Is Your Cat About To Give Birth? 7 Surefire Cat Labor Signs.
So your cat has been pregnant for awhile now and been getting rounder and rounder. Suddenly, her whole demeanour changes and you’re standing there, wondering if this is really it - is your cat in labor?
Are her kittens coming?
How will you know for sure?
What signs of labor can you expect to see?
It’s natural for any cat lover to want to give the very best care to their pet. But when illness strikes - or in this case, due to give birth to kittens - we often feel very stressed and helpless. All of a sudden, we realise that we just don’t know enough to be of help.
After all, few of us have veterinary skills! You need to know what signs to look out for and you need to know straight away.
Your cat’s pregnancy will have lasted around 64 days but it is very unlikely that you will able to be that accurate. Instead, you will need to be able to recognise the different stages of pregnancy and be alert to the signs which will indicate that your cat’s labor is about to begin.
At first, you may have noticed that your cat begins to eat much more than usual and you will start to see her unborn kittens making distinct movements in her belly.
You will also see ‘nesting’ behavior where your cat will be actively searching for a safe, warm and secure place for her to give birth in. You should have already prepared a ‘nesting box’ that will meet with her approval, otherwise you may find that she thinks that under your bed is the place she wants to be!
Then, as your cat nears the start of her labor, her appetite will reduce dramatically. It may even disappear completely.
Sign number three is that of ‘clingy’ behavior. Your cat will want to be with you all the time, looking for affection. As time brings her closer to the actual birth, she may start pacing around and seem particularly nervous or even excitable.
Another, unmistakable sign of impending labor, is ‘calling’. If you have never heard your cat make this sound before, don’t worry, you won’t be able to mistake it!
Close to the time of her kitten’s birth, your cat will feel compelled to lick her bottom repeatedly. The changes she feels within her body will be telling her that her kittens are on their way.
Finally, as your mother cat begins to feel the onset of her contractions, she is likely to appear anxious and uneasy. She will repeatedly enter her nesting box and ‘tread’ the nesting material as she seeks to arrange it to her liking.
When you recognise this final behavior, you will know for sure that the birth process has started and your kittens will soon be delivered. Your lovely cat’s labor has begun!
But remember, this is when your presence is vital. You will need to have prepared yourself to be on hand to help if things should go wrong. It is your responsibility to have become familiar with what is normal and what is not, during the birthing process. If you know what to expect - good or bad - you will be able to remain calm and in control and give your cat the very best care that she deserves.
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