How often does a female cat come into heat?
The female cat (called a queen) comes into heat (or estrus) many times each year. Each heat generally lasts several days. If she is not bred, she will return to heat in one to three weeks. Cats are seasonally polyestrous, which means they have multiple estrous cycles during the breeding season.
The breeding season for cats varies depending on factors like temperature and the number of daylight hours. In the Northern Hemisphere, female cats usually have cycles from January or February until the late fall. Cats living in more tropical regions, closer to the equator, or living mainly indoors may have cycles year-round.
What are the signs of estrus?
The most notable signs of estrus in cats are behavioral; vaginal bleeding is not commonly observed. Most cats in heat become very affectionate, even demanding. They persistently rub against people and furniture, roll on the floor, and constantly demand attention. When stroked along the back or spine, they raise their rear quarters into the air and tread with the back legs. They also become very vocal.
"Most cats in heat become very affectionate, even demanding."
These behavior changes often become annoying to owners, and owners may think their cat has some unusual illness. Female cats in heat attract intact male cats (tomcats), who may try to enter the house to mate with the female.
When should I breed my cat to ensure success?
Female cats can be bred at any time during the active phase of the heat cycle, and most require three to four matings within a 24-hour period to ensure that ovulation occurs. Cats are induced ovulators, which means that the act of breeding stimulates the ovaries to release eggs, and eggs are only released from the ovaries when sperm are deposited in the reproductive tract. Even so, it has been shown that 35% to 60% of cats in a colony may spontaneously ovulate. Once ovulation occurs, the female cat will go out of heat within a day or two.
What should I expect during pregnancy?
Pregnancy (gestation) ranges from 64 to 71 days. Most cats “queen” (deliver kittens) between days 63 and 65. Be sure to record the cat’s breeding dates so you can predict the delivery date. A veterinary examination three to four weeks after breeding will usually confirm a pregnancy.
For the duration of the pregnancy and for one month after the kittens are weaned, a pregnant cat should be fed a premium-brand growth and development diet (kitten food) or a premium-brand “all life stages” diet that has been tested in pregnant cats. These diets are generally available through veterinary hospitals or pet stores. Kitten diets provide the extra nutrition needed for the mother and her litter. If the mother is eating one of these diets, she needs no calcium, vitamin, or mineral supplements.
During pregnancy, the mother's food consumption will often reach 50% more than before pregnancy. By the end of the nursing period, she may eat more than double the pre-pregnancy amount. You may need to increase the number of feedings per day to allow her to meet her needs and those of the kittens.
What should I do to prepare for the kittens' birth?
After a successful breeding, many queens show behavioral changes. Most develop an unusually sweet and loving disposition and demand more affection and attention during pregnancy. During the latter stages of pregnancy, the expectant mother usually begins to look for a safe place for delivery.
To prepare for the kittens’ birth, place a birthing box in a quiet place, such as a closet or a dark corner. The box should be large enough for the cat to move around freely but have low enough sides that she can see out and you can reach inside easily.
Line the bottom of the box with several layers of newspapers or other disposable absorbent material, which can absorb the birthing fluids and then be easily removed and disposed of.
What happens during a normal labor and delivery?
The signs of impending labor generally include nervousness, overgrooming, and panting. Sometimes, the queen will stop eating during the final day of pregnancy. In most cases, the cat’s rectal temperature will drop in the last 24 hours (to less than 100°F or 37.5°C), and this drop signals impending labor.
Milk will often appear in the mammary glands 24 to 48 hours before labor begins. Many cats prefer to be secluded during the birthing process. Once labor starts, most cats deliver without complications; however, it’s important to closely monitor your cat until at least one or two kittens are born, especially if it is your cat’s first litter. If the first kittens are born quickly and without complications, you may not need to stay longer, although you should be available if an emergency arises. However, if you leave the room, it is possible that your cat will follow you, leaving her kittens and potentially interrupting the labor.
The time required to deliver the kittens will vary. Breeds such as Persians and Himalayans often have a longer and more difficult delivery, because their kittens have large, round heads. It is not unusual for Persians to rest an hour or more between each kitten.
If labor does not resume within a few hours after the first kittens are born, you should have the cat examined by a veterinarian. Rarely, a cat may deliver one or two kittens then interrupt labor for as long as 24 hours before the remainder of the litter is born. If labor is interrupted for 24 hours or more, obtain veterinary assistance.
Kittens may be born in an anterior presentation (head emerging first with the forelegs extended) or in a posterior presentation (tail and hind legs emerging first).
Sometimes, kittens may be born in a breech presentation, in which the tail and bottom are presented first and the hind legs are extended towards the kitten's head. In a breech presentation, the kitten may become stuck in the birth canal, and this situation may require an emergency caesarian section (C-section). If the delivery proceeds normally, the kitten will emerge after a few contractions.
Each kitten is enclosed in a sac that is part of the placenta. Following delivery, the mother should use her tongue to tear open the sac and expose the kitten's mouth and nose, which she will lick clean of fluids and placental tissues.
The mother cat will sever the umbilical cord by chewing it and then proceed to wash the kitten’s body vigorously, stimulating circulation and causing the kitten to begin breathing. This grooming also helps dry the newborn's coat.
After each birth, the remainder of the placenta (afterbirth) is usually expelled from the uterus, and the queen will usually eat these tissues. In some cases, the queen may deliver several kittens before expelling the afterbirths.
How do I know if something is wrong?
If a kitten or a fluid-filled bubble is protruding from the vagina but is not delivered within a few minutes, you should assist the delivery.
- Use dampened gauze or a thin washcloth to break the bubble and grasp the head or feet.
- When the next contraction occurs, pull gently but firmly in a downward direction (i.e., out and down, toward the mother’s rear feet).
- If you cannot pull the kitten out easily, or if the queen cries intensely during this process, the kitten is probably lodged. And you need immediate veterinary intervention.
If the mother does not remove the placental sac within a few minutes after delivery, the kitten will suffocate, so you should be prepared to intervene.
- Wipe the kitten's face with a damp washcloth or gauze to remove the sac from the nose and mouth and allow breathing.
- Rub vigorously with a soft, warm towel to stimulate circulation and breathing and dry the hair.
- Tie the umbilical cord snugly with cord (e.g., sewing thread or dental floss) and cut it about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) from the body with clean scissors.
Newborn kittens may inhale (aspirate) fluid into the lungs, which causes them to make a raspy noise when they breathe. You must remove this fluid as soon as possible.
- First, use a soft bulb syringe to clear as much fluid as possible from their mouth.
- Next, wrap the kitten in a small towel and hold it in the palm of your hand, cradling the head between your first and second fingers, with the head slightly lower than the hindquarters.
- Rub the kitten’s back and chest vigorously. Gravity will help the fluid and mucus flow out of the lungs and mouth.
- Use the bulb syringe to remove any more fluid that appears in the mouth or nostrils.
- Repeat this process several times. Throughout the process, check the color of the tongue and listen to the breathing. The tongue should change from a grayish-blue to pink if you are successful. If the tongue remains bluish, repeat the process.
- Keep trying for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Once the kitten is breathing, place it in the warm box.
Note: Swinging kittens is no longer recommended as it can cause potentially fatal brain damage and aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs.
Should I leave the newborn kittens with the mother cat while she continues to give birth?
It may be helpful to have a smaller box for the newborn kittens. Warm a slightly damp towel in the microwave, and line the box with the towel. After each kitten is stable and dry, place them in the incubator box while the mother finishes delivering the other kittens.
It is essential that the kittens are kept warm, so consider how to keep the box warm while preventing overheating. You can put a hot water bottle in the box, wrapped in a towel, or a heating pad wrapped in a towel and set to the lowest heat level. Another option is to put a heat lamp nearby, but be careful and check the heat regularly, since newborn kittens may be unable to move away from the heat source.
What should I do after all the kittens are born?
Once the mother cat has delivered all her kittens, remove the soiled newspapers from the queening box. Line the clean box with soft bedding and then bring the kittens back. The mother cat should accept the kittens readily and roll over on her side for nursing.
Your veterinarian should examine the mother and her litter within 24 hours of delivery to ensure there are no undelivered kittens and to see whether milk production is adequate. Your veterinarian may give the mother cat an injection of oxytocin, a hormone that helps contract the uterus and stimulate milk production.
The mother cat will have a bloody vaginal discharge for several days following delivery. If it continues for longer than one week, your veterinarian should examine her, as she might be experiencing post-birth complications such as a retained placenta.
What should I do if my cat has trouble delivering her kittens?
Most cats do not need human help in delivering kittens, but problems may arise that require veterinary assistance. Seek immediate assistance if any of the following occur:
- The mother cat has 45 to 60 minutes of intense labor without delivering a kitten.
- A fluid-filled bubble becomes visible at the vaginal opening.
- The mother experiences sudden depression or marked lethargy.
- The mother's rectal temperature exceeds 103ºF (39.4ºC).
- You see a fresh, bloody discharge from the vagina that lasts for more than 10 minutes.
Difficulty delivering is called dystocia, and it may be managed with or without surgery, depending on the mother’s condition, litter size, and kitten size.
Is premature birth common in cats?
Occasionally, a mother cat will deliver a litter prematurely. The kittens may be small, thin, and have little or no hair. It may be possible for them to survive with an enormous amount of care, but most premature kittens die despite the best efforts to keep them alive. If you want to try and save premature kittens, ask your veterinarian for instructions, including how to feed kittens that are too weak to nurse.
What happens if a kitten is stillborn?
It is not uncommon for one or two kittens in a litter to be stillborn. Sometimes, a stillborn kitten will disrupt labor, resulting in dystocia. Other times, the dead kitten will be delivered normally. In almost all cases, there is something wrong with the stillborn kitten, such as a developmental abnormality or birth defect.
