Be ready when it's time for kittens to arrive.
If your cat is pregnant, she will normally not need much help to give birth. Most likely, she will only require a comfortable, quiet place and perhaps some thoughtful attention when it's time for her kittens to arrive. However, you should be prepared to help her pass the kittens in order to reduce the risk of problems during the birthing process.
Instructions
1. Make a safe, warm nest for your cat to have the kittens. For example, put a box in a closet and fill it with blankets or towels. Place your cat's favorite toys around the box, or put her in the box so she becomes familiar with the nest.
2. Monitor your cat closely around the time she's ready to give birth. According to the website My Healthy Cat, labor can begin anywhere between 61 and 70 days from the date she got pregnant.
3. Watch for signs that your cat is going into labor. Labor can last anywhere from six hours to an entire day. She may be showing signs of restlessness or doing a lot grooming, pacing, purring or crying. Pet your cat and offer food to help reduce any anxiety or pain she may be experiencing.
4. Look for the head of the first kitten coming out of the birthing canal. Kittens are normally born head-first, but feet-first deliveries are not necessarily abnormal. Do not touch the vaginal area to help the cat. She should lick away the membrane around the kitten's body and face after it is born, so it can start breathing. The rest of the kittens may come quickly or not for a while. It can take up to 24 hours for all of the kittens to be delivered. Offer your cat some food and water during this period; she will need nourishment to keep up her strength.
5. Avoid moving the umbilical cords attached to the kittens, because you may harm their internal organs. Watch for signs of complications. If your cat has contractions for longer than 60 minutes without producing a kitten, take her immediately to the vet.
6. Allow the cat to eat the umbilical cord, because it is a part of the birthing process. The new kittens should start mewing a few minutes after being born. They should also immediately go to their mother to suck her nipples.
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