If your cat is pregnant, you will hardly be able to suppress the excitement and joy. The first cat birth, in particular, is a moment when feelings of happiness flow through you.
In order for the birth to go smoothly, you should make some preparations, but you should definitely “do it yourself” and leave it alone.
The cat birth: what is your job?
Basically: your cat, not you, is pregnant. But you can still help with the cat birth. Your rest and relaxation, as well as your presence, give the expectant cat mom security.
It is important that you always keep in mind that the mother cat knows best what to do. If there is a strong bond between you and the animal, the female will appreciate your presence and will be happy to let you watch.
Your only job is to intervene in the event of complications and to call the vet in an emergency.
The mother cat instinctively does all other things herself – provided you let her and don’t disturb or annoy her.
These are the first signs of childbirth
You don’t necessarily have to have noticed the coverage. Your queen is outdoors and you notice that her belly is getting bigger and bigger? Then you can assume with a probability bordering on certainty that the cat is pregnant.
The vet will confirm this condition and can tell you how long it will be until the cat is born. With careful observation, you will know, without any knowledge of the mating day, when the cat will have its kittens and the cat birth will begin.
The babies move in the stomach
A cat carries a total of nine weeks. From the fourth week the teats protrude and swell. From the sixth week after mating, the little ones begin to move in the womb.
You see and feel that, especially when it comes to an “average” litter of four to seven kittens.
The queen is also changing and you will notice some new habits. Do you already speak your cat’s language ?
The cat eats less
From the eighth week onwards, your cat will eat less, but at the same time drink more. That doesn’t have to worry, because the reduction in food intake is a normal sign of childbirth, which is no longer far off.
You can pamper your cat by giving her very nutritious and protein-rich food during this time. Tuna is popular, as it also stimulates milk production and is easily digestible.
The expectant mother is collecting laundry
Your cat opens drawers, takes the dirty laundry out of the basket or was even discovered in the laundry basket? It is now close to the start of the cat birth. Few cats set up their litter days before they are born.
Most animals start a few hours beforehand, so you should be attentive and watch now. You can build a litter box for your cat and place it in a quiet place.
Whether or not she will accept it is in the stars and cannot be guaranteed.
Attention: There are certainly cat mothers who set up their litter nest in the freshly cleaned litter box . If that is the case, be sure to put the toilet away!
The mother cat becomes nervous and lies on its side
Some mother cats meow loudly, others pace restlessly up and down the apartment. Both are signs of the birth, the beginning of which can now only turn an hour or two.
Shortly before the birth, the she-cat suddenly becomes very calm and apparently lies down on her side in a relaxed manner. Soon you will hear and see how hard your cat is breathing: labor has started.
Whether Bengal cat or house cat – cat mothers know what they are doing.
Are you prepared for the cat birth? Don’t worry: the mother cat too!
You have prepared a whelping box with great attention to detail. But your cat has looked for another place.
Now she is lying on her side, breathing hard and you know that the first baby will see the light of day in two hours at the latest.
If you are very familiar with your cat, you can now stroke it and talk to it reassuringly. If she feels disturbed by it, don’t take it personally: But don’t do it.
Cats usually give birth late in the evening until the early hours of the morning. You can expect a longer period of time if you want to stay with it and watch the whole time.
If you leave the room occasionally, stay calm and tell your family not to open, slam or make any other loud noises for the time the cat is born – for a period of up to six hours.
When giving birth to a cat: allow for a duration of two to six hours
It was almost two hours from the first contraction to the first kitten. Now the little one is born, the female has bitten open the amniotic sac and cleaned the kitten.
Now she bites through the umbilical cord and consumes the afterbirth, which must have come out immediately after the kitten. This process is now repeated until the last kitten in the world and the cat is over.
So far you haven’t had to do anything and if everything goes well, you are encouraged to watch and keep calm with all the other kittens.
Important tips for your role in a cat birth
A cat birth can also go in such a way that you do not even notice it. If the female withdraws in peace and gives birth to her kittens overnight, you may not notice the addition to the family until you get up.
This is seldom the case with indoor cats, as the mother-to-be will give you a few signs of the birth. If there are no complications, you have nothing to do the whole time.
If something seems unusual to you – for example the afterbirth does not come out or the cat does not bite the umbilical cord: Contact the vet.
Important: Your vet should know that you can call in the middle of the night and ask for help.
To be sure, let him know when the cat starts “nesting” and lies on its side. Because that night it will happen – the kittens will be born.
Keep calm
At no point in time, not even in the event of complications, should you tend to be restless. The cat birth should not take place in a closed cat basket.
It is important that you can look from above without disturbing you and recognize any problems. Take three deep breaths yourself before you call the vet or approach the birthplace and bend over the throwing cat.
Some queens acknowledge proximity at the moment of labor with a hiss. Do not be deterred, the cat just wants to give birth in peace.
Observe, but leave the mother cat alone
You will notice very quickly whether your cat feels disturbed or calmed down by your presence.
Even if you are curious and absolutely want to attend the cat’s birth: If your cat reacts restlessly to your presence, you should rather leave the room.
Occasional flying visits with a visual check to see whether everything is going well should not be omitted.
Animals sense our human nervousness. It is therefore extremely important that you are calm and give the cat a good feeling and security.
Stroking and persuading during the cat birth?
Basically nothing speaks against it. But a decision is made on a case-by-case basis. Very trusting cats relax under your hands.
However, it is also important here that you only stroke during labor and leave the cat alone during the actual birth. Do not touch the newborns, however much it excites you and as much as you want to hold a little kitten in your hands.
It could happen that the queen refuses the baby and does not allow him access to the teat.
How you can see that everything went well
It’s all over no later than six hours after the first signs of the birth. The cat lies on its side while the kittens have found a teat and are eating their first meal.
If you see this picture, you can and should now go to bed relaxed and recover from the exciting night.
A few more weeks will pass before the first vaccination , during which you will see the kittens grow a little every day and become more and more active.
Does a veterinarian have to be present at the cat birth?
The presence of a veterinarian is unnecessary for a normal cat birth. You should only pick up the phone and consult the vet if there are complications.
For your cat, the presence of a stranger – or even a trip to the veterinary clinic – means unnecessary stress.
The less hustle and bustle accompanies the birth process, the easier it is for the kittens to be born.
In case of emergency: Have the vet’s phone number ready
Nonetheless, if you suspect complications or see that a youngster cannot come out of the birth canal or half of it is stuck, professional help is required.
If you are experienced yourself, you can give birth to the kitten and help the female. If you don’t dare, or if the cat is getting weaker and seems to have serious problems, don’t put off calling the vet on the back burner.
After the cat is born: rest and nutrient-rich food
The cat birth was an exciting moment. Not just for you, but above all for the new mother cat. It needs a lot of rest and should be kept in a lockable room for the first few days.
It is important that your children do not rush into the room all the time or touch the kittens. Feed your cat high-quality food, although canned tuna is also an option postnatally.
Never give the animal milk!
This myth persists, but cats cannot tolerate milk. The last thing a nursing mother cat needs is stomach pain and diarrhea, which cow’s milk can make.
Three days after the cat’s birth: gender determination
At some point you have to look for a new home for your kittens. You can still take your time with this, but the best way to determine the gender is two to three days after the birth.
This is when you see the differences between cats and tomcats most clearly.
