During birth, your queen will "cry" and sound distressed, which is completely normal. You can expect to see a kitten every 10 to 60 minutes, and it's likely your cat will eat the placentas and chew through the kittens' umbilical cords.
Restlessness – Around 24-48 hours before the birth, your pregnant cat may appear restless or anxious, pacing around her nesting area. Vocalisation – She might begin to meow and cry out more than usual. Don't worry. She's just letting you know the kittens are coming.
Pregnancy and giving birth can be a frightening, confusing and painful experience for both you and your cat.
In the week before delivery (called queening) your cat will likely become less active—apart from "nesting" behavior. You'll probably find Mama preparing a queening nest in a quiet, secluded area of the house.
Note that it is perfectly normal for kittens to be born either head first or back-end first. Either way; according to Canine and Feline Reproduction, by Margaret Kustritz; once contractions are seen, a kitten should be born within four hours. If your cat's pushing hard, a kitten should be passed within 30 minutes.
Scratching and bed-making may be evident and some cats may begin to pant. "In many cats having their first litter, this first stage of labor can last up to thirty-six hours."
Most cats would prefer to be left alone, and they definitely don't want to be pet or touched while they are giving birth. It's best to give your pregnant cat as much privacy as possible while also leaving yourself the ability to monitor the birthing process for any signs of issues or distress.
A green or dark discharge is seen coming from the cat's vulva prior to giving birth, or if a discharge is present 12 hours after giving birth.
Your cat's labour should go smoothly, but it's useful to have help on hand to keep her calm and in case she runs into any complications. Get hold of your vet's out-of-hours phone number prior to your cat giving birth, as delivery often happens during the night, or they might need an emergency helping hand.
Preparing your home for your cat to give birth
The room needs to be quite warm—around 72°F—to help her feel comfortable and reduce the risk of hypothermia, and ideally needs to have 65-70% humidity. You should put together a nesting box where your queen can give birth.
You can tell if these are happening by gently feeling its abdomen. Tension and straining in the abdominal area likely signify that contractions are taking place. You may also be able to see your cat's abdomen contracting and releasing. Your cat may lay on its side during this time, making an inspection easier.
Once the mucus plug has come out, the first kitten will usually arrive within 24-48 hours, but it can vary and a maiden queen may take longer. If the mucus plug is lost and there are no kittens more than 48 hours later, you should contact your vet for their advice.
If it's a stray, or a cat you've only had for a short while, she might not like it if you come near her babies. Take it slowly, and make sure she is okay with it before you touch them. Either way, they really should not be handled that much at all until they are about two weeks old.
At first, it's usually best to avoid touching your cat's newborn kittens if you can. She will be very protective over them and might not want you touching, so it's best to respect her space unless something is wrong. Sometimes, handling newborns too much can cause their mother to reject them.
Your cat will settle into a quiet place, like the nesting box. Typically, this happens two days before birth but can also occur just a few hours before labor. Keep the area quiet and secluded from other pets and children.
Giving birth to kittens by a cat is considered to be a good Omen for the head of the house owning the cat as it is believed that evil spirits will never enter such house. It is also believed that there will be prosperity in the family within three months.
Everyone knows that cats need to give birth undisturbed in a dark, secluded place – perhaps preparing a softly lined box in the darkest corner of the furthest room underneath the bed.
When a cat gives birth to a stillborn kitten, it's important to leave the kitten in place until their mother realizes that they're dead. Otherwise, your cat may become distressed at removing one of her kittens without knowing they had passed away.
If the bleeding is noted during the early or middle stages of gestation, it's likely that the queen has had a miscarriage or aborted the babies. If the bleeding is noted at the end of the pregnancy, the mother may be going into labor early, and immediate veterinary intervention is necessary.
This suggests that kittens might retain a memory of the scent of their mother for up to one year. Whether they recognize the smell as their mother, or as just familiar, is unknown, but they clearly responded differently when presented with her scent compared to that of an unknown cat!!
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. Your cat's water will break as well. Now is the time for pacing, restlessness, and howling, meowing, or chirping from your cat.