Pregnant/Nursing Cats

Pregnant Cat Guidelines

Thank you so much for fostering a pregnant cat! This can be one of the most memorable, educational experiences that you’ll ever have. Please read on to find an outline of what to expect during mama cat’s pregnancy and what you need to do to prepare for her delivery.

Required supplies for pregnant/nursing moms:

• A box or tub large enough for mama to lie down and stretch out, such as an under-the-bed plastic

storage tote. Mama should be able to get in and out easily, but kittens should not be able to get out.

• Electric heating pad that does not shut off automatically

• High quality canned kitten food for mom (and to wean babies)

• Hard kitten food (kibble) for mom (and to wean babies) — we recommend Royal Canin Babycat

• Bottle kit with nipples in case kittens need supplementary feeding

• Powdered KMR formula in case kittens need supplementary feeding

• Empty room/bathroom to isolate mom and kittens

• Digital scale (food or postal) that weighs in grams

• Litter box and non-clumping litter

• Secure pet carrier for transportation (cardboard carrier can be purchased from APA for $5)

Preparation for birth of kittens:

The gestation period for cats is between 9 and 10 weeks. A couple of weeks before your cat is due to deliver, you need to prepare a “nesting box” – a safe and secure place for mama to deliver and care for her kittens. Mama cat should be isolated in a quiet area to get used to her surroundings for awhile so she feels safe and secure for the birth. During the couple weeks leading up to her kittens’ birth, mama cat might exhibit some strange and/or uncharacteristic behaviors – some cats may become extremely affectionate, while others might become aggressive or fearful. Just remember that mama’s hormones are raging during this time, so any out of the ordinary behavior is generally no cause for concern.

Pregnant cats should eat up to 4 times their normal amount of food and should be eating kitten food for the duration of their pregnancy and while nursing kittens.

Setting up a nesting box:

• There are many options for nesting boxes. You’ll need a box that’s wide enough to accommodate a heating pad on one side, while leaving room for mama to nurse on the other side without lying on the heating pad.

• Line a box with blankets or towels. The box should be high enough off the ground so that mama can get in and out easily, but her kittens cannot – 8-12 inches tall or somewhere around this height is ideal.

• You can offer more than one option with blankets in one corner and a box in another area.

• You can also place mama cat with her nesting box in a bathroom or small room with some light.

• You can even put the box in a bathtub, if using a bathroom, but be sure to cover the drain.

• Have heating pad only under blankets on one side of the box – your mama cat may be too warm if

she has no other place to cool off.

• Note: Your mama cat may ignore the box until it’s time for labor. If this is the case, just put her in it

when the kittens are coming. She’ll usually take to it just fine!

Medical Emergencies to watch out for leading up to labor:

• Any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is not normal and suggests that she is having a

miscarriage. If this is occurring late in pregnancy (the 8th week) she may be delivering the litter

prematurely and a cesarean section is likely necessary.

• Greenish, foul-smelling discharge can be a sign of a uterine infection – if you see this alert the

med techs immediately at:

***Please note that if either of these two things occurs around the time of mama’s due date, it

is likely just an indication that labor is imminent – usually within 24 hours! ***

Labor

Several hours (and perhaps a whole day) of restlessness, grooming, nesting, pacing, panting, and crying indicates that labor has begun. Mama cat may purr during labor and when feeding her new kittens. When labor begins, there will be some brownish fluids, and a small amount of blood. Babies can be born head first or feet first (breach), and will be delivered in a thin amniotic sack, which usually breaks during birth. As soon as the kitten emerges from mama’s birth canal, she should immediately bite/pierce the sack, and begin cleaning the kitten to encourage him/her to breathe. If she does not do this, you will need to step in and break the sack, as the kitten is at risk of suffocating within seconds. Wipe away the mucus and amniotic casing from the kitten’s mouth and nose – once you do this, the kitten should cry out! At this point, the kitten is still attached to the placenta, which will be passed within a few minutes. Once the placenta is passed, the mother will bite the umbilical cord to cut it. Sometimes mama can take awhile to bite the cord, especially if other kittens are already out and nursing, so feel free to help her by tying the cord with string/floss and cutting it with a pair of sterile scissors. Usually, the mother will then eat the placenta.

Kittens are usually born every 10 minutes to 1 hour. If mama is having contractions for longer than 2 hours in between kittens, this could mean that a baby is stuck in the birth canal, which can be deadly for mama and all remaining kittens in utero. If this happens, you need to call the appropriate emergency number immediately, as mama will likely need an emergency C-section! Some mama cats prefer to give birth in a dark, quiet place, far away from human contact, while others prefer to have their human right beside them, giving them pets and soothing them through this difficult process! She will generally let you know what she’d like – just pay attention to her body language and such.

** If any kitten is stillborn, remove it from the nesting box as soon as possible. (This is very common.)

Once kittens are born and mama is nursing, she may like some food, which can be placed near her head, so she can eat without disrupting the kittens.

Medical Emergencies during/immediately following delivery:

• If at any point you see a red protruding membrane (like an earthworm) from the kitten’s belly, this is

actually its intestine & is a medical emergency

• Dystocia – Intense contractions for 60 minutes without a birth

• Retained Placenta – if the placenta is not passed, it can cause infection

Caring for New Mom & Kittens

Kittens generally weigh between 80-120 grams when they’re born. Any kitten born smaller than 70 grams is at serious risk of fading away and will likely need to be supplemented with KMR and kept on a heating pad, separate from its littermates, until he/she weighs about the same as his/her littermates. It is not uncommon for the smallest kitten (runt) to pass away shortly after birth – this is just nature running

Its course. There’s often not much we can do. Oftentimes mama will set this runt aside from her healthy kittens to allow it to pass peacefully, so she can care for her kittens who are thriving. If a kitten is born weighing under 65 grams, there is often not much we can do – remember that this is the reason cats have so many kittens – some are just not fit to make it in this world. It is possible that the new mother will want to move her kittens frequently. This is okay, as long as there is always a heating pad for the kittens to get to and the area is somewhat sequestered and free of hazards.

More than likely, she is doing this in an effort to keep her babies safe. You can set up a few clean places with bedding ahead of time so the mom has safe options if she does move them.

Weigh newborn kittens twice a day – this is mandatory! If the mom seems protective or is moving her babies, wait until the day after they are born to weigh them. If she is comfortable with you where, place the scale right next to her while you weigh the babies. You should be seeing an average weight gain of 10 grams per day. If the weights stay steady for more than a day or you see a drop in weight, please email vetting@gatewaypets.org. Even a small amount of weight loss in a kitten under one week old can be deadly, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Caring for Neonatal Kittens

*** The two most important rules: Kittens must be WARM and have FULL BELLIES at all times! ***

The Basics

• Kittens must be kept in a safe and secure spot, and isolated from other pets (to prevent illness) for 7-10 days.

• Kittens must have access to a heating pad (on low setting) at all times.

• Do not give kittens baths unless absolutely necessary. If kittens get wet, they must be blow-dried until they are completely dry. Young kittens can very easily become hypothermic. As an alternative, use a hypoallergenic baby wipe to clean dirty kittens.

• Eyes open at 7-10 days (eyes will be blue until kittens are 6-7 weeks old).

• At about 2 weeks, they will start crawling around (can inch around as early as 4 days).

• At 3-4 weeks, they’ll start to play with each other. The ears will start to stand up, and teeth will begin to come in.

• At 3-5 weeks, it’s time to start the weaning process – kittens should be well on their way to eating independently and using the litter box.

• At 6 weeks they should get their first vaccinations from GPG

• At 8-12 weeks, and/or whenever kittens have reached 2lbs (906g), they can be spayed or neutered, and go to their forever homes!

Setting up a Habitat as Kittens Age:

As the kittens get older, they’re going to want to explore outside their nesting box – this generally happens around 4 weeks old! This is perfectly fine, but we want to make sure kittens are not allowed to stray too far from their mama and their heating pad!

Bathtubs are often great for this stage. Keep the heating pad available at all times, but still make sure that the kittens can move off of it. Place a small bowl of kibble, a saucer of gruel, and a stable, flat-bottomed cup of water in an accessible spot, away from their bedding.

At this point, the kittens will also want to play with toys! Feel free to give them plenty of plush dolls, balls, bells, etc. Just make sure there’s nothing they could accidentally swallow or get tangled up in!

Kittens should be introduced to the litter box around 4 weeks old as well! They will generally learn from mama, so this process shouldn’t be too messy! Fill a very shallow litter box (a boxtop or baking tin is fine) with non-clumping litter, and place it in an accessible spot away from the food dishes.

Around 6 weeks old, kittens will likely begin door-dashing and trying to escape whatever enclosure they’re confined to. If you would like to give them free run of your home, please do so with extreme caution. Kittens can and will get into everything. Never leave them unsupervised, particularly when there are other pets and/or roommates where you live! Also, remember that the more space they have, the less likely they are to find their litter box!

Most importantly, especially once they are over ~4 weeks old, make sure you socialize your kittens as often as possible! This is crucial to their development – they need to learn to love humans! Introduce them to friends, children, other cats, friendly dogs, etc., but always make sure they’re in a controlled environment and are being closely supervised.

Common Household Hazards for Kittens

Even the most experienced fosters sometimes overlook household hazards. The following is a list of things that we have seen cause injury to kittens.

• Rocking chairs - keep out of the kittens’ area

• Reclining chairs - kittens can easily crawl inside

• Toilets - keep lids closed at all times

• Bathtubs- keep water drained at all times

• Doors - make sure that kittens are not behind doors that are being opened

• Exits - keep unscreened doors and windows closed at all times when not in use

• Outdoors - do NOT allow kittens to go outside, NO EXCEPTIONS!

• Other cats - can sometimes be asymptomatic carriers of viruses that are more

harmful to kittens, or can be too aggressive with kittens

• Dogs - all dogs (but especially large dogs) can easily injure a kitten, often accidentally

• Washers and dryers - kittens can crawl inside of the machines unnoticed or get stuck

behind them

• Other appliances - make sure that kittens cannot crawl behind or under refrigerators,

ovens, etc.

• Holes - make sure any holes in drywall or cabinetry are plugged or blocked

• Small objects - rubber bands, strings, paperclips, and other small objects can be

accidentally ingested

• Chemicals - make sure they are put away

• House plants - many are poisonous to cats, make sure they are out of reach

• Electrical cords - can be sprayed with bitter apple, covered with tape or “cord covers”

to prevent chewing

In the unfortunate event that one of your kittens has died, for any reason, please contact us right away. Please do not be embarrassed or afraid to reach out – these things happen.

Kittens are fragile creatures, and unfortunately some of them are just not equipped to make it in this world.

instructions from the medical clinic. instructions from the medical clinic.

Fading Kitten Syndrome

You are not receiving this handout because Fading Kitten Syndrome is a common occurrence, but rather because if you ever encounter this condition, YOU will need to take action IMMEDIATELY. The worst thing you can do for a fading kitten is to take him/her to your vet – most kittens will not survive the car ride. YOU are this kitten’s best chance at making it.

Fading Kitten Syndrome is a life-threatening emergency in which a kitten “crashes” and begins to fade away. Kittens under 3 weeks old and/or kittens who are, or were recently sick, are most susceptible to FKS. Oftentimes, it occurs in kittens who have been eating poorly, and losing, or, not gaining, weight. This is why it is VITAL that you weigh your kittens every time they’re fed. Although it is rare, FKS can also occur in healthy kittens at any age.

Symptoms of FKS:

• Extreme lethargy — unable to stand or hold head up, not responding when touched

• Body feels cool to the touch (not just insides of ears – all over)

• Panting or gasping for breath

• Meowing/crying out in distress

If you see these symptoms, it is crucial that you take the following steps NOW:

Step 1: GET KITTEN WARM

Grab your heating pad and a towel. Place the towel over the heating pad, and place kitten on top of towel. Roll heating pad up to create a “kitten burrito” – like you’re swaddling an infant. Leave the kitten’s face exposed, and do not remove kitten from the burrito even if he/she

struggles and cries to get out! Make sure the heating pad is still on the low setting.

* If you don’t have a heating pad, (fosters are now required to have a heating pad) you can either:

a) Keep your dryer running full of towels. Grab a new hot one every 5 minutes and wrap it around the “burrito” towel. After 5 minutes, trade that towel out for a new hot one. Don’t remove the “burrito” towel.

b) Fill 2 socks full of rice, tie the ends so it doesn’t spill out. Throw them in the microwave for 3 minutes. Keep them next to the kitten on the outside of the burrito towel. Every 30 minutes reheat one sock and leave the other next to the kitten so she doesn’t cool off.

Step 2: GET KITTEN’S BLOOD SUGAR UP

Grab a small bowl and fill it with either corn syrup (Karo, etc), or sugar water. The more sugar content, the better. Make sure you have your syringe handy. Warm the contents up in the microwave for a few seconds until the liquid is a bit above room temperature. You will administer this sugar water (with the syringe) to the kitten while he/she is in the burrito. Give the kitten about 1 drop every 3 minutes.