Signs of a cat about to give birth and how to support cats in labor and postpartum? Let’s find out the details with Dog and Cat Love Blog.
When cats are pregnant through their second month, they go into labor and have noticeable personality changes sooner. If you pay close attention, you will see that obvious signs appear. When you detect these 5 signs, you must be ready because your cat will go into labor in a few days.
Signs of a cat about to give birth
These are some of the common signs that cats are about to give birth when they are about to go into labor.
- Cats are lethargic, show signs of restlessness, and always seek a secluded place to hide. If you don’t want the cat to stay loose in the house, you should prepare a nest for the cat and direct it towards it.
- Cats begin to lick their vulva and other areas of the body more than usual. They will protect the body before childbirth.
- Or panting and walking slower. They even tend to moan more.
- Body temperature drops 1-2 degrees Celsius
- Loss of appetite or vomiting.
- The case of cats that show blood before birth is an extremely dangerous sign. At this point, taking the cat to the vet is the best method.
5 signs of a cat about to give birth and how to care for her
What to prepare when the cat is about to give birth?
- When detecting that the cat shows signs of pregnancy, it is necessary to closely monitor the health of the mother cat or if there is a veterinary clinic in the area, the cat should be taken to the doctor.
- Adjust your cat’s diet. Usually by day 66, cats will go into labor. Feed the mother kitten food from day 42 to day 66 so that the kittens can develop better.
- Prepare a nest for the cat, often the cat will actively choose a quiet place and prepare everything before delivery. The places that the mother cat chooses are quiet places, with little traffic, where they feel safe and relaxed. Place litter away from the nest area.
- Clean the mother cat’s nest, clip the hair in the vulvar area and the hair around the mother cat’s udder area to make it easier for the kittens to suckle.
- Prepare a clean towel and formula for the kitten to suck on.
Paying attention to the amount of mucus the mother cat secretes can predict the mother’s health. Yellowish-green discharge is a sign of uterine infection, light green is a sign of placental separation. It is necessary to consult a veterinarian.
Support during labor for the mother cat
Most mother cats can go into labor on their own without your help. Just stand in a tight corner and watch quietly long enough for the mother cat to calm down and focus on giving birth. Intervene only when necessary.
When you notice the signs of a cat about to give birth as we have presented above, quickly orient the cat towards the pre-made nest to facilitate monitoring. When you are working, pay attention to remove all jewelry from your hands and use antibacterial soap to intervene when necessary. ALWAYS ALWAYS let the cat move on its own.
Signs that your cat is about to give birth and how to help your cat during labor. internet photos
When the cat is in labor, it should be observed from afar, keep quiet, noises can cause insecurity in the mother cat, the animal can move to another more discreet place of delivery, making monitoring difficult. . Make sure the mother cat licks each kitten clean; by licking, the mother cat will break the amniotic membrane so that the kitten can breathe and come out.
NOTE: Some new mother cats will forget this step, you must intervene quickly by rupturing the amniotic membrane and wiping the kitten’s body clean with a dry towel. Also reboot the unit as quickly as possible.
Check if the placenta is still in the mother cat’s body. If it’s still necessary, remove it quickly if you don’t want the mother cat to get infected. However, do not try to pull it out because tearing the umbilical cord is immediately fatal for the mother cat. Usually the mother cat will eat the placenta right after giving birth to the kittens, this is an extremely good source of nutrition to help the cat recover quickly.
Let the mother cat bite her own umbilical cord. If your cat doesn’t, consult your vet for the best advice. Do not try to influence if you do not want to affect the health of the mother cat.
How to care for a mother cat after giving birth? internet photos
Attention after giving birth with mother cat
- Let the kittens nurse as soon as possible because this is the time when the colostrum is most abundant. This source of milk will help kittens develop better.
- Take care of the kittens when the mother cat shows signs of fatigue and do not take care of the kittens on her own.
- Give the mother cat nutritious food to restore her physical strength after giving birth.
All information below is collected and shared based on my own experience. Therefore, in order to ensure absolute safety for the health of the mother cat, consult veterinarians and other experienced people.
Your cat’s health depends on you.
