Active Labor Signs: Contractions—the uterine movements that move the kitten down the birth canal—may make your cat yowl through the pain. You may also see a discharge of blood or other fluids.
During birth, your queen will "cry" and sound distressed, which is completely normal. You can expect to see a kitten every 10 to 60 minutes, and it's likely your cat will eat the placentas and chew through the kittens' umbilical cords.
After giving birth, your cat is likely to be very hungry, tired and need to rest. She will need to stay with her kittens to feed and bond with them. Make sure they are in a quiet space, free from noise and disturbance.
In cats the average length of full parturition (delivery) is 16 hours, with a range of 4–42 hours (up to three days in some cases may be normal). It is important to consider this variability before intervening. The third stage is delivery of the fetal membranes.
Time between delivery of kittens is usually 10 to 60 minutes and stages two and three are repeated. The birth is usually complete within six hours after the start of the second stage, but can last up to 12 hours.
Most cats would prefer to be left alone, and they definitely don't want to be pet or touched while they are giving birth. It's best to give your pregnant cat as much privacy as possible while also leaving yourself the ability to monitor the birthing process for any signs of issues or distress.
Step 1: Grasp the kitten with a clean towel. Step 2: Applying steady traction, gently pull the kitten at a slight downward angle. Continue pulling gently and steadily until the kitten is delivered. Step 3: If you are unable to remove the kitten, or if the mother is uncooperative, contact the veterinarian immediately.
Signs of cat labour problems
Your cat is depressed, lethargic or has a fever (rectal temperature >39.4°C, >103°F). There is fresh blood loss from her vulva for more than ten minutes.
Kittens may be passed stillborn, either before their due date or on their due date. In some cases, a deceased fetus may become mummified within the uterus. Mummification occurs when the body creates a protective membrane around the fetus, allowing it to remain encased and walled-off within the uterus.
Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they're healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact. The kitten's mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies.
The Nest suggests gently handling your kittens one at a time starting once they've reached their first week of age, letting mama kitty sniff you first if she's present. Baby kittens love to nip and paw at their humans, but once a cat is grown this behavior could be problematic.
When a cat gives birth to a stillborn kitten, it's important to leave the kitten in place until their mother realizes that they're dead. Otherwise, your cat may become distressed at removing one of her kittens without knowing they had passed away.
Kittens will usually be born head-first just like human babies, but if they do deliver feet first then there is no cause for alarm. After the first kitten arrives, you can expect subsequent kittens to take between 30 minutes and an hour to deliver.
Pregnant cats that experience spontaneous abortion may do so for a number of reasons, including bacterial or viral infection, disease, and reproductive issues. Spontaneous abortion is more common in the later stages of the pregnancy, and may not affect all the kittens of a litter.
In the second stage of labor, contractions become stronger and more visible and you may note a small amount of clear, tan or blood-tinged vaginal discharge.
Symptoms of Early Contractions and Labor in Cats
Before a cat fully goes into labor, there are a few tell-tale signs. If a cat is showing these signs before the 61st day of pregnancy, it is likely that the cat is going into premature labor: Bloody vaginal discharge.
keep the room she and her kittens are in warm. make sure their bedding is kept clean and dry. keep the room they are in quiet and don't allow family members to keep disturbing her. keep an eye on the kittens to make sure they are feeding but try to keep at a distance your cat is comfortable with.
Licking, pacing, howling, and chirping
You might notice your cat licking her genitalia frequently – There is a discharge from the cat's vulva a few hours before birth starts. Your cat's water will break as well. Now is the time for pacing, restlessness, and howling, meowing, or chirping from your cat.
Once she decides on a birthing place, you should not move her, as this may cause her to become distressed. Labor could begin shortly after your cat settles in, and this process may take up to 12 hours, during which time your cat might make really loud, disturbing noises.
In one study, pedigree cats had an average kitten mortality of 34.5% from birth to one year of age (range of 8-40%), compared to 10-17% in non-pedigree cats.
Make sure you are feeding her a high-quality canned kitten food, supplemented with KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement). These specially formulated foods ensure that a nursing, postpartum mother cat gets the nutrients she needs.
Touching kittens too soon can frighten them and make it harder for them to form appropriate social bonds with people and other cats. Touching a newborn may also upset their mother, change their scent, or cause discomfort for the kitten. Of course, not every situation lets you avoid touching newborns.
It is a common misconception that a mother cat will not care for her kittens if they are touched, but don't worry she doesn't mind. However, don't be surprised if they're moved the next time you check on them! If you find neonatal kittens the best thing to do is leave them alone! Mom will most likely come back.