Cat about ready to have babies

[weirdo27]

It was a mistake and accident that my cat got pregnant but now she is pregnant and is pretty far in. We aren'tsure how to know if she is ready to have her babies? ;where do we put her when she wants them? UHh i dont know anypthing on what to do.

[Katelf]

Dear Weirdo,
So many great websites out there about pregnant cats: This is from http://cats.about.com/cs/pregnancybi...ncybirth_2.htm

Good luck with your mama cat and kittens.



The Gestation Period

Let's assume you've decided to let your queen have her kittens. You probably have a number of questions, such as, "How many kittens will she have?" or "When will she have them?" The second question is easier to answer than the first; a queen's gestation period typically runs from 57 to 69 days, with the average of 63 to 64 days. I like to use "63," because it is nine weeks, equating to human pregnancy average of nine months, making it easier to remember. Of course, your queen will have her kittens when she is going to have them, so these figures are only for your benefit, to be able to approximate the time.

The number of kittens to a given litter is a different subject. Litters can range from one to eight or more kittens, although either end of the range is fairly rare. Let's say an average of two to five kittens, with maximum numbers present between the ages of two and eight (of the queen). If you are really curious, your veterinarian may be able to give you a "head count" by palpating the abdomen, most successful between 25 and 35 days after mating. Ultrasound is another safe tool for verifying pregnancy, as well as for counting the embryos.

Impending Birth

As your queen nears her time for giving birth, she will exhibit a few signs that will give you clues to the impending arrival of kittens. The first stage of labor lasts from 12 to 24 hours, and may include the following "symptoms."

Nesting. She may start snooping around in closets and secluded areas for an appropriate place to bear her kittens. The time is ripe for you to prepare an area for her in a private place, with a box or basket lined with soft towels. She may decide instead to give birth on the cold, hard floor of your bathroom, but at least you have tried to accomodate her needs.
Increased affection. She may suddenly become very loving, and want to be near you at all times. Don't be surprised though, if a previously affectionate cat becomes withdrawn and seeks solitude. Either personality change may be completely normal.
Decreased Activity. Queenie may decide she'd rather sleep most of the time. She may also lose interest in food.
Milk Discharge from Nipples. Your cat's nipples will have become enlarged and pink about the third week of pregnancy; 24 hours or so before birth, she may show a milky discharge. This discharge may come even earlier in cats that have given birth several times.
Drop in Temperature. The normal temperature in cats is between 100.4°F and 102.5° F. A dramatic drop in her rectal temperature is a sure indicator that birth is imminent

[angelface1700]

well did it help you if it did not i could

[weirdo27]

im sorry for such a late reply my cat did have her kittens a while ago 5 of them and all were given away successfully. Even though i feel bad about expanding the cat population it was a really good learning experience. The cat though that had the babies is dead now, we dont know what happened. She just disappeared one night. Im assuming since we have two dwarf cats someone probably took her. I dont know we haven't found her body so im assuming someone took her.

[Genny]

oh I'm sorry about the mom cat.We had a stray cat come here about a year ago, and she was pregnant. We took her in and she had 5 kittens as well, but we only found homes for 3 of them, so we kept the other 2. They all 3 get along great!