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Your Pregnant Cat - Building A Nesting Box
One very important behavior you'll see in the last week of pregnancy is nesting behavior. In spite of being the most pampered cat ever, your pet still firmly believes that she is living in the wild and will be looking for a safe, secure and suitable place in which to give birth.
One very important behavior you’ll see in the last week of pregnancy is nesting behavior. In spite of being the most pampered cat ever, your pet still firmly believes that she is living in the wild and will be looking for a safe, secure and suitable place in which to give birth.
In the middle of your bed is often her first choice!
Giving birth to kittens is a messy business and you may also be called on to give help if needed. Because of this, it is a good idea to prepare a nesting box so that you can have easy access to your new mother cat and her kittens. This way, your cat thinks that she has made her choice of birthing place but you also can remain in control.
To build a suitable nesting box, locate a cardboard box that is spacious enough for your cat to move around in comfortably and to have her newborn kittens close by whilst she finishes delivering their siblings.
Following the birth, there will need to be enough space for your newborn kittens to feed from their mother and for her to care for them all.
For privacy and security, the sides of the box should be fairly high and you should be able to partially cover the top with a towel. To allow access in and out for feeding and toiletting, cut one side away, leaving a lip of around 3 inches at the bottom. This will stop any newborn kittens accidentally falling out of the box or beginning to explore before they are quite ready.
Old newspapers make excellent bedding as these can be easily removed and disposed of as they become soiled following the delivery of each kitten. Shred some of the newspaper to provide cushioning and then top with individual sheets that can be simply removed as necessary.
The nesting box should be made ready at least two weeks before your cat’s expected delivery date. Give her free access to it so that she becomes familiar and comfortable with it. Find a quite, warm and draught-free position where your cat can feel secure and unthreatened so that she is able to get on with the business of giving birth without stress or anxiety.
Of course, she may not think that you have chosen a suitable place for her nest, so watch for signs that she is constructing her own nest elsewhere and simply move the box to that position.
What ever you do, don’t let your cat out of the house for two, or even three weeks before her due date. If she decides to build her nest outside and disappears into it to give birth, you will have no chance of finding her and the consequences don’t bear thinking about.
Once you have constructed your lovely cat a nesting box, you are all ready to welcome your new kittens!