the sac by licking and biting, cleans off the kitten and severs the umbilical cord. You may have to perform these functions for the mother if she refuses to do it herself . Make sure the sac is removed from the kitten immediately if the mother doesn't do so.

The third stage of labor is a resting stage, which follows delivery of each kitten. This stage may last from a few minutes to one hour. Occasionally, 2 kittens are delivered within a few minutes, followed by resting.

Assisting with the Birth
Sometimes, you may have to assist the queen. If she doesn’t seem to know what to do, you will need to step in.  Here are some instructions:
After each kitten is born, remove all membranes covering the kitten, clean off its face, and remove mucus from its nose and mouth. Rub the kitten with a clean, dry towel to dry it and to stimulate breathing and circulation. After a few minutes of rubbing, the kitten should begin to squirm and cry. The umbilical cord should be tied about 1 inch from the body with fine thread and cut on the side of the knot away from the kitten. Apply a drop of iodine or methiolate to the cord end after it is cut.

If a kitten seems to be lodged in the birth canal and the mother cannot expel it, assistance is necessary. There may not be time to call your veterinarian and drive to the hospital if you wish to save the kitten. Grasp the kitten with a clean towel and exert steady, firm traction. Do not jerk or pull suddenly. The best place to grasp the kitten is by the skin of the back, but gentle traction on the legs may be necessary.

Notify the Doctor if Any of the Following Occur:

* You cannot remove a kitten lodged in the birth canal.

* Labor is strong and persistent for 30 minutes without a birth.

* Labor is weak and intermittent for 5 hours without any results.

* There is a dark vaginal discharge, and no labor or births have occurred within 3-4 hours.

* The pregnancy lasts more than 67 days.