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Feline Labour and DeliveryHow to Care for a Cat That Is Giving Birth to Kittens
Most cats don't experience any problems while giving birth, but there are a few situations that require veterinary intervention.
A mother cat is usually in the first stage of labour for 12-24 hours, after which she delivers her kittens. Kittens tend to be born anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours apart, with the total delivery taking 2-6 hours. Mother cats can be given a little food and water while in labour. Signs That a Cat Is in LabourDuring the first stage of labour cats tend to pant and purr rhythmically, and some cats pace, dig at the floor, yowl, strain as though constipated, or vomit. A cat that has never given birth before may become anxious and cry to her owner for help. The owner should take her to the kittening box and sit with her, stroking her fur and talking in a soothing voice. Some cats like to have the support of their human companions while delivering whereas others want to be alone and will hiss or spit if bothered. Problems That Require Veterinary InterventionCall a veterinarian immediately if any of the following problems occur:
In some cases a cat ceases labour after delivering one or more kittens and then resumes 12-24 hours afterward, delivering more kittens. This is usually nothing to be alarmed about as long as she is taking good care of her kittens and showing no signs of distress or illness, but if there are any indications of problems (i.e., restlessness, weakness, fatigue, fever, anxiety), call a veterinarian immediately. Even if the mother cat seems alright, if labour has ceased for 3 hours but you suspect there are more kittens to come, consulting a veterinarian is recommended. The mother cat should expel a placenta for each kitten. If she retains a placenta, this can cause infection, so counting them is a good idea. She will usually eat the placentas so keeping an eye on the birth is recommended, and the owner may wish to let her eat a couple of them and then remove the rest, as consuming too many can cause diarrhea or vomiting. If it is suspected that a placenta has been retained, particularly if the cat appears depressed and has a fever, consult a veterinarian. If you have a small scale handy, newborn kittens can be weighed once they are dry and then twice a day for the first 7 days. Weight loss indicates that kittens require special assistance, which may include extra feeding and/or veterinary care. Feeding a Nursing Mother CatA mother cat with 3 kittens or more requires 2-2.5 times as many calories as she would normally consume. Palatable, high-quality food should be available to the new mother at all times. Ideally, a pregnant cat should be slowly switched over to higher-calorie kitten food during the second month of her pregnancy and not switched back until after she has weaned her kittens. To make the switches, initially mix increasing amounts of kitten food into the cat’s regular food and then do the same procedure in reverse after the kittens have stopped nursing. Further ReadingSee How to Care for a Pregnant Cat and How to Prepare for the Birth of Kittens for information on how to care for cats prior to giving birth. For further information on assisting with the birth of kittens, see Queening (Giving Birth) in Cats, Helping Your Cat Deliver Kittens, and The Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook by Debra M. Eldredge, DVM, Delbert G. Carlson, DVM, Liisa D. Carlson, DVM, and James M. Giffin, MD. (2008). These resources provide in-depth information on what supplies to have on hand for the birth, how to assist throughout, and how to deal with any problems or emergencies that may occur. References:
The copyright of the article Feline Labour and Delivery in Cat Care is owned by Jennifer Copley. Permission to republish Feline Labour and Delivery in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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