The appearance of offspring in a beloved pet is always an important event. If the animal is going to give birth for the first time, it excites even more. How to know exactly what “has already begun”? How do cats behave before childbirth? Do I need help? All this should be known before the time "X" has come, in order to be fully armed at the right moment.
What happens to the cat
The main sign of an approaching event is the behavior of the cat before childbirth. Changes begin in about a day. The main "events" occur in the uterus, accompanied by pain. It should be borne in mind that similar manifestations are characteristic not only for ordinary childbirth, but also for premature and miscarriage. The difference between pathology and the normal course of events is the time frame. Normally, everything goes pretty quickly.
In order to have time to help the animal, you need to know how cats behave before childbirth and what happens to them. Often, immediately before birth, a clot of mucus from the cervix appears. This is not easy to notice, as it often occurs during bowel movements. In addition, the animal is constantly licking, so most hosts simply miss this moment. Fighting is also a sign of an approaching birth , which can be seen even without palpation. After about half an hour, the first kitten should exit.
Cat behavior
Knowing when labor is about to begin, it is very important to carefully monitor the animal. The way cats behave before giving birth will help to provide assistance correctly. In addition to biological signs, behavioral changes also appear: the animal bends its back, tries to spend all the time nearby with the owner. If a place is not ready for her, she tries to make a nest. If it is already ready, the animal, the birth of which will begin in the near future, will attract the owner there, hoping that he can help. That is why it is important not only to observe how cats behave before childbirth, but also to know the date of birth. At this estimated time, do not leave the animal unattended.
Preparation for childbirth
Help the cat is not only to learn how cats behave before childbirth, but also to prepare a convenient nest. To do this, a special house for cats or a clean box that does not emit any odors is suitable. The box should be large enough to accommodate the entire cat family. The walls should be high enough, it is desirable to cover the top by cutting the entrance to the side of the box. Thus, the house should be dry, clean and dark. In this case, the cat should be able to enter and exit at any time convenient for her.
A soft cloth should be placed inside. At the same time, it should not be too soft so that the kittens could not get confused. Before giving birth, it is worth leaving hard tissue in the nest - this way you can track the approach of childbirth. In the usual state, the animal will not lie on such a hard one, while before the birth it will not care.
Important: if the cat doesn’t even leave the uncomfortable “nest”, then the time has come.
Necessary materials
Most often, animals independently cope with the appearance of offspring. However, if this is the first birth of a cat at home, the signs and behavior of cats indicate their approach, you should prepare materials that may come in handy:
- sterile gloves;
- soft wipes;
- antiseptic;
- scissors with round ends, previously sterilized;
- oxytocin in ampoules, syringe;
- petroleum jelly;
- medical thread.
Not every cat needs help before giving birth. How she behaves in this case - makes it clear about the need for intervention in the process. Use drugs should only be in extreme cases. If the contractions are weak or last very long, an oxytocin injection is needed.
Help animal
It is important to know that most animals cope with childbirth on their own. Observing the birth of a cat, signs, stages, help should be provided only in emergency situations. An injection of oxytocin is done in 0.2 cubes. However, it is recommended to do this only after the birth of a second kitten. More than once every 40 minutes, oxytocin should not be injected.
Complications in these animals are rare enough, but you should be prepared for them:
- If the kitten’s head appeared, but the rest of the parts are in no hurry, it’s worth trying to lubricate the visible parts of the cub and the genitals of the cat with petroleum jelly.
- If after birth the cat does not try to break the fetal bladder for more than a minute, you need to do it yourself. In order for the newborn to breathe, it is bent so that the hind legs touch the chest. If necessary, it should be bent several times.
- If the last has not left after the appearance of the kitten, you need to remove it yourself.
- If the kitten is too large or incorrectly positioned, it is mandatory to call a veterinarian. Attempts to independently provide assistance can lead to the death of not only the fetus, but also the mother.
- If the animal does not have enough strength for further births, if the contractions are too weak, they need to be stimulated with oxytocin.
Sometimes the discharge during childbirth is too intense with an admixture of blood, the animal has lost orientation, consciousness is clouded, the temperature rises - it is urgent to call a specialist. If this does not work out, you need to get a consultation by phone - the doctor will advise what to do in this situation.
After childbirth
Immediately after the kittens are born, it is necessary to maintain a high temperature in the house - not lower than 29 C. Over the next 30 days, it is worth lowering it slowly, bringing it closer to room temperature: 3 degrees every week. If the temperature in the house is above 29, there is no need to take additional measures.
It is important to monitor the nutrition of the mother - it must be balanced and complete. It is worth considering that the cat needs to feed the cubs, so you should give special food for lactating animals.