Help! A stray cat that I feed has hidden under my spare room bed and is currently giving birth! Advice please?

Question

I can hear one crying so its alive.... I cant really see whats going on as its dark under the bed and I dont want to panic the cat or kittens!!!! Ive put some water and cat food next to the bed.... I will take her to the vets and pay to get her spayed (or whatever its called) as soon as she is ready as she had kittens in someones garden a while ago and they are now stray ( I feed one of those too!)

Any advice appreciated!!!!! Thanks

Answer 1

just let nature take its course.it can take a while.you've done everything right and giving her peace and quiet is the natural thing to do.cats will find somewhere quiet to give birth in the wild so she obviously trusts you.keep a check every so often.good luck.

Answer 2

Once the kitten is born, the mother will break the amniotic fluid. If not, you may need to help tear the sack using a towel (never a sharp object), so the kitten can breathe.

After each birth, the mother will eat the placenta and clean every kitten. This is important maternal behaviour, necessary for the bonding process. However, if she fails to remove the membranes from the kitten's face, you will have to step in. Gently clean it away from the mouth and nose, then quickly dry the kitten against the grain of the hair using a clean cloth (facecloths work well because they're big enough to cover the kitten but won't get in your way). Finally, firm rubbing with a warm cloth will dry and warm the kitten, and also stimulate it to take its first breath.

Mum will also bite through the umbilical cord, but your help will be needed again if she doesn't. Just tie dental floss around the cord about 1 inch away from the kitten's body, and cut the umbilical cord on the mother's side of the tie. Don't cut it too close to the kitten, as this may cause infection or even death. If you notice the mother trying to chew too close to the kitten, stop her and do it yourself.

The entire delivery generally takes between 2-5 hours, but can last up to 12 hours. If you notice the mum having trouble giving birth at any time, put some petroleum jelly on her to ease the kittens' passage. If your cat appears to be straining unproductively for an hour or more during the birth, contact your vet.

Litters are usually of between 4 and 6 kittens, although litters of just one or two can be common. Once all the kittens are born, let your cat take care of the rest. But if she doesn't seem to be taking care of her kittens, you may need to take over - and consult your vet immediately.

Answer 3

for after: try to move the bed, if you can. if not, yikes. get a large cardboard box w/ high sides and cut an opening that is high enough the kittens can't get out but the mom can easily. pad it well, and make sure the cat can't get back under the bed. oh and: you might want to, um, get rid of that suitcase. there w/ be a lot of fluid on it, that will smell and isn't easy to get off.

Answer 4

Sells dem on ebay!

And erm have you got a large cardboard box? Pad it up with old blankets or cushions and place it next to the bed, the mother will probably use it over time.

Answer 5

Giving birth can take many hours, she will know what to do, she will give birth, clean them up, feed them and make them wee by l*****g them, if she has come into your home to have her kittens it means she trusts you, you wont panic her, just give her a bit of reassurance, let her know you're there, you can pick the kittens up to check they are ok if one doesn't seem to be, they do need handling as you want them to be used to human contact. don't worry all will be fine!!

Answer 6

cats do fine giving birth on their own. do not mess with her too much, if she is too afraid she will move the kittens & on rare occasions they actually eat them. but that shouldnt happen. try to keep her in the house, as I had a cat get pregnant while still nursing another litter. and like you said get her spayed asap

Answer 7

Just wanted to know, but how is she doing, is there anymore or can't you see?? Good Luck :)

Answer 8

That's great that you will spay her. Keep her in the house at all times, and when she is through lactating they can fix her, and you can put the kittens in the paper after 8 wks too. Just leave her be, birth is personal and she wants to be alone, she'll open up to you when it's over.

Answer 9

since the mother cat had kittens before she knows what to do although keep an eye on her but dont touch her or move her.if she is in any sort of trouble and you dont know what to do email me on [e-mail]. i was at alot of cats birth.you dont know how long the labor will be or how much kittens she will have just keep an eye on her crouch down with a torch every 10 minutes or so. if you see a dead kitten you must remove it.

after the kittens are all poped out then leave a box beside the bed and the mother can go in thier for piece and quiet.she might move the kitten onc e they are born but may not.i say she will because she had her last kittens outside before and outdoor cats always move them.

dont let her out of the room.as she could get pregnant again so wait till 5 weeks then get her neautered.dont let her bring the kittens outside as they will turn wild and you mightened be able to catch themn to neauter them.the kittens will be easy to tame since they will be with humans.keep touching them from a few days old if mama lets you.then either give them to a nice home or keep them yourself dont let them out on the wild they will only die young with not a nice life.

email me tell me how they get on. [e-mail]

Answer 10

Not really sure how to care for a pregnant cat, but I wanted to say good luck!.. and thank you for considering bringing her to get spayed!.. That is a great thing for you to do... I suggest bringing these new born kittens to the shelter/vet as well... If they are brought to a shelter, they will at least spay/neuter them as well, and not keep adding to the over population.  

Answer 11

Most likely with her panting, she is delivering another kitten. Give her time. The other kitten that is crying is a good sign. Mom is probably still cleaning him off and he's finding his way to her teats. This is normal. After about another 4-5 hours she should be through delivering all the kittens. Leave the food and water where you have it and she will come out. If possible, use a flashlight and shine it on them to see how things are going.

Congrat's on being a kitty Grandma