Cats typically give birth at home, and their litter can vary between 4 and 12 kittens. In most cases, home births go smoothly without a hitch.
However, sometimes, complications arise. For instance, some cats have a problem delivering the last kitten.
You can quickly determine if a cat still has kittens inside by their body position. The cat will sit sideways, enabling the kitten to pass the birth canal.
There’s always a chance that the last baby will die, but if everything goes well, all newborn kittens will be fine.
I will discuss cat labor in detail in today’s article to understand how things go before your cat delivers her babies. I will also share signs that a cat still has a kitten inside, so let’s dive right in.
How Do I Know if My Cat Had All Her Kittens?
As a cat parent, I know how excited cat owners get when their cat is pregnant, but I know that they also get anxious throughout the birthing process.
Natural births aren’t anything new for cats. Felines can give birth without assistance, but some experience birth difficulties and could use a vet’s help.
If your cat has difficulties delivering her kittens or if she has stillborn kitten, here’s a list of signs that your cat hasn’t given birth to all kittens, so pay attention.
Important note: Take your cat to the vet if you notice any of the following signs and help your feline have a smoother delivery.
1. Heavy Breathing
Heavy breathing indicates labor. Giving birth doesn’t only require a lot of energy, but it’s also uncomfortable, so heavy breathing is completely normal.
However, if you see your cat panting after she gives birth, there’s likely a kitten remaining in her belly.
Once your cat delivers all her babies, she will likely settle and relax.
Call your vet for advice if you notice extended periods of heavy breathing or panting without other signs of labor and delivery.
2. Various Vocalizations
Labor isn’t easy. On the contrary, it’s a painful experience that causes vocalizations in humans and animals.
Your feline can make various vocalizations during the birthing process. However, hearing your feline crying in pain after giving birth without signs of further delivery could signal distress.
In this case, call your vet immediately.
3. Straining
Cats bear down and strain in the second and third stages of labor.
The whole thing can even look like they’re trying to pee or poop. The straining helps push the babies through the birth canal.
In between delivery, your cat will likely stop and clean her kittens and start straining again. If straining goes on for over 30 minutes without signs of delivery, call your vet immediately for help.
4. Genitalia Licking
Licking the genital area after delivery helps dissolve the membrane surrounding the baby. The fluid-filled bag enables the baby to go through the birth canal.
And when your pregnant feline feels her kittens going through the birth canal, she will lick her genitals repeatedly to help the birthing process.
If you notice your cat licking her genitals after giving birth without signs of delivery, there’s a problem that requires medical attention.
5. Protective Behavior
Throughout and after delivery, new mothers focus on protecting their litter. Your cat can act aggressive or more protective around their space than usual.
It’s a natural behavior, so don’t worry about it. Your cat will allow you to get close to the babies once the delivery is complete if she trusts you.
Don’t be worried if the behavior lasts longer than you have expected. Take action if you believe your cat’s acting this way because there’s a remaining kitten inside her.
6. Placenta Doesn’t Pass After the Last Baby
The placenta will go through after each baby comes out. The process can take up to 15 minutes, but there’s a chance there’s one baby left behind.
Counting placentas can be tricky, as the feline will eat them after they come out, but if you suspect your cat has more kittens, call your vet immediately.
See more: Do cats eat their babies?
7. Fluid-Filled Bubble in Her Birth Canal
That fluid-filled bubble in your cat’s birth canal is a kitten. And if it doesn’t come out within 10 minutes after emerging from the canal, it’s likely stuck.
In this case, you should call your vet immediately and ask for assistance instead of helping your cat. Otherwise, you can cause your cat pain, discomfort, or even harm the unborn kitten.
8. Lack of Attention for Her Newborn Babies
Your female car will pay a little attention to her newborns briefly during active labor, then shift her attention to the delivery of the rest of the babies.
Simply put, a cat won’t be able to give her newborns much attention until delivery is complete.
Therefore, if you see your cat withdrawing from her babies and not showing interest in nurturing them, more kittens are on their way.
In this case, consult your vet for advice.
Your cat acting this way doesn’t always indicate a stuck kitten, but it’s still a possible reason for this behavior.
9. Excessive Bleeding
Cats in active labor experience discharge, including blood-tinged discharge.
However, consult your vet for further assistance if your cat starts bleeding profusely during active labor.
Also, if your cat has a bloody discharge for over a week after giving birth, call your vet so that they can see what’s causing this issue.
10. Lack of Appetite
Cats in active labor aren’t interested in food. It’s a regular thing. They won’t eat after delivery either.
However, their appetite should come back after a few hours.
If you notice a lack of appetite in your feline after delivery, there’s a chance that the delivery isn’t over.
In this case, consult your vet for assistance.
11. The Numbers Don’t Add Up
How many kittens were you expecting?
If you had taken your pregnant cat to the vet clinic before the delivery and they took X-rays or ultrasounds that show a different number than what she delivered, there’s likely a problem.
In this case, consult your vet for advice. You will probably need to take your feline to the clinic for new imaging to see if there’s anything left in the uterus. And if they see more kitten(s), don’t worry; your vet will perform a C-section.
When to Call the Vet?
As a responsible cat owner, you should keep track of your cat’s pregnancy before and after delivery.
Most female cats have smooth deliveries, but issues can arise, so having a speed dial vet to help is a good idea.
I highly suggest calling the vet if your feline is straining without delivering a baby for over 20 minutes. You should also contact the vet if the baby doesn’t come out for over 10 minutes.
Some cats get lethargic or have a fever over 103 degrees Fahrenheit. If you notice these signs in your cat, call the vet.
If the number of placentas that came out doesn’t match the number of babies in the litter, you should also call the vet.
Lastly, if your cat bleeds profusely for over 10 minutes, contact the vet as excessive bleeding can signify postpartum hemorrhage, uterine tear, or infections.
What Happens if a Cat Doesn’t Deliver All Her Kittens?
If you have a healthy cat, there’s less chance of birth complications. However, some pregnant cats experience abnormal blood flow and uterine inertia.
These things happen when their kittens have a wider diameter than their birth canal. Uterine inertia occurs when the feline’s uterus is too small or weak to expand.
You should consult your vet for advice in these cases because her kittens could get stuck. In this case, the vet will perform a C-section to get the last kitten(s) out.
Also, peeing less, more, or at all and outside their litter box can indicate sickness in your cat. Now, let’s discuss some possible causes for birth complications in felines and solutions.
Mechanical Barriers
Typically, baby kittens come out with the legs and nose next to the vagina crown, so that’s how they’re born.
Issues can arise if the baby’s large or stuck in the wrong canal. However, cats can handle these issues because the baby’s head can be bent forward or sideways because of a diverged shape.
They can also solve these issues because the baby will expose the hind legs, hips, and tail and come out from the birth canal backward.
However, it can be risky if this happens during the first baby’s delivery.
Uterine Inertia
If your cat’s uterine stiffness weakens, your feline will have issues delivering.
Uterine inertia can happen if your cat’s uterus isn’t normal or she is giving birth to a large litter. It can also occur if the kitten is oversized in a small cat’s uterus.
If you suspect your feline experiences uterine inertia, visit your vet immediately.
Symptoms of Dead Kitten Inside Cat
Older cats experience mechanical barriers and uterine inertia more than young cats.
If your pregnant cat is very fatty, delivering tiny kittens could be problematic because mechanical obstruction and uterine inertia can happen.
These birth difficulties usually occur in pregnant cats with large heads and flat faces like Persian cats.
Let’s review the symptoms of a dead kitten inside your cat or delivery complications.
- She can’t deliver a kitten after 1 hour of intense pressure.
- Your cat suddenly feels numb, tired, and distressed and gives up labor.
- Their body temperature surpasses 104 degrees Fahrenheit or drops under 96 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you see these signs in your cat, she’s likely experiencing difficulties.
She’s probably at risk with her babies, so call your vet immediately and ask for help. Medical attention would help save the life of both the mother and her unborn babies, so don’t hesitate.
Some cat owners take matters into their own hands and try to help the delivery, but I strongly advise against unprofessional assistance as you can hurt your cat and her babies, so it’s best to take her to the vet. They can help her deliver kittens or remove the dead kitten.
How to Handle Birth Difficulties in Cats?
It would be best if you didn’t handle the birth difficulties of your feline. If your cat has trouble giving birth, you can visit the vet and let professionals take the birthing process.
Medication
In some cases, uterine stiffness turns weak because of calcium deficiency. If this is the case with your pregnant feline, your vet can provide oxytocin made with calcium gluconate and the pituitary gland.
This medication can cause further issues and damage the uterus in some felines, so inform your vet of your cat’s complete medical history beforehand.
C-Section
Your vet can advise a C-section if the medication doesn’t work on your cat.
I highly suggest taking your feline to the vet if they’re having difficulties giving birth, as they can recommend life-saving solutions and ensure safe delivery.
They can also provide postnatal care for your mother cat and her babies.
When suggesting treatments, they consider things like oxytocin’s inactivity, x-rays, testing results, the size of your cat’s uterus and kittens, a dry birth canal, length of her labor, and her overall condition.
Your vet can operate with general sedation if your mother cat is young and healthy.
Can Cats Have Kittens Two Days Apart?
Cats can have kittens days apart. Kittens born days apart usually have different fathers.
Moreover, cats can deliver kittens up to 36 hours apart, but this usually happens when they have mated with two different male cats.
Ask for veterinary advice if you notice any difficulties in your cat’s delivery.
Final Tips For Cat Owners With a Pregnant Cat
Cat owners get excited and anxious at the same time when they hear their pregnant cats enter the birthing process and even more when they’re delivering their babies.
Cats generally give birth at night and surprise their owners with newborn kittens in the morning. So, watch your cat’s behavior closely, especially if it’s her first litter; if she’s giving birth at night, she might need medical assistance.
If your mother cat has already given birth but still has a swollen belly, bleeds excessively, or has some of the symptoms above, call your vet immediately, as she probably has remaining kittens in her stomach.
*image by AdrianaSulugiuc/depositphotos
