My cat is soon to give birth. Advice needed

Hello

My cat is very close to giving birth. I have felt movement for a while now. It seems shes panting a lot the past couple days, and I just saw mucus around her vaginal area, almost green in color. I looked this up as the mucus plug. She is also making a quacking sound instead of meowing. She is an outdoor cat so I am wondering where she will give birth. I made a blanket fort on the porch with a towel for her to use just incase, but all the other cats seem to like it so she stays away from it. She wont let any cat get close to her without hissing and clawing, even though they were best friends before the pregnancy. Its the peak of the heat in summer though here in Ohio. Should I be worried about her giving birth in the middle of the day?? I am gone most of the day and cant really watch her. I doubt I will be able to be with her while she is giving birth, I doubt I will even know where she is doing it.. Any advice?? As soon as I find the kittens when she gives birth, I will move them inside for safety reasons.  

Can you move the mother cat inside now?  She may come willingly if she knows you.  She isn't going to nest in a place where there are other cats.  She is hissing and fighting to protect her unborn kittens.

Do you have a spare room or large closet she can use?

If I bring her in, she eats, drinks, than goes to the door and whines. So im thinking she wants to do it outside. It is a huge property. Im sure she can find a spot somewhere. Shes outside most of the day and night. I just let her do what she wants. She just hisses if they get to close. They are used to her being nice, so they go up to greet her and she freaks out. I have never seen actual fighting though. Just her being defensive all of a sudden. Im scared because the mucus plug was a bit greenish, hardly though. 

romsoccer126 said:

 
If I bring her in, she eats, drinks, than goes to the door and whines. So im thinking she wants to do it outside. It is a huge property. Im sure she can find a spot somewhere. Shes outside most of the day and night. I just let her do what she wants. She just hisses if they get to close. They are used to her being nice, so they go up to greet her and she freaks out. I have never seen actual fighting though. Just her being defensive all of a sudden. Im scared because the mucus plug was a bit greenish, hardly though. 

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The mucus is often greenish, its its natural property. so its not bacteria infection.

I too agree, if ifts possible for you to have her give birth inside, its the best.  Easiest for you too to foster her kittens into fully socialized, easy to adotp out kittens.

I suppose she will manage on her own, summer half year, and food from you, as a sort of semiferal.

But inside has many advantages.  If you dont have any suitable room, so perhaps a big dog cage??   Both for containing her inside, and protection from the other cats.

Let not theother cats be near, unless they are best friends.

Set up a nest inside and show it to her.  Put some food and water nearby and a litter box a litter further away.  It may entice her to stay.  there are a few threads where the feral moms came in at the last minute to give birth or they were able to bring the mother and kittens in soon after birth.

Here's is a link to one.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/301164/stray-cat-just-had-kittens-questions

I suggest you bring her in whether she likes it or not. It's safer and healthier for the kittens, otherwise you may never find the kittens.

I'd like to hear more about the green discharge. That's not normal . Green discharge is indicative of infection. She needs to see a vet.

StefanZ said:

 
The mucus is often greenish, its its natural property. so its not bacteria infection.

I too agree, if ifts possible for you to have her give birth inside, its the best.  Easiest for you too to foster her kittens into fully socialized, easy to adotp out kittens.

I suppose she will manage on her own, summer half year, and food from you, as a sort of semiferal.

But inside has many advantages.  If you dont have any suitable room, so perhaps a big dog cage??   Both for containing her inside, and protection from the other cats.

Let not theother cats be near, unless they are best friends.

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I do hope this is the mucus plug, but if you being there notice its for example foul smelly, very clearly green  or in other way apparently a pus, this is of course alarming...

@romsoccer126

She has been panting heavily all day and a llot more the past hour or two so I think shes going through the first stages of labour. The mucus looked like snot, barely a hit of green. She has been to the vet a few times. She was sneezing consistently for like 3 or 4 days a coulpe weeks ago. I took her to the vet and they said they dont want to give her antibiotics because of the babies as long as shes not that noticeably sick. No fever. The sneezing cleared up and she has been fine. She is very active and eating a ton. Im gonna be keeping staying outside on the porch with her tonight. I made her a relaly nice fort with blankets on the porch, she seems to have picked that spot. Thanks for the replys and help

As soon as she gives birth I will take the kittens inside for good. Do you think she will let me though? How much time sohuld i give them before I bring them inside ?

As I said before, you should bring her in now. She should give birth inside. Barring that, you should bring mama and babies in immediately following birth. Other than the fact she is an outdoor cat, I am not sure why you are ignoring the advice you are asking for.

Most vets will give antibiotics to pregnant cats. If the cat has an infection, the babies will get it. Once she has it, the solution is antibiotics which the kittens will get through the milk during nursing.

It's not about what the cat wants. It's about what is BEST for the cat and kittens, and that is indoors.

It's not, "will she let me" - just do it!

Most outdoor cats will come indoors to have the kittens if  they feel safe and know there is no harm meant.  Please try to get her inside.

She did not give birth last night. I brought her in this morning and she just stood and quacked to go back outside, so I am going to let her do it where she wants because in this case I think thats best. If she wants to come in, she can come in. But she seems adamant about hanging out on the porch where I set up one of the spots. She was always an outdoor cat and never liked being inside to long. I think forcing her inside at this moment would stress her pregnancy. I will continually give her the option to come inside though.  I have a few setups indoors but shes not taking to them..She always wants to go back in that spot. Thats where she was in labour last night, so I assume thats where she will give birth. I dont want to move her kittens right after she gives birth if she does it on the porch. Thats why I asked if she will even let me pick them up after she has given birth. Also, is it normal for a cat to be panting heavily like shes in labor in the night than seem fine in the morning? 

romsoccer126 said:

 
She did not give birth last night. I brought her in this morning and she just stood and quacked to go back outside, so I am going to let her do it where she wants because in this case I think thats best. If she wants to come in, she can come in. But she seems adamant about hanging out on the porch where I set up one of the spots. She was always an outdoor cat and never liked being inside to long. I think forcing her inside at this moment would stress her pregnancy. I will continually give her the option to come inside though.  I have a few setups indoors but shes not taking to them..She always wants to go back in that spot. Thats where she was in labour last night, so I assume thats where she will give birth. I dont want to move her kittens right after she gives birth if she does it on the porch. Thats why I asked if she will even let me pick them up after she has given birth. Also, is it normal for a cat to be panting heavily like shes in labor in the night than seem fine in the morning? 

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They can often have some precontractions.  Its a way of nature to exercise up the muscles whom soon enough will be in full labor.

Re the picking up of the kittens.  Hopefully she will, but you cant know for sure.    Its one of the reasons its better to have them inside from the beginning...

But you are the owner, you must decide yourself.   

Not quite sure why you're asking advice when you plan to leave her outside. And if you plan to take the kittens inside without the mother, they need their mother's milk to survive. Hand-feeding kittens is a 24-7 job and many do not survive. Are you planning to bring the mother in to nurse them? I am not understanding what your intentions are here. Kittens need and are better off with their moms.

Cats can have interrupted labor. They can labor over a couple of days on and off. Beyond that there may be trouble. Have you seen any more discharge? If she continues panting or pushing with no success she will need to see the vet.

Im asking for general advice because I have never done this before. She is not a stray, just an outdoor cat on a very large property. I know they need her milk.She still is not producing milk speaking of. I was going to bring them all in as soon as I could after they were born. I was wondering how momma would take this, and how I should bring the kittens in. Can I just pick them up one by one?  I just dont want to lock her up inside to give birth. It seems she wants to do it outside. She gets very antsy after being inside for longer than 10-20 minutes. And  I have not seen any more discharge.

Our point was that she would eventually calm down if she were forced to stay inside. You put her in a room and give her a nesting box inside a closet. Just because she meows to go out does not mean you have to kowtow to her demands.

It is safer to have her kittens indoors and then there is no need to move the kittens. Mama cats generally do not like handling of their newborns. This cat may decide NOT to come in and to just abandon her litter. That's why bringing her in now is a good idea.

Sorry I just did not know what was best for her. I didnt think her doing outside, especially on the porch, was dangerous at all. I brought her in a couple days ago. She started giving birth at like 5-6am this morning. 2 kittens are out so far. I checked last night though and she still wasnt producing any milk.. Also, neither of the two kittens have placentas.  They are suckling on her already. Would she have eaten the placentas that fast? And how will i know if shes producing milk? I dont want to disturb her right now seeing shes still giving birth

romsoccer126 said:

 
Sorry I just did not know what was best for her. I didnt think her doing outside, especially on the porch, was dangerous at all. I brought her in a couple days ago. She started giving birth at like 5-6am this morning. 2 kittens are out so far. I checked last night though and she still wasnt producing any milk.. Also, neither of the two kittens have placentas.  They are suckling on her already. Would she have eaten the placentas that fast? And how will i know if shes producing milk? I dont want to disturb her right now seeing shes still giving birth

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Its rare they dont produce milk at all, but it often comes first at delivery or shortly after.  

The best way to know if the kittens gets enoug is to weight them every day.  Every 12 hours in time of crisis - like her when you arent sure what is played.

This with placentas is touchy of of course.  But yes, they may be very fast with eating up of the placenta, you hardly blink and ifs eaten up!

My guess it it goes OK here... But good you are observant.  There may complications sometimes...

When you weigh the kittens, do it immediately at the moms nest, so she sees you the whole time, and hears the kittens isnt protesting.  Do it quickly too - train some on something else before...

A electronical scale measuring in grammes is best, they dont need to be costly.  If you dont have your own, you can perhaps lend from some neigbour?

I will do that asap. She just gave birth to the 3rd. She was growling while doing it, and is sitll growling while cleaning the kitten. Even when im not around, I can hear it. She left the placenta on this one. Should I snip it? Its been 10 minutes  Shes cleaning herself now and not paying attention to the 3 kittens. Is this normal? It almost seems shes getting ready to give birth to the 4th and is so annoyed she cant be with the other kittens shes growling ( shes hearing the mew).. Idk why but she goes outside her box to gives birth than brings them back in.