Pregnancy and the Childbirth

Once a cat has mated, her cycle of heat is in the habit of being interrupted to four days. If there has been fertilization, the pregnancy begins when the fertilized ova are implanted in the wall of the uterus. There are several signs when the cat is pregnant. At 3 or 4 weeks, her nipples are enlarged and become of pink color or purple. Though the fetus is a very small cat, it is surrounded with a tight ball of liquid that to the tact is like a minuscule and soft marble. Our veterinarian can detect it: we must not explore the abdomen on our own. This starts of swelling up soon and the cat increases of weight. Also she can start having a maternal behavior, as take a toy with her and try to nurse it.

The average duration of the pregnancy is of approximately 65 days (9 weeks). Up to 6 weeks, it is necessary to give to the cat her normal food. Later, she needs to eat more is necessary to give her a special food for the gestation, which can be obtained in the veterinarian. It is necessary to take out the worms from her.

Preparations for childbirth
Approximately one week before the childbirth, our cat will become anxious and will start doing "nests" for the whole house: in cupboards, boxes and even under the sheets of the beds. It is necessary to give her several covered boxes, in order that she chooses one for the kitties and to fill the one that she chooses with much paper. As the moment of the childbirth is approaching, the cat becomes even more anxious and starts breaking her bed.

When the childbirth is imminent, her anxiety will open the way to a pant and then to abdominal contractions that initially, are sporadic and later, regular and frequent. The first kitty is being born to 15 minutes of beginning the contractions, though sometimes he can be delayed until an hour. His mother licks him and washes rapidly in order that he starts breathing and then she continues with the childbirth.

If the mother seems to be confused, normally it is not necessary to intervene in the process. The kitties are born in a membranous bag that is breaking on having gone out or when the mother is licking. If the mother does not get it, it is necessary to break carefully the bag and rub to the kitty with a towel, wiping the liquid that has in the mouth until he starts struggling or meowing. The placenta is going out with the kitten and can be still stuck to him. The mother is cutting the umbilical cord (and, surely, she eats the placenta). If she does not do it, it is necessary to tie the cord with a piece of thread to a couple of centimeters of the kitten's body and then cut it for the side of the placenta. It is necessary to be careful not to pull the umbilical cord in the place in which it joins to the kitty, it might cause a hernia.

The babies are being born to intervals of between 15 and 45 minutes, though there are cats that sometimes take a rest. After giving birth two or three, they do a pause until are born those who still stay. As soon as all the kitties have born, the mother recovers herself rapidly and she dedicates to clean, revive and to feed them. 

Q/A Our Persian cat, Saba, has to give birth in two weeks. It seems that she has decided for a closed box that we have put in an empty room, which is kept to some 18ºC. Will it be warm enough for her and her kitties?

No. The kitties are very sensitive to the hypothermia and you can lose them if you do not get to maintain at least a temperature of 22 º.  Besides that, It is necessary to have a local heating ; you can use an electrical blanket or, better a lamp of infrared beams placed rightly on the kitties, in order that they have sufficient heat.

Our Siamese cat, Julia, has lost her last litter by caesarean because one of the babies was stuck in the buttocks. We would like for her to continue reproducing. Can this happen again?

It is not probable. A baby on buttocks is a natural accident and does not any tare of the mother. It is something that happens very rarely, for what there is no reason to continue producing with Julia.