signs of labor?

[moosmom]

When a cat goes into labor, she'll start getting restless and may not eat as much as she is used to. You'll need to put her in a room by herself with a birthing box (I used a flat, under the bed bin lined with newspaper and some old towels when Mattie Grace had her babies), her food/water and litterbox. She needs peace and quiet, away from any other animals.

The birth takes approximately 10 hours from beginning to end. All I did with Mattie Grace was supervise the birthing, and making sure there were slits in the sacs so the kittens could take their first breathe. After that. Mattie Grace took over cleaning them up and eating the chord and placenta. It was a wonderful experience and one that I will always treasure. After the babies are born, they start to nurse which will also trigger lactation.

When Mattie Grace was pregnant and living with me, I gave her canned kitten food and dry kitten food which has alot of the nutrients she needs as a pregnant mama. I also would boil up chicken livers for her. She gave birth to 4 VERY healthy babies, all of whom, including herself, got adopted!

Good luck with PiddyBob. Keep us posted!!

[lute]

thank you so much moosmom! i've been feeding her Iams kitten food. she's living in my bedroom away from all other pets. i have a covered 24x36 dog crate i put a bed and stuff in. i'll definatly keep ya'll updated! i'm doing more research on this pregnancy and birth i should be an expert by the time it's done!LOL

Husky_mom, there will DEFINATLY be LOTS of pics!

[kimboe]

Sometimes they don't lactate right away. Usually that means you have to get or pick the dry skin off the nipples for the milk to come out for the kittens, And they need the wierd color of the milk first cause it has alot of nutrients for the kittens. Good luck

[moosmom]

Lute,

I forgot to tell you that another way of telling she's in labor is feel and watch her belly. When she's having a contraction, her abdomen will get hard, and you'll feel and see the babies moving. She'll also strain, pant and maybe even meow a little (you know she's in pain, but it's a good NORMAL pain). Just whisper to her and tell her what a good girl she is and how much you love her. Mattie Grace was wonderful as I'm sure PiddyBob will also be!

[lute]

Moosmom, i saw the babies moving this morning, but i'm not sure if her belly was hard. is that a contration?

[moosmom]

Probably not. If she's in labor, you'll definitely know it, as she'll be turning in circles trying to get comfortable, and then will lay on her back and strain like she's trying to push. Her water may break too. The last stretch of the pregnancy the babies will be moving alot.

[lute]

thanks so much!
i'm going to a dogshow next weekend. i'm so worried that she'll have her babies while i'm gone!