It's happened!

Just got home from work, to find one alive kitten trying to find a teat, and one dead kitten that Smokey was nuzzling trying to get it to wake up I tried my best with it but it wasn't working, so I've removed it from the box - she seems fine now.

Not sure how long ago they were born, but was sometime today (and the placentas aren't there, so need to get her checked out) but she still feels quite big. How long can they go between kittens?

My cat waited about 6 hours between on of her births. I know some cats can rest for up to 12 hours and still have a healthy birth. I'm sure someone else can come along and give you more advice.

I'm sorry about your loss. I hope the other kitten(s) is fine.

really sorry to hear you lost 1,i hope the other/other's will be in great health

RIP to the one who didn't make it...........

Sorry that you lost one, but congratulations on the one that is still with us. Very happy headbuts and welcome to the world licks from KittenKiya's Clan.

We are so happy for you.

Originally Posted by emmorticia

Not sure how long ago they were born, but was sometime today (and the placentas aren't there, so need to get her checked out) but she still feels quite big. How long can they go between kittens?

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From Gaye's post:


The queen may deliver her kittens at 15-minute intervals or even wait four hours before producing another. As long as she seems seems comfortable - don't panic. An extended period of hard, unproductive labor is worth panicking about.

Katie

Any more than about an hour of hard pushing contractions is a reason to contact the vet or ER clinic. I tend not to wait that long - 30 minutes tops. But then I am extremely lucky that my girl poots 'em out without a problem.

Thanks everyone! Still no sign of more babies yet, but when she shifts to certain positions, I can still feel hard lumps in her belly. No contractions though, so not sure whether I'm imagining things or not.

To top it all off, I've just found a load of flea dirt on her neck. Any recommendations as to what would be best to treat it with, given her condition? (Bear in mind I'm in the UK! )

Originally Posted by emmorticia

Thanks everyone! Still no sign of more babies yet, but when she shifts to certain positions, I can still feel hard lumps in her belly. No contractions though, so not sure whether I'm imagining things or not.

To top it all off, I've just found a load of flea dirt on her neck. Any recommendations as to what would be best to treat it with, given her condition? (Bear in mind I'm in the UK!

)

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Talk to your vet, but you should be able to get Stronghold or Advantage easily (those are what our vets mostly uses, and we're in Limerick).

Good work Smokey and kit(s).

Rest in peace little life. Enjoy your time at Rainbow Bridge, and look down on your MomCat, Meowmy, and sib/s.

Originally Posted by gayef

But then I am extremely lucky that my girl poots 'em out without a problem.

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I am always so amused with your posts, even when things are worrisome you are always there to help lighten the mood, and bring some relaxation to tense nerves

I had an exremely rare case. My queen had a kitten around 10:00 P.M. 4/4/06the kitten was born dead, it was very small and transparent, without much fur. She stopped labor, completely! By the next morning I had no more kittens still, but felt them moving so knew there were more to come, and rushed her off to the vets. At this time it had been 9 hrs, now she was in no stress, pain or labor, she wasn't contracting or pushing, it was like she never went into labor at all, except I had a kitten to tell me it really happened (like Gaye said if she had any discomfort or had been pushing for half an hour she would have been rushed to kitty ER) He said she seemed fine and we decided not to induce. By noon time or so with still nothing, no labor, no contractions, no kittens, I decided to speak with defferent vets and found one that would see her immediately. It had now been 14-16 hrs. She had e-rays and was stuck in a cat bag to see if she was dialated/open cervex, ect. all seemed fine, and since the first one was small we felt it would be best to see if she could keep them in longer, the longer in the more developed they come out. So, again we didn't induce, but being so long I was very concerned I was risking my cats health. Later that night I was worried I had made a bad decision, even though she was still very unconcerned about it, and having no pain or stress. Now 10:00pm on 4/5/06 24 hrs later I was really worrying, and called an ER vet, they said to give her until morning and if nothing then, we should induce, unless she was having any stress or pain, again, I was told to wait, a few more hrs went by, and it was now 4:00am 4/6/06 30 hrs after the first and only dead kitten was born! I couldn't wait for the vets to open and induce her and even though It may have meant certain death for the kittens, I had moms concerns as a priority. Well 6:30 -7:00am 4/6/06 32 1/2-33 hrs later, that crazy girl went into labor! She had 5 healthy kittens, although 1 died, I ended up with 4 beautiful babies, 1 was even adopted by some one on this site, and flown out to colorado (from maine) and one went to a home as a show cat and just attended her first show 10/14/06 and two of the boys are still here, 1 probley will always be here (if hubby has his way) and the other is holding out for a very special home, due to a heart murmur, and that he had a leg that got broke (never did find out how that happened, I think he might have got it caught in the rabbit cage?) But, he is a very special boy, and will only go to a very special home.
Like I said this was an exremely rare case, we think she may have aborted the dead one, and waited untill she was due to deliver the rest all healthy? It was very strange and scarry, but these things can happen, so just keep a close eye one her, and take no chances, if you think she should see a vet, don't doubt your first instinct. How does she act? Does she seem to be in labor at all? I hope that by telling you my story you don't get discouraged, some times things like that happen, so the rest of the kittens may be fine, just like mine were, but, it may not be the same case, so just keep your chin up, and keep a close eye on her, you should know if she seems to be uncomfortable or in pain. I hope all turns out good. How is the little one she has? Is it doing well still?
You said some thing about feeling hard lumps when she moved, does it feel like kittens? Or could it just be from her being swollen and she is all done? I know some times I thought I have felt another kitten, but it wasn't.
Can you feel any kittens moving at all? When I had this delivery going on, The one thing that gave me hope was I was feeling kittens moving in her still, so they were still alive in her, just taking their sweet time comming into the world.
good luck!

omg that's crazy! Am hoping I won't have to wait that long...lol. I'm calling the vet round tomorrow evening to give her and the kitten (s??) a check up, so will have chat with him then if they still haven't turned up. Meanwhile, I'm making sure I've got plenty of coffee in for tomorrow morning...have a feeling work is going to be a nightmare tomorrow as I'll be up half the night worrying!

Originally Posted by emmorticia

omg that's crazy! Am hoping I won't have to wait that long...lol. I'm calling the vet round tomorrow evening to give her and the kitten (s??) a check up, so will have chat with him then if they still haven't turned up. Meanwhile, I'm making sure I've got plenty of coffee in for tomorrow morning...have a feeling work is going to be a nightmare tomorrow as I'll be up half the night worrying!

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Her first litter was so smoothe she had all five kittens in about 1/2 an hour. Her secound litter was fine, not a problem either so this third litter was a bit of a surprise! It was a long 33 hrs! If you have any questions, or want some one to talk to, just PM me. If you are interested in reading about her labor when it was happening I will give you the link, it seems mabey you will be up worrying for a while, mabey it will give you some thing to do, lol
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82196

Originally Posted by celestialrags

Her first litter was so smoothe she had all five kittens in about 1/2 an hour. Her secound litter was fine, not a problem either so this third litter was a bit of a surprise! It was a long 33 hrs! If you have any questions, or want some one to talk to, just PM me. If you are interested in reading about her labor when it was happening I will give you the link, it seems mabey you will be up worrying for a while, mabey it will give you some thing to do, lol
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82196

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Thank you! Still no more kittens when I got up this morning, but i SWEAR I felt movement in there. She's definitely still got a big bump in her belly.

Have been reading the thread about Icey, thanks for the link. There's mention in there of there being problems if the cervix is open - is there any way I can know whether it's open without a vet checking her out?

Sadly I had to go in to work today. Am going to try and leave early though - so worried about her!

The surviving kitten seems to be doing well, and Smokey's being great with her!

Originally Posted by emmorticia

Thank you! Still no more kittens when I got up this morning, but i SWEAR I felt movement in there. She's definitely still got a big bump in her belly.

Have been reading the thread about Icey, thanks for the link. There's mention in there of there being problems if the cervix is open - is there any way I can know whether it's open without a vet checking her out?

Sadly I had to go in to work today. Am going to try and leave early though - so worried about her!

The surviving kitten seems to be doing well, and Smokey's being great with her!

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I am glad you have been reading it, it may have some thing useful in it.
I really don't think there would be any way to check her cervix without a vet, one of the main concerns with the cervix opening is the chance of bacteria being able to get in, and cause infection. When she was done, it was all sterile, and they had her in a bag thing, it was very stressing to her, and she wasn't happy with it! I would have no idea were to begin, or what to look for personally, so mabey some one with a nurse or like midwife/doctor background would be more knowldgeable about how to do some thing like that, but, even if it could be checked at home, it is still better at the vets, if it is open, some thing would need to be done immediately any ways, like inducing labor, or preforming a c-section, so it's best left to the vets. Is there any one who can take smokey to the vets for you? I am really concerned for her. Like I said Icey was a very rare exception, usually when it's been so long without a kitten, there is serious problems, and the longer it takes to do some thing the more the chance of survival diminishes, as well as moms. Did she seem distressed at all? how about any discharge? Any foul smells or green/brown/discolored discharge is a sign of infection, and not only is kittens at risk, but so is mom. I really don't want to scare you, but, it could be scary if she has a kitten stuck in the birth canal (as well as other problems) if there is a kitten lodged, by now it has more then likely passed, and will be decomposing, even if the other kittens are alive the longer the dead kitten is there the more bacteria infects the womb and can kill the rest (some one else I believe just went through some thing like that, and even though the kittens had been alive at the time of the c-section, they had already been exposed to the bacteria, and was starting to decompose themselves, and if I remember right, they died) So please thry and get her into the vet immediately! It's is an emergency, so mabey you could get away with leaving early? Have you called the vets at all today? explain this to them, and how long it has been since you came home and found them born, and any thing else you noticed and find out what actions need to be done, and how long before you should be worried (Iam worried now) please do what you can to have her seen as soon as possible, and please keep me updated, you, smokey and those precious kittens are in my thoughts!
Another concern I have is if you do loose mom and babies, you will have to be mom for this little kitten she has, it is a lot of work, they are very demanding! You will have to feed every few hrs and stimulate it to relieve it's self, so it's another thing to think about. I am sorry if I am scaring you I don't mean to, it's just I worry about every ones kitties. I know my story worked out, and I hope it gave you hope your kittens may still be alive, but I had her to the vets, and waited with vets advise and aproval.
Good luck, I am sending {{{{hurry up and be born safe and sound vibes}}}}

I had a sixth sense at work that something had happened this morning,and luckily my manager was happy for me to go home and work from home. Got back to find another kitten in the nesting box! Seems healthy enough to me - and it's sure got a good set of lungs on it!

Still have the feeling there's another to come, though. Belly still feels like she's going to push another one out!

Will post a few pics as soon as I've loaded them onto my computer ...

picture of the new arrivals attached!

Oh how beautiful!!!! Hugs and snuggles and kisses....

Congratulations on the 2(and hopefully more) healthy kittens!

Congratulations!

I love the markings of the one on the left, really cute