Cat Pregnancy and Delivery Questions

I have a one-year-old cat that has given birth two times. When the second litter of kittens arrived, she did not pay as much attention to them as the last lot. For example, she wouldn't feed them a lot and wouldn't clean them. In the end, she would start hissing at them and start to attack them. This frightened our family and we could not watch her continue to hurt them, so we took action by removing her totally from them and taking her to a new home. She settled in and was spoiled with food by her new care givers.

We brought her back and spayed her. The family has decided to keep her and one of her kittens, yet we're not sure if she'll get along with the kittens because she still attacks them. As we tried to put them back together, she hit one and hissed at it numerous times. I'm not quite sure how to handle this situation. Thank you.

~~Fatima

Expert Reply

Hi Fatima,

The truth is that some cats do better in a one cat household. It sounds like this cat has been traumatized by the multiple births so close together and she may have some hormone issues going on. Just like humans, cats have hormones too. If the rest of your family is insistent on keeping the kitten as well, use the process for introducing a new cat into the household, which is outlined in the article on Bringing a New Cat Home.

Hope this helps and that you can work it out for the best for everyone.

~~Lori

Will Cat be Able to Nurse Kittens

My cat should be giving birth any day now and her nipples are very dry and seem like they are flat. When will she begin to produce her milk? Do you think she will be okay to nurse her kittens with her nipples like this?

~~Tikiy

Expert Reply

Hi, Tikiy,

Congratulations on the soon-to-arrive kittens. I'm sure you are very excited. Usually, the milk will come in a few days before the kittens are born, but I wouldn't worry too much about the nipples being flat. When I was a teen, one of our cats had kittens and her nipples never really looked swollen, yet she was able to easily nurse seven kittens.

Once the kittens are born, allow them to bond with the mother and to nurse as quickly as possible. Just as with human mothers, the milk contains valuable colostrum, which contains antibodies to keep the kittens healthy. If the milk has not come in and kittens can't nurse, you will see them try to suckle but then they will mew instead. You should call your vet immediately as he can help stimulate milk production or give you a kitten formula to feed the babies.

More than likely, your cat is just a few days further from birthing the kittens than you expected and her milk will come in any day, but don't hesitate to discuss options with your vet in case the milk does not come in so that you will be prepared ahead of time. Good luck!

~~Lori

Difficult Delivery

My Persian cat recently had five kittens, and all but one died. She had them three days apart.

Before my cat gave birth she was pooping all over the house and she had blood in her stool. What should I do about it?

~~ Alexandria

Expert Reply

Hi Alexandria,

I strongly recommend you take your cat to your vet.

First, I'm concerned that it took three days for her to expel all of the kittens. Taking more than two hours between deliveries is usually a sign of trouble, one that signals it's time to get veterinary help. From your description, I'm not sure when the live kitten was born, but the other four might have been dead in utero. This may be why it took so long for her to finish delivering them.

My immediate concern is that your cat might develop a uterine infection from this prolonged birth. Retained placentas may also be a problem. You need to make an appointment for her, and relay the entire story to your vet so he/she can determine how to proceed.

As for the blood, are you sure it came from her stools? She may have been dripping from her uterus as she evacuated, and this would appear as if the blood came from her stool. This is one more reason you need to see your vet.

My best wishes for your cat's full recovery~~ Kelly

How Soon Can Cat Breed After Pregnancy?

Hi there,

My cat has just given birth to five beautiful kittens. My question for you today is: How soon can my cat go out? I'm afraid she'll get pregnant again, but she keeps meowing to go out. I don't know what to do.

Thanks~~ Jo

Expert Reply

Hi Jo,

I'm glad you asked this question because I think it's one that a lot of people want to know about.

Cat's come into season approximately every two weeks unless they are interrupted by a pregnancy. That said, some cats come into season almost immediately after delivering a litter. This opens up the opportunity for back-to-back pregnancies which can really drain a queen's resources while she trying to rear the current litter.

Your cat's incessant meowing may signal her next heat cycle has already begun, or she could simply want a breath of fresh air. Rather than risk turning her outside on her own, why not take her out on a collar and leash? This way she can relieve herself and get a little exercise while you keep her safe from the local Toms. Simply allow her roam around your yard as you follow.

Thanks for your question, and good luck with the new kittens.

~~ Kelly