How Kittens Are Born

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This page is to help teach and show how a litter of kittens are born. It is actually pictures of one of our sphynx having kittens. In this litter one of the kittens became our baby Grand Ch. Dalpat's Hot Wild Illusions and Dalpat's Catch The Fire of Endeavor. Just thought you would like to know what became of some of the kittens. When a cat has kittens it is called Queening. The normal length of time a cat is pregnant is about 63 days to 65 days. Usually your veterinarian can determine if you cat is pregnant by carefully palpating her abdomen 3-4 weeks after she is bred.

When Queen becomes pregnant we will have her get use to her queening home one to two weeks before having kittens, so she will feel relaxed in her new situation. We seperate the mother and kittens for their safety from germs or picking anything up from the other adult cats. Our females sleep with us and our bed is the place that they like to have their kittens. We usually get a large blanket or comforter and they will usually lay on it through the whole delievery.

If you want to know more precisely when delivery is near, check the rectal temperature of your cat twice daily from the 58th day of pregnancy until labor begins. Normally rectal temperature varies between 100.5 and 102 F. When the rectal temperature drops below 100 F for two readings in a row, labor will follow within 12 hours.

Here is our mother getting comfortable on the bed we had made her.

When the mother starts her labor she will come very resless and shift in all different ways to get confortable.

Next the contractions and expulsion of the fetus begins. Usually a small greenish sac of fluid protrudes first from the vulva. You can see this in the pictures below. The mother will lick until she breaks this sac.

The queen will relax and then start contractions up again and will be followed by the fetus and its attached placenta. Sometimes the placenta will detached and will be passed later. It's always important to count the placenta and make sure every one of them has been passed or she will need a clean out shot. It is a good precaution to take the queen to the vet the next morning and have her checked out and see if he suggest to have a clean out shot anyway. The kitten is nose first, stomach down. Some; however are delivered hind quarters first. This is not uncommon and is considered normal in cats and this is what happened here. You will see her pass the kitten, starting with the hind legs protuding first. If the sac would break then the kitten should be gently pulled to save the kitten as the kitten will not be able to breathe once the sac is broke. After delivery, the mother opens the sac, cleans off the newborn and severs the umbilical cord. You may have to do these functions for the mother. Make sure the sac is removed from the fetus immediately if it is unbroken during delivery.

Some females as our's love our touch and while contracting we rub her belly in a circular motion during the contractions. A resting stage, which will follow each delivery. Mild contractions and delivery of the afterbirth occur in this phase. This stage usually lasts 10-30 minutes, but it may range from a few seconds to an hour before the next kitten starts to come.

Usually the kitten will go and start nursing immediately, which will also help bring on more contractions for the next kitten to come.

Our female repeated this five times and presented us with five lovely kittens. Three girls and two boys as you can see below.

After a fetus is delivered, remove all membranes covering the newborn, clean the face and remove mucus from the mouth and nose. Rub the kitten with a clean towel to dry it and to stimulate respiration and circulation. After a few minutes of rubbing, the newborn should begin to squirm and cry loudly.

The umbilical cord should be tied about an inch from the body with fine thread or dental floss and then cut on the side of the knot away from the body. Apply a drop of iodine to the cord end after it is cut.

Your kitten may be in trouble if she is having abdominal contractions for more than an hour without delivering or between delivery of a fetus. Call your veterinarian for assistance.

If a fetus seems to be lodged in the birth canal and the mother cannot expel it, rapid assistance is necessary. There may not be time to call your veterinarian and drive to the hospital. Grasp the fetus with a clean towel and exert steady, firm traction out of the birth canal and curving down between the mothers legs. Do not jerk or pull suddenly. Traction may have to be applied for as long as 5 minutes. If you cannot remove the kitten, call your veterinarian's office.

Hope you enjoyed learning how a kitten is born and we are enjoying our five kittens that our Ch. Sundancenbare Hot Hot Wildfire of Dalpat gave to us.

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