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Is Your Cat About To Give Birth? 7 Surefire Cat Labor Signs.
You've waited for weeks, your cat has become rounder and rounder, you're excited about the forthcoming birth of her kittens - but how can you tell when the time has arrived? Suddenly it seems that your cat starts to act differnetly and you need to know if this is really It.
You’ve waited for weeks, your cat has become rounder and rounder, you’re excited about the forthcoming birth of her kittens - but how can you tell when the time has arrived? Suddenly it seems that your cat starts to act differnetly and you need to know if this is really It.
Are her kittens about to be born?
How will you know for sure?
Just what are the signs of labor you should be looking out for?
Cat lovers the world over do their very best to make sure that their beloved pets receive the best care possible. But when our feline friends become ill—or in this case, are due to give birth to kittens - we begin to feel very anxious and out of control as we realise that we simply don’t know enough about the situation.
After all, we can’t all be vets! You need to know what to look out for and you need to know fast.
Your cat’s pregnancy lasts approximately 64 days but you probably won’t be able to use that figure to accurately calculate when the birth is due. Instead, you will need to rely on your ability to identify the end stages of pregnancy and the specific signs that will tell you of her imminent labor.
Firstly, you are likely to have noticed that your cat’s appetite will have almost doubled in the past weeks or so and you will be able to see her kittens moving around in her abdomen quite clearly.
Also, she will have been displaying ‘nesting’ behaviour - looking for a safe, warm and quite place in which to give birth. Hopefully, you will have already provided a suitable ‘nesting box’ for her to use, otherwise you may find that she has chosen to give birth in the middle of your bed!
Then, as your cat’s labor is about to start, her appetite will reduce significantly - or even disappear completely.
A third sign to watch for is the demonstration of ‘clingy’ behavior, with your cat constantly seeking your company. As the birth becomes closer, you may see her pacing around nervously or she may become rather excitable.
A further and very distinct sign that your cat is very close to going into labour is that she will begin to ‘call’ to you. Even if you have never been present when a cat is giving birth, you won’t be able to mistake this particular sound!
As the birth draws near, your cat will start cleaning her rear end as she feels her body changing in preparation for the delivery of her kittens.
Finally, as your mother cat begins to feel the onset of her contractions, she is likely to appear anxious and uneasy. She will repeatedly enter her nesting box and ‘tread’ the nesting material as she seeks to arrange it to her liking.
When you see this last behaviour, you can be quite sure that your lovely cat is entering the first stage of the birth process - your cat’s labor has begun!
But remember, this is when your presence is vital. You will need to have prepared yourself to be on hand to help if things should go wrong. It is your responsibility to have become familiar with what is normal and what is not, during the birthing process. If you know what to expect - good or bad - you will be able to remain calm and in control and give your cat the very best care that she deserves.