i dont know how long she has ben carring but i would like to set up a spot ware she can have the kittens... any other pointers?
2006-09-20 16:20:54 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Depending on the size of the litter (normally 4-5 kittens) your cat will get really hungry and affectionate right before giving birth. At the time right before birth she may stop eating for a while, pace, looking for hiding places. You really need to bond with your cat (belly rubs - gentle ones, lots of extra tlc) during her pregnancy if you can. Some cats get really weird and hide out to have kittens, others will stop around your living room dropping them one after the other. If you can watch for her Queening symptoms, you can sequester her to a specific room of your home and in that room - hopefully with a closet (cats seem to like to have kittens in the bottom of closets or in the center of beds!) and you can give her a 'cave' like experience with a good sized laundry basket lined with towels. It would seem, most cats like to have kittens in the middle of the night - our stray mother cats we pull from the streets like 11:30 PM as a start time.
Monitor your cat during delivery if possible. Some cats do fine, other cats? don't have a clue.
The kittens will present (she'll look like she's having a Bowel Movement during the hard contractions - - generally three-four good contractions and the kitten comes out in a sack. A good Queen (mama cat) will pop the sack, get the kitten out of it, lick the kitten and pull it to her. Then a good Queen will deliver the afterbirth and eat it.
A Queen who doesn't know what to do will deliver the sack and the afterbirth and do nothing. The kitten if not removed from the sack will die. You can do this yourself, slide the kitten out of the sack, and cut the kittens Umbilical cord about an inch from the kittens belly. You can tie off the cord with string -- but you can also simply squish the cord against itself and as soon as the blood is squeezed out the cord glues itself together. A cut cord left open and too close to the kitten will bleed out and kill the kitten. Anyway -- all this happens pretty fast -- wipe away the mucous from it's face (before cutting the cord) , make sure it's breathing and then present it to the Queen. Sometimes she'll take over from there. It might be up to you to remove the afterbirth from the area before she has another contraction as well. You can google all of this so I'll stop.
Your cat can go thirty minutes between delivering kittens - - sometimes they come faster. We got the surprise of our life when a foster stray collapsed at 7 kittens and while she was conked out from the delivery she continued to deliver three more kittens (hence all the gory delivery details above) for a total of 10 - - and everyone survived.
So, hope for the best, be prepared for the worst. You never know how a Queen will handle delivery or motherhood. Google Cat/Queen pregnancy/delivery to get everything you might need on hand to help out -- but more than likely you will be able to 'watch' at a distance and inbetween give the Queen reassuring head rubs. The Queen should eat Kitten Chow after delivery - - -she'll need the extra fat and protein for nursing.
The mother cat who had ten kittens on us -- pulled an entire roasted chicken off the kitchen counter one night and devoured the entire thing - - minus a few bones. We figured she deserved it!!
Good luck!!
2006-09-20 16:49:48 · answer #1 · answered by rescuehearts.org 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A cat will pick what she regards as the best place to have her kittens. The mother cat will pick a quiet area where there is not a lot of noise and bright lights. They pick these types of areas because in the wild this is the safest place to have kittens and to hide them from predators.
The best you can do is provide her a quiet place and the sooner the better. Guide her to the place you want her to have her kittens. The place that you choose needs to be an area that she is comfortable being in. Give her some soft blankets to lay on and cover the area similiar to tent. Another good place is under a bed this is an ideal area. Make sure that she can come and go into and out of the place easily. This place should have a couple entrances and exits. Put her food and water there so she will be more comfortable there want to stay there. When you do this after a few days she how she responds. If she likes the place she will sleep and hang out there. Then hope for the best.
If she doesn't have her kittens in this place do not despair, later on you can move the kittens there providing the mother cat doesn't object.
Other pointers, keep a close eye on her when the expected time is near. Hopefully, you can be there when the time comes to assist her if there is any problems. Not all mother cats instantly bond with their babies. If she appears to ignore them then you should step in a make sure the kittens break free from the birthing sack. Hopefully, the mother will accept her kittens.
Give her a variety of food, cat food, chicken without the bones etc. Cats have craving similiar to humans.
Keep the mother cat away from any stressful situations, even a dog barking next store can cause unnecessary stress.
Keep the kittens in the house away from extreme heat and cold. Also by keeping them in the house they will become used to humans.
Best of luck
2006-09-20 18:14:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
She will pick a spot where she feels is safe and free from frequent visitors. There was a time I was able to guide my one cat into my closet by throwing in a comfy blanket or two and a couple pillows ( all throw awayable...)
Providing a boxed in feeling so she feels hidden might work. However, there is no guarantee. Another good idea is to stay aware of her navigating preferences and observe her preferred spots and why they make her feel secure...This might help also..She most likely will pick a place that she sleeps when you arent looking (ya know the times you don't know where she could be possibly and you search and search...lol...
The age also has a lot to do with it ..the younger the expectant Mom the more likely she will seek a place close to you or primary caretaker
GOOD LUCK!
2006-09-20 19:13:53 · answer #3 · answered by JEM 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunatley you cant guide them to a certain place. They usually like the spot to be dark and quiet. I had a box with towels ready for my cat and basically followed her until she found a spot then placed the box there and let her do what she had to do. Unfortunately it was in my wardrobe but it was all good.. once she had them I just moved the whole box out and she went on with her mothering.
2006-09-20 20:59:42 · answer #4 · answered by wickedly_funny66 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the only shot you will have is to make sure the spot you want is very hidden. Like a box in closet, that's where my cat chose, even though it wasn't the box I wanted her in...lol. It still might not be where she goes, but it's your best bet. They like a lot of privacy during birth, so it needs to be where she doesn't think you can see. The box my cat chose was deep in the closet and parcially covered so you had to literally be standing over the box trying to pear instead to see in it. she loved that spot. Good Luck
2006-09-20 17:05:13 · answer #5 · answered by Laura 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No she will go where she is comfortable. No lie we had a cat when I was about 5 that was running around all frantic about to have her babies...she ran into mine and my sisters room and laid on my sleeping 4 yr old sisters head and starting to give birth, LOL! It was so damn funny. SO no, you can make her a place but chances are she will not stay unless you lock her in a room.
2006-09-20 16:24:39 · answer #6 · answered by Amy >'.'< 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can try it, she might work with you, but do not be surprised that she changes the spot, it might not where she wants it. if you have a box and blanket or towel ready for her. bring it to her attention several times, and let her smell it and if possible lay her down in the place you want her to have her kittens....
2006-09-21 20:35:03 · answer #7 · answered by walterknowsall 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe make her a cozy bed inside a box and try to get her to feel comfortable in it. But from my experience they go into hiding when they have their kittens.
2006-09-20 16:25:23 · answer #8 · answered by galbee 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you can set up for her a box with some soft rags and coax her to go over there
2006-09-20 23:45:06 · answer #9 · answered by Sydney 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just set her up a box with some old towels or blankets. show her where it is. maybe put a favorite toy in there or just keep showing her. put it someplace where she will realize she wont be disturbed
2006-09-20 16:37:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋