How much does a cat give birth?

The approaching birth can be noticed by a change in the behavior of the cat. She becomes restless, constantly looking for a secluded place, licks her stomach and perhaps even stops eating, and colostrum begins to stand out from swollen nipples. If you notice these signs, then, most likely, the cat will give birth within 1-3 days. What happens during childbirth?

The first stage – the beginning of childbirth

The first stage is associated with the onset of contractions, but they are not visually noticeable and are manifested only by restless behavior. This stage can last up to several hours. Even before it starts, the mucus plug (the partition that separated the uterus from the vagina) leaves the cat – this can happen up to 12 hours before the birth. It is quite difficult to notice it, because the cat immediately eats the fallen cork.

The second stage – the birth of kittens

At the second stage, the amniotic sac ruptures and fluid flows out. As a rule, it is yellowish discharge with ichor. Strong attempts begin, which advance the kittens through the birth canal.

The cat may lie on its side, or may try to give birth while standing, squatting while trying. Do not try to put the cat down and even more so use force for this.

The first kitten is usually the largest in the litter, so birth is the hardest. In total, the birth of a kitten should not last more than an hour.

The third stage is the exit of the placenta

The final stage involves the release of the placenta, which is also called the placenta. Usually the cat eats it and gnaws the kitten’s umbilical cord. If this does not happen within 5 minutes, the owner needs to cut the umbilical cord himself.

Then comes a period of rest before the birth of the next kitten. The second and third stages are repeated depending on the number of kittens.

The rest period can last from 15 minutes to 1-1,5 hours. The ability to delay childbirth is a physiological feature of a cat.

However, it is important to understand that if several hours pass between the birth of kittens, then this is a sign of pathology, which is the reason for an urgent visit to the veterinary clinic.

In general, the birth of a cat usually lasts from 2 to 6 hours.

When urgent veterinary care is needed:

• If contractions, and most importantly, unproductive attempts last more than 2-3 hours;

• More than an hour elapsed between the passage of amniotic fluid and the birth of the kitten;

• The kitten showed up, but for a long time does not move on;

• There was an unpleasant odor or dark discharge;

• Blood flows from the vagina for more than 10 minutes;

• The cat’s body temperature rose sharply, a fever began.

Despite the fact that cats have a genetic memory, childbirth is a rather complicated process. Indeed, outbred cats most often do not need the help of the owner, which cannot be said about purebred representatives of the family. However, the only correct solution in this case is to call a veterinarian at home during childbirth.

July 4 2017

Updated: December 26, 2017