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| Cat Breeding Discuss all topics related to responsible cat breeding. Including help and advice on cat breeding issues regarding the mating process, pregnancy issues, post birth issues and all other related topics. |
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15-12-2009, 12:32 AM
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Fostering a pregnant cat
She was a stray and the shelter was going to have the vet do an abortion if they couldn't find anyone to foster her and her future babies. So now she's at my house
 The vet said she should have her babies anytime from tomorrow up to a week from now.. What should I do to prepare? I have a large dog crate in my room and I put her litter and food in there.. I also made a birthing box out of a cardboard box. Any tips on making the ideal birthing box? Because I want to make sure I provide the best environment for her, and I'd happily cut up another box if the one I have isn't good enough. What signs should I look for to know she may give birth soon? I've seen a cat who was having contractions before, how long before giving birth can this start? I'm feeding her dry kitten chow as well as wet canned food. She likes the canned better. Should I give her as much as she will eat? Any advice would be great. Thanks, Rachael 
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15-12-2009, 12:44 PM
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Re: Fostering a pregnant cat
Her birthing box needs to be large enough for her to move around in and placed in a quiet, draft free area. If you put the cardboard box on its side, so you can get easy access too look inside. I would layer it initially with some old towels, and put some of those pampers disposable changing mats over the top (great for during birth, soaks up all the fluid and can be replaced and saves on washing). Once the babies are born then put in lots of warm blankets. Cover the box with a blanket leaving a little gap for her to get in and out - they like dark hidey holes. If you are going to put the box in the crate, then some Mums don't like their litter trays to be too close to their box, some will use a tray outside the room that their kittens are in, so I would remove that.
Signs of impending birth are a change in Mums bump - few days before it seems to shrink as everything drops underneath. Mum starts to nest, digging around in the box you've made for her (that can go on for days). Teats get very pouchy, you may or may not be able to express milk, but they feel very full. Closer to birth her ladies bits get larger and more juicy looking  , you may see clear fluid or blood spotting, but not always. Sometimes you see the plug a weird one off creamy gunky looking splodge.Some queens go off food just before hand, but then again some will eat right up until minutes before. They drop their temperature just before but without a thermometre thats not easy to assess. Some swear by feeling their ears but I don't think thats very reliable. She will probably want you to be with her more. Right before the kittens seem to quieten. All or some of these signs may occur at various times. Every queen and pregnancy is different. The trick is to take your cue from her. As long as she seems happy, not too distressed and there's nothing untoward like foul discharges, her obviously ill or anything like that then everything is on track. I think there is a sticky at the top of here for things people have on hand ready, like vets number to hand, kitchen roll, clean flannels to help clean and dry babies if necessary, she may not want to deal with the cords so you will have to cut those, the cord needs to be crushed a bit between your nails first then I dip sterilised scissors into iodine and cut with those. You should also get some replacement milk cimicat, RC (available online), Lactol kitten (P@H) and something to feed them with if necessary I find 1ml syringes easiest to deal with (vets can supply you with those). Thats the real basics. As much high quality food as Mum wants is the best thing to feed. Wet is better than dry, as long as it has a good % of meat content 50% +
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15-12-2009, 12:51 PM
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Re: Fostering a pregnant cat
i took in a pregnant stray a month ago and had to go through the same thing! i was worried so much but she knew exactly what to do it wasnt as hard as i expected, and i didnt even get squirmy!!
Feed mum whenever she wants it, she wont over eat and needs all the goodness she can get. I leave biscuits down which she doesnt like too much either and then half a kitten pouch 4 times a day (ish!) I didnt notice a single sign of pregnancy except in the moring she was following me around crying wanting me to sit by the nest wth her, and in the evening i saw her belly suddenly start heaving and that was it!!! within 10minutes baby number 1 good luck xx
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15-12-2009, 04:00 PM
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Re: Fostering a pregnant cat
Thanks for the great posts. I'm going to get a bigger box out of the garage when my mom gets home. (It's locked right now)...
She has been following me around and last night she was scratching at the birthing box.. But I think she just wanted out so she could walk around.. Today her belly looks lower than it did yesterday. Yesterday the upper parts of it seemed to be almost under her lower ribs.. Today her belly looks like it has shifted more towards her lower abdomen and I can feel one baby right smack in the middle there. I know that one is going to be baby number one. Last night I started to see them moving in her belly and now I can see them almost all the time if I look for a good 10 seconds... It looks like they are rolling around in her belly I heard a good way to cut the cord was to have tooth floss and just kind of twist it around the cord and pull. I can't feed her top quality food because I don't have enough money to supply her with it. The shelter provides all the food that I need.. I think it's purina kitten chow.. and friskies wet food, as well as 9 lives wet, science diet wet, and fancy feast wet. There isn't enough space in my room to move the litter box.. I plan to have two different birthing boxes so she can choose her own.. One will be in the crate and the other outside of it.. At night time I'm too afraid she will give birth in my bed so that's when I crate her up.. During the day I can watch her and I let her walk around my room as much as she would like. She has been sleeping a lot.. I know cats sleeps a lot in general, but could this be a sign? I'm just so excited and nervous at the same time. I have the video camera set up.. I'm going to borrow my moms tripod and have it set up on there so I won't have to do anything but press "play"... Here's the new box that I made and a photo of her belly from yesterday: Last edited by rachael; 15-12-2009 at 06:16 PM..
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18-12-2009, 01:02 PM
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Re: Fostering a pregnant cat
The cats gorgeous by the way. I put a layer of old pillows and cushions in my nest and then popped a blanket over it, so there was a sort of higher bit all round the edge with nest in the dip in the middle to keep kittens in and a bit safer incase of any tumbles! also when in labour mummy cat did alot of fussing with the blankets and getting comfy etc so i think she appreciated lots of folds and edges of blanket to fuss with. hope everythings going ok!
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18-12-2009, 03:20 PM
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Re: Fostering a pregnant cat
Hi thanks for the info.. She seems to like both boxes the way they are.. She mostly likes to just spread out on the carpet (which is ok, because I have an old rug over it for protection), but she will also sleep in both boxes...
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