First timer, have a very pregnant cat

My female cat named BABY is very pregnant and isn't want to play. You can see the kittens movement with no problems. She licks her belly and her hind legs a lot, but I do not see any discharge from her at all. She saw the vet three weeks ago to the day. My question is how much longer do you think she has?? She hasn't started beating yet but she has been more friendlier and sleeping next to me. Her nipples are also a little crusty but I haven't seen any milk come from her breasts only that they seem to be getting full. Please help. This is my first time with a pregnant cat.

Put olive or vegetable oil on her nipples to keep them from chapping. The crust on her nipples is dried milk. If she's getting her milk in she is getting very close. Usually cats will look smaller when the kittens drop down into the birth canal. Did the vet estimate how far along she was?

Do have a nest made for her?

When I took her in the vet said about 54 days. That was 3 weeks ago. I've made her 3 boxes which she could care less about. She has taken to my daughters old bath mesh chair or will sleep on my bed next to me.

She won't go into the nest until she is ready to give birth.

Some cats do go this long.  Have you let the vet know she still hasn't had them?

I don't know about oils, but I was told by a vet ages ago that pure lanolin is safe for cat nipples. (Get a second vet opinion on that!)

Some things you might want:
-towels: when she gives birth it'll be a mess, and you might have to change the bedding a couple of times the first few days, especially if she's too tired to clean up access fluids.
-super soft wash cloths: The kittens may need cleaning if it's her first time to have kittens, but may not if she's a good momma. Wash cloths for human babies, or other soft, absorbent cloths are good. You can dampen the corner and rub the babies with the damp cloth around your finger like how momma would lick them.
-adjustable electric heating pad, or a "rice baby": once again, maybe not necessary if she's a good momma, but a rice baby is a clean tube sock filled with dry rice that you can heat up in the microwave. Once it's warm, but never hot, of course, you can put it in with the kittens to keep them warm if momma doesn't want to do it.

Those are just for extremes. Cats are usually pretty good mommas, but I don't know your cat like you do, so keep these in mind.


Also:
-keep food, water, and litter close to her nest after she gives birth so she doesn't have to go far.
-make sure she has lots to eat when she's nursing.
-and cuddle the babies for me! [emoji]128568[/emoji]

Post us pictures if you can and good luck!

Thank you she found a box today in my closet. She was wondering around the house all day and finally decided on my extra sock box. Hopping she has them soon. I talked to the vet yesterday and he said she should have them by this weekend. This is her first litter.shes not even a year old. We didn't know she came into heat since there were no signs and got out male fixed to late. But I'm excited about the kittens. Once she has them I'll post pictures.

I love that face! It's the face of "yeah, this spot. This spot is good."

That's what I told my husband when she made the face. Like "this is the spot" how much longer once they found their spot do they have the kittens?? I took her in 3 weeks ago and vet thought she was about 54 days pregnant.

Oh gosh, all mommas are so different. Some find their spot early on and kind of 'secure' it for a month or so. Others wait until that day. Honestly, if she's had absolutely no interest in looking for a spot until now, you might be singing 'Happy Birthday' in the morning!

You can always quietly peek in on her when she's in there and observe for labor signs. She could start panting or kind of 'jerking.' However not all labor signs are obvious, but you may be surprised. She could even whine or yowl. Just be expecting the extreme and hoping for the best!

Thank you, so far she hasn't moved. I got her into a bigger box with all my socks in it [emoji]128514[/emoji] She can now lay flat out. She purrs loud and has moved around in a circle a few times. No whine or meowing. Fingers crossed she has them soon. I can't wait. I'm hoping I have a kitten that looks like daddy.

Oh, I totally forgot to mention a couple of things! As a first time cat grandparent, you should know the kittens will come in a slow sequence. She'll birth one, break, birth another, break, and so on. If they come slowly, don't panic. It could take all night or all day if there are more than three. Also, expect a mess! When she's done delivering, she'll dispell the placenta, and it looks like a big, bloody, bulbous glob... then eat it. This is normal! She will need the extra nutrition. It's just kind of gross the first time you witness it. Haha!

You don't need to let her eat more than three placentas as it can give her diarrhea. Also, keep in mind that cats can get pregnant again within a week of giving birth. They can also have silent heats. It is very important that you don't allow her outside or around unfixed males until the kittens are 8 weeks and she can be spayed.

Thank you, I'm not looking forward to a huge mess but I have extra towels, heating pads, water, and box just incase. Baby will be getting fixed as soon as she's able to, my male got fixed and my other female. They are all inside only kitties. I'm getting so nervous, I want her to have them already [emoji]10084[/emoji]️[emoji]128514[/emoji]

talkingpeanut said:

You don't need to let her eat more than three placentas as it can give her diarrhea. Also, keep in mind that cats can get pregnant again within a week of giving birth. They can also have silent heats. It is very important that you don't allow her outside or around unfixed males until the kittens are 8 weeks and she can be spayed.

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I have never heard of ingesting too many placentas giving diarrhea, thank you for bringing that up. I've witnessed cats birth and eat up to seven placentas (yes, that big of a litter), with no ill effects, but if a cat isn't used to a raw diet, you can certainly bet it could cause problems!

Though, that does remind me of a very important detail!

You should watch the birth and count the placentas! A placenta that remains in the uterus can cause infection because part of the umbilical cord can hang out of the cervix and keep the passage open for infection. It's not common, but it's certainly not rare. It's always good to take everybody into the vet after the kittens are born anyways, but if you miss the birth (such as if you fall asleep), you should definitely take her as soon as you can to have her and the babies examined.

Should I take them in the next day or wait a couple days to see the vet??

M missaliss7244

There is no reason to see the vet unless there is a problem. In fact, taking newborn kittens to the vet is dangerous, as they can pick up infections, not to mention upset mama kitty. The kittens do not go to the vet for vaccines until they are 8 weeks old. Mom can be spayed at that point too.

missaliss7244 said:

Thank you, I'm not looking forward to a huge mess but I have extra towels, heating pads, water, and box just incase. Baby will be getting fixed as soon as she's able to, my male got fixed and my other female. They are all inside only kitties. I'm getting so nervous, I want her to have them already [emoji]10084[/emoji]️[emoji]128514[/emoji]

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I'm not going to say "it's not that big of a mess" because a dog of my grandmother once proved that very wrong. It can certainly vary. This why I suggested towels! You never know, and for that matter, for her first litter, she might clean up very sloppy or be very tired, so you'll have a mess regardless. If she's a medium size cat, expect a palm sized splotch of bloody fluid, but it may be mostly smears. Just prepare for the worst. [emoji]128576[/emoji]

sarthur2 said:

There is no reason to see the vet unless there is a problem. In fact, taking newborn kittens to the vet is dangerous, as they can pick up infections, not to mention upset mama kitty. The kittens do not go to the vet for vaccines until they are 8 weeks old. Mom can be spayed at this point too.

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Sorry, I was in the middle of posting again. Yeah, it certainly shouldn't be right away unless there is a medical emergency. I'm sorry, I should have clarified or reiterated. It's late for me, so I'm so glad you commented in case I missed it! Thank you.

It's late and I'm tired. They may not come tonight, but keep your eyes on her incase she starts pacing or looking uneasy. I hope I covered enough without overloading you. I guess I'm as excited as you are. Babies do that to me!

Most cats give birth with no problems whatsoever. Many cats do prefer that their favorite "person" be with them during birthing, however.