Breeding Cats

Should I Breed My Purebred Cat?
The answer is: How does your cat measure up to that breeds standards? Is she/he pet quality or show quality?
What is the health and temperament of the cat? And do you have a responsible mentor to assist you? If your
participating in the cat shows and doing well, you have a healthy cat and a mentor and your willing to take full
responsibility for all offspring for their entire life (and their offspring) then I would say your in the first steps of
becoming a responsible cat breeder. If for what ever reason you can not commit to it 110% then do not do it.
If your in it for money, the miracle of birth, or just cuz fluffy is cute then please do not breed. Take the time, do it
right, do it responsibly. Never let your offspring become part of the shelter/rescue or investigation system.
I am not against breeding, I am only against irresponsible breeding. I feel if every breeder microchips their
pets and all offspring this will insure they always will be returned to the breeder in any misfortune. Learn all you
can to improve your breed of choice.

How "far along" is the queen's pregnancy? Although early and mid-term spay and abortion of pregnant cats is
common, late-term abortion is generally not done. If this is your own cat, you can estimate by the date of her
last "heat." Otherwise, a veterinarian can estimate the term for you.  
How old is the cat?  A very young cat (under one year) or an older cat (eight years and older) may have a hard
time with birth, with the possibility of deformed or stillborn kittens.
What is the cat's general physical condition? If she is in an overall good condition and in late-term pregnancy,
you may decide to let the pregnancy continue to parturition (birth), depending on other factors.
How well-equipped is your household for caring for newborn kittens? This is a huge commitment, and
everyone in your home will be involved at one point or another. If you have a "safe room" where you can
confine mother cat and kittens safely from the intrusion of other cats, dogs, small children and the like, you may
be okay. Otherwise (in the case of a stray), you should probably turn the job over to experts, such as local
rescue organizations.
How equipped are you to place the kittens and mother cat? If you are one of those families who have "plenty of
room" for more cats, and can afford the additional furballs, bless you. If you're thinking of a "free to a good
home" ad, better think again. A guest columnist wrote a helpful article for rehoming kittens, in "Have Kittens -
Will Travel."
Which is the more humane decision? In the case of a pregnant feral or stray, would it be more humane to spay
her and put her back onto the streets, or to try to rehabilitate her for placement into a new home with or without
her kittens.


CARE OF YOUR PREGNANT CAT

Estrus ("heat") is the mating period of female animals. When estrus occurs, animals are said
to be "in heat" or "in season." Cats normally have their first estrous cycle between 5 and 10
months of age, with the average age around 6 months.  

The female cat has 2-4 estrous periods every year, each lasting 15-22 days. If she is bred,
estrus seldom lasts more than 4 days.

If successful mating does not occur, estrus may last for 7-10 days and recur at 15- to 21-day
intervals. It is possible for an unmated female to cycle every 3-4 weeks indefinitely.  

Cats also have an estrous period 1-6 weeks after giving birth, so a female may be nursing
one litter while pregnant with another.

Behavior

Since there is usually no obvious vaginal discharge or swelling of the genitals during estrus
in cats, as is seen in dogs, behavioral changes are the only obvious signs that your cat is in
estrus.

A cat in estrus carries her tail to one side, keeps her  hindquarters elevated, exhibits
"treading" movements of the hind legs, and seems unusually affectionate. She spends a
good deal of time rolling on the floor and seems much more restless than usual. The cat's
voice seems more piercing than usual and she may "call" for 1-2 days before she accepts the
male.



GIVING BIRTH
As your queen nears her time for giving birth, she will exhibit a few signs that will give you clues to
the impending arrival of kittens. The first stage of labor lasts from 12 to 24 hours, and may include the
following "symptoms."

Nesting.  She may start snooping around in closets and secluded areas for an appropriate place to bear
her kittens. The time is ripe for you to prepare an area for her in a private place, with a box or basket
lined with soft towels. She may decide instead to give birth on the cold, hard floor of your bathroom, but
at least you have tried to accommodate her needs.
Increased affection.  She may suddenly become very loving, and want to be near you at all times.  Don't
be surprised though, if a previously affectionate cat becomes withdrawn and seeks solitude. Either
personality change may be completely normal.
Decreased Activity. Queenie may decide she'd rather sleep most of the time.  She may also lose interest in
food.
Milk Discharge from Nipples. Your cat's nipples will have become enlarged and pink about the third week
of pregnancy; 24 hours or so before birth, she may show a milky discharge. This discharge may come
even earlier in cats that have given birth several times.
Drop in Temperature. The normal temperature in cats is between 100.4°F and 102.5° F. A dramatic drop
in her rectal temperature is a sure indicator that birth is imminent


When to Handel kittens. Handling them increasing over time. I start out just by picking
them up for a minute every day -- checking them to make sure they look okay and giving
them some familiarity with humans. I think the socialization is best started very soon. If you
don't handle them every day you can miss signs of trouble or weight loss. They get used to
being picked up then and are more social little beings.

My cat accidentally got out! Or I let the cat out, I think she may be pregnant.
OK, gee I hate this one. So simple. Spay/Neuter your cat between the ages of 8 weeks old and 4 months and you would then only have to worry about her getting hit
by a car or something next time.
If your cat got out and he/she is not altered have them fixed ASAP, like that week. Then you wont have to sit there and guess and then when it's too late you have
kittens and several just got gassed in the shelters. Male cats face real problems as well. Male cats are more likely to fight and get a disease. And they do make babies as
well so make sure they are neutered.
You probably think I didn't answer, I know how the Internet is. The answer is Stop, call the vet and have them spay your cat with in  2 weeks. In the mean time here
are a few things you can relate to your vet.

How to tell if kitty is pregnant:
1) pinking of the nipples, starts about 15-18 days after mating,  most noticeable in first-time queens

2) palpation: as early as 14 days, but most easily between 25-30 days (when the fetuses are about 1 inch in size)

3) x-rays: best between days 38-49 when bony development in the fetuses is mature enough to
show up

4) ultrasound: about 99% accurate at 28 days, can be used as early as 14 days; also has the advantage of detecting heart beats and so determining if the fetuses are
viable

The average gestation period for a cat is 65 days.

Recognizing When Your Cat is In Heat:
Most cats have a very distinctive behavior when they are ready to be bred. They typically roll around playfully on the floor and rub their posterior against you
and the furniture. They often become vocal and try to escape outside. They stand arched with their tail strait up and their back and rear legs stiffen whenever
they are touched. Heat periods will usually last 4 to 7 days. They become longer and more frequent if the cat is not bred. A female cat will mate several times
during her heat cycle so kittens in the litter may have different fathers.

Length Of Pregnancy:
Gestation or the length of pregnancy of a cat averages 64 days. It is generally between 62 and 67 days or about nine or ten weeks. When litters are large, length
is often less. When litters are small, the length of the pregnancy may increase.

Parasite Control:
Cats that are bred should be negative for intestinal parasites. Bring a sample of their stool by your local veterinarian for a parasite check prior to breeding... If
not, it should be wormed at least twice with pyrantel pamoate before it is bred. Mother cats that have intestinal worms can pass these worms on to their kittens
through the womb and through their milk. Some of the cats that do this are negative on fecal examinations because the parasites are encysted in their muscles.
This is particularly true of cats that live in kennels with many other cats. When kenneled cats are involved the kittens should be wormed at six, nine and eleven
weeks of age with pyrantel pamoate.

Flea control is especially important once the kittens are born. Since Frontline, Advantage and Advantix have warning about their use in pregnant animals, I
would skip application of these products during pregnancy and resume again when the kittens are born. Do not apply these products to the newborn kittens - just
pick any fleas off of them with tweezers and place the fleas into a jar of alcohol. During pregnancy rely on methoprene premises sprays to control fleas.

Diet:
Late pregnancy and nursing vastly increase the nutritional needs of cats. Nursing mothers require even more nutrients than growing cats. The first six weeks of
pregnancy the mother should not eat more than its usual pre-pregnancy amount. But starting at the sixth week the cat's weight and appetite should begin to
increase. Start to put down twenty-five percent more food. I like to switch the mother over to a diet designed for kittens and growing cats at this time but she
should do well on any high-quality cat chow that is marketed for all life stages. Because the kittens are pressing against her internal organs the mother may not
be able to eat as much at one sitting as before her pregnancy. Feed her several small meals instead of one or two large ones or better still, keep her food out at
all times. Be sure plenty of clean water is available at all times. There is no need to give a vitamin or mineral supplement. If the cat begins to loose weight
despite being offered the added food, supplement her diet with canned cat food. As pregnancy progresses the expectant mother will eat more and more. Give
her all that she desires unless she has a tendency to get fat as some cats do. There is no need for a vitamin supplement if name brand foods are fed.

The time after the kittens are born begins the most nutritionally challenging time in a cat's life: Her food consumption will steadily increase over 20 to 30 days
following birth as the kittens grow and nurse more and more. By the time the first month is over, the mother should be eating two or four times the amount of food
she ate before she became pregnant Give her all she wants to eat. If she begins to become too thin you can encourage her to eat by moistening the food or
supplement it with more flavorful canned cat food.

The Pregnancy Examination:
For the first two or three weeks of pregnancy you probably will not notice any changes in your cat other than the lack of repeated heat cycles. Around the fifth
week of pregnancy the mother's abdomen will begin to swell. Queens with small litters take longer to 'show' than mothers with a larger litter.

When the expectant mother is about thirty days pregnant schedule an appointment with your veterinarian if the cat was not examined prior to becoming
pregnant. This will be a "wellness" examination at which time the veterinarian will either palpate and confirm that kittens are present manually or by use of an
ultrasound apparatus. Ultrasound can detect kittens as early as the 14-15 day of pregnancy. Ultrasound will detect fetal heartbeats after day 24.By thirty days the
cat's nipples should begin to swell. Some veterinarians suggest an X-ray of the mother three weeks prior to delivery to count the number of kittens so you will
know when labor is over and all the kittens are out. I do not feel that exposing the dog to radiation for this procedure is warranted.

Exercise:
Regular exercise and walks will help your pregnant cat keep her muscle tone and general health. Obesity is potential danger in pregnant cats when delivery
time comes so control any tendency to fatness with exercise and careful attention to her revised caloric needs. It is much safer to restrict diet before the cat
becomes pregnant than after. During the final three weeks of pregnancy the mother should be separated from other cats in the household as well as cats from
outside the family. pregnant cat pregnancy cat

Preparing For The Kittens:
Prepare a room for the birth to occur. This room should have an impervious floor that makes cleaning easy. It should not be drafty and should be in a quite area
of the home. Prepare a bed for the cat, a laundry basket lined with towels or unused clothes works well. Get her used to using it. If the mother won't stay in it, you
can encourage her to by petting her and giving her small food snacks. You can lead her to the designated nursing area when labor begins but don't expect her
to stay there. She will almost certainly have her kittens outside of the pre-assigned area, let her. When she has completed the delivery, move them all into the
designated bed. Cats don't like to be bothered when they are having their kittens. There is no need for you to spend time comforting her. After the birth of the first
few kitten, the mother usually is preoccupied with her babies and not as upset at your presence. Give her the space she needs, but keep checking in on her
regularly. It is quite possible that you will miss the birth process entirely. You will probably wake up one morning or return from work only to find you have a brand
new litter of offspring contentedly nursing on their mom. If your nursery room is not warm enough, you can warmer it by wrapping a heating pad in a towel,
setting it on "low," and placing it under one half of the nursery bed. This allows the mother and kittens to move away from the heat source if they choose to.
Read my articles on birthing and caring for newborn kittens: http://www.2ndchance.info/orphankitten.htm and http://www.2ndchance.info/felinelabor.htm

When labor is eminent the mother's appetite will disappear. By their third or fourth week the kittens should be starting to eat on their own. Encourage them to eat
solids by themselves in order to remove the stress of milk production from the mother. By six to eight weeks the babies should be fully weaned so the mother's
food can revert back to the amount she ate prior to pregnancy. When you wean the offspring you help the mother's milk supply to dry up. Do this by withholding
food and only offering her half the water she normally consumes. The following day, give her only a quarter of her pre-pregnancy food supply and one half the
water. From the second day on give her all the water she wants. Slowly increase her food over five days until it is back to her prepregnancy level. If she has lost
weight during the pregnancy adjust her food intake upward to make up the lost weight. pregnant

Bedding For The Birthing Box

The queen is pregnant. A week or two before her due date you want to get her accustomed to the place where she will have her babies -
her birthing box. Where shall that be?
Confinement
In the "old days" pregnant woman were expected to remain home - and their due date was actually referred to as confinement. While
woman have made great bounds in making pregnancy a part of their normal, everyday routine, for the safety of the queen and her kittens,
you will need to restrict her lifestyle prior to having her babies. Confinement may mean a small room such as a bathroom or bedroom, a
playpen or a roomy cage. See the article Caging Mommy-To-Be.
Birthing Box Options
Once you have the queen confined, you need to provide her with an inviting birthing box in which to have her kittens. The box will need to be
safe and strong enough to contain mother and kittens, easily cleaned and disinfected and comfortable in size for your breed.
The most usual options include a:
·        Cardboard Box
·        Plastic Sweater Box
·        Large Litter Pan
Once you have chosen a birthing box, you next need to pick out a bedding.
What Makes Good Bedding?
The queen is now confined and comfortable in her birthing box.
Suitable bedding for the birthing box needs to have certain characteristics.
It needs to:
·        Be Absorbent
·        Stay In Place
·        Inexpensive To Replace
·        Washable or Disposable
·        Nothing for Claws To Catch On
·        Enough Traction For A Kitten to Push Off To Crawl
·        Not so deep or fluffy that a kitten can get caught or smothered in it
Popular Bedding Options
The most popular option to use as bedding in the cat's birthing box are:
·        Newspapers
·        Shredded Paper
·        Towels
·        Blankets
·        Disposable Incontinent Pads
While all these choices are acceptable, each had different advantages or disadvantages.
Newspapers
Advantages: Newspapers are inexpensive, readily available, absorbent and disposable.
Disadvantages: They provide no cushioning or traction. Easy to disturb while nesting. newsprint can rub off, especially when wet. The liquid
is not drawn away from the female unless there are many, many layers.
Shredded Paper
Advantages: Besides being inexpensive, readily available if you (or your office) own a shedding machine, absorbent and disposable,
shredded paper does provide some cushioning and allows wet areas to be absorbed more easily than newspaper sheets.
Disadvantages: You will need a paper shredder to provide sufficient quantities. Loose shredded paper scatters easily and a kitten may
become "lost" and separated from its mother.
Suggestions: If you choose to use shredded paper, stuff a pillow case with the shredded paper and close it with a safety pin. This makes
is easy to contain the paper and to keep it clean and soft and cozy for the mom-cat.
Disposable Incontinent Pads
Advantages: Very absorbent, easy to cut to fit the birthing box, disposable, soft, texture for traction, Sanitary. Tends to remain in place.
Disadvantages: Expensive
Suggestions: Use 4-5 layers when mom is in labor and for a couple of days after delivery when she still might be spotting. Disposable
chair pads that are used for incontinent people are the right size. My favorite brands are Depends and CVS brand. Layer them in the
kittening box and as they are soiled during delivery just slide out a layer, leaving a nice, clean, dry one on top. After kittening is complete, I
leave 5-6 layers of pads in the box, pulling one out about twice a day and then replacing a few as needed.
Towels
Advantages: Absorbent, easily washed and bleached. Towels tend to be heavy enough that they tend to remain in place except with the
most active of nesting behavior.
Disadvantages: Nails can catch in the loops of the toweling. Use towels with clipped rather than looped weave.
Suggestion: The hotel-type towel mats fir perfectly in a sweater box when folded in half Their low pile and heavier weight make ideal
birthing box mats with good footing for both mother and babies. Purchase white ones so you can bleach them regularly.
Blankets
Advantages: Soft, warm, texture. Easy to launder.
Disadvantages: Expensive. Depending on type, may be too bulky.
Suggestions: Buy inexpensive blankets. Cut them to fit the birthing box. Place several layers. If they tend to separate, pin them together. Do
not sew then together as you will prefer them separate for laundering.
Nesting
Often an expectant mother cat will begin to "nest" as her delivery time approaches.
This is type of mom who insists on scratching up her bedding even after the
babies were born. She may end up burying her babies in the bedding or happily nursing a single kitten on the bare floor of the box while
the rest of the litter would be buried somewhere in the bedding.
Sometimes, you may have to "rearrange" your bedding to suit the mother kitty who wants to do her own "redecorating".
The solution to the over-nesting mom-cat is to choose blanket or towels as bedding. Cut the material to the correct size to fit the box.
Layered three or four pieces of together then use a large needle to thread a length of heavyweight nylon string
through each corner of the blanket pad. Punch two small holes low in each corner of the birthing box and thread the ends of the string
through the box. You can now tie each corner of the blanket to the corners of the box. Dig as she might, the mother kitty will no longer be
able to pull up the padding.Make several "pads" so you can replace one while laundering the other.
Extras in the Birthing Box
Some breeders prefer to include a heating pad at one end of the box for warmth when mom is out of the box. Never have a heating pad that
covers the floor of the birthing box as there will be a danger that the mom and kittens will become too warm. If you have a heating pad in
one corner of the box, kittens can seek warmth as they need it, such as if their mother leaves them to eat or use the litter box.

Birthing Problems In Cats


It is kitten season. The breedings have been arranged. The girls are pregnant. The calendars have been marked.
The birthing box has been made ready... and now you wait anxiously for labor to begin.
While most births go off without a hitch, occasionally a female may need help to deliver a kitten... and it is up to the
breeder to know what is a normal delivery... and what is not.
The breeder needs to know what the problem might be and what help is needed.
The breeder needs to be able to evaluate if the help needed is within their own skills as a mid-wife... or if it is time to
contact a veterinarian.
Normal Timing of the Births
The first kitten born usually takes longer than subsequent kittens. This is especially true of a first-time mother cat.
There are several stages the female body must pass through in order to deliver a kitten - and that takes time. It takes
time for the cat's system to get into the "birthing mode" for the first kitten. After the first successful delivery, the body is
already prepared for the next one.
Usually once a queen has given birth to her first kitten the next kitten will follow shortly thereafter.
Kittens seem often to come in twos. One kitten is born - then a second arrives within 10-15 minutes of the first. This is
because one kitten lines up from one horn of the uterus and the second kitten comes from the other horn slightly
behind the first. It is somewhat like two lines of traffic merging onto a freeway by cars alternating :-)
There may then be a pause of up to 1-2 hours and the next "pair" will come quickly. This may be because once the first
"pair" of kittens have moved into position to be born it takes more contractions for the next 2 to get into position.
Commonly after several kittens have been born, the mother will cease straining and rest quite happily, suckling those
kittens already born. She may accept food and drink and is in every way completely content, except there are more
babies yet to come.
This resting stage may last 2-4 hours or up to 24-36 hours. Then labor begins again and the remainder of the litter is
born. This perfectly normal behavior accounts for the times when a breeder thinks the female has finished having her
babies and so goes to bed only to wake up in the morning to find another kitten has arrived!
Danger Signs That There is a Birthing Problem
How do you tell when the labor is falling with the bounds of "acceptable" and when you need to be concerned that there
may be a problem?
It is important for you to know the signs that there may be a problem. You must be concerned:
1.        If a queen has strong contractions for over an hour without producing a kitten.
2.        If a kitten is at the opening of the vulva but fails to come out despite strong contractions.
3.        If after prolonged contractions, they suddenly stop and the queen appears exhausted.
4.        If the queen is visibly upset or distressed - especially if she is an experienced mother.
Birthing Problems Related to the Queen
Uterine Inertia
Uterine inertia occurs when the uterus fails or stops contractions during labor. True physiological uterine inertia is
relatively rare in cats. Inertia as a result of "nerves" on the part of the mother-to-be is more common. The female may
become extremely apprehensive during the first stage of labor - and all progress ceases. The cat may be visibly
distressed, crying and not wanting to be left alone.
Remaining by her side, soothing and petting and encouraging her to relax will help. If she continues to be distressed
you need to contact your veterinarian who may administer a light sedative to calm her down enough for her to deliver
her kittens normally. Occasionally a caesarian section may be necessary. While first-time mothers may be
understandably distressed by the delivery process if a queen exhibits hysterical uterine inertia a second time, she
should be removed from your breeding program.
Torsion of the Uterus
Torsion is the slight twisting of the uterus within the abdomen of the cat, cutting off its blood supply and making delivery
of the kittens impossible. While the cause of the twisting is usually unknown it may be the result of a jumping movement
by the queen or any violent action which causes a swinging motion to the uterus that is heavy with the weight of the
kittens. This is an excellent reason why as a queen nears the end of her term (and especially if she is very large with
kittens), you may need to consider confining her to prevent her from jumping from heights or being too physically active.
Signs of a problem may include continual straining without producing a kitten. If you place a finger inside the birth canal,
you may find resistance.
Torsion of the uterus requires immediate veterinary intervention.
Rupture of the Uterus
Rupture of the uterus is quite rare. It can be the result of violent straining if a kitten is stuck. Occasionally it is caused by
an accidental external knock or bang against the abdomen.
Signs will include shock, pale gums and obvious distress.
If you suspect a ruptured uterus your must seek immediate veterinary help.
Uterine Inertia Due To Exhaustion
Uterine inertia from exhaustion of the uterus can occur following a particularly difficult birth.
A kitten is often partially delivered when the queen's contraction cease completely. The kitten will not survive (especially
if it is a breech birth) unless help is given to deliver the kitten immediately.
Initial signs of uterine inertia include restless, exhaustion and tiredness. The queen may appear glassy-eyed or
non-responsive.
Abnormalities of the Birth Canal or Pelvis
Abnormalities of the birth canal or pelvis can make normal delivery of kitten impossible and may necessitate a
C-section. Any female cat with such a problem should be retired from breeding.
Birthing Problems Related to the Individual Kitten
The Too-Large Kitten
Occasionally a kitten is simply too large for the birth canal. This is more likely to happen in a litter of just one or two
kittens where they had a lot of room to grow in the uterus. If the kitten is born head first it may become "stuck" with its
head outside its mother with the body and shoulders too large to come out. The skilled breeder may be able to perform
an episiotomy - slightly cutting the birth opening to allow it to stretch to deliver the kitten.
The Head Is Too Large
Persians and Exotics have heads that are not only larger than the average kitten's but they are also distinctly less
aerodynamic. The head does not taper to a nice wedge shape which would tend to help the kitten pass through the
birth canal (like a prow of a ship cuts through water).
Poor Presentation (head or tail first)
Kittens are born both head and tail first - and both are perfectly normal presentations. There is a problem however with
the tail first or breech birth position. While many times a breech birth occurs quickly and without incident, if delivery is
delayed for any reason there is a risk of the kitten suffocating when the maternal blood supply is cut off by separation of
the placenta but before the kitten's nose is free to breath air.
In the case of a breech birth, the breeder should help facilitate the birth by grasping the skin on the back of the kitten
and pulling out and slightly down. A baby facecloth or cheesecloth can also be used to wrap around the kitten to give
you some traction to lightly grasp its body to help pull it out.
Poor Positioning (rotated)
Prior to entering the birth canal a kitten rotates to get into the proper position to be born. The correct position, whether
the kitten is head or tail first, is for the kitten to have its tummy face down relative to its mother and its back facing up.
Occasionally a kitten may be turned slightly sideways as it enters the birth canal. This slight rotation may cause a
problem and slow down its delivery. If legs, nose or tail of the kitten seem out of alignment - tilted to one side - it may be
necessary for you to slightly rotate the kitten into the proper position. Try grasping the skin and gently turning the kitten
to help it straighten.
Poor Posture
Ideally, as a kitten enters the birth canal, both front legs are lined up on either side of its head so the head and forelegs
are all are pointing "towards the light". Sometimes however at the point where the kitten enters the opening of the
maternal pelvis one or both legs may become deflected to the side. The deflected leg actually acts like a stopper,
preventing the rest of the body from entering the opening. The kitten is well and truly stuck.
If the breeder inserts a finger into the vagina in this case you can often feel a head and one leg but not the other.
You may be able to gently push the kitten backwards until the wayward leg can line up properly. If you cannot get the
leg back into the correct position a C-section may be required.
Lack of Stimulating Movement by the Kitten
Movement by the kitten in the birth canal helps to stimulate strong contractions by the queen in labor. If the kitten has
died prior to birth, the lack of its movement can result in poor or weak contractions on the part of the queen, slowing
down the entire birthing process.
Conclusion
Most births are uneventful.
Occasionally there can be a problem so you should always attend a queen when she is in labor.
Like many things in life, experience is a great teacher. After you have observed the delivery of many litters you will
develop an instinct for when things are proceeding acceptably and when there is a problem.
First time breeders will benefit greatly from the "mid-wife-ing" advice of an experienced cat breeder.
Trust your instincts - and learn from your mistakes.
When in doubt, contact your veterinarian.

With her due date fast approaching... what's next?

 CONTACT YOUR VET IF:·        labor is erratic or prolonged ·        your queen has strong,
continuous contractions without producing a kitten ·        despite continued contraction, only one part/leg of a kitten is
showing ·        abnormal bleeding occurs ·        the queen is distressed and seems to be trying to tell you something ·      
  labor is not progressing as you expected ·        labor is finished but you have not accounted for all placentas As the
kittens are delivered, count the number of corresponding placentas that are delivered. Once ALL kittens are delivered,
and the placentas are all accounted for, a dose of 2-5 Units of Oxytocin is recommended (depending on the strength of
the Oxytocin) to contract the uterus and limit bleeding. If all placentas are not accounted for, call the vet for instructions.
Once counted, you may allow the cat to eat one or all placentas, as it does help her replace any blood loss & does
provide a source of natural hormones and vitamins that can be helpful. It is, however, not essential that she eat them.