Preparing for Your Cat to Give Birth

If your cat is expecting kittens, it is natural to feel both excited and nervous. While cats (queens) are usually capable of giving birth without intervention, preparing properly in advance ensures that both mother and kittens are safe, comfortable, and well cared for. This guide covers everything you need to know, buy, and do before your cat goes into labour.

Understanding the Timeline

• Gestation length: Cat pregnancy typically lasts 63–65 days, though anything between 58 and 72 days can be normal.
• Veterinary confirmation: If you suspect pregnancy, confirm it with your vet. They can estimate how far along your cat is and check her overall health.
• Signs of approaching labour: In the final week, your cat may seek secluded spots, become restless, or start nesting. Her appetite may decrease, and her body temperature may drop slightly just before labour.

Knowing the timeline allows you to prepare everything in advance.

Essential Supplies to Buy

Before your cat gives birth, gather the following items:

• Nesting box: A large cardboard box, plastic storage box, or cat bed with high sides. Line it with clean, soft blankets or towels.
• Absorbent bedding: Plenty of spare blankets and towels to replace soiled ones quickly.
• Disposable gloves: Useful for handling newborn kittens if necessary.
• Clean scissors and thread/dental floss: For emergencies only, such as cutting an umbilical cord if the mother does not.
• Heating pad or hot water bottles: Wrapped securely to keep the nest warm, but ensure kittens can move away if too hot.
• Kitten milk replacer and feeding bottles: For emergencies if the mother cannot feed her kittens.
• Kitchen scales: To weigh kittens daily and monitor growth.
• A carrier: Ready in case you need to take your cat to the vet urgently.
• Torch and notebook: To observe quietly and record the time of each birth.

Keep everything in one place so you are not searching for supplies during labour.

Preparing the Nesting Area

Your queen will need a safe, quiet place to give birth:

• Choose a warm, secluded room away from noise, children, and other pets.
• Place the nesting box in a corner with easy access for your cat.
• Introduce the box at least a week before the due date, encouraging your cat to explore it.
• Ensure the room is warm (around 24–26°C) and draught-free.
• Keep food, water, and a litter tray nearby but not too close to the nest.

Cats often prefer dark, enclosed spaces, so covering part of the box with a blanket can make it feel safer.

Supporting Your Cat Before Labour

• Nutrition: Feed high-quality kitten food throughout pregnancy and lactation to meet her increased energy needs.
• Hydration: Provide constant access to fresh water.
• Worming and flea control: Only use products recommended by your vet, as some are unsafe during pregnancy.
• Gentle exercise: Encourage light play but avoid anything too strenuous.
• Monitoring: Weigh her regularly and watch for changes in appetite or behaviour.

What to Expect During Labour

Normal labour has three stages:

1. Stage One: Restlessness, nesting behaviour, purring, and occasional vocalisation. Can last up to 24 hours.
2. Stage Two: Strong contractions and delivery of kittens, usually every 30–60 minutes.
3. Stage Three: Expulsion of the placenta, usually following each kitten.

Most cats manage without human assistance, but you should observe quietly and only intervene if something seems wrong.

When to Call the Vet

Contact your vet immediately if:

• Labour has lasted more than 24 hours without producing a kitten.
• Your cat strains strongly for over an hour without progress.
• More than two hours pass between kittens.
• A kitten is visibly stuck.
• The mother appears very weak, collapses, or bleeds heavily.
• There is foul-smelling discharge.

Having your vet’s emergency number ready is essential.

Aftercare for Mother and Kittens

Once the kittens are born:

• Allow the mother to clean them and encourage nursing.
• Check that each kitten finds a nipple and begins to feed.
• Replace soiled bedding with clean, dry blankets.
• Provide your queen with food and water close by, as she may be reluctant to leave her kittens.
• Weigh kittens daily to ensure steady growth (10–15 grams per day is normal in the first weeks).

Avoid excessive handling of newborns in the first two weeks unless necessary.

Conclusion

Preparing for your cat to give birth involves more than waiting for labour, it means creating a safe environment, gathering essential supplies, and knowing what to expect. By being ready in advance, you can reduce stress for both you and your cat and ensure she has the support she needs. With careful preparation and veterinary backup if required, your cat’s birthing experience should go smoothly, giving her kittens the best possible start in life.