When are my kittens due?

[layla mae]

A little background on the mama, we've had her for 5 weeks and she was at least 3 weeks pregnant already when we got her (she was a stray, we know who her previous owners are but they abandoned her because she wasn't a tiny baby anymore) she's around 1 year old. I've been able to see the kittens moving for 2 weeks and her nipples have gotten so huge in the last week, she looks like she could pop any day now but I have been thinking that for the last 2 weeks and apart from trying desperately to get into my wardrobe (I've just made her a nest in there because she wasn't interested in any of the other nests I made around the house) she hasn't shown any nesting signs or anything but again she's been doing that for the last 2 weeks. Can anyone help me? She was such a skinny little thing when we took her in but we could tell she was pregnant because of her nipples and she hasn't been outside at all since we got her. We will be desexing her and all the kittens when they're 8/9 weeks.

 

[StefanZ]

 
A little background on the mama, we've had her for 5 weeks and she was at least 3 weeks pregnant already when we got her (she was a stray, we know who her previous owners are but they abandoned her because she wasn't a tiny baby anymore) she's around 1 year old. I've been able to see the kittens moving for 2 weeks and her nipples have gotten so huge in the last week, she looks like she could pop any day now but I have been thinking that for the last 2 weeks and apart from trying desperately to get into my wardrobe (I've just made her a nest in there because she wasn't interested in any of the other nests I made around the house) she hasn't shown any nesting signs or anything but again she's been doing that for the last 2 weeks. Can anyone help me? She was such a skinny little thing when we took her in but we could tell she was pregnant because of her nipples and she hasn't been outside at all since we got her. We will be desexing her and all the kittens when they're 8/9 weeks.

If you felt the kittes move full 2 weeks, its not long now. A week at most.  Soon enough she will "drop" - she will suddenly seem to be less huge in belly.  And the kitten wont be as moveable...

They often dont take the nest before the time has come - in nature they dont want the nest to become smelly nor flea infested too early.  but yeah, probably she  will want to have her nest in your wardrobe.  It feels extra cozy and safe.  Also better loud isolation.

You are giving her good food, kitten type?    goats milk is a good supplement, useful also for kittens if theyw would need supplementing.  So is kmr of course, but its more costly.   So get home one of these, a scale, a needleless small syringe or a dropper.  To be extra prepared, I mean.

A scale you will need whatever, to see their development, or lack thereof.

Good luck!

 

[layla mae]

Thank you, we've been feeding her the best food we know of, Fancy Feast wet food (a mix of adult and kitten) and Hill's organic dry food. I also have a small scale that we can use to weigh the kittens, not sure where to get kmr in Australia. Possibly Coles but I doubt it they have a very limited pet food section and most pet shops around here focus on dogs. Also does anyone know if when I take them in to get desexed, will I have to pay full price for all of them? That's $200 per cat, if we have to then we'll find a way but kittens really weren't apart of our original plan so we don't really have that kind of money set aside atm

 

[StefanZ]

 
Thank you, we've been feeding her the best food we know of, Fancy Feast wet food (a mix of adult and kitten) and Hill's organic dry food. I also have a small scale that we can use to weigh the kittens, not sure where to get kmr in Australia. Possibly Coles but I doubt it they have a very limited pet food section and most pet shops around here focus on dogs. Also does anyone know if when I take them in to get desexed, will I have to pay full price for all of them? That's $200 per cat, if we have to then we'll find a way but kittens really weren't apart of our original plan so we don't really have that kind of money set aside atm

As I know, there is at least some kmr for kittens to get in Australia.  You can also order online.    Good to have it "just if".  What is not used, you can always give for momma.   Her need of high grade nourishing will in fact increase with time,  when the kittens begins to be half big but doesnt eat on their own as yet - so the top demand comes at about 5 weeks...

Otherwise you can always use goats milk.  Raw is excellent and may be a remedicum in many conditions, but bottled or powdered full fat goats milk is fully useful for kittens, cats and humans...   You can always get powdered from online, no?

I dont know much about the vet prices in Australia.   But as a rule of thumb, its not unusual they give a group rabate.    Or sometimes helped strays get too a rabate...  You can always ask.

 

[tjkbay]

Hi I am in Australia and we have a vet that charges $20 per kitten for desexing...try cat rescues in your area or animal welfare x

 

[layla mae]

Where abouts are you? I live in Perth and with a price like that I'll travel anywhere in the city!

 

[layla mae]

I think she's starting to nest but I'm not sure, she went in the nest I made her in the bottom of my wardrobe and was getting under the blanket, kneading and purring like crazy. She was using the whole front half of her body to knead but she was only in there for a few minutes. Then she just stopped and now she's back asleep in the bathroom.

 

[layla mae]

Is my baby in labour? she's very restless, the kittens are right next to her bits and every 10 minutes or so she breaths out very heavily through her nose? She won't stop eating though. The kittens won't stop moving either.

 

[layla mae]

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• layla mae
• Jan 5, 2017

this is her right now, she's not asleep but is laying down with her eyes closed and is breathing faster and harder than usual I think she's having contractions and she's just trying to breath through them? She can't stay in one position for more than 5-10 minutes and after changing positions a few times she'll get up and move to a different spot around my room. I'm very worried because I have to go out tomorrow. She has just started meowing in pain as I'm writing this.

 

[kittymum1992]

Sounds like your beautiful girlnjust may be having her litter!!

 

[layla mae]

she started contractions and was moving her eyes to look at me I went over to rub her head because she loves that and she started purring, I gave her a tin of wet food and she got up ran to it and scoffed it down. she just jumped onto my bed and made a throw up sound and jerked a bit but I think she swallowed it she seems fine it looks like contractions have stopped for now. it is 5:30am and it's my little brother's birthday and I'm supposed to go see him this afternoon and there is no one else to watch her my partner is away until late tonight!

 

[kittymum1992]

It really sounds as if your baby has started to have her babies. Hopefully she delivers quickly!


Cool! Its 4:29 pm in Canada right now.

 

[layla mae]

I hope you're right, hopefully I can get someone to come and watch her for the afternoon but it's a bit early in the morning to call anyone right now

 

[kittymum1992]

If she is visibly straining her first babe should arrive after an hour they will probably all be born, or be close to it by this afternoon. Keep posting pictures!!

I have a pregnant girl to. I made her birthing box today and set it up. Now she hasn't left it in hours.
Hopefully soon!

 

[layla mae]

She seems to have stopped, she isn't panicking or anything she seems totally fine, I read somewhere that the first kitten should be born within 4 hours of the first contractions so I'm hoping there will be at least one by 9am

 

[kittymum1992]

Thatd be good! Mine is on her back in her birthing box

 

[layla mae]

My girl has 8 nests/spots (including on my bed) in my tiny 2 bedroom apartment haha she's currently sitting in a box that she hasn't sat in since we set it up a week ago! She is refusing to move she's in the loungeroom rn but I wish she would move into my room she's got 3 spots in here and I can keep an eye on her plus it is the warmest room in the house and it is so cold right now, well, for Australian summer standards what kind of kitty do you have? do you know how many she's having?

 

[kittymum1992]

Lol we're just over here across the world having a good ol'fashioned Canadian Winter. Mine isn't moving from her box, one of her kittens is visably between her hips

 

[kittymum1992]

I have two girls, one is a calico like yours but different coloring, and the other who is pregnant is a medium haired domestic cat. She is completely black. I have a post up about her here to.

 

[layla mae]

Aww you'll have to post pictures when she's had them!