Mother Cat Natal Care

Hi Simba, My cat went into heat about 3 days ago on the second day I caught her mating with a male cat. Do cats continue to mate until the end of their heat if they are pregnant? I have heard of cats mating even after they are pregnant, is this true? — Colette

Dear Colette,
Female cats in heat are induced ovulators, meaning that they do not release an egg until after the act of mating is finished. So if this was the first encounter for your cat, a pregnancy is unlikely.

In addition, female cats’ heat cycles stop upon their being impregnated, which of course is the successful fertilization of a female’s eggs with a tomcat’s sperm (which can take a while). This means the heats do not stop immediately. I hope this helps. Simba

Hi Simba,
I have yet to spay and neuter our 7-month-old brother and sister kitties. We figured we would know whether the girl was in heat. I just read about kitties going through a “silent heat”. I am wondering if something may have happened without us noticing. Are there any signs I can look for to tell me if I am going to be a Grandma? — Simba, Summer, Sammy, and Steely

Dear Simba, Summer, Sammy & Steely,
It takes two to Tango. Now, the breed most often associated with a ‘silent heat’ is the Somali. Also, most male cats will reach sexual maturity around 6 to 8 months of age (females can start as early as 4 months). This means that there is very short window of time where something could have happened.

It is unlikely that the little gal is pregnant…BUT, just in case, be aware that physical signs of pregnancy can begin to show at 4 weeks. Look for the following:

• 4 weeks: Mammary enlargement
• 6 weeks: Lactation
• 4-6 weeks: Abdominal enlargement

If you cannot wait, you can find out early with the following:

• at 1 week: You can do an ultrasound
• at 2 weeks: You can do X-rays

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Let me know how things go. Your Pal, Simba

Dear Simba,
I have a cat that I believe is a hermaphrodite (as he/she is pregnant)…Are there unusual pregnancy issues we need to know about? — Vicki

Dear Vicki,
Hermaphrodite cats usually have malfunctioning ovaries and testes. I have never heard of one becoming pregnant. It might be a good idea to see your vet and have him examine your cat’s birth canal to see if there are any complications and whether a c-section may be necessary. He can also make a determination of whether Kitty is a hermaphrodite or not. Simba

Dear Simba,
My 13-month-old cat is 7 weeks pregnant, and has fleas. Any recommendations for safe flea control? Last time, I used a cheaper over the counter treatment, but its directions said that it is not to be used on pregnant cats. Cheers! — Jane

Dear Jane,
I believe that the best flea treatment for pregnant and nursing momma cats involves a flea comb, daily vacuuming and the frequent washing of your their bedding at a high temperatures. I am wary of applying chemicals or even ‘natural’ shampoos to treat fleas on cats at this delicate stage, as these could have adverse effects on the kittens. Using the flea comb might take a little longer, but your cat will love the extra attention of being combed. Be sure to keep her indoors so as to prevent re-infestation. Note that fleas often come with Roundworms so keep an eye on that also. Keep me posted. Simba

Dear Simba,
My female cat is 4-weeks pregnant. I have not had a cat who has given birth indoors before and I am worried if it will be messy. I am worried that my husband might freak out if she has the kittens on our bed, which is her favorite spot in the house. He has mentioned finding a home for her along with the kittens (it would break my heart to give her away) and if she ruins the sheets it would only add fuel to his fire.

Where does a mother cat usually nest? How long should I wait to have her spayed after the birth of her kittens? Also, she was a hand-raised cat that was abandoned by her mother shortly after birth. Will not being raised by a cat cause her to be a bad mother cat or will instinct take over? — Shelly

Dear Shelly,
Pregnant cats will decide upon a nest a few weeks before birth. They will usually go for a quiet & isolated spot, where she can care for and nurse her kittens. I doubt your cat will decide on your sheets, the area is just too busy. Your best bet is to set aside a small room or bathroom and stock it with blankets and other comfy things. As for having her spayed, wait until the kittens have been weaned, which is at 5-6 weeks. And as for her instincts, hand-raised cats are very gentle creatures. Her motherly instinct will take over and she and the kittens will be just fine. Keep me posted. Simba

PS Check out the notes below on pre & post natal care.

Dear Simba,
We adopted a stray cat and recently learned that she is pregnant. Can you please tell me how long the gestation period is for a cat? What are the signs that she is about to go into labor/give birth? Do you have any suggestions on caring for the mother and kittens after delivery? Thanks, Expecting

Dear Expecting
Cats have a gestation period of 63 days (pretty fast!). See below for some homework you need to do now.

Before Labor Homework

• Change her diet gradually to a kitten food (Ad) 3 weeks before she is due (kittens require additional protein from their mother. Try birthing formula if available.
• Provide her with access to fresh food and water 24/7. Her habits will change. She now eats when she wants to.

RIGHT Before Labor Signs

• Mom will stop eating, repeatedly visit her nesting place and exhibit panting, rhythmic purring and restless behavior 12-24 hours before birth.

To Do Right Before Labor

• Provide a comfy, warm and secure for mom cat (fyi, your cat may bear the kittens without making a sound)
• Keep children and any other pets away from the mom before, during, and immediately after labor.
• Do not interfere or have contact with mom unless the cat is VERY attached to you (peek in to make sure everything is ok, but do not disturb her unless you see problems)

Have emergency numbers handy should there be any complications. Fact about 1 in 3 kittens is born feet first, this is not usually a problem.

Problems During Birth call for help if mom has/is or displays

• Fast or shallow breathing
• Excessive crying or “yowling”
• Hemorrhaging
• Vomiting/diarrhea
• Dilated pupils
• Discolored gums or tongue
• Inability to complete giving birth
• Fever
• Unconcsiousness
• Shock
• Seizure-like shaking, foaming or stiffness

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Postpartum

• Let mom care for her litter as she knows best…Be aware that mother will eat very little and only rarely leave her nest during the next few days.
• Mom will also instinctively move the litter after a few days
• Have mom treated with a roundworm wormer (Ad) soon as the kittens are born. Roundworms and other parasites are often activated by pregnancy.
• Have her vaccinated (if she has not already had her shots) and spayed after the kittens are weaned.
• Keep the room nice and cozy (newborns need 80F degree temperature their first few days).
• Check out Newborn Care for caring for young kittens.

Keep me posted. Simba

Nutritional Supplements

Dear Simba, We rescued a pregnant cat who was dumped at our farm. She delivered 5 kittens and everything was fine until Momma developed diarrhea – and then the kittens did too! They are 1-week-old and holding on, but are not well. Momma has gone to the vet and was tested, but she was too pregnant to have any vaccines.

I called the vet when she developed diarrhea…he has not called back. In the wilds of Idaho there are little options for emergency care. We do not want to lose the kittens to dehydration, so we are supplementing momma with the egg, condensed milk, Karo mix, a couple of drops at a time. We are giving saline solution with karo to help the kittens stave off dehydration.

What else can we do? Would yogurt help the diarrhea? We also have bene-bac for calves, sheep and horses – would a tiny bit of that help Momma? I would rather not take the kittens off her completely, but I worry she will pass something on to the kittens. — Elydia

Hi Elydia,
It is common for momma Cats & Kittens to develop diarrhea shortly after birth. This is many times due to intestinal parasitic infections, especially Roundworms, which are often activated by pregnancy. So what to do?

First, treat the roundworms. Nursing mother cats can be treated with Roundworm worming medicine without harm to the kittens. Be sure that you find medicine that is marked safe for nursing moms.

Second, because Karo Syrup is often used to relieve constipation, I recommend that you use Formula #1, #2 or #4 instead of the Karo-based emergency formula. As for momma, consider giving her a little bit of dry, skin-less chicken. This has been known to help in diarrhea. If these changes do not stem the diarrh