New, need help please

Hi everyone.
I'm Megan, and I live in a very small town in Alberta Canada. I have a female diluted tortie that is on her 70'th day of pregnancy. She has been having contractions since yesterday afternoon, but she is not panting, breathing heavy, nesting, nothing. She just sleeps right through the contractions. They're good and strong too, since I can feel the outline of each kitten during them. Right now, they are about 3-5 minutes apart, she hasn't lost her plug yet. The kittens are VERY active in between contractions. Her temp has also been down between 99.4 - 99.6 since yesterday afternoon. I just don't know what to make of this. I had a cat about 3 years ago who had a litter, but I wasn't watching her as closely, since she wasn't overdue. I didn't even notice she was in labor until she lost her plug. After that, things progressed very quickly. This is Cleo's first (and last) litter. She isn't a purebred or anything..just a plain old house cat. She doesn't go outside. I was cat-sitting my friend's male, who was supposedly neutered when Cleo got pregnant. She is just over a year old now, and I will be having her spayed as soon as this litter is weaned. So please, I didn't come here for a lecture on being an irresponsible pet owner. I just really need some advice on Cleo's "labor", or if I can even call it labor? I have no idea. The vet in town here is closed, and he has gone away for the long weekend. If anyone can help, please respond ASAP...I am going absolutely nuts here. Thanks in advance! I will post any updates on her progress..
Megan

Hmmmm How certain are you of the date? If it really is the 70th day, then I would take her to the vet, just to be on the safe side.

BTW... Welcome to the site!

Thanks for the welcome Ken. I am very certain of the date. And I can't take her to the vet, he is out of town unti Tuesday morning. That's my main issue right now. I live 3 1/2 hours from the city and I don't have a vehicle. So, I'm kind-of stuck here with a very pregnant cat who's labor isn't doing a whole lot. I am getting VERY anxious here..

Hey Megan....glad to read that you plan on having your cat fixed once the litter is weaned. It may also be a good idea to talk to your friend about having her male fixed as well. Welcome to the site.

There is a post about taking care of a pregnant cat in another forum..you may want to read it:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36112

Katie

Megan...is there vet that will make house visits..I just read that you should take a cat to the vet if the labor has lasted more than 65 days. I wish you luck.

Katie

In that case, It seems you have only 2 choices.

Wait and see....

Usually it's been my experience that if the contractions that are forceful enough, she wont be able to sleep through them. So it's possible they aren't as strong as they appear to you. She could just be moving them in place.
Since there isn't anything you can do, you'll just have to hope that they will be delivered sometime soon.

The other choice is that you find someone with a car and drive the 3.5 hours.

Let me put it this way, if it were my cat at the 70th day, progressing the same way, I would get her to a vet.

Failing that, is there an emergency vet that you could call and see what they think?

Well in that case, I guess I'll just have to pick the wait and see option. I don't have money to give anyone for gas, even if I could find someone that would take us all the way to the city.

I did phone the emergency clinic in Calgary, and they said that as long as she doesn't seem to be in distress, and there is no foul smelling discharge, and he's not straining without results that what she's doing sounds to be "normal" for a first litter. They said the first stage of labor can last up to 36 hours when it's a first litter.

I guess what I was hoping to gain by posting here is some idea on when she should go into hard labor and actually start working. The contractions are like clockwork, every 4 minutes now. I managed to time 8 of them before she got up and left, and they were all exactly 4 minutes apart. I'm really hoping she delivers tonight.

As for my friend's male cat, he is now neutered. The person she got him from told her he already was. So, it was a surprise for us both.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'll keep you all updated.
Megan

Hey Megan...definately keep us informed on her progress. I hope it all goes smoothly.

Katie

Well...I'm now started to really freak out. She's still not acting like a cat in labor. I spent almost 45 minutes on the phone with a vet that is an hour away, and she told me to do a vaginal exam on Cleo to see if she's even dialating. She's not. There was no mucous or blood, besides what I used to lube the glove. The vet said that if there wasn't anything when I did the exam that there is a chance one of the kittens may be sideways, preventing her from going into hard labor. I just don't know what to do. She told me that even if I was able to find a ride there, the vet visit with x-rays would be over $200 since it is a long weekend, and it would be after hours. There's no way I could pay for that right now. So, I'm stuck, and I am literally going crazy. I don't know. Sorry...I guess I'm kinda venting. Have a good night.
Megan

Megan, how's it all going?

It's not going. Same as it has been since yesterday afternoon. Cleo's laying in my bed sleeping, and I"m going to join her in a minute. Hopefully something will happen tomorrow....There's not much else I can do other than wait and hope for the best. The after hours exam and xray would be $275, and I would have to pay it within two months. And on my budget, that just isn't going to happen. So I just have to hope and pray that mother nature takes care of her and everything turns out well. Thanks.
Megan

It seems that if she's not fully dilated, isn't exhibiting 'nesting' behaviour and isn't in distress or pain, there's not a lot you can do because of the situation you're in. The stage of labour right before delivery can last up to 36 hours so you'll have to just wait and see at the moment. Because she is overdue, the kittens may be very large, making it difficult for her to deliver them. Some resources say that as many as 69 days of gestation is normal, though on the very high end of normal. Please check on her every couple of hours. I know you're probably tired but it's important to keep an eye on her.

I'm going to post this link again. Please click here and read the posts and follow the links about labour and delivery. Also, from www.nhahonline.com:

WHAT TO HAVE ON HAND IF YOUR CATâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]S EXPECTING.

Clean bedding materials and a birthing box.
Blunt scissors that have been disinfected with rubbing alcohol. Use only if the queen doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t rupture an amniotic sac within a minute or two after birth and you canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t rupture it with a gloved finger. Be careful not to cut the kitten!
Dental floss or sturdy thread to tie off an umbilical cord if the mother doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t do it within a few minutes of birth. Tie a loop about an inch from the kitten. Snip the cord about a half-inch below the loop so the loop remains on the portion of the chord still attached to the kitten.
An antiseptic, such as Nolvasan or two percent iodine to disinfect any floss or thread you might use and to dip the chord remnant in immediately after itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s been tied and cut.
Clean towels to rub down a kitten if itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not breathing or seems very weak and to wrap the kitten.
A babyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s nose-suction bulb to suck the mucus out of the nose and mouth of a kitten thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not breathing. Also, keep the kitten warm in a towel and gently but vigorously massage its chest and back. “Rubbing the fur the wrong way†will help stimulate a slow starting kitten.

Megan, good luck with her and please keep us posted.

This sounds very serious. Is there someone you can borrow the money from?

My thoughts and Prayers are with you a your Tortie baby........Hopefully it will all go well!

Well, it's not Monday morning, and nothing has happened yet. If this keeps up, I really hope her and the kittens stay ok until tomorrow morning when the vet here in town will be open again. I am keeping a very close eye on her, I got almost no sleep last night. Trust me, I am watching her very closely.
Megan

Megan, good luck with her.

I just called Jack (the vet) at his home number. He's still not back, but I'm really hoping he comes back sometime this afternoon. I left a message explaining the situation, and I really hope they will let me make payments for the cost of whatever it is she's going to need. I just hope it doesn't come down to a c-section...but by the way things are going, that's what she's going to need...I will let you all know what happens when he calls me back. And I'll also tell you what's going on with Cleo.

Oh, just an FYI, She was laying at the foot of my bed in my room, and I was sitting here in the living room, and I could see the kittens moving from here...it's a good 20 feet away, so atleast they're still strong.
Megan

That is a good sign!! Please dont forget to let us know how it goes!

Believe me, I won't forget..lol. I am still in panic mode, as I have been since yesterday morning. Now she is running around playing with my other cat...I really don't know WHAT to think?!
Megan

Just a thought. Stop watching her. This always happens when our mare is pregnant. We lose sleep waiting for the foal. Just when we can take it no longer and go to bed, the next morning, she has the foal.