Is my cat in labour??

Question

She is snooping around in the dark places just now and keeps miowing, it is her 1st litter so im unsure! Help!! Thanks x

Answer 1

Active Labor
Contractions will start and you will see the appearance of the amniotic sac. You may also see a discharge of blood or other colored fluid.
As your queen nears her time for giving birth, she will exhibit a few signs that will give you clues to the impending arrival of kittens. The first stage of labor lasts from 12 to 24 hours, and may include the following "symptoms."

Nesting. She may start snooping around in closets and secluded areas for an appropriate place to bear her kittens. The time is ripe for you to prepare an area for her in a private place, with a box or basket lined with soft towels. She may decide instead to give birth on the cold, hard floor of your bathroom, but at least you have tried to accomodate her needs.
Increased affection. She may suddenly become very loving, and want to be near you at all times. Don't be surprised though, if a previously affectionate cat becomes withdrawn and seeks solitude. Either personality change may be completely normal.
Decreased Activity. Queenie may decide she'd rather sleep most of the time. She may also lose interest in food.
Milk Discharge from Nipples. Your cat's nipples will have become enlarged and pink about the third week of pregnancy; 24 hours or so before birth, she may show a milky discharge. This discharge may come even earlier in cats that have given birth several times.
Drop in Temperature. The normal temperature in cats is between 100.4°F and 102.5° F. A dramatic drop in her rectal temperature is a sure indicator that birth is imminent

Answer 2

Her actions are called "nesting". Which is to say, delivery is imminent.

Prepare a box for her, physically put her in the box she gets the hint straight away and leave her. Wherever the box is, also put water and food next to it.

Do not put a litter pan close to her for convenience. Leave it in another spot. Be prepared to scoop her littler pan OFTEN immediately after birth. Because mother cats absorb all that after birth, their bowels are reeeeally rank for a day or two. They also ingest their babies urine and fecal matter for several days to a week. They are very fastidious and constantly clean the kittens. Stock up on litter.

Do watch her from time to time during delivery if possible. Delivery can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 4 hrs or so. Cats, like humans can have breach births so check her back end IF there are signs of distress. Cats will purr and/or meow some during delivery. Most go about the business of getting the kittens out with little or no sound other than a low purr.

Yes you can go in and change the towels AFTER mommy has finished cleaning and drying off her newborns. Give her maybe 6 hours after delivery. The towels will be wet and sticky so they do need changing. Do wear gloves if possible. The less of your scent on them, the better. After you change her box, leave her in peace. She needs to rest. You can check in on her the next day.

When the kittens are approximately 8 days old, make sure the box has no areas where a kitten can get trapped. Keep the folds in the towels smooth.

Congratulations grandma....:)

Answer 3

You should already have a place for her to have the kittens-usually in the closet on the floor- a warm blanket with a large towel covering where the cat lays-must be a quiet place that is safe for the cat and the kittens-once the kittens are born within a hour or two fix a large enough box where the Momma cat can lay comfortably in with her kittens-cover the bottom of the box with thick warm towels. the box should be high enough so the kittens cannot crawl out but also where the cat can easily get in and out not so high she has to jump high for may land on a kitten when she jumps in-a very large basket would be ideal. Right now though hurry and get a safe quiet place for the Mama cat to have her kittens for sound like she is getting stressed and that is not good for her or if she has already picked a spot put blanket/towel underneath her then if you wnt somewhere else put the kittens there after ALL are born for important they stay warm-even a little cold can quickly kill them so do not separate.

Answer 4

yes, I sounds like a good chance that she is. Watch for panting also. Do you have her a birthing spot yet?
Best to use a cardboard box (make sure she can get in and out easy) because it is natural for her to want to "hide" the babies from EVERYONE!!! Put some newspaper or old rags/towels in the box. Not too many though because the birthing is real messy and put the box somewhere that is AWAY from everyone. (in the closet?) She is looking for the dark places because cats in the wild make dens to hide the babies in. DO NOT mess with her or the kittens because if you do too often, she will find some place else to hide them, even if it's in the laundry basket (eeewwww, kitty poop in your clothes)----OR----she might (being her first litter) decide that you peeking in too often means you know best on caring for them and she might just think you should raise them!
Good luck!

Answer 5

She could very well be...she is looking for a snuggly dark place to have her kittens. One of my females had hers under a dresser..of all places..I would never have thought she could fit much less have her kittens there but she did and they were all fine and beautiful. Don't worry, she will have them where she feels safe and feels that the kittens are safe. Good Luck.

Answer 6

Keep watching her. I would think yes, if it is close to time. Do you have a place for her to deliver? But anyway, yes I think she is from what you are saying.. Good luck to you and to her, since this is her first and yours too...lol Have fun, just be there for her in case she needs ya. Ours did when she had hers, well I was with her when she did just in case..

Answer 7

my cat had kittens and found a place under the tv cabinet so maybe she is ready just make sure that when she does to leave her alone and maybe lay towels or blankets down

Answer 8

just watch her and when she will have a contraction she will start pushing and then she is in labor. Sometimes in the early stages of labor they will meow a lot and want to be close to you.

Answer 9

Well when you see kittens coming out of her, then I'd say yes she is in labour