Nesting

[Savanah]

hi all,

My cat seems to be close to her due date, and I am making arrangements, like her nesting area, supplies, etc.

Her last labor was very difficult. Before anyone says anything, she will be spayed as soon as possible. Anyways, as I said she had a very difficult labor. She ran all over the place, screaming, she basically birthed all four kittens while running around. We did not try to lock her anywhere and kept our distance until we had to step in to get the baby away from her (we had to cut the cords). After all four babies were born she was a fantastic mother. I’ve set up her nest in a large closet with lots of old towels. This is where she nested/kept her babies last time. She will go inside and look around but not stay.

I’m just wondering if it’s better to lock her in the closet and wait, checking in when she needs it. We let her all over the house last time because she would just scream if we tried to corner her. But I’m thinking that maybe if I put her in the closet when her labor initially starts and shut the door, she may have a better result. Is it dangerous to do this. Any tips are greatly appreciated. She’s not a huge cat, but she is definitely not kitten size either. She recovered fine after her last labor.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Is this her third or fourth litter? Are you going to be able to keep her inside until her spay? How does she keep getting pregnant?

She may need you with her during delivery. Don’t lock her up and leave her alone, but it is ok to restrict the area she’s in.

 

[Savanah]

This is her second. We were unfortunately unable to afford to get her spayed, and none of the shelters in our area offer free or cheap spay/neuter clinics. She is an indoor cat, so yes, she will be inside. She stays in my bedroom while she is nursing the kittens as well, so as soon as they are 8 weeks, we will be scheduling an appointment.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Do you have intact males in your house too?

 

[Savanah]

she will be spayed before she comes in contact with the male. I put a note about spaying her in the post so I wouldn’t have to do this. I feel horrible for not being able to get her spayed in time, but there was no way I could while also feeding myself, my pets, and making sure we had water and heat.

 

[Merlin77]

she will be spayed before she comes in contact with the male. I put a note about spaying her in the post so I wouldn’t have to do this. I feel horrible for not being able to get her spayed in time, but there was no way I could while also feeding myself, my pets, and making sure we had water and heat.

You'll get there, don't worry!

 

[Ceeedge]

I understand, life can get complicated..and downright expensive at times. The folks here are super helpful, but are always going to make sure you are going to the the right thing too. I’m on kitten watch myself, we have a lovely foster that looks like a basketball with legs!

It is hard to see your kitty in pain, but I think it’s best if you try to be in the area with her so she has moral support and you can be there to help, if needed. Good luck! Also, we love kitten pics!

 

[Savanah]

Does anyone have any experience with taking their temp? I’m not doing it rectally, but under the armpit. Is this an accurate reading? I know it’s a couple degrees lower than her internal temp, but I’m not sure if it’s accurate.

 

[Savanah]

mod note: moved from another thread to keep it all in one place
_________________________________________________

hi all,
My cat is pregnant, and we’re almost positive she’s very close to her due date. This is her second litter (please don’t say anything about spaying, I will have it done as soon as the kittens are 8 weeks old). She did not show any signs of labor until about an hour before giving birth in her last litter, but for this litter I am on high alert. I’m just wondering if her behavior matches that of a cat going into labor.

So today I caught her rubbing all over a rug, almost like she wanted a belly rub. She would roll back and forth and rub her head on the carpet. However, she didn’t want to be pet and wouldn’t let me touch her. She layed on a rocking chair for most of the afternoon and occasionally licked her vulva. This evening as I went to my bedroom, she quickly followed me and became very affectionate. She went to her nest but wouldn’t stay inside unless I sat with her. For the last few minutes she has been all over the room, climbing on shelves and desks, as well as jumping on the bed to love on me. She never ever acts like this and is rarely affectionate.

Is there anything else I should look for? I checked for discharge but she would not let me get a good look.

 

[abyeb]

Sounds like she should be getting close! A change in behavior can be a sign that the kittens are coming.

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

Please do keep us updated!

 

[Norachan]

Hi S Savanah Is this Sage, the cat you posted about last year? I hope she has an easier delivery this time.



If you let us know which state/city you live in we can help you find some low cost spay and neuter clinics. If you start saving now you should have enough to pay for her spay in a few months time.

Having spent the past few months taking care of a litter of orphaned kittens I can safely say it's a lot cheaper to get a cat spayed then it is to pay for all the extra food, cat litter and vets bills kittens get through before they are old enough to be re-homed.



Good luck, please keep us posted.

 

[Savanah]

Yes it is

We had a lucky streak and I was able to get in a better position with a job, so now I’m making a much better salary so I can get her done as soon as the kittens are done nursing, the rest of the kittens she had last year are going to be spayed/neutered next week. My new job is in a different county so I was able to get in contact with a shelter over there who helped me out greatly. Thanks for the offer, I truly appreciate it!

 

[Norachan]

That's great news, congratulations on the new job.



You must have a full house over there with all of last year's kittens too. My place is a bit like that.

 

[Savanah]

Oh my goodness yes! But most of those kittens will be going to knew homes very soon, mostly to family members which I’m really happy about

 

[Savanah]

So, today and yesterday have been looking really good for kittens coming soon, but I’m not sure if it’s signs of labor or her just getting semi close to labor.

Yesterday evening my mother who was watching her for me said that she noticed her stretching out her back legs as if she was in pain, and then slowly laying down. She said it wasn’t a stretch like usual, but like she was having a contraction. I saw her licking her abdomen and vulva a lot as well. When I went to bed in evening she was adamant on being in the room with me. She cuddled with my other cat for a long time, and then came up to me. She walked all over me before laying down for a while. She eventually went back to her place with my other cat, but I could tell she wants to be near me.

This morning she was all over me, laid on me for a while and then got up when I did. When I got home from work this evening she’s been in my room and laying with my cat again. She was laying on the floor and I called for her, and while she usually comes when I call she had no interest in getting up. She layed there for a bit before standing and walking around the room. She tried to get into my dresser drawer and then laid with me for a while. She got up, ate a little, and then went into my closet. She’s been pawing around in there and moving clothes and blankets. She’s also been excessively licking her nipples and abdomen. I’ve seen her licking her vulva a few times but not too much.

How soon should I be expecting labor?