How to Deliver Kittens

Mother Nature can usually guide the birth, but if you do get involved, follow these steps to ensure your cat's safe and comfortable delivery of her kittens.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Feline Nursing Bottles
• Telephones
• Clean Towels
• Cat Beds
• Scissors
• Clean towels

1. Contact your veterinarian if you think your cat is pregnant to ensure that you will have professional help if needed.

2. Choose a quiet, warm location to place a basket or box lined with clean towels large enough for the mother cat to lie in and stretch out with her kittens. The sides should be at least 4 to 6 inches high'high enough to keep 4- to 6-week-old kittens from escaping, but low enough so that the mother can get in and out easily.

3. Avoid disturbing the mother during delivery, but observe her closely every few minutes to see how she is doing. Delivery should begin within 20 minutes of the first strong contraction; birth of the first kitten may take up to 60 minutes, but you should call your veterinarian if a kitten has not been delivered within 30 minutes since it may take a while to track down some help. Signs of labor include licking of the genital area, and straining in general.

4. Watch for amber fluid or a bulge (the amniotic sac) protruding from the mother's birth canal'this indicates that a kitten should be delivered within a few minutes.

5. If the mother has not removed the amniotic membrane within 1 minute after delivery, intervene and gently grasp the kitten in a clean towel and pull away the slimy material. Be certain the nose and mouth are free from fluid and tissue.

6. Rub the kitten with a towel along the shoulders and back to stimulate breathing. A healthy meow indicates an unobstructed airway.

7. If the mother has not chewed through the umbilical cord, sever it about 2 inches from the kitten's body, using sharp, sterilized scissors (sterilize with isopropyl alcohol). Gently pull the afterbirth from the birth canal.

8. Expect kittens to be delivered 15 to 45 minutes apart, but call your veterinarian if strong labor continues for 30 minutes without producing a kit-ten. Average litters contain three to six kittens.

9. Make sure that nursing begins in a few minutes. It is essential for the kittens to nurse from the mother to provide protection against disease.

10. Supplement with commercially prepared milk replacer, available wherever pet supplies are sold, following your veterinarian's advice.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the basket or box is readily accessible so you can closely observe the mother during her delivery.

• Watch closely when the mother is cleaning the newborn kitten. She may attempt to eat the after-birth (placenta), and may inadvertently injure a kitten if it is wrapped tightly in the tissue. Once in a while a kitten will be born dead'prepare yourself and your children ahead of time. Should this happen, bury the body or take it to the veterinarian.