Pregnant Kitty, HELP-active labor

katzluver65

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I NEED YOUR HELP AND ADVICE ASAP!!! Hi! I am new to the site. I am thrilled to be a part of this great group! I live on a good bit of land, but all of my kitties are indoor cats. I rescue and I feed a feral colony.
I have never witnessed a cat giving birth and I rescued a kitty that is pregnant. She started having contractions almost 11 hours ago. She has been "dripping" a brownish color liquid and there are a few blood droplets on the towel in her nesting box.
Initially she was having contractions about 6 minutes apart, then it moved to 2 minutes apart. There was a very small brown glob on the towel, which I researched and it appears that it is the placenta plug (I think). That came out about 8 hours ago.
I am concerned because she has not delivered a kitten yet. I have stayed up all night with her so that I'd be there if she had any issues. I have her in my bathroom so that my other cats don't bother her. She doesn't want to be alone, so I have stayed next to her nesting box. She is now sleeping, her contractions seem to have stopped.
So, recap... Contractions started 11 hours ago and were consistent. No kittens have been born and I looks like contractions stopped. She still has a brownish liquid coming out ( not much) She wakes up every now and then and licks to clean it up. Should I be concerned that she hasn't delivered yet? How long does it normally take? Do I need to call the vet? Is she or the kittens in any danger?
Thank you in advance for your help!!!
 

jennyr

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Hi there. Contractions can start and stop and it is quite usual for the momcat to lose her mucous plug up to two days before birth. As long as she is not in any distress then I would not worry. It will happen soon enough. It is good to keep her quiet and away fromt he others, and to check on her regularly for contractions to start again.
 

StefanZ

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I NEED YOUR HELP AND ADVICE ASAP!!! Hi! I am new to the site. I am thrilled to be a part of this great group! I live on a good bit of land, but all of my kitties are indoor cats. I rescue and I feed a feral colony.
I have never witnessed a cat giving birth and I rescued a kitty that is pregnant. She started having contractions almost 11 hours ago. She has been "dripping" a brownish color liquid and there are a few blood droplets on the towel in her nesting box.
Initially she was having contractions about 6 minutes apart, then it moved to 2 minutes apart. There was a very small brown glob on the towel, which I researched and it appears that it is the placenta plug (I think). That came out about 8 hours ago.
I am concerned because she has not delivered a kitten yet. I have stayed up all night with her so that I'd be there if she had any issues. I have her in my bathroom so that my other cats don't bother her. She doesn't want to be alone, so I have stayed next to her nesting box. She is now sleeping, her contractions seem to have stopped.
So, recap... Contractions started 11 hours ago and were consistent. No kittens have been born and I looks like contractions stopped. She still has a brownish liquid coming out ( not much) She wakes up every now and then and licks to clean it up. Should I be concerned that she hasn't delivered yet? How long does it normally take? Do I need to call the vet? Is she or the kittens in any danger?
Thank you in advance for your help!!!
How is it going?  As said, so long its not acive, non resulting labor, you can wait and see.  Do observe closely, but can wait.

DO you have access to a good vet, decently used to obstetrics?  If in doubt, better to phone than not.  

Here are some of my links some will be useful for you.

Cat Pregnancy

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

Pregnant Cat? What to Prepare For the Birth

Help! My Cat is Having Kittens!

Premature Kittens

Post-Birth Complications in Cats

http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/cat-pregnancy-a-week-by-week-pregnancy-calendar.html

And also:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/kitten-development-stages-illustrated-guide

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/pregnancy-and-delivery-in-cats

http://www.icatcare.org/advice/my-cat-having-kittens     ( This is a link to a group of articles on cat pregnancy, birth and kittens.    Read the ones on normal cat birth and on " when to wait and when to worry"  )  

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

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/
http://www.kittenrescue.org/index.php/cat-care/kitten-care-handbook/
http://www.hdw-inc.com/glop.htm

Goats milk is useful instead of kmr. Raw goat milk is best – fresh or frozen,  but bottled /cartooned or  powdered full fat is OK too.

Observe, if an orphan is much bloated, gas-filled, bloated, have colic, simethicone (google on it) may help.  1-2 drop in the bottle.

Fleece or flannel good to use in the bedding for kittens.
 
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katzluver65

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I appreciate the responses! I wanted to update everyone. I ended up calling my vet yesterday and I took Pumpkin in so that he could check her. He could hear fetal heartbeats and Pumpkin was not in distress, so we came back home to wait it out. She ended up delivering a kitten at 2:45 yesterday, 16 hours into labor. The kitten was stillborn. I was not prepared for that. My 18 year old daughter was with me. Pumpkin started to clean her and then turned her back on her. I called the vet and he told me to massage the kitten in a towel, which I did for 15 minutes, but no luck. Pumpkin still has at least one kitten in her because we could feel it moving yesterday. It is now 5:45 am, about 34 hours since contractions started. It's 15 hours since delivery of first kitten. She is still having contractions, but they are intermittent.
Any advice? Does she need a c section at this point, or do I wait it out? She's exhausted, but doesn't seem to de in distress. I have her in my bathroom away from any other kitties. My daughter and I took turns staying with her so that she's not alone. We tried giving her space, but it seems to upset her. She wants us with her.
Do I wait it out or take her to the vet this morning?
 

StefanZ

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I appreciate the responses! I wanted to update everyone. I ended up calling my vet yesterday and I took Pumpkin in so that he could check her. He could hear fetal heartbeats and Pumpkin was not in distress, so we came back home to wait it out. She ended up delivering a kitten at 2:45 yesterday, 16 hours into labor. The kitten was stillborn. I was not prepared for that. My 18 year old daughter was with me. Pumpkin started to clean her and then turned her back on her. I called the vet and he told me to massage the kitten in a towel, which I did for 15 minutes, but no luck. Pumpkin still has at least one kitten in her because we could feel it moving yesterday. It is now 5:45 am, about 34 hours since contractions started. It's 15 hours since delivery of first kitten. She is still having contractions, but they are intermittent.
Any advice? Does she need a c section at this point, or do I wait it out? She's exhausted, but doesn't seem to de in distress. I have her in my bathroom away from any other kitties. My daughter and I took turns staying with her so that she's not alone. We tried giving her space, but it seems to upset her. She wants us with her.
Do I wait it out or take her to the vet this morning?
How did the first one, stillborn looked?  Fully developed or not really fully - premature?    If premature the advice will be easy; you shall wait and let the other mature.  Unless momma is in grave problems of course.

If he was fully done - this gets touchy.  There are pro and contras.  In most cases we can advise for waiting - as your vet in facto did too.

But here it isnt that clear cut - momma IS in labor, even if not intensive.   And if the first kitten was fully done, so probably the second is too.   This is a difficult decision,   Its possible this is one of the few cases when I will recommend a cesarean, even if momma isnt in immediate distress.

The vets advice to try and massage the stillborn into life was sound.  Its correct, its possible now and the to awake them to life, by warming up, actively massaging and rubbing, letting eventual fluids in mouth flow out..   Sometimes, a few percent, may be saved this way.

Good luck!
 

StefanZ

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Sorry for my rant.  I think I will recommend a cesarean here, if you DO want an opinion.  Let the vet decide, as he seems to be knowleable.
 

SeventhHeaven

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Sorry so for your loss

**If your Cat decides to have them in the mean time....please return to get support Here 100's of deliveries have been assisted members walk you right through it severing placenta's, reviving still borns, handling birth defects, deformities it's all done right here lots of support.
 

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The fact that the first one was stillborn does not necessarily mean that the second one will also be, especially since you said he was moving. Ive heard of cats given birth even 36 hours after losing the mucous plug, as long as the queen is not pushing constantly for the whole hour and she doesnt look destressed she should be fine and the nature should do its job. If however she is not done after 36 hours then I would pop in to see the vet. How many days is she pregnant? Some vets suggest a cesarean after the 65th day
 

jennyr

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I am sorry to hear that news, it must have been a shock. I would at least talk to your vet and update them, then follow their advice. But there is certainly every possibility that she will still have some healthy kittens.
 
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katzluver65

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Hi all! Sorry I haven't updated you. Pumpkin kept trying to go to the litter box to poop. I could see a tail, so I took her to the vet again. They could not hear a heartbeat. They gave her some meds to induce the labor. The second kitten didn't make it either. She told me that it probably drowned in the fluid. I went and picked pumpkin up. She only had the two kittens. Very sad. She is extremely lethargic will tense up ( sort of like contractions) probably once an hour. It's been two days since she came home. Is this normal? She doesn't really want to eat or drink. She ate 1/4 can of food yesterday. She's exhausted, which I would think is normal, but not having been through this before, I'm not sure. Any advice? Vet or wait it out?
 

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I'm sorry to hear about the second kitten.

How comfortable does she seem with you and in your home? If she is comfortable, she might be a good foster mom for kittens in need. If you think she'd be better off returned to her life outside, I would go ahead and get her spayed. She is probably feeling some hormonal changes and sadness for the kittens.
 

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Call the vet!

She should not still be having contractions. Did they do an x-ray to make sure there are no more kittens? It sounds like she's in pain. Not eating is not good either. Something's not right.
 
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katzluver65

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They did not do an X-ray because three vets checked her and did not feel anything else. She's petite, so I think they would be able to tell, but should I taje her to get an X-ray tomorrow morning? It's 8:30pm where I am, so they are closed. She also seems to be very sore. Instead of jumping up on the sofa, she pulls herself up. Would this be due to 40 hours of labor and delivering the 2 kittens?
I
 

Sarthur2

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It could be why she's sore. I do think you should get her to the vet tomorrow. Lots of cats have 2 days of labor and 6-8 kittens and do not act this way. She could have an infection. Or perhaps needs pain medicine. Something just does not seem right. Cats are sore after spay surgery, but she has not been spayed. I really think she needs to be checked.
 
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katzluver65

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Thank you. I will take her to the vet in the morning. I hope she is ok. She's our baby and would be heart broken if something is wrong and I should have taken her in today.
 

Sarthur2

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She may be fine. I hope she is. She's just not acting well from your description. And it may just be depression from hormones geared up for kittens who are not here, but it worries me enough to suggest a check-up.

Are her mammaries filled with milk?
 
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Sarthur2

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If she has milk, and this is nothing more than depression, I suggest you get orphan kittens for her from a local rescue. It would help your cat as well as the kittens.
 
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