I think foster is in beginning stages of labor

I posted the other day about my very pregnant foster. She was due (according to vet) last Friday. I have never had a pregnant foster before, so look out for some questions!

She is currently housed in my daughters bathroom as I have 2 other cats that she is not fond of. I keep her in bathroom overnight and let her roam the bedroom during day. She had not gone in birthing box unless I physically put her in there. Then she would lay down and I would pet her. She really rather have laid on tile floor.This morning when I went in, she had ruffled up all of the bedding material. There was no mucus plug or sign of anything in that regard. I am with her now and she is meowing more than usual. She has been a pretty quiet cat. I know this could take time, but I hope you are all around to help me if I have questions. I am hoping, whether she is in labor now or not, that everything goes smoothly.

Last summer I took in a very young mom cat and 5 2 week old babies. Sadly, 3 died, so I am a bit nervous if something goes wrong. Hoping it wont!

Debbie

is she licking herself?

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/pregnant-cat-what-to-prepare-for-the-birth

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/help-my-cat-is-having-kittens

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/post-birth-complications-in-cats

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-do-i-know-when-my-cat-will-give-birth

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/premature-kittens

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/hand-rearing-kittens

I have been looking for that licking sign, she was licking a little bit this morning, which is more than she ever has. Doesnt have as much of an appetite, but thats been going on for a few days. She was meowing a bit more today, but that may have been because I was keeping her in the bathroom instead of letting her room the bedroom

The waiting game is the favorite pastime for us.  NOT.

It may also been some precontractions.

I think it will be easy to notice if she is in real labor.  Panting, tummy going hard - sometimes even visible contrctions... Fluids coming, some red colored discharges...

Be sure its not too long, as cats deliveries are typically shorter than humans.

It shall be even shorter for the following kittens.

Good luck!

So Lilly has been licking more, she is affectionate and loves attention, so hard to tell if she is more than usual. However, I do have a question. I have a birthing box in bathroom with her. Its full of shredded newspaper, a white sheet and a fleece blanket. This morning, like I on previous post, I saw Lilly must have been nesting in there as they sheets and blanket were all messed up. I left it there like that but just 10 min ago, I was going to straighten the bed, she wasnt in it. I noticed the white sheet was wet, the fleece was slightly wet. Since the sheet is white, I can see if there is any blood, none. There was a slight, very slight "ring" in a circle on the sheet. Almost like she peed on it. I smelled the sheet and it didnt really have a strong smell, but maybe it smelled a bit like pee? Just wondering if this could be her water breaking? She has been using the litter box, but I am using Yesterdays News, so seeing the pee is a bit hard. Do pregnant cats have accidents where they sleep?

williamsonj6 said:

 
So Lilly has been licking more, she is affectionate and loves attention, so hard to tell if she is more than usual. However, I do have a question. I have a birthing box in bathroom with her. Its full of shredded newspaper, a white sheet and a fleece blanket. This morning, like I on previous post, I saw Lilly must have been nesting in there as they sheets and blanket were all messed up. I left it there like that but just 10 min ago, I was going to straighten the bed, she wasnt in it. I noticed the white sheet was wet, the fleece was slightly wet. Since the sheet is white, I can see if there is any blood, none. There was a slight, very slight "ring" in a circle on the sheet. Almost like she peed on it. I smelled the sheet and it didnt really have a strong smell, but maybe it smelled a bit like pee? Just wondering if this could be her water breaking? She has been using the litter box, but I am using Yesterdays News, so seeing the pee is a bit hard. Do pregnant cats have accidents where they sleep?

Click to expand...

Usually not.  But it can surely happen, with all the pressure and squeezes inside... It could be  time for her mucus plug to go, so I think it was it.  If so, its nearing, but we dont know the exact hour.

It could also be some watery discharge - it does chappens quite often.

Well, nothing happening. I'm thinking the wetness in her bed yesterday was not her water but an "accident" 

Even the bed being messed up, I think may have been her covering up her pee, as last night (with new bedding in her box) there was no nesting behavior or messed up bedding in her box this morning.

I will keep you all posted. The anticipation is killing me!

Hi All- my foster cat "Lilly" gave birth a few days ago. Birth went great. She had 5 healthy kittens in 2hrs. Nursing is going good, from what I can tell. I weighed them yesterday (as I forgot the day they were born) and Lilly seemed upset when I took each one to weigh them. So I put them back and did it later. When I was with Lilly yesterday my sons cat came in the room. I didn't realize the door was open (my daughter didn't close it) and before I knew it, Alex was in front of the cat box. Lilly jumped out and I grabbed Alex and briskly got him out of the room. I have a feeling, that is why she is moving her kittens from the box. She is in a bathroom and my concern is she brings them over to behind the toilet. On the cold tile floor, and some kittens were laying (nursing though) against a cold toilet. I live in Chicago area, the room is warm, I have space heater and heating pad under the box she should be using. The room reads 81 on thermostat. 

My question is, how do I get her to keep them in the box? I took another box, squished it into that corner but couldn't fit it in all the way. Its narrow. I have blankets in that box. I am now on my computer and I share a wall with that bathroom, I just heard a few cries from the kittens and no doubt, she brought them to the box I placed by the toilet.

I do have several other places that I can put her usual box, but  I am unsure whether I should attempt to move her.

Any suggestions?

She will move them where she wants and there is little you can do. I'm sure she feels her kittens are in danger and is doing the best she can do. At the very least put blankets back there, you could try maybe offering her a covered box so she is more secluded. Eventually she'll allow the kittens to be moved to a better spot when she doesn't feel so threatened. For now, bring the scale next to the kittens, and quickly weigh then in full view of mama, that should help. After she sees you put them right back after a few times, she;ll relax.  Good luck and keep us posted on how it turns out!

how is she doing?

So sorry I hadn't updated. The thread I started here, where I said "I think foster is in beginning stages of labor" was correct! She had her babies later that afternoon, at 445pm. I was fortunate enough to see all 5 being born. Lilly was nice enough to wait for me to be there in the room for her

I had a busy day, water in our basement then had 2 service repair men come at different times. My daughter was home sick from school and was spending time with Lilly, but Lilly got under the bed and I decided to just keep her in the bathroom, just in case of anything. She wasn't acting any different that day, other than, like when I started the thread, she rumpled up her bedding earlier that day. I did notice when I brought her out from under the bed and put her in bathroom, that she went into the box right away. But again, she had done that before. Spent an hr or 20 min here and there in the box, but usually because I put her there. This time she went in on her own, but I didn't think much about it.

Because the repair guys came, I was down in basement with them, but checked on her like usual every hr or so. Nothing unusual was happening with her. I did notice one time that she was in the box, facing the back. Almost like a "time out" you do for a child. But she seemed ok and welcomed petting from me. Around 430pm, the repair guy left, $1000 later for new ejector pump, and I went to check on Lilly. Again, she was facing the back, no mucus plug, no bloody discharge or anything. Within a few min I noticed she was having contractions. By 447pm, she had her first kitten! Literally, I was in the bathroom for 12 minutes and she had the first one! So nice of her to wait for me

She presided, without issue to have the next 4 kitties. She had all 5 within 2 hrs, which I hear is pretty darn good!

She is a great mommy. Protective and attentive yet so very sweet. Kittens are doing fantastic, gaining weight each day. This was my first pregnant foster and in a heartbeat I would do it again. I have fostered young kittens many times, but a pregnant cat is something to behold, truly. Amazing how they have that natural instinct. 

I wasnt sure if I should post this question here or start a new thread, so I am just going to post here.

I am trying to tell the sex of Lilly's kittens. Can you all tell me if I am correct?

FEMALE


FEMALE


MALE


MALE


MALE


Thank you!

All correct

awesome catwoman707! thank you!!

Oh loved reading your thread and seeing kittens, they are so lovely

Mum and daughter face to face aww. I'm awaiting for my stripy to give birth. She was 9 weeks Friday x