Please help - advice needed - cat in labour

I have a situation - I will post my question and then give you some info.

My Cat is in labour - she had one kitten around 4 hours ago- it didn't make it. Now She is panting heavily she's in her nest and won't leave. She likes me being there and gladly lets me pet her right now.
How long before she has another kitten?

She is an 'outdoor' cat -- we live on an acreage and she is a mouser -- but she lives in our heated garage and we go snuggle her and play with her every day.

I don't know how the first kitten died. I was in the house and my husband came and told me he found one. It was completely clean and dry with no cord or anything -- big (like 6 inches long) looked healthy - but dead.

I don't know what to do now.

THANKS

I hope the deliverys goes on as they shall. [I shall try to fill in some as times go on]

As she is partly a outdoor cat and seasoned chaser, she has strenght and muscles above average. She wont collapse because of tiredness.

Have water ready if she wants.

If you happen to have KMR milk, or goat milk handy, or pedialyte, you can use it now. (Dont use cow milk unless you know 100% sure she is used to it.)
If you dont have handy any of these, water is OK, but home-made pedialyte is even better than water. Ie some salt and some dextrose sugar, cook it up.
"1 teaspoon kitchen salt, 1 soup spoon dextrose or honey, 1 litre water." Heat up till it boils, cool down till it is lukewarm. Use as much you need. Good also for humans if need be.


Do you have a friendly vet who answers questions? Be prepared to phone him, although I dont think 4-5 hours is any reason to panic yet.
IF you think it is time to drive her in, take her in with the nest, or prepare an own cardboard box or something for the transport. So you can take her quickly as soon the vet says it is time to take her in.


The kitten? Sorrowfull, but " happens" as they say. Not so few kittens do dies...


Good luck!

How is it going?

Thanks so much Stefan,
Aftre I posted I watched some videos about kitten birth and tried to prepare myself (because she knows what do do but I am a nervous wreck).

I finally had to go to bed.
Now - 5 hours later - still no more babies and mama is very spry.

She may have only had one - but her tummy is still really big. I know when I had my kids my belly was still super big after (I was like - did I even HAVE a baby LOL).
But hers seems like it;s pretty much the same size!
And she still seemed to be in labour last night -- heavy panting -- I swear her stoamch was even moving (but that could have been from the havy breathing too).

How small should her tummy be if she's done giving birth?

We have a great vet and I can call her if we get into trouble (she knows us well as our dogs love the porcupines!)

And yes, after this fiasco we are getting her spayed - she's only just over 6 months old and it's winter here so I thought she'd be OK for a few months - lesson learned.

If she seems to be in resultatless labor I suggest you to phone the vet. Now.


With cats it is not at all unusual they deliver many hours, even days apart. But in these cases, they rest in between.
The rule of thumb is: if they do rest and seems contend, you can usually wait and see.

If she is stressed and resultatless labor many hours, it may be serious. So do phone. Let the vet decide.


Good luck!


ps. Young mothers do often have small litters, so it may be she had only one. But it is not at all sure! Had you seen the afterbirth? - But probably she did ate it if it come out. They usually do.

Thanks - I will call the vet.
Yes I am pretty sure she ate it because the kitten was all cleaned up - I think she had some time to 'get stuff done' before we found the kitten.

So Tashia (mama) disappeared for the day,as she often does. I called the vet and she said to call her again when I find Tashia and tell her what's happening.
When Tashia came back her belly was much smaller and she was stil lhappy as a lark. I called the vet back and she said to bring her in if she statrs having troubles again but that if she seemed OK then to let her be.

Well - she's fine. I guess she just had the one baby and that was that. Perhaps when she wandered off she got rid of whatever was left in her belly - fluids?

Sad that we lost the first kitten though.

Thanks so much for your advice. =)

Go around some, and look if she perhaps delivered babies elsewhere.... Although IF, so they are probably stillborn.

But look anyway, for your own peace´s of mind sake.


Im relieved your moma is OK, I WAS worrying. Dont forget to spay her.

Glad you found her and she's doing better. Sounds like she wondered off to have the rest of her babies