Questions/concerns, My Cat Is In Labor!!

[savthecatmom]

Hi, my cat is currently giving birth. When I woke up, she had already given birth to 3 beautiful and healthy kittens, and 1 still born. She is walking around and going back to them as she should, she comes out of her nest for some water and a bite to eat fairly often! Then she will go and lay next to her nest for a minute, get up again for food, over and over. It still feels like there are kittens in there. She is a rescue, and was pregnant when I got her. She is nursing the other kittens and is acting totally fine. Is it possible that is it a double pregnancy? The people I rescued her from had 2 un-altered males. Also, what is the longest wait time between kittens before I should be concerned if she isn’t double pregnant? Thank you all so much in advance, i’m so proud of how well she is doing.

 

[savthecatmom]

Also, I have an appointment with my vet to get her spayed on the 22nd of March, this would be okay right?

 

[StefanZ]

As long she is fine you can wait and see.

Spaying already 22 mars is possible but much earlier than the usual recommendations.
Kittens wont be weaned as yet so you are taking some risk she wont be able to nurse after spaying.

 

[savthecatmom]

I will call the vet in the AM and ask about how early it is. I for sure feel lumps, she seems to be fine, still gets up, drinks a little, eats a little, begs for attention, and as soon as she hears one cry she runs to them She hasn’t used the rest room yet though and its been a while. Her breasts are VERY large, much larger than most pregnant cats i’ve seen.

 

[di and bob]

As long as she isn't acting in distress, hiding, crying out, growling and refusing to care for her babies, she should be fine. Bring her in immediately if she shows any symptoms of more labour and does so for over an hour. as long as she is eating, drinking and caring for her little ones, that is all normal. It is not unusual for a bowel movement not to happen for a couple of days, longer than that, call your vet. Lumps felt after birth is normal too, it is all abnormal in there for a while after giving birth. feel her daily to see if they improve. Since you did not see any afterbirths, placentas, watch for any discharge from her vagina that is foul smelling or thick and colored. Clear with mayvbe a little blood is normal for the first day. If she is not exposed to any toms, (they can and do get pregnant again within weeks of giving birth, sometimes days) I would wait 8 weeks to have her spayed, or until the little ones are big enough to start eating on their own, They comfort nurse for many weeks after and need their mom to be taught manners, and cat rules until they are at least ten weeks. If taken away earlier, that is why people have disciplinary problems such as biting and scratching. Make sure the little ones are latching on and actually getting milk, weighing them with a small scale would show that. Congratulations, a lovely little family! you will be blessed for loving her, all the luck!

 

[savthecatmom]

Thank you SO much! This is all really great info! She is moving around even more now I will keep a look out and weigh them! So far discharge is normal, i’ve been helping her wipe it away with a warm clean wash cloth. Thank you again!!

 

[savthecatmom]

okay so i just woke up and Moon gave birth to another still born. Should i be concerned? should i take her to the vet? there aren’t any emergency veterinarians near me. she is still acting fine, she has gone to the restroom! shes still caring for them.

 

[talkingpeanut]

As long as mom doesn't seem to be in distress, I think you can wait on taking her to the vet. She sounds ok.

 

[di and bob]

I agree, distress is the number one sign of somethimng not being normal. Does her abdomen feel any better today, lumps,etc.? Or do you still feel those. Now watch for any smelly, thick discharge, that would indicate remaining babies and infection. I will PM StefanZ, a real expert, and have him get hold of you. Good luck!

 

[StefanZ]

These stillborn, how do they look, compared with the alive ones? Any visible fault on them? I presume the alive ones are nicely, normally looking, and seems to add on weigh?? Weighting is important, esp if you have any reason to suspect complications...

OK, the face value. Three healthy, two stillborn. There may be more inside, alive or dead.

There may be different causes for some of them stillborn - these stillborn had perhaps after all some genetic fault on them, even if not clearly visible.
Another idea may be, the mothercakes didnt come out. She delivered during the night, so you couldnt observe. And they usually ate the placenta, so if you arent looking straight on, you usually dont see them.
BUT her appetite hints she perhaps hadnt eaten 4 placentas... This is no sure proof, I know fresh moms whom did ate both placentas, AND normal catfood afterwards. While others abstain from food even two full days.

If you think there are still someone alive, the question is if it "pays" to get it out asap? Ie if a cesarean would save it.
I dont know. It probably boils down to if you do have access to a really good vet, knowleable on cat obstetrics. If you have it is wise to discuss this whole with him her.

I understand there is also an economical aspect- and if a cesarean isnt necessary or wont help much the economics and the trouble adds up double so.... The economical problem exists even here in Sweden where resident cats have usually insurance: if the vet doesnt recommend cesarean, the insurance company wont pay it... Its not enough with your instincts or advices from a cat forum... So an examination and discussion with a good vet is the safest bet.

Otherwise, continue with what you do. Watch over her and the kittens as a hawk. Look out with any warning signals, higher temp, smelly discharges, more bloody discharges, etc..
Worst case scenario, a dead kitten whom wont get delivered isnt always terminal. Because the vets not seldom find calciferated kitten skeletons in the vomb when they do spaying. So it apparently happens, and apparently not always is deadly. But whom wants to risk anything...

Much rant, difficult to say anything for sure. I hope you got anyways some help, some useful ideas....

Please continue to report. savthecatmom

 

[savthecatmom]

Hi all! The kittens are doing good, so is the mom. She is definitely slimming down to her normal size, she was having some light pink discharge, that has majorily gone away now. She is being such a good mom, and she loves me to sit with her and the kittens. She wants attention but she doesn’t want to leave them so she brings me to her nest and cuddles the kittens while i pet her. She is even nudging my hand towards the kittens and letting me pet them! One of the still borns was still in the sac when i found it, if i had of been up im sure i could have saved it.. the other she ate the sac and the umbilical cord like normal, but its tummy looks a little deflated like the organs maybe weren’t developed all the way.
One wuestion though, what is the safest way to remove fleas from the mom and the kitties. I guess Moon has some fleas I didn’t know about, and when i was checking the kittens weight i saw some in them.
I am going to take her and the kitties for a checkup next week! Thank you all so much for talking to me on here, it is really good to have other knowledgeable people. I will post some pictures!!

 

[savthecatmom]

 

[di and bob]

What a beautiful little family! Right now I would just get a flea comb, a cup of soapy water to kill the fleas you get, and comb the fleas out, that is the safest. Or at least until their vet visit and then you can ask what to use that is safe on nursing moms. Kittens I know can be bathed with a little Dawn dish soap to kill fleas, but if mom has them will just get reinfested. A bad infestation can harm the kittens, so just do what you can!

 

[savthecatmom]

I got home from work this morning and i found one of the kittens very lethargic and breathing weird (like it was gasping for air). This was the runt of the litter. I immediately thought “maybe it still has fluid in its lungs” so i supported it upside down and rubbed the chest to check for bubbles and nothing.. My next thought was Fading Kitten.. I felt the ears and they were a little cold, so I got it’s temperature up to normal, i know that FKS can be 1 of two things, low body temp or low blood sugar. after I got the body temperature up, I rubbed sugar water on its gums, tongue and the roof of its mouth every 2 minutes. Unfortunately the kitten still didn’t make it... Should I be worried about the other ones?

 

[di and bob]

Since she has had so much trouble it is a little concerning. But it is not unusual at all for the runt of the litter not to make it, it's sad but does happen. The only real way to see if the kittens are doing alright is to weigh them daily. As long as they are gaining everything is going fine. Each day that goes by is one day closer to them being stronger and healthier, the whole litter may have been a little premature, which could cause problems like these, or it is a genetic fault of some kind. I would definitely start weighing them and hand feed if they aren't gaining close to 10gms a day, which is a good goal.
I'm so sorry.Things like this should not happen to innocents, it's heartbreaking! RIP little ones......

 

[savthecatmom]

i have been weighing and they are gaining weight good! even the runt was.. im going to continue to weigh and keep a VERY close eye on them..

 

[di and bob]

I wish you well and may God look after that sweet little family.....Please keep us updated, we absolutely LOVE kittens!

 

[savthecatmom]

I will keep you updated!! I’m gonna do a little photoshoot soon too The kitten that isn’t a bob-tail is HUGE!! Thank you all again so much for talking with me through this! Younare all much appreciated.

 

[savthecatmom]

Another kitten dead.. only 1 is left.. it is moving around a lot and crawling, eating like normal. i’m going to offer some milk replacer in a bottle just in case it’s not getting enough from Moon. She also moved the last kitten into another location. I am starting to think that they were in fact premees.. They were all gaining weight good i don’t understand

 

[savthecatmom]

The last kitten is fading quick.. I’ve tried everything... literally 45 minutes ago it was eating and crawling around.. ;( I feel like Moon picked them off one by one.. I hope this isn’t my fault the poor babies