I wanted to post this update sooner but honestly my brain was just fried as a result of this whole delivery process. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve got quite the story to tell so if youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re impatient like me youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll just want to scroll right down to the picture
Monday evening, around 2 am, Lola expelled her mucous plug and stage 1 labor began. As I mentioned in my other thread she was adamant about me rubbing her belly and she wasnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t afraid to speak up about it. She concentrated her efforts on meticulously cleaning every inch of her body and poking around the nursery looking for a place to nest. I sat with her until about 6:30 am when I was beyond exhausted and had to get some sleep.
Yesterday afternoon Lola was experiencing discharge and restlessness so I knew the babies were on their way. She looked beyond miserable (and Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sure I wasnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t far behind her hehe but at least I was down to one spot on my tonsil
). It was about 4:45 pm that stage 2 labor started. She began panting, and meowing and I could see actual contractions, about 5-6 squeezes each time. I felt so bad for her as she helplessly whimpered and whined. I promised her Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d get her spayed as soon as I could and that this would be the first and last litter she would ever have to carry and deliver. While Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not sure she understood me, it sure made me feel better!
By 5:45 pm sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d been in stage 2 for about an hour and I had yet to even see a kitten present itself at the vulva. I was beginning to panic a bit so I called my vet before they closed at 6 for some advice. The woman that I spoke with consulted the vet on duty and it was recommended that I give Lola another hour before heading to an Emergency Vet Clinic. I was told that stage 2 labor essentially occurs in 2 distinct parts and that while she had been experiencing contractions for about an hour, I shouldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t worry because it was just her bodyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s way of getting the babies all into position for delivery. She was only pushing on about 1 out of every 6 contractions or so and the Vet was pretty sure sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d be able to deliver just fine once her body was all prepared. Ever the worrier I asked them for directions to the nearest clinic just in case
and thanked them for all of their help.
The next hour was so stressful for both Lola and me. She couldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to get comfortable anywhere and wandered from box to box trying to find one that was just right. About 45 minutes after my call to the vet (and about 15 minutes from me packaging her up and rushing to Austin) I saw the first sac make its appearance. I was beyond ecstatic! Apparently God heard the 45 minutes worth of prayers Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d been saying
I felt sure the baby would be delivered within a matter of minutes, but I was wrong.
Lola seemed quite disconcerted by the activities going on in her body and so she proceeded to the litter box in an effort to remove whatever it was that had surfaced in her nether region. I had previously read on TCS that cats in labor will sometimes do that, especially if itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s their first litter, so I was less surprised than I could have been (Thank God for TCS!) By this time Nate had arrived home from work so he was able to help me remove her from the litter box (which was no easy task!) I didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want to have to disturb her but I certainly didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want her to give birth in a box of litter and cat waste. I think she was a bit annoyed by my actions but she quickly forgot about it as the next round of contractions hit.
By this point it was about 7:00 pm…2 hrs and 15 minutes since stage 2 labor had started and about 30 minutes since I saw the first glimpse of the amniotic sac. In everything that I had read, a queen is considered to be in distress if sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s in active labor for more than 20 minutes without producing a kitten. Once again, I was worried!
She finally came out from her hiding place and I could see her straining to push out the first kitten. Every time that sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d bear down, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d see this little face appear, and quickly disappear. It had a shock of egg yolk yellow hair, a pink nose, and its tongue sticking out. At this point I really started remembering all of the horror stories Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d read, about large stillborn babies becoming lodged in the birth canal and needing to be removed surgically. Of course I was thinking the worst.
When it became obvious that she was bound and determined to deliver the baby but that she was going to need some help, I got in there and offered my services. She promptly inserted all of the claws on her back feet into the palm of my hand and pushed against me with all of her might. The head was finally delivered but she just couldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to get the rest of him out. As a last resort I gently reached for his little head and pulled. At 7:15 pm he came out as smooth as butter (directly onto our beige carpet *eek*) and my heart was finally able to start beating again. I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve had such an adrenaline rush in quite some time.
I was sure he was stillborn but miracle of miracles he started moving while she cleaned him off. In a matter of minutes he was wriggling around crying and I knew we were very lucky that he had survived. Lola and I were both so relieved…until I remembered that there were more kittens to come!
The first baby, a buff colored tabby by my best guess, was the hardest of the litter to deliver but the rest werenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t that much easier! About an hour after his delivery I saw not one, but two amniotic sacs peaking out from Lolaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s vulva at the same time! Within 15 minutes the second kitten, an orange tabby, arrived (~8:30 pm). Within the next 30 minutes Lolaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s 3rd kitten, yet another orange tabby, arrived (~9:00 pm) in the breech position. An hour and 37 minutes later Lolaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s final baby, a gray/brown tabby, arrived (10:37 pm), also in the breech position.
If this isnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t a perfect example of why to spay/neuter then I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know what is. There was no benefit to Lola to become pregnant and deliver a litter of kittens. It was painful, it was stressful, and it all could have gone horribly wrong. During the entire process I thanked my lucky stars that all of my animals have been altered and that I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t need to worry about this same fate for them. For anyone that wants to experience the miracle of birth, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d recommend watching “Thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s my Baby†on the Learning Channel or visit the website that I made the last time I took in a pregnant stray cat: http://www.digitaldreamin.com/Thebirth/birth.htm You can enjoy the process so much more if you arenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t caught up in the fear and worry that goes along with this whole experience. Please spay or neuter to prevent more innocent animals from going through this painful process which at the very least produces more unwanted animals needing homes.
*Getting back off my soapbox* With that being said, Lola and her kittens all seem to be doing very well. While I was never a big orange tabby lover (I think it has something to do with a mean orange cat my grandparents used to have that scratched me a lot) these little guys are pretty darn cute! I was expecting maybe one orange tabby once I saw the small patch of orange fur that Lola was sporting, but I didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t expect her to have them like they were going out of style! hehe If there are any orange tabby lovers in the TX area, nowâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the time to contact me if you want a new sherbet colored addition to your family
Whew, thanks for letting me share this story. It was quite an emotional 24 hours and I am so thankful that everything turned out so well. I appreciate everyone keeping me company during this long (almost 4 week!) wait. As far as Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m concerned youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re all honorary aunts and uncles
~Heidi
Monday evening, around 2 am, Lola expelled her mucous plug and stage 1 labor began. As I mentioned in my other thread she was adamant about me rubbing her belly and she wasnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t afraid to speak up about it. She concentrated her efforts on meticulously cleaning every inch of her body and poking around the nursery looking for a place to nest. I sat with her until about 6:30 am when I was beyond exhausted and had to get some sleep.
Yesterday afternoon Lola was experiencing discharge and restlessness so I knew the babies were on their way. She looked beyond miserable (and Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sure I wasnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t far behind her hehe but at least I was down to one spot on my tonsil
By 5:45 pm sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d been in stage 2 for about an hour and I had yet to even see a kitten present itself at the vulva. I was beginning to panic a bit so I called my vet before they closed at 6 for some advice. The woman that I spoke with consulted the vet on duty and it was recommended that I give Lola another hour before heading to an Emergency Vet Clinic. I was told that stage 2 labor essentially occurs in 2 distinct parts and that while she had been experiencing contractions for about an hour, I shouldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t worry because it was just her bodyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s way of getting the babies all into position for delivery. She was only pushing on about 1 out of every 6 contractions or so and the Vet was pretty sure sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d be able to deliver just fine once her body was all prepared. Ever the worrier I asked them for directions to the nearest clinic just in case
The next hour was so stressful for both Lola and me. She couldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to get comfortable anywhere and wandered from box to box trying to find one that was just right. About 45 minutes after my call to the vet (and about 15 minutes from me packaging her up and rushing to Austin) I saw the first sac make its appearance. I was beyond ecstatic! Apparently God heard the 45 minutes worth of prayers Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d been saying
Lola seemed quite disconcerted by the activities going on in her body and so she proceeded to the litter box in an effort to remove whatever it was that had surfaced in her nether region. I had previously read on TCS that cats in labor will sometimes do that, especially if itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s their first litter, so I was less surprised than I could have been (Thank God for TCS!) By this time Nate had arrived home from work so he was able to help me remove her from the litter box (which was no easy task!) I didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want to have to disturb her but I certainly didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want her to give birth in a box of litter and cat waste. I think she was a bit annoyed by my actions but she quickly forgot about it as the next round of contractions hit.
By this point it was about 7:00 pm…2 hrs and 15 minutes since stage 2 labor had started and about 30 minutes since I saw the first glimpse of the amniotic sac. In everything that I had read, a queen is considered to be in distress if sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s in active labor for more than 20 minutes without producing a kitten. Once again, I was worried!
She finally came out from her hiding place and I could see her straining to push out the first kitten. Every time that sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d bear down, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d see this little face appear, and quickly disappear. It had a shock of egg yolk yellow hair, a pink nose, and its tongue sticking out. At this point I really started remembering all of the horror stories Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d read, about large stillborn babies becoming lodged in the birth canal and needing to be removed surgically. Of course I was thinking the worst.
When it became obvious that she was bound and determined to deliver the baby but that she was going to need some help, I got in there and offered my services. She promptly inserted all of the claws on her back feet into the palm of my hand and pushed against me with all of her might. The head was finally delivered but she just couldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to get the rest of him out. As a last resort I gently reached for his little head and pulled. At 7:15 pm he came out as smooth as butter (directly onto our beige carpet *eek*) and my heart was finally able to start beating again. I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve had such an adrenaline rush in quite some time.
I was sure he was stillborn but miracle of miracles he started moving while she cleaned him off. In a matter of minutes he was wriggling around crying and I knew we were very lucky that he had survived. Lola and I were both so relieved…until I remembered that there were more kittens to come!
The first baby, a buff colored tabby by my best guess, was the hardest of the litter to deliver but the rest werenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t that much easier! About an hour after his delivery I saw not one, but two amniotic sacs peaking out from Lolaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s vulva at the same time! Within 15 minutes the second kitten, an orange tabby, arrived (~8:30 pm). Within the next 30 minutes Lolaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s 3rd kitten, yet another orange tabby, arrived (~9:00 pm) in the breech position. An hour and 37 minutes later Lolaâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s final baby, a gray/brown tabby, arrived (10:37 pm), also in the breech position.
If this isnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t a perfect example of why to spay/neuter then I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know what is. There was no benefit to Lola to become pregnant and deliver a litter of kittens. It was painful, it was stressful, and it all could have gone horribly wrong. During the entire process I thanked my lucky stars that all of my animals have been altered and that I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t need to worry about this same fate for them. For anyone that wants to experience the miracle of birth, Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d recommend watching “Thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s my Baby†on the Learning Channel or visit the website that I made the last time I took in a pregnant stray cat: http://www.digitaldreamin.com/Thebirth/birth.htm You can enjoy the process so much more if you arenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t caught up in the fear and worry that goes along with this whole experience. Please spay or neuter to prevent more innocent animals from going through this painful process which at the very least produces more unwanted animals needing homes.
*Getting back off my soapbox* With that being said, Lola and her kittens all seem to be doing very well. While I was never a big orange tabby lover (I think it has something to do with a mean orange cat my grandparents used to have that scratched me a lot) these little guys are pretty darn cute! I was expecting maybe one orange tabby once I saw the small patch of orange fur that Lola was sporting, but I didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t expect her to have them like they were going out of style! hehe If there are any orange tabby lovers in the TX area, nowâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s the time to contact me if you want a new sherbet colored addition to your family
Whew, thanks for letting me share this story. It was quite an emotional 24 hours and I am so thankful that everything turned out so well. I appreciate everyone keeping me company during this long (almost 4 week!) wait. As far as Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m concerned youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re all honorary aunts and uncles
~Heidi