Cat - You're Having A Kitten!

So you're having kittens! Well, your mama cat, or "Queen", as a pregnant cat is referred to, is. Our cat recently had kittens, and after extensive research on the net for tips on what to expect, I found that experience is the best teacher. With that said, hopefully these tips of our cats' birth will help with your own experience. The Basics: As mentioned, a pregnant cat is called a Queen. The gestation period for a Queen is approximately 56-63 days. A queen typically will have anywhere from two to six kittens, sometimes more. Our cat had three. Several factors determine the litter size including age of the Queen, body size, how many male cats mated with her, and heredity. Provided your Queen has a normal pregnancy, caring for her should be as normal. Ensure she always has access to fresh water and plenty of food. It's recommended that she be offered kitten food as that has a higher calorie count and extra nutrition her body will need. As well, continue to offer kitten food while she is nursing. Allow her plenty of space to exercise, especially outside, if possible. Keep her moving and in shape for the birth and nursing period. If she has a favorite area of the house, prepare it beforehand with towels, old clothes and similiar. Her birthing area is subject to change, though, the closer she comes to beginning labor. With our cat, she chose her spot mere minutes before her first kitten was born. I'd prepared a space in my closet, and in a big box, but she chose under my bed and would not have her kittens elsewhere. Keep her litter box nearby and her food and water, if possible. Mother cats who are attentive and interested in their kittens will not be away from them for very long. Pre-Labor: Within a few days before active labor begins, your Queen's behavior may change. She may do a total one-eighty. If she seemed aloof and independant, she may become especially loving, clingy and needy, wanting to be held and be near you. If she was the cuddly type beforehand, she may become distant and want to be alone. You'll know birth is but a few days away if she changes her behaviors. Her appetite may decrease. This is perfectly normal. Continue to offer food and fresh water. Labor and Delivery: The day of labor, you likely will see marked changes in your Queen's behavior. She may meow, or speak loudly and frequently, and may act a bit frantic. She'll also likely be searching for her nest. It's best to allow her to birth where she chooses, unless that area is not safe. Wherever she chooses, she'll likely keep the kittens there for several days to weeks, although, if she's like our cat, she may move them a few times. Right before the birth of the first kitten, you'll see greenish liquid. This is normal, and she'll clean it up. When you see this, you'll know birth is but minutes or a few hours away. You'll know what she needs- if she wants to be left alone, or if she wants you near. With our cat, I allowed her to give birth to the first kitten on my bed, with plenty of towels. She loved it when I gently stroked her belly. I talked to her and helped her if she needed it. Prepare to be very excited if you've never witnessed a live birth before! Don't be away too long if you wish to see it, because once labor is in full force, the baby will come out fast! First you'll see a dark and wet ball. That is the kitten in the sac. Once the kitten is out, there's nothing you can do but watch. Mama will cut the sac open, eat it and lick the baby to stimulate it to breathe. Don't be alarmed when you don't see the baby breathing in the first few minutes. If more than 4-5 minutes pass and the baby is not responsive, immediately contact your vet. The mother will sever the umbilical cord and deliver the placenta, which she will eat. It's rich in nutrients and there is nothing for you to do until she delivers her litter. Then, you can quietly clean up and let her be provided all is well. After her litter is delivered, and you are certain kittens and mother are doing well, you can leave her be. The kittens will nurse on their own and mama will continue to make sure they remain alert and well. Stay nearby if possible for the first day or so, and keep her food and water close by. Enjoy your new family and expect many changes in the coming weeks! LifeWriter is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacqui_Odell Cat - Cat Behavior- Cat Fights Cats fights can happen for many reasons. As an owner it can be very distressing to see your cats fight each other. Fortunately there are some simple measures you can take to prevent it from happening again. There are lots of reasons for two cats to fight. One of the most common reasons is a new cat that was introduced into the house fighting with the older cats. This a normal response, because cats were once wild animals and needed to defend their territories from other cats. Dogs live in packs so a social hierarchy is a normal thing. Cats normally live life alone not in packs so when you put a bunch together in a house there is bound to be some stress. It is normal for new animals to fight or at least show some aggression towards each other but there are some things you can do. When introducing new cats into your house, try to isolate the new cat in a room by itself for a couple of days so it gets used to the smell of the house. Also by keeping the cats separated by a door they can smell each other from underneath the door which allows them to get used to each others scents. Different scents is a big reason why cats and other animals fight or may not accept each other. This is way a period of separation between a door is a good idea. For many people when thy take an animal to the vet and bring it home the other cats won't accept him simply because he has a strange scent on him. Normally if an animal had surgery at the veterinary clinic the scent from the alcohol or betadine can stay with an animal causing the other animals to not accept the cat. If your new cats are fighting, only allow them supervised contact by you and only allow brief contact. Once the initial hissing dies down, and both cats have been in the house for few weeks they should accept each other.