FELINE PREGNANCY AND BIRTH OF KITTENS

The feline reproductive system is seasonal. Therefore, cats are designed to give birth only during warm months (Spring through early Fall).

The female cat begins cycling when she has reached 80% of her adult size and when the days are appropriately long. This could be as young as 5 months of age. After age 7 or 8, cycles become irregular and there are more complications with birth so it is important to breed cats before this time.

Indoor cats are sheltered from the light cycles of the sun and may not cycle as frequently as their outdoor counterparts. On the other hand, breeders who keep their cats completely indoors can manipulate the light cycle of the cattery so as to allow for year round cycling if desired

PROESTRUS: This is the time in the cycle when the female begins attracting males but it not yet receptive to their advances. Estrogen is building up and she is preparing for ovulation. The female is extra affectionate at this time, rubbing her head and sticking her rump in the air. She may also urine mark in the house and vocalize loudly and frequently. This period may be as short as 12 hours and as long as 2 days.

ESTRUS: The female cat’s behavior continues: rubbing, crying out, etc. but at this time the male is accepted when he approaches. This behavior persists approximately 7 days. The female cat is ready to ovulate at this time but will not do so unless a male cat breeds her.

INTER-ESTROUS PERIOD: This is the period between times of behavioral estrus. If the cat is not bred or is bred and fails to ovulate, this time period is 8-10 days on average. This means that the yowling, rubbing, urine marking, and other estrous behaviors continue for about a week, then discontinue for about a week, then begin again for the duration of Spring and Summer and into the Fall until the cat is either bred, spayed, or perceives the coming of Winter.

DIESTRUS: If the female is bred and ovulates, she goes into this reproductive stage. Her ovaries prepare for possible pregnancy and she will stay out of heat for at least 35-37 days even if she is not pregnant. If she is pregnant, she will carry her kittens for 64-66 days before delivering the litter.

The female cat in estrus is flirtatious. She seeks territory that has been urine marked by the male of her choice. She approaches the male, rubbing against him. If she is in a receptive period of her cycle, she will allow him to bite the nape of her neck and will give him about 30 seconds to complete sexual intercourse. She typically yowls loudly during this time. The female then immediately turns on the male and attacks him. He backs off to wait for another chance. After breeding the female often rolls around on the ground and licks her vaginal area. After a few minutes, she is ready to mate again and will indicate this by rubbing against him or patting him gently. With each breeding, the time until the next attempt grows longer but may continue for the length of a day.

The owner may notice that the unspayed female is rounder than usual and that her nipples have become prominent. This may not be noticeable until well into advanced pregnancy depending on how observant the owner is, how large the litter is, the size of the female, etc. There are several ways to confirm feline pregnancy:

• Blood test: The Witness Pregnancy Test is approved for both canine and feline use. She must be about 30-35 days into the pregnancy for this.
• Ultrasound: Ultrasound can readily confirm pregnancy at approximately 22-25 days of pregnancy.
• Radiology: At about 45 days of pregnancy, the kittens will have mineralized their skeletons and be visible on an x-ray. This is the only procedure that reliably can determine how many kittens to expect.
• Palpation: Veterinarians may be able to feel the developing kittens between days 17 and 25.

Feline pregnancy, or cat gestation, lasts for about 65 days. The female cat has relatively few needs during pregnancy. She will need a diet that is approved for growth and has additional calories, important for nursing (i.e. kitten food). Her metabolic demand during nursing will triple and she will need the extra calories especially then.

Pregnant cats should be kept indoors, if possible, for their own safety and the safety of the developing kittens. You may notice that your pregnant female cat is sleeping more. Inactivity and rest are perfectly normal during feline gestation. As the kitten grow, the female may have difficulty grooming herself. Take the time to brush her and clean hard to reach places.

Flea control is important during pregnancy as flea anemia is one of the leading causes of death in neonatal kittens. Use a product that is approved for use during pregnancy and lactation such as Revolution®, Advantage®, or Frontline®. These products may be safely applied to the mother cat and should be able to keep the litter safe especially in an indoor setting. If fleas continue to be a problem after the kittens are born, consult with your veterinarian regarding supplemental flea control.

Do not vaccinate the pregnant cat. It is important to make sure her vaccinations are current prior to pregnancy. Developing kittens are vulnerable to live viruses used in modified live virus vaccinations, feline distemper in particular. The female cat either infected in pregnancy or vaccinated with live virus during pregnancy can produce kittens with a specific birth defect called "cerebellar hypoplasia" a brain malformation that leads to tremors and wobbling, particularly when the kitten is attempting a specific task.

Most mother cats will seek their own nesting area in the last week or so of pregnancy. You can help her by providing soft bedding, an area with minimal human traffic and separation from other pets in the home.

1. Pregnant cats should stay indoors.
Don't expose an expecting cat to danger. Some female cats go into heat even during pregnancy. Cats are capable of being pregnant with two different litters at the same time.

2. Give your kitty the right food.
It should be high on calcium and protein. Kitten food is specially designed to meet the need of pregnant and nursing felines. Vitamin supplements are recommended too.

3. Do not give any medication during pregnancy.
Pregnant cats should be given medication only in an emergency. Do not vaccinate when pregnant.

4. Make your cat a comfortable nest bed.
A box filled with newspaper, towels, or blankets is good. Put her nest box in a warm sheltered place, preferably a location your cat frequently visits. Make sure her nest box is ready two weeks before birth.

5. Find a home for your kittens - before they are born.
It will give you peace of mind to know where the kittens will go. Finding a home for a kitty can be time consuming. You'll have more time for that before they are born.

6. Use non-clumping litter for her box.
Sometimes cats give birth in the litter box. If a kitten is delivered in clumping litter, the mother kitty might refuse to clean her newborn off because the litter is on the placenta. If the mother does not clean the kitten, he or she can die of suffocation.

7. Keep other cats away from her.
If you have more than one cat, keep them separated. Pregnant cats don’t like the company of other cats during this period, even if she knows these cats very well.

8. Buy enough food for your kitty.
Have enough food and cat supplies so you don’t have to leave your kitty alone on the days before and after birth.

9. Check which vet is available.
Know the phone number of the closest emergency veterinary clinic. If there’s no such clinic in your area, find out which vet is available for emergency care.

10.Get the right information about pregnant cats.
Know what to expect and be there if there are any complications during birth. Don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian if you are unsure about what to do before, during, or after the birth of the kittens.

Several hours (and perhaps a whole day) of restlessness, grooming, nesting, pacing, panting, vomiting, and crying indicates that labor has begun. As with dogs, there is often a drop in body temperature (to less than 99 degrees F) indicating contractions will commence in the next 12-36 hours. The female cat secludes herself in her selected nest area and begins to purr.

The above first stage of labor progresses to the second stage of labor with the initiation of hard contractions and the birth of a kitten. The third stage of labor refers to the passing of the placenta. The entire litter is born usually within 6 hours with kittens every 30-60 minutes. If she is stressed or distracted she is able to stop her labor and restart the next day. The new mother usually eats the placenta and membranes of the kitten’s sac. Do not attempt to move her and the kittens to a "better" nest spot after labor has started. This may stress her into curtailing her labor or worse may cause her to neglect the litter.

Labor should start no earlier than day 61 of cat pregnancy. Otherwise chances are the kittens will not survive. During the last days of feline gestation, you should watch your pregnant cat carefully. Several signs indicate that birth is imminent.

• Drop of temperature with 1°C (or 2°F). Normal is 38.6°C(101.5°F).
• Restless behavior. Your queen searches for a place to give birth.
• Milk production from her nipples

Strong contractions for more than 60 minutes without production of a kitten
indicates she needs help and should see the vet right away.
If the labor is normal, the first kitten will be delivered enclosed in a bag filled with fluid. The sac may burst while coming out. The mother will start to lick the kitten. Soon the newborn feline will breathe normally and cry for the first time. Usually the queen will cut the umbilical cord with her teeth. The placenta appears immediately after the kitten’s birth or shortly afterwards. Most of the time, a cat giving birth eats it. There should follow a placenta after every kitten. A placenta that stays behind can cause a serious infection.

Once the kitten breathes and is licked clean, place the little cat close to the queen’s nipples. Normally it will start to suck.

Vaginal discharge is normal for up to 3 weeks post-partum. This discharge is typically black or reddish and consists mostly of old blood. If the discharge contains a lot of fresh blood, have your veterinarian assess her blood loss. If the discharge looks purulent (like pus), she may have a uterine infection, and she will need to be spayed right away.

Vaginal Bleeding: Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is not normal and suggests that she is aborting the litter. If this is occurring late in pregnancy (the 8th week) she may be delivering the litter prematurely and a cesarean section may be necessary. It is important that she see a veterinarian right away.

Dystocia: If she has been having strong contractions for greater than 60 minutes without success, she needs assistance with delivering the kittens. Bring her and any kittens delivered to the vet’s office immediately.

Retained Placenta/Metritis: If the mother cat retains a placenta , she can develop an infection, fever, appetite loss, and neglect her kittens. If this occurs, she will need to visit the veterinarian and be spayed to remove the retained placenta.

Many people are surprised by their cat’s pregnancy. Owners may not really want the kittens, but, since their cat is pregnant, they choose to go ahead with the litter with the intention of spaying when the kittens are weaned. Nursing the litter generally suppressed the return to cycling, but the average female cat is back in heat about a month after delivery of the litter. If she has access to a male cat, she will likely become pregnant before she is finished weaning the current litter.

Ideally, she should be confined until she can be spayed. She should be spayed a month or so after the kittens have stopped nursing. The reason for this is to allow the mammary tissue to "dry up" and go back to a more normal, less vascular state. Spaying the female while her glands are still full can cause more bleeding and a may result in a more difficult surgery. If the choice comes down to spaying her with mammary development versus having an unwanted litter, spaying is a better choice.



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