How to take birth at the cat at home

Throughout your pregnancy, you have been successfully caring for a cat, and now it's time for her to give birth? Do not worry. In most cases, childbirth takes place without human intervention, the pet needs your support in order to feel confident. First you need to familiarize yourself with important aspects, and then follow the instructions clearly.

Features of the prenatal period

Term pregnancy in cats depends on the breed and the general state of health of the animal. Throughout the kittens, it is necessary to monitor the well-being of the pet and have sufficient knowledge of physiology.

Signs of pregnancy
In the first 2.5 weeks, signs cannot be detected unless an ultrasound scan is performed with a doctor. In the third week, the body begins to rebuild. Vomiting, lethargy may begin, and the pet's mood will change at frequent intervals. You will also notice that the nipple area has turned pink.Closer to 6-7 week rounded belly, and markedly increased mammary glands.

Duration of pregnancy
As mentioned earlier, the duration of gestation depends on the breed and health of the cat. For example, Persian animals carry kittens in the womb the longest, while Siberian ones, on the contrary, give birth faster. The average duration of pregnancy is within 62-66 days. If during pregnancy there are complications and sharp pains begin, the duration goes into a period of 57-68 days. In this case, it is vital to observe the animal in the clinic with the constant presence of a veterinarian.

Course of pregnancy
Most often, complications during pregnancy occur in pedigree cats bred by artificial means. At such moments, the animal's condition deteriorates markedly. The cat begins to whine in a dream, for a long time refuses to eat. It is difficult for an animal to stand up on its feet, as a result of which the cat will constantly lie down.

Precautionary measures
During pregnancy, try not to raise the cat and less likely to take her in your arms, especially when the stomach is already large. There are cases when the owners accidentally touch the pet while walking around the apartment, and the cat, in turn, begins to hiss. This is due to the fact that she is trying to protect future offspring.If such situations are repeated at private intervals, after the birth of babies, the pet of the family will become aggressive.

Preparing for the birth of a cat

First you need to prepare the so-called "nest". The cat does not want to give birth on the bare floor or thin litter, she will begin to look for a place more comfortable.

Take a wide shallow box, lay a soft mattress on the bottom. You can sew it by stuffing with a padding polyester, or you can use an old blanket / towel. Make sure that the thread does not stick out of the litter. Also it is necessary to choose a non-slip fabric, on which the kittens can safely crawl.

Before the direct birth settle in the "nest" cat, it should settle in it. If the pet does not like the improvised “maternity hospital”, she will start looking for a more suitable place within the apartment.

To convince the animal of the reliability of the "nest", put it in a dark and quiet place. When you find a common language with your pet, lay disposable diapers for animals at the bottom, you can buy them at the pet store, or you can use the usual nursery from the pharmacy.

Required materials and tools

• petrolatum;
• cotton thread;
• scissors;
• antiseptic;
• warmer;
• diaper or cloth;
• small "nest" for kittens.

In addition, prepare the phone number of the 24-hour emergency room for animals. Write the number on a piece of paper and attach it to the refrigerator. To be prepared for possible deviations from the plan, prepare a carrier for the animal. In case of complications in childbirth, you can take the cat to the clinic or call the veterinarian at home

How to take birth in a cat

1. In all cases, a couple of hours before the birth, the cats start to get worried, and this is natural. The animal can refuse food and water, walk around the apartment and meek without fatigue. Also, the excitement manifests itself in a fussy state, the pet starts digging in the prepared “nest”, climbing under the sofa or trying to sit comfortably in a pile of clothes. Some cats, on the contrary, in cases of anxiety seek solace in the face of the owner. In both ways, pet your pet, talk to him, talk calmly. Be sure to put a bowl of food and water in front of the “nest”.
2. When you see that the water has gone gray-brown in color, childbirth has begun. In cats, contractions begin 50-70 minutes before the birth of the first kitten. In some cases, labor activity weakens, as a result, the baby can be born 5-8 hours after the onset of labor. If the cat did not give birth to the first baby after 7 hours, contact your veterinarian.
3. The deliveries proceeding without complications come to the end after 2 - 4 hours. The interval of birth of kittens ranges from 15 minutes to 1.5 hours. If after the appearance of the first baby, the cat cannot give birth to the second, call the veterinarian or take her to the clinic by yourself. Keep calm, do not shout and do not flick at the cat before your eyes. Ask the household not to enter the room until the completion of childbirth. There are often cases when a cat eats or strangles newborn kittens in a state of stress, do not let this happen. Stroke your darling, talk to her in a gentle low voice.
4. If your pet has weak contractions, help her relax. Stroke the back and belly of the cat to strengthen the generic activity. There are cases when the kitten gets stuck in the paths, so the cat cannot push him out, give help.Lubricate your fingers with petroleum jelly, gently pull the baby by the folds of the skin on the neck and torso, do not pull strongly on the paws.
5. Take care that the placenta does not remain inside. If it gets stuck, take it out with your hands. Each newborn kitten leaves after itself an afterbirth. In a normal setting, cats eat them, but do not let them swallow more than two pieces, so as not to cause upset stool and stomach. Count the number of follow-ups, if they are fewer than the number of kittens, and you are sure that the cat has not eaten them, call the vet. If the placenta remains inside, it can cause inflammation and, as a result, subsequent illness.
6. In some cases, babies begin to breathe inside the bladder, when the amniotic fluid has not yet come out. Such a step clogs the lungs, as a result of which the kittens have difficulty breathing. Gently take the kitten in your hand and lower it with your head down so that the water runs out of your nose. If this does not happen, shake the baby a little. The main thing is to make sure that the kitten has normal breathing. After this stage is completed, look at the language of the animal, it should be pink. If the color is closer with blue / violet, wrap the kitten in a diaper and hold it for some time upside down. When the baby squeals, feel free to pass it on to your mom.
7. If your cat is giving birth for the first time, she still does not know that the umbilical cord needs to be bitten off. In that case, do it for her. Disinfect the scissors, drag the umbilical cord with a thread 1.8-2.0 cm from the belly of the kitten, squeeze it with your fingers and cut it. Wipe the cut with an antiseptic.
8. Throughout all births, the cat licks babies, take away from her already “washed” babies. Put them in a small nest made especially for kittens. Wipe the babies with a soft, soft pelekochka, put a heating pad in the house and place a soft mattress or bedding on top. Such a move will help the cat to deal with newborns, otherwise in the bustle, it will begin to re-lick already clean kids.
9. When the birth is over, the cat will behave relaxed, stop fussing and start feeding the kittens. If you are not sure that all the babies were born, gently feel the pet's belly. If doubts do not leave after finding a hollow abdomen, contact your veterinarian.

Leave the cat alone, remove the dirty diapers, change the litter. Put the cat's "nest" in a warm, dark and quiet place, provide your favorite with everything you need, make sure that there is food and water in the bowl.If the father of the offspring lives with you in the same apartment, do not let him go to the kittens.

Video: how to take birth in a cat