QUESTION

My cat is about to give birth and we are unsure as what to do. Please can you tell me what happens and what to do in case of and problems as she is only 9 months. Thanks
Ruth

ANSWER

Dear Ruth
Cats having kittens at 9 months should not pose much of a problem. The kittens should be born around 63 days post mating and are normally delivered within 1-2 hours of each previous one. They can however delay the contractions when feeling stressed and there can be up to 2 days between kittens with them being alive. My advice is allow the cat to find somewhere secure and the just give her support as required and let nature take its course. The less you interfere with the process the more likelihood the kittens are born without problems. When the cat has finished she will usually settle well without panting etc. When more kittens are coming she will usually be panting and restless. If she has been pushing for 2 hours and not producing then you should take her to the vet.

Check that you have a vet locally who is on call 24 hours a day and is happy to treat you in the middle of the night if needed.

The cat herself would be now on kitten food ad lib and the kittens should be weaned onto the same so that the mother can produce milk properly and not lose weight. You do not need any other nutritional supplements to help as long as you feed a good quality food like Hills growth.

Paul Wilson