Advice

Just wondering if anyone can offer any guidance. I have two cats one of which is very pregnant, due in the next week.

The two cats don't get on so well at the moment. They don't fight but hiss at each other and generally stay out of each others way. The youngest (and pregnant one) also dislikes my boyfriend and won't stay in the same room as him. Her favourite place is the cellar and i'm worried this is where she will choose to have her kittens. It's cold down there. Shoud i stop her going down there? Problem is this is where the cat flap is and their litter trays and stuff.

I've never had a cat thats had kittens before and am getting all anxious about what to do.

Any advice?

Thanks

I wouldn't let her down in the cellar. Is she used to being outside? She may try and take her kittens outside. Is there another room in the house that you can confine her in?

Yes she is very used to being outside, but she isn't allowed out at the moment as i thought she might have them outside. The cat flap is set to let the other cat in if i've let her out.

I have a spare bedroom i could shut her in but i'm worries that'll just stress her out, she is used to having free run of the whole house

Most of the people on this site will tell you that you should close her in. However, I think that if you leave the room available to her, and set up all the things that she will need, like food bowls, litter tray, blankets, scratch post, birthing box etc. She may well see that it is the best place. Don't let the other cat in there though (or you boyfriend), try and keep them seperate as much as you can. Cat's can hold off labour until they feel safe and comfortable, so don't let the cat into the room as it may make her postpone.

Put her in every so often and just leave the door ajar, so she can see that everything is there. And she can see that there is a way out.

If she also has access to outside, she can have the kittens outside. I'd confine her to on room (warm) and keep her in there till the babies are born. Plan on keeping them till 10-12 weeks old so they learn cat social behavior and are mentally stable to leave. Its more then just learning to eat solid foods and using a litter pan.

The mom cat needs to be kept separate with her own food, water, and litter pan. And schedule mom for spaying as soon as your vet recommends (usually around 8 weeks after kittens are born). She should not have access to outside till she is done nursing and spayed.

I use my room for my preg. cat since the others don't go in there, it is warm and the kids aren't allowed in unless i am in there. She normally has free reign of the house but has food, water, a comfy box (which she just uses my bed most times) and her litter box. most times she is asking to go in there and doesn't want to come out. LOL she realy loves it in there. I am starting her now here and there and letting her come and go as she pleases (well when I open the door for her) since she still has a ways to go. but once the time is closer she will be in there all the time but this way she is used to it. GL.

Hi All

Thanks for the advice earlier in the week. Just to let you all know my little one has just had 4 little ones of her own. She and I are both new to this but she seems to be doing fab, all four are washed and suckling and mum is sleeping.

Hoping she is done at 4

She managed to choose my other cats bed (a sort of fluffy pouch thing) to have her litter. Will she move them of her own accord, have offered lots of boxes etc, one of which she seemed to be favouring before today?

I'm just guessing that a very soggy bit of fluffy bed will not make for the most restful sleep.

I'd appreciate any tips etc.

I'll post pics soon.

Cheers

Kelly (Luka and Marleys mum)

Is she in a room that Luka can get to her? Make sure they stay seperate. Mum cats can get very protective of her babies and will move them if she feels that they are not safe.

If you want them in a different room, I'd give them a day or two, then move them along with the bed they are curently in. Oh, and wash the bed!!!

As long as she's confined to one room she will not move the kittens around. Keep the other cat out of the room so the new mom doesn't feel threatened.

I had two sister cats one time, Picky & Sassy, both got pregnant at the same time by the same time, Sassy had her babies first, then Picky had hers and didn't know what to do, Sassy took all the babies to where she had her litter (in the drawer) and from that moment on she was their mother. We had two moms in the drawer with 9 kittens and Sassy nursed them all and took excelent care of them! I hope yours goes as good as mine does!

what I did with my kitty when she was pregnant in october was put her in my room and not allow ANY other pets or people except me and her in there. I set up a box, food/water, plenty of nice nesting areas,etc. and she wasn't happy at first, and was sure that she wanted to go out to have full run of the house.
so after about 1 week I let her out and back into the house, sure enough the day she was in labor she went running back to the room meowing to get in there..she did know it was a safe place and wanted that comfort, so maybe you can try doing that?

good luck!