Chloecat pregnant and maybe(?) in Labour

[KatandChloe]

Ok,
So I always intended to get my long haired house cat spayed. Everytime I took her, she came on heat and because she’s a small cat the vets wouldn’t do it until she came off heat. Then I fell pregnant and it was a dramatic one so everything fell by the wayside and I didn’t get it done. I then planned to get it done this autumn but best laid plans and all that.
a few weeks back I took chloe to the vets, seemingly she was very poorly, but she ended up just being pregnant. The ultrasound showed 4-5 kittens but the x-ray didn’t show anything.
the due date we think is 30th of sept. but this is based on when I found her hiding in a cupboard looking out of sorts rather than an escape date as we don’t know this.
Last evening - Chloe appeared to go into Labour at about 4 o clock pm. She’d stopped eating early in the morning, she started absolutely excessively purring, hysterically/demandingly meowing when I left her bedside, shuddering and tensing/releasing - contractions and some low growls and chattering.
At about 10pm she curled up and went to sleep.
At 5am she woke me up howling and meowing and being a mad cat but this was super shortlived and she went back to sleep.
This morning she ate a full bowl of food and then threw it up. Today she’s been next to me all day, a few grunts and growls but much quieter and calmer than yesterday
It’s just me her and my 15month boy, so I’m trying to be as prepared as possible, as I know I’m going to be juggling checking on her and keeping my son away. So my question is: does this sound like she’s nearing Labour or is it likely to be a while yet? It feels like it’s all taking a long time, and I feel very sorry for her.
I have all the kit, have specialist kitten formula in case, she has two nests she’s using but only when I’m upstairs otherwise she’s following me about, I feel prepared, but also like most advice on the actual length and stages of Labour are fairly vague. Please send advice and well wishes! Thank you
(p.s: she’s ready to be spayed 6 weeks after her litter - vets and I are on it!!)

 

[di and bob]

PLEASE don't procrastinate on that spay appt. Being constantly in heat and now pregnant is very hard on her. It could be several things, she may even have an infection and go into premature labor. But since you don't know when she got pregnant, it could be the real thing. A 'few weeks' back would mean the kittens were developed enough to show on an ultrasound but not enough bone formation to show up on an xray. I think she will deliver far before Sept 30th . Could you get a picture of her standing and you taking it from above? And some more showing how big she is? you may need help posting them, contact a monitor, or look up posting pictures on this site. i know you can't edit before you post so much, I don't know about attaching files.
The main thing is, as long as she is NOT in distress, like she was, meowing, growling, pacing, etc. and is eating/ drinking/using teh litter box normal, everything is fine. If she starts all this again, contact your vet and ask for advise, asking if she needs help or just needs to be monitored. first litters are long and hard and she may need help. please come here anytime you need help, someone is always here. Bless you for trying to help her!

 

[KatandChloe]

PLEASE don't procrastinate on that spay appt. Being constantly in heat and now pregnant is very hard on her. It could be several things, she may even have an infection and go into premature labor. But since you don't know when she got pregnant, it could be the real thing. A 'few weeks' back would mean the kittens were developed enough to show on an ultrasound but not enough bone formation to show up on an xray. I think she will deliver far before Sept 30th . Could you get a picture of her standing and you taking it from above? And some more showing how big she is? you may need help posting them, contact a monitor, or look up posting pictures on this site. i know you can't edit before you post so much, I don't know about attaching files.
The main thing is, as long as she is NOT in distress, like she was, meowing, growling, pacing, etc. and is eating/ drinking/using teh litter box normal, everything is fine. If she starts all this again, contact your vet and ask for advise, asking if she needs help or just needs to be monitored. first litters are long and hard and she may need help. please come here anytime you need help, someone is always here. Bless you for trying to help her!

Hello,
Thank you for your reply!!

No, I absolutely am not, she’s going to be spayed 6-8 weeks after kittening and this is agreed with the vets. It’s just been a set of circumstance where because she’s such a small cat meant they refused to spay her when on heat as everything was swollen. This happened twice and I even checked with a different vet incase we were being had. And then my pregnancy was so rough and me and my lad nearly died that regretfully everything was forgotten about and not done. More recently it’s my fault that I didn’t get back on it, specially as I’m usually the one lecturing others to get them spay etc!!
so on the 30th of June, Chloe was no where to be seen and I panicked that she’d escaped but I couldn’t see how. There was nowhere for her to leave by. But she was very out of sorts and had some bloody discharge and wasn’t right for that weekend. The emergency vets claimed infection, gave some antibiotics and Chloe was back to her self by Monday.
17th of July she was at our normal vets, and I thought she was poorly poorly but this is when she showed on Ultrasound but not x ray.

she’s seemingly ok, again today, just gets really worked up everytime I leave the room - hard with a young toddler! But she’s just slept a lot, been excessively purring and only had the odd ‘rippling’. So I feel like it’s a waiting game but hopefully one that won’t last too much longer!

 

[di and bob]

Hopefully everthing will go smoothly! Im so sorry you had all that trouble.you dont need anymore, that is for sure! Please keep us informed on how she is doing.....

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds to me like she may be in early labor or pre-labor. If not, she’ll likely have kittens soon — in the next week or so.

Do keep us posted!

 

[KatandChloe]

Hello, hope everyone is well!
chloecat is still in what I assume is stage one Labour. There is deffo a kitten in the area I have circled which seems really really low, so I’m hoping today is the day. She is having contractions and she clearly isn’t comfortable but I do feel so bad for her as this all started over 40 hours ago. But she’s not in distress just uncomfortable. Just nothing seems to be happening really.
Everytime I leave her bedside, she waits and then starts following me-around meowing and growling at me!!
Let’s have fingers crossed that today is the day!!

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you seen any pushing at all? If this continues, please get her vet-checked. Some cats are unable to have strong enough contractions to deliver. It’s called dystocia, and results in the cat needing a C-section. I’m getting concerned due to how long she is contracting without progress.

I suggest that you call a vet today and get her checked. Kittens who remain in the birth canal usually die.

Please update as you can.

Edited to add: First stage labor is usually only about 24 hours.

KatandChloe

 

[KatandChloe]

There’s been no pushing at all and no straining. Emergency vet is very unworried and said the stress of bringing her in would be more dangerous than waiting and seeing how things progress for the next 24/48 hours. There’s been no blood, she’s drinking the kitten milk I’ve been giving her. She’s uncomfortable but not in distress.
It feels more like she keeps putting it off if I’m honest! But I know that doesn’t really make sense!

 

[KatandChloe]

Quick update: on Sunday afternoon UK (yesterday) she stopped nesting, stopped licking, stopped the excessive purring, had returned to eat all of her food rather than half of it. It’s anyone’s guess at this point but there have been no kittens yet. Had they not been seen on ultrasound by a vet, I’d be thinking the whole thing is a figment of my imagination. thanks for the support, I’ll update you when she has them!

 

[StefanZ]

Quick update: on Sunday afternoon UK (yesterday) she stopped nesting, stopped licking, stopped the excessive purring, had returned to eat all of her food rather than half of it. It’s anyone’s guess at this point but there have been no kittens yet. Had they not been seen on ultrasound by a vet, I’d be thinking the whole thing is a figment of my imagination. thanks for the support, I’ll update you when she has them!

During the waiting game, try with giving her calcium rich food... Whatever you have at hand and she takes.... Cant hurt may help.

Because low calcium level may cause weak labor

 

[KatandChloe]

During the waiting game, try with giving her calcium rich food... Whatever you have at hand and she takes.... Cant hurt may help.

Because low calcium level may cause weak labor

Ok great thank you! I’ve been feeding her extra feeds of kitten food for the past few weeks and 2 days ago started giving her kitten milk… would this do it or do you have any other ideas? Thanks

 

[StefanZ]

Ok great thank you! I’ve been feeding her extra feeds of kitten food for the past few weeks and 2 days ago started giving her kitten milk… would this do it or do you have any other ideas? Thanks

Should be enough.

What is this kitten milk? kmr?
Or such a lactose reduced treat cow milk for treat?? If this latter, goats milk is cheaper and better. Or kmr.