Kittens – What to Expect When Your Cat is Expecting

Above and Below: Missy and her kittens

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – nope, not Christmas, but ‘Kitten Season’!

We are thrilled to be seeing an influx of little kittens that are brought into the world during spring and summer. Seeing your beloved queen (yes, you heard right a pregnant cat is referred to as a queen!) give birth to a litter of kittens can be an exciting but nerve wracking time.

To guide you on what to expect, we’ve compiled our top tips, for pregnancy and labour, from our very own first-hand experience;

1. Is your cat pregnant or getting a bit of a food baby like the rest of us?! Initially it can be extremely hard to tell if your cat is pregnant, but after a few weeks there will be subtle indications of pregnancy, including a change in the nipple colour, change in appetite and occasionally nausea/ vomiting. Later on into the pregnancy it will become obvious that there are little bundles of fur growing inside – from our experience, Missy, our beloved tabby looked like she had swallowed an American football whole!

2. As with most things, preparation is key! It’s best to have everything to hand 3 weeks before the potential due date –

• Find somewhere quiet and warm that you can suggest as a birthing bed and encourage your queen to relax here before the birth. (We found that a clean cardboard box, lined with a towel or blanket does the trick, however some cats do reject their suggested birthing bed, this is entirely normal!)
• Have a bag ready that includes essential items, such as disposable gloves and extra clean towels.

3. Keep a close eye on your feline friend nearing the end of her pregnancy, looking out for any signs of eminent labour (that includes your cat becoming increasingly vocal, restless and constantly washing herself). 

4. Keep your local vet’s number and the out-of-hours vet number pinned to your notice board in case of an emergency.

5. Labour can last up to 24 hours, so during this time make sure you give your cat space, we know it’s hard to just sit back and relax but her natural instinct will kick in and she will react accordingly. (Contact your vet if there are any major signs of stress, bleeding or abnormalities).

6. Directly after the birth of her kittens she may eat the placenta(s), don’t worry this is completely normal and can help to replenish any nutrients lost during labour!

7. Finally it is advised to allow between 1-2 days before handling the kittens as this will give mum time to bond with her babies and not reject any of them.

We hope this insight into cat labour and kittens helps those of you take care of your cat during this precious time, as in all cases should you require further medical advice please contact your vet. To help with any emergencies or unplanned costs, having pet insurance will help cover costs. 

Have you experience of a cat birthing kittens? We’d love to hear your stories and tips for our fellow cat owners over on our Twitter, or Facebook pages.