is my cat having more kittens?

Okay...so my cat gave birth last night to 5 healthy kittens...all was wonderful. I was checking on her every couple of hours and the last time I checked on her she was breathing heavy as she did with labor last night. Is she having more kittens? There don't seem to be any contractions or straining on her part but the heavy breathing has been going on for a half hour now. At least a half hour since I noticed it. Any ideas or advice? Thank you!

Were you present during delivery? If so, did she deliver a placenta for each kitten? How did her stomach look afterward? Was it flat or still rounded?

It is possible for there to be a delay between delivery of kittens lasting as much as a day or two. It could also be her attempting to deliver a retained placenta. Whatever it is it does sound like something is happening and you need to watch her closely. 

If this behavior continues call your vet and explain the situation as soon as they open. She may very well need to be seen to be sure she hasn't retained a kitten or a placenta, both of which are life threatening situations.

In the meantime if she starts actively pushing and nothing happens within 30-45 minutes or she otherwise becomes distressed you need to find your closest after hours clinic and get her in ASAP. I would find where it is now just so you are prepared in case. Many vets will leave this information on their answering machine so start there. 

Hopefully it is nothing but you need to watch her vigilantly just to be on the safe side. Listen to your gut- if it feels like something is wrong then there probably is. Err on the side of caution and have her seen sooner rather than later! 

Vibes that it's nothing serious. Good luck! 

Thank you! Her tummy just looks swollen possibly from her uterus swelling but nothing like how the kittens felt when they were inside so i dont think there are any babies left. She finally stopped panting and seems pretty content, unless I'm picking up the babies to weigh them. I am only handling them during that time but she panics every time. She also isn't willing to leave her bed too often which means i've had to bring food and water to her. Poor girl. She's an anxious momma, but a good one also. Thank you for the advice. Much appreciated. This has been a learning experience for me. NEVER going to delay spaying again.

Oh...and yes...all placentas were accounted for. =)

Good. It sounds like it's nothing major but do keep an eye just to be safe and again, err on the side of caution if necessary. 

It's normal for a Queen to not want to leave the nest much (if at all) for the first few days. Because she isn't it's also possible she is panting from being dehydrated. If you can, at least put her water dish where she can reach it without having to get up (it sounds like you have). And, keep her food and litterbox super close to the nest so she doesn't have to stray far to access them. It's also normal if she doesn't use the box for a day or two so don't be concerned if she hasn't yet. 

As for being anxious when you handle the kittens- that is also totally normal. You can minimize her stress by weighing them as close to her as possible, and only handle them to get a daily weight for these first few weeks. In any event make sure you never take the kittens outside her field of vision as it will just freak her out that much more. 

Overall it sounds like you are doing everything right so just keep it up. These first few weeks are all about keeping Momma comfortable so that she can care for her kittens. Give her lots of extra affection to help reaffirm that trust when it comes time that you have to handle the babies. The time will come when it's time to start giving them attention but not quite yet. Keep your focus on her!

As glad as I am that you are enjoying the experience I am also very glad to hear you imply that this will be her one and only litter. Just as a reminder remember she can go back into heat at any point now that she has given birth so take extra precautions to make sure she can't slip outside (this includes through windows so check those screens). And, keep any intact males far, far away! She can be spayed as soon as the kittens are weaned. 

Keep asking questions as they come up. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here!