Cat Has Been Showing Signs Of Labor For 24 Hours...

[millenial__pink]

Our cat Grey Girl started acting weird yesterday. There was a lot of meowing and wanting to be near us, and she's been licking her stomach and bum a lot. Everything I've read and the vet that I called said she should be in labor, but it's a day later and she's still doing that with no signs of pushing at all. I've noticed that her stomach has kind of dropped to a lump near the back instead of being completely round all over.

Does anyone have any idea if this is normal or if we need to get her to the vet?

 

[Bratcat31]

Someone more experienced than I should come along soon but, if memory serves, this is totally normal and nothing to worry about. The pre-labor (which can be similar to stage one) and the first stage of labor can take 24-36 hours and as long as the cat is acting mostly normal there isn't generally anything to stress about.

I believe where you would need to worry is if the cat was having intense contractions for 2 hours or pushing for more than 20 minutes without having a baby.

Obviously though, you know your cat best though, so if you're worried a trip in could ease your mind. Though this may not be a popular opinion I would only do that if you are worried she is in trouble. A vet visit this close to delivery could be very very stressful for her and actually cause issues. My last pregnant mom, the clinic refused to see towards the end because she was so close to birth.

The dropping you have described is perfectly normally. I believe it is actually called dropping and normally happens within 24 hours of birth. I'd be a little surprised if she didn't have them tonight based on your description.

Good luck and hopefully someone smarter than me will be along to help!

 

[StefanZ]

I agree. No immediate hurry.
I wonder even if the prelabor was really the Braxton Hicks contractions, not real prelabor.
As she seems to have dropped first after this.
If so it may easily be a couple of days left.

 

[Sarthur2]

Just be patient!

 

[millenial__pink]

I agree. No immediate hurry.
I wonder even if the prelabor was really the Braxton Hicks contractions, not real prelabor.
As she seems to have dropped first after this.
If so it may easily be a couple of days left.

Her stomach has started to kind of tighten up when she meows, I'm not sure if those are contractions or what... Still no kittens but a lot of meowing

 

[StefanZ]

Its contractions of some sort. Still prelabor may be quite long, what we dont like is long active pushing phase. This is almost always shorter than with women.

 

[ArchyCat]

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