Yellow discharge -- beginning of a mucus plug?

[too-young-to-be-a-grandma]

Hi there! First time cat owner here. I took in a stray 55 days ago and she is pregnant. We're currently in the time frame the vet estimated for birth, and I've noticed some changes in the past few days that make me think she's going to give birth any day now (more affectionate, lactating a little, rippling, some nesting behaviors, her belly dropping lower, more vocal, more grooming, etc)

Just now I noticed a tiny bit of clear / yellow discharge coming from her vulva, which I take to be the beginning of her mucus plug. I will try to get a picture and add it. I have a few questions:

• Is this probably the entire mucus plug? She is a quite small cat (just under 7lbs when not pregnant), so maybe this would make it smaller, although I am not sure.
• Does the mucus plug come out all at once? Or is it a process over a length of time, like over a few hours?
• What is the timeline I should be looking at here for kittens?

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

I got a picture, but it looks like she groomed there recently. Attaching anyways just in case. If you zoom in, you can still see some residue stuck in her fur.

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like your cat’s body is beginning preparations for labor and delivery. However, milk can come in up to a week before, and the mucus plug can also be lost up to a week before. She certainly sounds close though!

Do keep us posted and thanks for taking this stray in and caring for her!

 

[too-young-to-be-a-grandma]

Thank you! I think she is finally in Stage 1 of labor as of this morning. I've prepared a spot under the bed for her, which is her go to spot, but she has been mostly glued to my side, being super affectionate.

I am having an issue in that she is coming up, licking me a ton, and then biting me. It doesn't seem to be something defensive at all (I am giving her space as needed, she is initiating contact that leads to biting) but it does frankly hurt. I am trying to just basically grin and bear it, because when I pull back it or make a noise to indicate I am in pain, it seems to startle her. She hissed at me when I pulled my chin out of her mouth (which seems to be a popular target), which prompted me to write this post.

I would love any advice on navigating this situation. It's obviously unpleasant when she bites me, and I have a skin condition that I can tell it is aggravating, buy my priority is to make sure she feels as comfortable as possible.

Thanks

 

[Sarthur2]

If she is in labor, she is in pain, so it sounds like she is latching onto you in hopes that you can help her. She doesn’t understand that she must go through what she is going through, and that you can do nothing to stop it. It sounds like she also may not understand that she is hurting you.

Perhaps put some sleeves on, and speak in soothing tones. If this is her first (and hopefully only) litter, she may hunker down more into herself as things progress. She’s probably frightened, and not sure what is happening.

Has her labor progressed? First stage usually lasts up to 24 hours before pushing and delivery. I hope all goes well, and keep us posted!

T too-young-to-be-a-grandma

 

[too-young-to-be-a-grandma]

Thanks for the advice. That definitely sounds accurate. Makes me understand what's going through her head a bit better.

She is handling everything like a champ. She's tough and has been adjusting very well to every change thrown at her in the time I've had her. This is her first (and only -- I have spoken to the vet about spaying/neutering her and the kittens once they're weaned) litter, so she is definitely confused.

In terms of progression, her labor definitely seemed to abate a bit for the past few hours, although she was clearly still in that stage 1 zone of restlessness, clinginess, etc. Haven't had any issues with biting since.

About 30min ago, the fire alarm for my apartment building made an ill-timed interruption. It was extremely loud and definitely freaked her out. I had to pull her out from under the bed, put her in a carrier, and take her outside. We are back inside now and not at any risk of it going off again, but it definitely freaked her out. She has been handling it great and hanging out with me on top of the bed. She definitely showed a lot of trust in letting me pick her up and move her, and again in relaxing when I relaxed after it was over. She really is a great cat.

Her labor seems to be picking up again with more panting, but this stressor may be a factor. Are there any signals I should be keeping an eye out for, or just a general increase in intensity.

I would love any insight on what might be going through her head and how I can help her stay calm! I've been stroking her fur and talking to her in soothing tones, and that seems to be helping

 

[too-young-to-be-a-grandma]

Wow! 40 minutes after I posted this she started having strong contractions, and has welcomed two beautiful kittens.

The first one was tough. It took 45 minutes to come out, but Willow let out some big yelps and the cat finally came out. She was definitely spooked at first, and kinda catapulted the kitten off the bed and onto the floor while Willow ran under the bed. I believe she ate the placenta there. I coaxed her out with a chicken pate treat and she grabbed the kitten and took her under the bed with her. She then gave birth to the second one there, with much less panicked fanfare.

She's cleaned them and let them suckle, and has tucked them under a blanket for warmth. I have a Snuggle Safe available for them as well, but they have not yet needed it. All three seem to be doing well.

The only dilemma I am having is that Willow decided to push the puppy pads and blankets provided for her out of the way and give birth right on my carpet, and I need to get those blood stains out before they set. I have a nesting box available for the kittens, but I want to make sure I do not unintentionally threaten Willow or interfere with any of this early bonding time. What is the protocol for this?

 

[Sarthur2]

Congrats on 2 healthy kittens so far. Do you think there are more?

I would leave mom and babies be until tomorrow at least. It can take new moms a couple of days for their hormones to settle down after giving birth.

It sounds like all is going well!

 

[too-young-to-be-a-grandma]

Just the two. This was what the vet predicted and I kept an eye on her just in case.

I've decided to leave them where they are for now. Willow seems to be extremely trusting of me, and I don't want to risk losing any of that trust by moving her kittens. She's been letting me get pretty much as close as I want, but I have been maintaining a bit of distance to protect the health of both Willow and her babies. No signs of defensiveness or aggression, just lots of kneading, slow blinking, and purring. She definitely seems to be exhausted, so I've been bringing her food and water periodically, which she seems to appreciate.

Are there any books or resources that you recommend I look into regarding caring for these newborn kittens and ensuring they are meeting all their development milestones properly? I want to get a deeper understanding so that I can make sure that I am providing for them as best as possible.

Thank you again for your help, and here's a picture of Willow and her babies as a token of gratitude!

 

[Sarthur2]

This is a picture perfect pregnancy and delivery. Mama kitty is providing milk for her kittens, and will continue to for many weeks. I would continue bringing her food and water nearby for now, so she does not need to go far from her kittens to meet her needs. Put her litter box nearby as well.

I will refer you to Kitten Lady (Hannah Shaw) for many links to future issues, but please continue to post as you need to. We’re here for you and love pictures and will continue to answer.

Kitten Care - View All — Kitten Lady

Again, please post your questions as needs arise.

T too-young-to-be-a-grandma