Pregnant Cat Lactating for Almost a Week with No Labor

I have a quick question that some of you might know the answer to.

I'm fostering a pregnant queen for a rescue, and I have no idea when she conceived. She looks to be very far along, and the kittens are very active. She's acting healthy - eating, drinking, and using the litter box - and isn't really showing signs of labor. But what confuses me is that she was already lactating when I got her last Wednesday, which means she's been lactating for 6 days now. I don't think she has had a litter before.

I don't know when to expect kittens, because they usually are born within 2 days of lactation. I'm getting a little impatient. Kitten watch is exhausting.

Does anyone have any experience with queens starting to lactate such a long time before having their litter?

Pregnant cats frequently begin to leak milk a week or more before giving birth. She sounds fine! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Any idea when I can expect the kittens?

Kittens are usually born 2-3 weeks after you first see and feel them moving. Since her milk is in and you've noticed the kittens moving for almost a week now, I would think she may go into labor any day now. Waiting is hard!

My cat is extremely pregnant (probably gonna have her babies tomorrow or the next day). When she's cuddling with me, I can hear a bubbling noise (like fizzing soda) coming from her belly. If I put my hand on her belly, I can feel bubbles, too. Any idea what they are? Is it just digestion? Or the kittens moving around and causing gas? Should I be concerned?

rebel13 said:

My cat is extremely pregnant (probably gonna have her babies tomorrow or the next day). When she's cuddling with me, I can hear a bubbling noise (like fizzing soda) coming from her belly. If I put my hand on her belly, I can feel bubbles, too. Any idea what they are? Is it just digestion? Or the kittens moving around and causing gas? Should I be concerned?

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That is not the most common rapport.  My guess, is she is having to have some diarrhea - its quite common they do empty bowels this way shortly before delivery.

You do feel the usual kitte movements?   Has she dropped?  When she drops, they are further down, and the movements are not that strong as they were earlier.

StefanZ said:

That is not the most common rapport.  My guess, is she is having to have some diarrhea - its quite common they do empty bowels this way shortly before delivery.


You do feel the usual kitte movements?   Has she dropped?  When she drops, they are further down, and the movements are not that strong as they were earlier.

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Her bowel movements have been very solid and healthy looking. The kittens were still kicking yesterday, but not as much this morning. I'm a terrible judge of whether she has dropped or not. There was a good amount of yellow greenish discharge this morning, though.

rebel13 said:

Her bowel movements have been very solid and healthy looking. The kittens were still kicking yesterday, but not as much this morning. I'm a terrible judge of whether she has dropped or not. There was a good amount of yellow greenish discharge this morning, though.

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this could be the mucus plug - its often greenish.   but if its not, it may be pus.  but pus would probably be flowing the whole time, if its that bad.

So lets hope everything is OK...   We cant say much more unless you DO have access to a vet whom is decently experienced, AND answers questions on the phone.   In such a case its best to phone and ask.  The vet knows what follow up questions to give.

Sounds like the mucus plug. She's getting closer.

My current foster kitty gave birth 4 days ago, and had four kittens. One was stillborn, two are healthy, and one was born at 65g. She was doing great until this morning, when I noticed that she had dropped 2 grams overnight (from 83.0 to 80.4). She was acting a little less active than normal. I decided it was time to start supplementing with KMR.

Despite giving 1-2 mL per 2 hours in addition to mama's milk, she stubbornly refused to put on more than 2 grams the entire day. She's acting lethargic, and although she is warm, her breathing is somewhat labored and raspy. I worry that she has developed pneumonia, or has some other issue.

I just gave her a drop or two of honey to try to give her a bit of energy, but aside from KMR and warmth, is there anything I can do for her? Most vets would probably recommend letting her go, but I lost 6 kittens last year to various causes, and I want to do everything in my power for this sweetheart.

Any ideas or advice? Or do I just have to wait and hope for the best? Here's a picture of the poor little thing.

You seem to handle it excellently.

With honey I hope you mean honey water.  A weak kitten may have difficult to lick off thick honey.

If she were a orphan, I would recommend to find raw goats milk - somethimes it has an edge.  But here she has mommas milk.

I suppose momma is licking and washing her?  If not, do yourself massage her, perhaps with a tooth brush, or with your forefinger...

A rather high humidity in the room may help somewhat...

IF she has pneumonia, and is still alive,  antibiotics could help.  So if you can consult your vet, it may anyways be wise.

I mean, quiet a few of these dead in pneumonia go down in literally hours.

Otherwise, as I understand it, its to fight on, pray and hope for thebest.

Good luck!

Continuing to think on.  If the kitten has become weak, it may be so it doesnt manage to suckle from momma strongly enough.  so be prepared to supplement feed even more, even every hour, but small portions as she tires quickly.  about  20 ml a day in total (plus hopefully somehting from momma).  If the kitten lives and grows, the amount will increase with time of course.  Step by step.

Prepare also a home made pedialyte, honey water with a trifle of salt.   If the weakness goes even deeper, give just this home-made pedialyte containing glucose sugar...   When they are that weak, the digestion shunts off, and they cant digest milk no more.  But glucose sugar (here honey water) doesnt need to be digested, it goes straight into the blood.

It wont turn around if she is dying for real, but it may buy you time, time for the miracle to happen.

Im not very optimistic, by the sound of what you wrote.   But its necessary to fight on, as long as the kitten isnt suffering visibly.  Miracles do happen now and then, after all....

@rebel13  

A very short, and very sad update. Micah passed away early this morning. Thank you for your responses, but she went downhill so very quickly. Nothing I could have done would have saved her.

So sorry! You did everything you could to save her. The poor baby was just not strong enough, and may have had a birth defect. 65 grams is a very tiny starting weight. RIP sweet little one! [emoji]128149[/emoji][emoji]128062[/emoji]

Im deeply sorry.  Sometimes doing your best isnt enough...  Even if  @rebel13   you clearly did more than most.   RIP little one - Micah.

Very sorry to read your update for young Micah @rebel13  .    Little ones always capture our hearts and are so painful to say our goodbyes to.

How are mom and the other two kittens doing?

They're doing great. Momma's name is Gemma, and her two mini-mes are Zirconia and Jade.

That's wonderful to hear! We would love to see pictures! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

Here they are, warm and cuddly.

Oh, how sweet! [emoji]128149[/emoji]