When will my queen have her litter?

I found a cat outside my apartment complex a while ago. I work at a vet so I took her to work with me for a check up. They estimated her at around 5-6 months old. Her nipples were enlarged and very pink so we did an ultrasound and turns out she's pregnant with at least four kittens! This was October 13th and the doctor estimated she had about 4-5 weeks left.

Now I'm going crazy waiting for her to go into labor! I've noticed white "crust" around her nipples, and the kittens seem to be very active in her belly. I haven't noticed any strong contractions, or any discharge. She just eats a ton and sleeps all day! Any guesses on when she'll deliver? Or advice? This is my first litter since I fix all my cats

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You get a count of 2-3 weeks when you began to feel the kittens move - depending a little on how used to palpitate you are.  Next big step is her dropping - a couple of days before the delivery.  Kittens are less moving when she dropped.  So its soon, but not immediately.

Blue eyes, right?  she has the looks of a lynx point.

StefanZ Yes! She is a lynx point. I had to take her in because she looks just like my own lynx point. Below is a better picture of her face from earlier on in her pregnancy.

I'm not formally trained to palpitate, so I'm not sure if it's the kittens or contractions I'm feeling or possibly both. Her hips are more pronounced now, so I'm thinking she's dropped. Just checked and noticed a little drop of yellow stuff near her vulva

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In case anyone is curious, here is a photo of my senior cat Jay. Zaba has an unusual head shape, very small in comparison to Jay, but the resemblance is uncanny!

The yellow may be from her mucus plug. She sounds very close. She's very pretty! Thanks for caring for her!

Sarthur2 I sure hope so! The anticipation is too much!

Update: There is more discharge, this time clear and brownish.

Sarthur2 Oh and of course! Couldn't even think of leaving this cutie out in the elements [emoji]128571[/emoji]

Updates: have noticed more clear/brownish discharge, this time with fairly spaced out contractions. She purrs loudly when I pet her belly. She'll nest for a bit and then roam around the apartment- she seems restless!

Sorry to keep posting! But another update: thick, green mucus consistency substance is present on her vulva. I'm thinking this is the mucus plug?

It could be. Probably won't be too long now. Don't worry too much. Momma cats know what to do.

I will try not to worry! I work 10 hours tomorrow so I won't be home to comfort her in the morning but my boyfriend will. Then when I get off work and he goes in we shall switch! For now just giving lots of positive vibes and cuddles.

I picked up some supplies tonight: a digital kitchen scale and some non clumping cat litter. Already have some KMR as well as a 1cc syringe and bottle juuuust in case. Now we play the waiting game!

You're well-prepared! As you said, now you wait patiently! [emoji]128521[/emoji]

Just an update! No kittens yet, but a little more mucus-y discharge. My vet (and boss haha!) said I should only be concerned if by this time next week there are still no kittens. He did an estimate of when she mated based on the ultrasound so we don't have an exact day. For now she's confined to a "birthing suite" room all her own with food, water, litter pan, and multiple nesting areas. Lots of kitten food and positive vibes for mommas right now.

I will update again if anything else develops, or if she goes into labor! At that time I will add photos and their first weights. How often should I weigh the kittens? Every 12 hours? Also, what are healthy weight gains for these time frames? Thank you all for your help/support!

I also would like help sexing the kittens when the time comes as I do not have a keen eye for that yet but now I'm getting ahead of myself   

rileyandjay said:

 
Just an update! No kittens yet, but a little more mucus-y discharge. My vet (and boss haha!) said I should only be concerned if by this time next week there are still no kittens. He did an estimate of when she mated based on the ultrasound so we don't have an exact day. For now she's confined to a "birthing suite" room all her own with food, water, litter pan, and multiple nesting areas. Lots of kitten food and positive vibes for mommas right now.

I will update again if anything else develops, or if she goes into labor! At that time I will add photos and their first weights. How often should I weigh the kittens? Every 12 hours? Also, what are healthy weight gains for these time frames? Thank you all for your help/support!

I also would like help sexing the kittens when the time comes as I do not have a keen eye for that yet but now I'm getting ahead of myself 

 

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Every 24 hours is usually enough. The 12 hours you do if there is some crisis or problems, where you MUST know how its developing.  But start at soon you can preferably  directly after the delivery...   The usual preferred gain is 10+ grammes a day.  If they are very smallish, we accept somewhat less of course.

A common birthing weight is around 100 g,   below 85 we raise the eyebrow, below 65 the alarm is on.

Okay! Every 24 hours it is, provided that we have healthy weights to begin with. I will aim to weigh directly after they're born. I'll be home mostly all day until Tuesday so here's to hoping I'll be there to do so as well as support Zaba during delivery. If not I'll instruct my boyfriend to weigh.

Another concern I have is since she's a new mother, and so young, that she will not break open the sack so the newborn can breathe. Is it common for a queen to fail to do this? If myself or my boyfriend are there we will of course step in but my worry is that she will give birth while we are sleeping!

rileyandjay said:

Okay! Every 24 hours it is, provided that we have healthy weights to begin with. I will aim to weigh directly after they're born. I'll be home mostly all day until Tuesday so here's to hoping I'll be there to do so as well as support Zaba during delivery. If not I'll instruct my boyfriend to weigh.

Another concern I have is since she's a new mother, and so young, that she will not break open the sack so the newborn can breathe. Is it common for a queen to fail to do this? If myself or my boyfriend are there we will of course step in but my worry is that she will give birth while we are sleeping!

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Its not common and we routinely calm the grandparents to be they usually manage themselves.  Bit its also a fact, more than once our forumists did saved they day, being there and helping out.  It was quite astonishing sometimes, totally green persons did step forward when the need arose, and proved they were heroes.

You dont need no sharp scissors nor totale sterility (moms teeths arent sterile).  Have clean hand and use your nails.   Similiar advice with the cords.  You can usually wait a while,  you usually shall wait a while, till teh blood is not longer flowing, and if momma doesnt cut off, you cut off with nails or a blunt scissor.

If the kittens seems to have got water in the lungs, try to get it out.  If the kittens is fully developed but  stillborne, try to revive it, let water out from mouths, warm it up and massage wigorously, rubbing body and limbs with a towel...  Sometimes it does succeed, if the kittens wasnt dead for real.

Peasants have a bucket with warm water when their swine moms are delivering.  And they simply submerge a stillborne piglet in this warm water.  Sometimes its enough to revive it...  So warming up a stillborne or a very weak kitten is often the single most important to do.

StefanZ

Understood! I will be ready and prepared with washed hands and a towel if I am needed.

Zaba has still not delivered! I think the doctor was a little off on his first estimation of how far she was along. I brought her into work and she got an ultrasound and a single lateral X-ray to see how the babies are doing. Apparently they have now "lined up" and are in position to be born! Should not be too long now. All kittens are large and have heartbeats. Also, there are SIX in the litter! I attached a copy of the X-ray for those that are curious.

Just as I was typing this I noticed that Zaba's water broke!! So soon now [emoji]128558[/emoji]

Good luck! Keep us posted! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Zaba did amazing last night! She had six beautiful kittens as predicted. Four tabby and two black! I only weighed the first black kitty because Zaba was getting worried when I held them, and I don't want to stress her out. How do I weigh them without putting her through that? Here is a photo of the happy family.

I was surprised that she had an all dark litter! I thought that white was a dominant gene. The photo isn't great because I'm trying to avoid using flash.