First birth in a cat

For every cat owner, the arrival of kittens is an exciting milestone. Feeling both happiness and worry when witnessing your cat give birth for the first time. Both the mother and her new kittens can experience a smoother transition and relief from anxiety if they know what to anticipate.

Your cat will go through several stages of labor during this unique time. It is essential to comprehend these phases. While every cat will experience this differently, there are some common indicators that labor is about to begin. You can better support your feline friend if you are aware of these.

Just as crucial is getting your house ready for the baby’s arrival. Establishing a calm, secure environment will make your cat feel at ease. This could have a big impact on how she delivers the message. You can confidently witness this lovely event if you have the proper setting and some knowledge.

Pregnancy of a cat

Most breeds have a 63-day gestation period on average, but variations of up to or down to three days are possible and are not pathological. You can feel the kittens by stroking the belly a month after conception. But because they are so tiny—nearly 3 cm in length—it is impossible to calculate the number in this manner.

Over time, the cat’s belly starts to grow. It is not advised to feel your pet’s abdominal wall for extended periods of time or frequently after the fifth week of pregnancy as this may interfere with the natural progression of the pregnancy.

A veterinary clinic can perform an ultrasound scan if the owner is eager to learn the number and health of their future offspring.

Beginning in the sixth week of pregnancy, the expectant mother’s belly begins to swell significantly. Seven days later, when you touch him, you can feel the kittens moving actively inside the womb.

Over the past week, the cat has become increasingly immobile, has been sleeping a lot, and has started to search for a quiet area to give birth. For this reason, it is worthwhile to get ready in advance for this process, which can start any day now. To ensure that the pet is peacefully giving birth, locate a sizable box in a remote location, and spend some time there with the babies.

Loof and multiple: which affects the birth rate

Numerous theories exist explaining why cats give birth to varying numbers of kittens and what factors influence this. We can mention the following as the most well-received:

• The effect of nutrition. With insufficient or low -quality food, the cat decreases the chances of getting pregnant. Nature, as it were, protects from the birth of the dead and weak kittens. This is called alimentary infertility.
• Obesity. At the same time, many animals stop the estrus, which indicates serious hormonal changes in the body. And under this condition, pregnancy cannot occur at all.
• Comfortable living conditions: cleanliness, coziness, favorable emotional climate, absence of stressful situations and other factors.
• Heredity. If the mother cat gave birth to a small number of kittens, then you should not expect multiple pregnancies from your pet.
• Diseases of the reproductive system that affect the ability to conceive. For example, endometritis, pyometra and others.
• Cat temperament. Ovulation in cats occurs under the influence of the active behavior of the male during intercourse. Accordingly, the more activity the partner shows, the more eggs will be released and fertilized. If the cat is phlegmatic, there will be fewer kittens.
• As with people, pets can be incompatible with each other. Therefore, if pregnancy does not occur from a particular partner, you can try to change him.
• The quality of the cat"s sperm also plays an important role. With prolonged abstinence or frequent sexual intercourse, it decreases sharply. It also depends on the conditions of keeping the animal, the psychological climate, healthy food, the general condition of the body, the absence of chronic diseases, etc.
• Hormonal imbalances in cats, in which case little follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is secreted, which leads to the release of a small number of eggs. This in turn leads to low-fertility pregnancies.
• Weight, age and general condition of the expectant mother. Older cats give birth to fewer kittens.
• Pedigree and yard cats have different fertility. The latter most often give birth to many kittens, and this trend does not change with the age of the pet. Blue-blooded animals have a tendency to low-fertility pregnancies.
• Some breeders believe that the number of offspring is interconnected with the number of matings. After the first time, one or two kittens are born, by 7 – the maximum possible for this individual, and then their number decreases again.
• Another opinion is that the sooner the intercourse occurs from the beginning of the heat, the more new pets will be born.

There are both support for and opposition to each of these theories. For instance, if you believe that stress and diet have an impact on pregnancy, it turns out that unowned yard cats should not give birth at all, but rather should bring as many pets as possible and raise them with grace. However, even in peaceful homes with enough food and attention, females are not always able to satisfy their owners when they give birth to kittens.

Fertility rate in cats

Numerous new cat breeds have been created by felinologists, many of which have been rejected in favor of certain traits. A litter of fifteen cubs can be born to yard representatives, and pedigree pets rarely give birth to more than five kittens. Consequently, the likelihood that a pet will carry on the family line increases with the number of pets born.

Experts advise taking note of the pregnant mother’s nipple count to estimate the number of children she will have. You can calculate the approximate number of kittens that should appear by deducting two from their number. Mammary gland count ranges from 6 to 11, with 8 being the most common count. This approach is imprecise and frequently fails.

Features of pregnancy and childbirth in different breeds

Felinologists have observed a particular trend in various cat breeds during pregnancy:

• Representatives of cats with long hair reach sexual maturity later than their short-haired counterparts, and their pregnancy lasts longer.
• Scottish Folds (Scottish Fold) and British give birth to fairly large kittens and often require veterinary obstetric assistance. And also the period of gestation of kittens is longer for them – up to 72 days, which leads to an increase in the size of the future offspring.
• With frequent pregnancies, the cat"s body quickly becomes depleted. This is a very important factor that must be taken into account when breeding animals.
• The period of multiple pregnancies is most often reduced. Since this triggers natural protective mechanisms that prevent excessive exhaustion of the mother. The size of the kittens will also be slightly smaller, compared to their peers born from a normal pregnancy. But this is compensated, and they catch up in weight and development of their peers very quickly.
• Cats over 7 years old often give birth to pets with congenital anomalies or weakened. In connection with this, upon reaching this age, it is recommended to stop mating. Such signs indicate the weakened health of the mother herself, which means that you should not undermine it even more.

Planning pregnancy in a cat

Planning is a crucial step in the complicated process of pregnancy, even for cats. However, experts’ and regular owners’ perspectives on this matter differed:

• Often breeders or felinologists plan their cat to become pregnant no more than once a year. At the same time, they carefully monitor the health of their pet and responsibly approach the choice of a cat. There is an opinion that with such a frequency, the female will feel great, which will affect the high quality of the offspring.
• Veterinarians have a different opinion. They believe that if each heat ends with the birth of kittens, this does not negatively affect the health of the cat or the offspring. Therefore, pregnancy 3-4 times a year is the norm. Otherwise, if the animal is denied sexual activity, health and mental problems will arise.
• Owners with more experience think differently – two lambings once every 12 months are enough to maintain the physical tone and well-being of the female, which also will not affect the health of the offspring. With rarer intercourses, the animal begins to suffer both morally and physically.

How to help a cat in her first birth

A cat usually knows instinctively what to do and how to do it, but on her first birth, she may be afraid and hide in a hard-to-reach spot, like under the bed. As a result, it is critical that the owner get ready in advance for such a significant procedure.

How to prepare a place for birth

When choosing a birthplace, there are a few guidelines to abide by:

• Accessibility. Having made a box with bedding for the expectant mother, it is important to ensure that she does not have to jump into it. You can cut out a door or remove part of the wall, then both the cat and the owner will have greater access inside.
• Capacity. You need to remember that the pet, together with the born kittens, will be there not for one day, but for up to 2 months, so there should be enough space for both the mother and the growing offspring.
• Silence. A place in an apartment or house is chosen where it will be as quiet and calm as possible, it can be a secluded corner or the space between the sofa and the wall. Otherwise, the cat will start to worry and hide, for example, in a closet. This behavior indicates that she does not feel protected in the designated place and you need to think about moving her to a quieter one.
• Convenience. It is worth putting a layer of clean old fabric or gauze on the bottom of the box, you can buy special absorbent sheets at the pharmacy. This will create additional comfort for the mother in labor.

Harbingers of labor

Many pet owners observe a change in their pet’s behavior a few days prior to the start of the much anticipated event:

• 2-3 days before labor, the external genitalia swell a little and turn pink. The cat begins to carefully lick her belly and wash herself.
• Decreased activity – becomes detached, apathetic.
• Lack of appetite. Often, about a day before, most cats refuse to eat. You should not insist, they themselves know how they will be better. But you need to take care of fresh drinking water.
• A few hours before the birth, the female begins to perform training contractions of the uterus, and the animal instinctively begins to arch its back. Having noticed such manifestations, you need to limit the cat"s movement, transfer it to a prepared box and stay nearby while waiting for the birth. Otherwise, frightened, it can hide in a hard-to-reach place.
• The cat begins to follow the owner and meow pitifully. Such behavior indicates the imminent onset of labor. With this cry, she is trying to ask for help and support from people. You need to calm her down, stroke her and be nearby in case she or the kittens need help.
• Amniotic fluid begins to flow, but the owner may not notice this, since the cat can lick it.

Labor

The belly of the cat starts to tighten in a wave-like pattern. The labor process starts when this is felt under the hand and becomes apparent to the naked eye. She frequently meows pitifully while breathing with her mouth open. Within the first two hours of the contractions starting, if the first fetus is not visible, you should call a doctor at home or immediately go to the veterinary clinic.

This is a concerning symptom that could mean the babies have gone sideways or are unable to emerge, which poses a risk to the mother as well as the children.

The majority of the time, kittens are born with a birth bladder, which the mother tears and consumes, biting the cord. She then licks the kitten, clearing the mucus from its mouth and nose. The baby’s squeak confirms that everything went according to plan. They may show up with their paws or muzzles facing forward. Subsequently, the placenta or afterbirth separates.

Making sure their number matches the number of kittens born is crucial.

The uterus may become inflamed if the afterbirth stays in the womb, which poses a serious risk to health. The placenta, which cats eat, contains hormones needed to continue pushing and initiate lactation. When several kittens are born, you should let the mother consume two to three placentas before discarding the remaining ones, as this may cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Kittens start sucking on milk almost immediately after birth. It’s crucial to confirm that every fetus has been born, so you should first perform an ultrasound to ascertain the exact number of fetuses. In the event that some have not yet given birth, you must contact a veterinarian right away.

Postpartum period

The end of the birth process is indicated by the abdomen sinking and the lack of contractions for two hours. The female’s behavior also shifts: she becomes calmer, her breathing becomes more even, she lies down in the box more comfortably, and she keeps feeding and licking the babies. After giving birth, the mother should not be given food, but you can offer her milk or water. She typically doesn’t drink until the procedure is finished.

To prevent the mother from being separated from the kittens for an extended period of time, you must gently replace the dirty diapers with new ones and place a tray close by. However, picking them up is not advised as the cat might become hostile or lose interest in them. It’s best to give her some space for the time being.

A cat’s first birth can be both an exciting and difficult experience for the mother and her owner. Knowing what to anticipate will enable you to assist her during this crucial period. Because stress can harm both the mother and her kittens, it is essential to provide a peaceful, secure birthing environment for the mother.

Observing a birth can be a truly lovely experience. A cat will usually look for a peaceful area to give birth to her kittens. She might exhibit signs of discomfort as the process progresses, but it’s crucial to allow nature to have its way. Excessive interference may put her under needless stress.

The mother will naturally take care of the kittens after they are born. Make sure she has a warm place to recuperate, food, and water. Check on her and the kittens frequently, but try not to bother them too much in the early days.

Both the mother and her kittens will prosper if given the right care and attention. This event not only deepens your relationship with your cat but also infuses your house with fresh happiness. Take pleasure in witnessing the young ones mature and shape their distinct personalities!

A cat’s first birth is an important and frequently stressful event for both the mother and her caregiver. This moment can be smoothed by being aware of the warning signs of impending labor, setting up a quiet and safe space, and being prepared to help if needed. Throughout the procedure, it is crucial to keep a close eye on the cat and be aware of any potential problems. A healthy birth and a happy beginning for the newborn kittens can be guaranteed with the right support and care.

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