What to prepare when your cat is about to give birth

Prepare the delivery room

When a cat is about to give birth, the owner needs to prepare a delivery room and add an extra layer of puppy pads inside. The owner should prepare items such as a basin of warm water, clean towels, scissors, disinfectant drugs, oxytocin, and gloves. If the cat's labor process is not going well, the owner needs to take artificial measures to assist in the birth, such as correcting the position of the kittens, uterine contractions, and injecting oxytocin into the cat.

Reactions of a cat about to give birth

The cat will show signs of decreased appetite or even anorexia, constant crying, restlessness, and frequent scratching of surrounding objects. A few days before the birth, the cat's breasts can be squeezed to produce colostrum. The cat's vulva will swell, the mucous membrane will become red, and sticky fluid will be secreted a few hours before labor. The abdominal cavity will expand, and the rectal temperature can be measured, which will be about one degree lower than the normal temperature.

How long will a cat's contractions last before giving birth?

Normally, cat labor contractions will last from 1 to 3 hours before the birth. If it takes more than 4 hours and the cat still shows no signs of labor, it indicates the possibility of infertility or difficulty in giving birth. When a queen cat is in this situation, it is recommended to take the cat to a professional pet hospital for a caesarean section as soon as possible, as prolonged labor without delivery may pose risks to both the mother and the kittens.

How to care for a cat after birth

A queen cat needs to be cared for for about a month after giving birth. After the birth, the cat's body is very weak and needs to immediately replenish nutrients to promote milk production, such as chicken breast, beef, and eggs. The cat's nest should be changed to a clean puppy pad immediately after the birth. The cat's litter box, food, and water bowl should also be placed near the nest for the queen's convenience. The cat's nipples need to be cleaned frequently to remove any dried milk stains, preventing bacterial proliferation. Use medical cotton to clean the external vulva.