How to Help a Cat Give Birth

Whether you are breeding purebred cats for a living or you are responsible for a cat that has become pregnant in your care, it is important to know what to do when the cat goes into labour and begins to give birth to her kittens (technically referred to as "queening"). It is important to get the supplies together, to have a sterilized area for her and to be on hand to help if needed. Here is how you can do your bit to make it easier for her.

1

Steps

1. 1
   Accept that for the most part, your cat will not need you but it will probably reassure you to hover around in the background and be prepared for complications.
2. 2
   Take the pregnant cat to a licensed veterinarian to get checked out, if you can

2. 3
   Set up a nest. Usually she will display nesting signs days before the birth is imminent and this is the perfect opportunity to direct her to the quiet, dark corner that you have already prepared for her. Cut down a large cardboard box with high sides and fill with old towels, fluffy blankets, newspapers etc., basically any old soft thing that you can spare and do not mind getting soiled. It shouldn't have any strong scents, since the mother and kittensrecognize each other by smell. The laundry or a bathroom are great places to encourage her to remain; just ensure that no kids or dogs are rushing through this spot at any time. The mother must feel safe and relaxed in her nesting area. She should have easy access to fresh water, a little bit of cat food, and the litter box (which should be about two feet away--putting it too close can increase the chance of disease).
3. 4
   Set up a holding box to place the kittens in while their siblings are being born. It should be close to or next to the nest. Place warm water bottles on the bottom with a fewtowels over it to protect the kittens from getting burned and also to keep the warmth in the box. Do not use a heating pad because even if it's on low and there are blankets covering it, there is still the risk of the kittens getting burned.
4. 5
   Prepare the cat.
   
   
   • If you have a long-haired cat, you may wish to consider cutting the hair away from around the vulval region in advance (a few days or a week before birth). Some people also advise clipping long hair away from the nipples to assist the kittens in feeding. If you can't do it ahead of time, however, don't do it at all, as it could interfere with the kittens recognizing the mother's natural smell. This is not necessary but it can assist you in watching to see if the kittens are exiting correctly during the birthing.
   • Continue feeding her high quality food until she displays a reduction in appetite, which is a usual sign just before labor commences.
5. 6
   Know the signs that are likely to be displayed when your queen is going into labor. This is generally known as Stage 1, and will last between 12 and 24 hours:
   
   
   • She becomes listless and restless, looking for a place to hide (show her the nest)
   • She grooms excessively, including licking her vulva
   • She paces a lot and pants
   • She will purr and cry loudly
   • Her temperature will usually drop a point or two from the normal 102ºF/38.9ºC.
   • She will likely cease to eat.
   • She may vomit.
   • She may discharge blood.
6. 7
   Keep calm. Once the mother enters her nesting box and labor commences, the best thing you can do is to keep calm and be prepared. If there are any disturbances or animals around, or if she is moved to a strange place, she will delay labor. Otherwise, the process of birth is about to ensue, known as Stage 2:
   
   
   • The placental plug will be expelled a few hours before delivery. This protected the uterine region from infection during pregnancy.
   • The cervix starts to relax and the queen begins uterine contractions.
   • There's a build-up in contractions as the first kitten enters the birth canal. Contractions should be at 2 - 3 minute intervals and the mother will probably be in a crouched position. She may cry out and pant.
   • The amniotic fluid (water bubble) comes through first, followed by the kitten (either head first or rear paws first).
   • Once Stage 2 of the labour commences, it will last about 30 minutes to an hour and then the first kitten should be born. Each subsequent kitten will be about half an hour apart, sometimes up to an hour.
7. 8
   Ensure that the mother removes the amniotic sac from each kitten. This membrane is usually removed by the mother through licking. The kitten should be breathing and moving within seconds as a result. If she doesn't help the kitten quickly, break the membrane with your hands (wearing gloves) around the face to ensure that the kitten can breathe. Wipe the face clean with a gauze cloth.
8. 9
   Check for the placenta. There is one placenta per kitten and it should be expelled after the birth of each kitten. Note each placenta because a placenta that is left inside a mother will become infected and will most likely result in the death of the mother unless you seek medical attention. Do not attempt to pull out a placenta yourself - if you tug on the umbilical cord and it causes the uterus to rip, the mother could die.
   
   
   • Note that the mother normally eats the placenta. It is full of hormones and nutrients that need to be returned to her body so do not interfere in this process - just be sure she doesn't try to eat the kitten with it out of lack of experience.
   • You may want to let her eat the first two or three placentas and then take away the rest, as too many of the nutrients can cause diarrhea or vomiting.
9. 10
   Cut the umbilical cord for each kitten only if the mother does not tear it off herself. Wait for five minutes after the birth of the kitten before clamping the cord. <IMPORTANT: DO NOT CUT THE CORD IF PART OF IT IS STILL INSIDE THE MOTHER-Because the cord is attached to the placenta, the placenta may get trapped inside her and not expelled which will result in an infection and death of the mother- The cord is attached to the placenta, so wait for the placenta to come out, then if the mother does not chew it off herself you should cut it>-Use forceps to clamp and then use the scissors to cut it. Make a jagged cut rather than a straight one, since a straight incision causes more blood outpour, thus leaving more room for complication. Leave about 1 inch/ 2.5 cm attached to the kitten. If in doubt, err on longer rather than shorter, but keep in mind that if the umbilical cord tangles and dries around any of kitten's body parts, it can lose a limb or die. Wash the end of the cut cord in antiseptic solution to prevent infection. After you have cut the cord, if it continues to bleed, you can tie it up with unwaxed dental floss.
10. 11
    
    

     Help by placing kittens into the second box.
    Help by placing kittens into the second box. While she is actually giving birth, you can assist by placing the kittens that have already been born into the second box with the heated pad. This is optional and serves to protect the kittens if the mother is moving a lot. Bear in mind that the mother (who can be very protective of her kittens) may object strongly to this action. If you are uncomfortable with moving them at all, just reassure yourself that cats have been managing without our intervention for a very long time.
    
    
    • Never do this without gloves on. You do not want to transfer your human scent to them as this may interfere with the bonding process.
    • If they have just been born, hold them gently with the head down to allow fluid to drain out of the lungs.
    • Return the kittens promptly.
11. 12
    Make sure that the kittens nurse as soon as possible. The early milk contains valuable colostrum with antibodies for the kittens. Be aware that kittens are both blind and deaf when they are born, so they will be seeking out the mother's nipples by smell and touch. Sometimes they do so right away, and sometimes they wait several minutes while they recover from birth. If there is a problem with the milk coming in, this may be indicated by the kittens trying to nurse and meowing instead. The mother may wait until all of the kittens are born before allowing them to suckle. Sometimes, however, a queen's milk does not come in. See the vet, who may be able to stimulate it.
12. 13
    
    

     Record each birth.
    Record each birth. Record the time of birth, the gender, weight (use kitchen scales) and when the placenta was delivered.