Anxiously awaiting for the big day!

Hi Everyone! 

I'm new here although I have been lurking for weeks! We have a gorgeous kitty that was actually my teenage son's friends cat, who I had agreed to "watch" while they looked for a new home for her. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. So I finally told them to not to bother to look for a home for her that we would love to keep her. After that I had made arrangements to have her spayed, but she managed to escape a few days before her appointment. So here we are expecting kittens.

Lilybear is just over 2 years old and I just recently found out that this will be her 4th (and last litter) Her first litter I was told she had 2 kittens that both died. Her 2nd litter I'm still unclear how many she had but I know two survived and her 3rd litter she had 4 and 3 survived. I believe she had about 6 or 7 months before becoming pregnant for this current litter. She was with us for about 4 months before she escaped, and one of her babies is with my son's friend and he is about 9 months old I believe. 

I feel so badly that this poor cat has been through so many litters in her short life and of course it has me worried if it has been too soon for her to have recovered enough to have healthy kittens. I have a zillion questions since I have not had a cat that has had kittens since I was a child myself!

I know exactly when she mated because it was the only time she had ever gotten out of the house. June 11th, making her 66 days today!

She is showing no real obvious signs that labor is approaching other then occasionally getting into the area I have prepared for her to nest.  

What are the most obvious signs that labor is close?

I keep checking her lady parts but see nothing unusual.

She is still eating normally.

The only real sign that maybe we are getting close is she is sleeping much more and very restless the past two nights.

For those of you that have had kittens how many days were your cats pregnant?

She is a quite small cat and before getting pregnant people often would mistaken her for a 6 month old kitten rather then a full grown cat. So I'm worried with her being such a small cat she might have difficulties. Any suggestions as a first time kitten mommy?

Tracy

lilybearsmama

Welcome to TCS! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Since she has had 3 litters before, she clearly does not have problems having kittens.

Most cats have kittens between days 65 and 68.

Signs of labor are loss of mucus plug, water breaking, vaginal discharge, constant licking of nipples and lady parts, and general restlessness and moving from place to place.

Once in labor, you can often see contractions, which look like ripples in her sides, or tightening and loosening.

Have you purchased a can of powdered PetAg KMR to have on hand in case a kitten needs supplementing? You'll need a 1 or 2 mL syringe as well.

Does she have a nest?

Thank goodness you plan to spay her after this litter. You'll need to make sure she does not get out again. Moms are spayed when kittens are 8 weeks old.

Me too!!! My poor baby is 71 days!+ yes she has been to the people (my boyfriend is the vet lol) and i am getting sooooo anxious!!! Im going crazy waiting. Being told to be patient and as long as she is eating and drinking and acting fine and the babies are moving its still all about the waiting. No nesting... no labout signs... just loose stool... but thats it... i want the kittens now! Lol.... same boat about the spaying she was planned to havr her spay appointment and when she went she wad already pregnant.. the kids let her out accidentally so i know when she would have got pregnant!

Hi Everyone.

Lilybear gave birth to one gorgeous & healthy kitten this morning. It has been 3 hours and still no more kittens yet. Her belly still looks big but I can't really tell for sure if there are really more kittens or if she is still just swollen. Is it normal for there to be hours between kittens? Should I worry? Take her to the vet?

This is the first time I have had a cat have kittens so I have no experience on when to get concerned. 

Thanks for any advice!

Tracy

lilybearsmama

It's normal for hours to pass between kitten deliveries, if she indeed has more. No need for a vet if mom is not in distress! Just wait it out.

Glad this baby is healthy! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

Thanks so much for the reply! I feel a lot better knowing that it's normally. She seems very content and is just loving her little kitten! 

That's wonderful! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

Thanks! She still has not had another kittens but I do think I feel at least one other kitten, but I'm not really feeling any movement. Although, I never felt very much even before she gave birth to the first kitten. But there is definitely a "lump" that I can easily feel and it seems to be lower then it was this morning. She has eaten a little bit of food but had no interest in the water. But she does not seem in any sort of distress and she is being the perfect mommy to her kitten. So I guess we will just wait and see if this is just an interruption in her labor. 

We had babies this morning!! 3!!! Everyone is doing great

Congrats on your new kittens! So glad to hear they are all doing well!!!

2nd kitten was born just about exactly 7 hours later! Can't wait to see if there are more!!!  

Awesome! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

Keep us posted!

Today is day 4 since Lilybear gave birth. She ended up only having the two kittens. I bought a scale when they were two days old just so I could monitor their weight and they are both growing right at the same pace! On day 2 they both weighed 145 grams and on day 4 they both weigh 174 grams. Lilybear has spent about 95% of her time with her babies until tonight. Tonight she will come out to the kitchen and just hang out with us for 15-20 minutes then go back to the kittens for 15-20 minutes and then back out to whatever room we are in. She has been nursing them but over the past 3 hours she has just going back and forth between whatever room I'm in and then back to the kittens. Is this normal? Until tonight she has barely left them at all. 

It is perfectly normal! She spent the first 2 days resting and recuperating, and making sure her kittens were nursing well. Now she's ready to take breaks and visit family members.

Eventually, when the kittens are bigger, she will rest and visit outside the nest for up to an hour or two while her children sleep. Most mama cats will return to the nest at the slightest mew! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Thanks so much! I feel a lot better! My only other issue is Lilybear is being a picky eater and ONLY is wanting to eat her Fancy Feast Broths & some dry kitten chow. She has no interest in her regular can cat food at all. Can I just feed her the broth's? Is that okay? The package says to feed them one a day!

Yes, give her whatever she craves right now. Her body needs it.

Thanks for the advice!!! 

I keep forgetting to post a picture of the kittens! This was from yesterda

y!

That is so sweet! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

Your mama cat's coloring is very unique! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Hi Everyone!

 I have been meaning to do an update! Lilybear & her kittens are all doing very well! The kittens are gaining weight nicely and are starting to play with each other. Pumpkin is more social and much more of an explorer, but Smokey is starting to venture away from mom a little bit more and is slowly getting the walking thing down! Can't believe they are already 18 days old! Just wanted to share  few new pictures!