Does a pregnant cat give birth signs? What to look out for!
With us you will learn everything you need to know about the process of a cat birth and how to properly take care of the cat mother and her litter afterwards.
If you're expecting a litter of fluffy kittens from your cat soon, it can be very exciting – and maybe a little respectful. But don't worry: pregnant cats are usually quite good at taking care of themselves, even if they do need your care and attention during birth. Since cats often try to steal away at birth to enjoy some privacy, you should watch them closely during the last weeks of pregnancy to be on the safe side! Ask the veterinarian for advice if you have any questions about feline pregnancy or cat birth. He will surely be able to put you at ease.
Our PetCare team has put together a few helpful tips to help you prepare as well as possible when your cat becomes a mother.
Preparing for Cat Birth
During the last two weeks of pregnancy in cats, make sure that each member of the family behaves calmly and quietly around the cat and treats them with care – this is especially true for children, who are understandably excited and looking forward to the little kittens and new playmates!
Try to keep your cat as calm and still as possible during this time, and get them to rest a little in their own whelping bed prepared for them. But even the softest bed can be so cuddly - some cats don't deserve to look at the whelping bed and prefer the farthest corner of a closet instead! Just make sure your cat has a choice of where they give birth to their kittens and never try to move them away from their chosen spot. Here you can learn more about pregnancy and how you can prepare a suitable whelping bed for your cat.
Have help at hand
The birth of a cat should go smoothly, but it is still advisable to be helpful, reassuring and there for them should complications arise.
Ask the veterinarian before the cat is born at which number he can be reached outside of office hours, as kittens are often born at night. It is also possible that he will have to rush to help in an emergency. If your cat has problems giving birth, you may need to take them to the vet – so make sure you have a means of transport available if the worst comes to the worst.
If you think the cat is about to give birth, there are a few things you should prepare, such as a clean bowl of warm water, clean towels and rags, dental floss and disposable gloves, a kennel, and the contact details of the veterinarian. You should definitely have these things at hand just in case!
If you need to separate the kittens from their cat mom, you need to keep them warm. The best way to do this is to use a grain pillow heated in the microwave; a hot water bottle is not so suitable, as the kittens could cause holes in it with their pointed teeth or their claws.
Birth signs of a pregnant cat
An imminent cat birth is not so easy to recognize. During the first stages of a cat's birth, the mother (the cat lady) becomes very restless and tigers around as if she is looking for something. It also gets very loud. Contact the vet if you're not sure if labor has already started, and keep an eye on your cat during the last weeks and days of pregnancy to know where and when they're giving birth to their kittens.
For cats, their privacy is sacred – especially during birth! However, it is important that you observe the cat during birth so that you can intervene immediately in the event of complications - especially if your cat is having kittens for the first time.
The phases of labor and cat birth
The birth of a cat can be divided into three phases. If you think labor has started, you should keep an eye on your cat. The birth of cats usually goes smoothly, but if you take care of them, you can intervene right away if complications arise. However, you should really only intervene if it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, you can hinder the birth process and upset your cat. So hold back and check on her at regular intervals without intervening when it's not necessary. Don't worry – as a rule, the birth of cats goes without further complications. But always ask the vet if you're worried. Also keep the number of spectators small; even if the whole family is looking forward to the new addition, too much excitement could upset the cat mom!
The first phase of cat birth is not necessarily visible to the naked eye; here the uterus adjusts to the birth. The contractions begin, but are not necessarily recognizable. Your cat becomes very restless and sometimes loud. She may go to the litter box a few times without doing her business. With a bit of luck, she will eventually settle down in her whelping bed. Don't be surprised if your cat decides to move to another place because they may not have gotten used to the whelping bed or prefer to give birth to their kittens elsewhere. Don't take them anywhere else – it's safest to let your cat decide for themselves where the birth should take place. It is possible that you may notice some vaginal discharge.
Phase 2 includes the birth of the kittens – how exciting! The birth of the young can take between 2 and 24 hours. Double-check your emergency kit and make sure you have everything on hand. Some kittens (like us humans) are born head first, others have their legs first, and this is also normal in cats. So don't worry if that happens.
The kittens are usually born at intervals of 30 to 45 minutes, sometimes it even takes over an hour. Stay close and watch the cat birth from a distance. Only intervene if it is absolutely necessary, i.e. if you observe that your cat does not give birth to a kitten even with the greatest effort, if you notice bloody discharge or if the kittens come one after the other at short intervals without enough time for the mother to clean them/remove the amniotic sac.
Phase 3 describes the excretion of the individual placentas, which usually occurs after each kitten. Count the placentas your cat excretes – you should find one placenta per kitten. If you find fewer placentas than kittens, it may be that the new mother has eaten them, or perhaps twins have shared a placenta. However, this can also mean that the placentas have not yet been eliminated (all). Have the vet investigate this as soon as possible and call him if you don't know what to do. Don't be bothered if the mother cat eats some of the placentas – this is normal, but you should pay extra attention to her during the cat's birth!
source : Does a pregnant cat show signs of birth? What you need to pay attention to. (purina.de)