How to assist in cat childbirth

When a cat gives birth to kittens, if it is a normal delivery, usually no assistance from the owner is needed. The owner just needs to prepare some energy-boosting foods like nutritional paste and feed it to the cat after the delivery. If the cat doesn't have enough experience or strength to bite off the kitten's umbilical cord, the owner needs to help trim it. However, if the cat experiences difficulty in giving birth, the owner should immediately assist in the delivery, using oxytocin or gently pulling the kitten out. But for dystocia caused by malposition or large fetus, the cat needs to go to the hospital for a cesarean section, and should never blindly massage or pull out the kitten directly.

1. Firstly, cats can usually deliver normally, so no assistance is needed. The owner just needs to closely monitor the cat and the fetus's status. You can prepare some nutritional paste or goat milk, and feed it to the cat after the delivery to help it recover its strength.

2. If the cat doesn't bite off the fetal umbilical cord or lick through the amniotic membrane after giving birth, the owner needs to use disinfected scissors to trim the umbilical cord, and then use a clean towel to wipe the mouth, nose, and fur of the fetus, waiting for it to start breathing normally.

3. But if the cat experiences difficulty in giving birth, where the amniotic fluid breaks and there are no signs of delivery within an hour, or the fetus is stuck in the birth canal and cannot be born, the owner must promptly take measures to assist the cat in delivering, helping the cat deliver as soon as possible to avoid delay that could threaten the cat's and the fetus's lives.

4. For dystocia caused by uterine contractility failure, you can massage the cat's abdomen to promote stronger contractions and help the fetus deliver smoothly. If the fetus still doesn't deliver, you can inject oxytocin to promote smooth muscle contractions.

If the fetus is already visible but the cat is unable to deliver it, the owner can gently pull the fetus out with their hand, but be careful not to use too much force.

However, if the fetus is too large, or the cat's pelvis or birth canal is narrow, the owner is unable to handle this situation, and immediate medical intervention is needed for a cesarean section.

1. It should be noted that massaging the cat's belly during delivery is incorrect. Blind massage may disrupt the cat's originally correct fetal position and even cause dystocia. Moreover, massaging the belly may damage the fetus or compress the blood vessels that supply the fetus, leading to hypoxia and death.