64 Days, How Many More To Go...

[bcherry]

Hi, Everyone.
New member here. I'm a relatively new cat mom, but I have 3 cats. One of which has fallen pregnant. All of my other cats are fixed males(Brothers from the same litter), but Lilo(momma kitty) WAS an indoor/outdoor cat. When we were moving she ran away for a couple of days, and probably got pregnant then. This was mid-April. We eventually found her and moved her to the new house, no more heat cycles, started gaining weight, became more aggressive. This was from April 24th to Now. SHE IS VERY PREGNANT. We've seen movement for 10 days. I mean thats when she started wanting to be around everyone. I can't help but get anxious as i believe she's due any day now. I've got everything set up for her just incase. She's been sleeping in her kiddie pool. How many more days should I wait before it merits a trip to the vet? (She's about 1.5 years old, is caught up with vaccinations and worming, I just couldn't afford an ultrasound or X-Rays due to the move).
-What should I expect?
-Will any die?
-Will she eat them???
I've been reading a lot, and am literally freaking my self out... HELP

--Britt.​

 

[lutece]

First of all, try not to worry. Usually everything goes just fine!!

Most cats will give birth between 63-67 days gestation, but sometimes go up to 70 days and this is still normal. As long as she appears comfortable and not in distress, I would not worry about taking her in to the vet to be checked until it has been 70 days from the last day she could have mated (in this case, the day when you found her again and brought her inside).

I don't have time to add more info for you right now, but I expect that some other people will come along and point you to some helpful links

Also, I can't tell from your post whether your cats go outdoors at your new house. You should know that after the kittens are born, Lilo could come into heat again very soon, even while she is nursing her kittens. You can plan to have Lilo spayed 8-12 weeks after the kittens are born, making sure to keep her 100% indoors before she is spayed, and until she recovers. The kittens can be spayed/neutered at the same time, before they go to their new homes. It's best to plan for the kittens to stay with mom and littermates until they are 12 weeks old.

 

[Kflowers]

One thing to do for your own peace of mind is to tell your vet what's going on. Have his emergency number and the phone number for the emergency vet. Everything will probably be fine, but having the numbers to hand is a good thing, just in case.

Here is an article from this site on when cats give birth. In the first paragraph is a click through to tell you everything you should have on hand.
How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

 

[Sarthur2]

Great advice, but I suggest spaying mom at 8 weeks post-partum. Kittens need fixing between 12-16 weeks. Do not let mom outside at all until she is spayed.

Most cats deliver with no trouble. Most cats do not eat their kittens (it’s rare). Kittens should begin nursing shortly after birth. If not, guide them to a nipple.

Your cat sounds close! No need to see the vet yet. Be sure mom gets as much wet and dry food as she wants while nursing.

Try to relax and ask any questions you have. We’re here for you!

 

[lutece]

Great advice, but I suggest spaying mom at 8 weeks post-partum. Kittens need fixing between 12-16 weeks.

Vets have different opinions on the perfect week of age to neuter/spay kittens, but whenever you have it done, it's ideal to do it before they leave home, so the new owners don't have to worry about it and can't forget

 

[bcherry]

First of all, try not to worry. Usually everything goes just fine!!

Most cats will give birth between 63-67 days gestation, but sometimes go up to 70 days and this is still normal. As long as she appears comfortable and not in distress, I would not worry about taking her in to the vet to be checked until it has been 70 days from the last day she could have mated (in this case, the day when you found her again and brought her inside).

I don't have time to add more info for you right now, but I expect that some other people will come along and point you to some helpful links

Also, I can't tell from your post whether your cats go outdoors at your new house. You should know that after the kittens are born, Lilo could come into heat again very soon, even while she is nursing her kittens. You can plan to have Lilo spayed 8-12 weeks after the kittens are born, making sure to keep her 100% indoors before she is spayed, and until she recovers. The kittens can be spayed/neutered at the same time, before they go to their new homes. It's best to plan for the kittens to stay with mom and littermates until they are 12 weeks old.

She is strictly indoors now, and she doesn't even attempt to go outside. We do have plans to fix her, I hadn't thought of spaying the kittens. I wasn't thinking that far ahead

 

[susanm9006]

Relax. Most car mom’s deliver just fine. And most mom’s, even first timers are still good moms and most kittens survive. But there are some things you can do to help. My suggestions:

Make sure mom cat has a safe quiet place to deliver, with other pets kept out of her space.
Make her a nest in a big box, a corner of a closet or some other small place that she will feel secure in.
Make sure the room is kept warm.
Be present if you can while she is delivering. Some cats get scared and you can be a calming presence for her.
Call your vet if you have any questions or concerns about how the delivery is going.
The births can take a long time, with hours between kittens.
After they are born keep an eye on the babies to make sure everyone is nursing.
Have a scale ready and weigh the kittens every day to make sure they are gaining.
Be prepared to syringe or bottle feed if they aren’t gaining weight.
Bring food and water to mom in the nest for at least a week or two since she may not want to leave her babies.