In the second stage of labor, contractions become stronger and more visible and you may note a small amount of clear, tan or blood-tinged vaginal discharge.
When to worry during birth. If your cat starts to bleed either bright red blood, a large volume of blood, or clotted red blood. Passing a small amount of pinkish-clear fluid, or even a small amount of red blood, is normal, but anything more than that can indicate a problem.
You'll know when your cat is ready to give birth if they start experiencing nervousness, nesting, or they have a bloody discharge. The discharge is typically a sign your cat will give birth in the next 12 to 24 hours.
Bring her to the vet; she may need to be spayed right away. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is not normal and suggests that she is aborting the litter. If this is occurring late in pregnancy (the 8th week) she may be delivering the litter prematurely and a cesarean section is likely necessary.
Signs of cat labour problems
If gentle traction on the trapped kitten causes the queen pain. Your cat is depressed, lethargic or has a fever (rectal temperature >39.4°C, >103°F). There is fresh blood loss from her vulva for more than ten minutes.
Your cat is domesticated, so she may not have all of the instincts of a “wild” cat; however, most cats require no intervention at all while giving birth. In fact, your cat may purposely seek out solitude when she goes into labor.
This could be a urinary tract infection or vaginal infection. If she is not spayed, this could be her in heat. It would be best for your vet to look at her and start her on antibiotics to clear up this infection.
So-called interrupted labour is common enough in the cat to be considered a normal occurrence.
Vaginal bleeding can be caused by a normal heat cycle, uterine infection (also called pyometra), trauma, or a clotting abnormality. Nasal bleeding. A cat nose bleed can be caused by trauma, a tumor in the nasal cavity, or from an infection.
If a cat has experienced a miscarriage, the most common thing an owner notices is abnormal and extended vaginal bleeding. There may also be an abnormal amount of discharge. An expelled fetus may be found, especially if the cat was in the late trimester.
LABOR STAGE I
Nesting behavior begins. This is the time to place her in the queening box (hopefully she is already accustomed to the box). After getting settled in the queening box, you may notice her dragging clothing or fabric to the area to form a comfortable bed.
It usually takes 4-16 hours for all kittens to be born, but it can take longer. WARNING: contact your vet if your cat has been straining for 20-30 minutes without producing a kitten, is crying out in pain, or you are concerned at any point.
The mother will have a bloody vaginal discharge for several days following delivery. If it continues for longer than one week, your veterinarian should examine her, since she might be experiencing postpartum complications such as a retained placenta.
Licking, pacing, howling, and chirping
You might notice your cat licking her genitalia frequently – There is a discharge from the cat's vulva a few hours before birth starts.
If your cat has had stillborn kittens, take them to the vet. Your vet will want to run tests on your cat to ensure she doesn't have a viral or bacterial infection that could affect the rest of the litter. Your vet will also want to examine the living kittens to ensure they're healthy.
The purring is thought to be a self-relaxation technique. The second stage of labor is when the fetuses are pushed out by uterine contractions. In cats the average length of full parturition (delivery) is 16 hours, with a range of 4–42 hours (up to three days in some cases may be normal).
Step 1: Grasp the kitten with a clean towel. Step 2: Applying steady traction, gently pull the kitten at a slight downward angle. Continue pulling gently and steadily until the kitten is delivered. Step 3: If you are unable to remove the kitten, or if the mother is uncooperative, contact the veterinarian immediately.
Urogenital tract infections, such as a urinary tract infection or an infected uterus (pyometra), may result in an opaque purulent discharge from the vulva. Neoplasia (cancer) of the urogenital tract may cause bloody, mucousy or purulent vaginal discharge.
Cats are very good at looking after themselves during labor, so try to avoid fussing over her; checking on her every 15 minutes is perfectly fine. If she feels stressed in any way, she will interrupt her own labor and prevent delivery for hours, or even days!
And while your cat might decide for herself where she wants to give birth, it's a good idea to set up a nesting box or area in a quiet part of the house. You can use a large cardboard box with low sides, making it easy for your cat to step in and out, or simply put down soft, clean bedding.
However, birth difficulties that include mechanical blockage and uterine inertia occur in some cats. Sometimes mechanical blockage happens when the kittens' diameter is too wide for the queen's birth canal diameter. Uterine inertia could come about when the uterus is too weak to contract.
The new mom usually chews through the umbilical cord on her own, but if she doesn't then you will need to step in and cut it. You should tie it in two areas off around an inch from the kitten's body and cut between the ties with the sterilised scissors, crushing it as you do to minimize bleeding.
The mother will be extremely protective. Kittens that young are vulnerable to infection and disease and you may harm them by picking them up too soon. Once they reach two weeks of age, it is a good idea to introduce them to humans and touch (weeks two to seven are a good time for socialisation).