How to Help a Cat Give Birth - Assisting During Labor

1. Keep some distance. Accept that for the most part your cat will not need you. Your presence in the area, though, will probably reassure her.
- Stay far enough away not to invade her space or impede the birthing, but stay close enough to intervene if necessary.
- Be prepared for possible complications and know what the signs are.

2. Know the signs of labor. Familiarize yourself with the signs that usually indicate your cat is going into labor. Going into labor is generally known as Stage 1, and will last between 12 and 24 hours. Signs to watch for include:[10]
- Listlessness or restlessness, looking for a place to hide (show her the nest)
- Grooming excessively, including licking her vulva
- Pacing and panting
- Purring and crying loudly
- A temperature drop of about a point or two from the normal 102ºF/38.9ºC
- Ceasing to eat
- Vomiting
- If you discover that your cat is discharging blood, immediately seek veterinary assistance. Bleeding prior to labor is typically a warning that something is wrong and means you should get her immediate veterinary attention.

3. Clean and sterilize your hands just in case you need to assist. Remove your wrist watch and rings and clean your hands with anti-microbial hand soap. Rub the soap on the backs of your hands and just past your wrist. The soap should be on your hands for at least 5 minutes with you rubbing the whole time. Use a nail brush or an old toothbrush to get under your fingernails.
- Do not use hand sanitizer! It doesn't do a thorough job of killing all the germs, and you do not want the queen licking the ingredients in hand sanitizer off the kittens, as it could make her sick.
- Hand washing is precautionary and the queen should be allowed to take care of the birthing process and kittens on her own. Only intervene if a kitten is in distress, and then return the kitten as soon as possible.

4. Keep an eye on each delivery. Once the mother enters her nesting box and labor commences, the best thing you can do is to keep calm, be prepared, and keep watch over the deliveries. Be sure to keep both yourself and the environment around her calm. If there are any disturbances or animals around, or if she is moved to a strange place, she will delay labor. When the next stage of birth, Stage 2, is about to begin, it will typically develop as follows:[11]
- The cervix starts to relax and the queen begins uterine contractions.
- There's a build-up in contractions as the first kitten enters the birth canal. Contractions should be at 2 - 3 minute intervals and the mother will probably be in a crouched position. She may cry out and pant.
- The amniotic fluid (water bubble) comes through first, followed by the kitten (either head first or rear paws first).
- Once Stage 2 of the labor commences, it will last about 30 minutes to an hour and then the first kitten should be born. Each subsequent kitten will be about half an hour apart, sometimes up to an hour.
- If your cat has settled down and has been pushing hard without a kitten emerging for longer than an hour, it’s likely a sign of a problem. Look to see if there is anything at the vulva lips. If there is nothing, then it’s best to contact the vet. If a kitten is partially out, let her push for another 5 minutes. If she has made no progress, wash your hands, and gently grasp the part of the kitten you can see and pull gently - preferably in time to the queen's contractions. If the kitten does not slide out easily, contact the vet.[12]

5. Ensure that the mother removes the amniotic sac and cleans each kitten. The mother usually removes the membrane of the amniotic sac by vigorously licking the kitten. The kitten should be breathing and moving within seconds as a result.[13]
- If she doesn't remove the amniotic sac quickly, break the membrane around the kitten’s face with your sterilized, gloved hands to ensure that the kitten can breathe. Wipe the face clean with a clean and dry towel.
- Where possible give the kitten straight back to mom, and if necessary place the kitten under her nose. She will then usually lick the kitten. If however, mom ignores the kitten and it remains wet and starts to shiver, dry the kitten yourself by rubbing it vigorously with a clean, dry towel. This has the dual effect of making the kitten cry, which attracts the mother's attention and kindles her interest. At this point put the kitten back with its mother.

6. Check for the placenta. There is one placenta per kitten, and it should be expelled after the birth of each. Note each placenta because a placenta that is left inside a mother could become infected and result in the death of the mother unless you seek medical attention.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PULL OUT A PLACENTA. If you tug on the umbilical cord and it causes the uterus to rip, the mother could die. If you suspect that a placenta hasn’t been expelled, take her to your vet.
- Note that the mother normally eats the placenta. It is full of hormones and nutrients that need to be returned to her body, so do not interfere in this process - just be sure she doesn't try to eat the kitten with it out of lack of experience.
- You may want to let her eat the first two or three placentas and then take away the rest, as too many of the nutrients can cause diarrhea or vomiting.

7. Do not cut the umbilical cord. It is generally advised that you do NOT cut the umbilical cords of the placentas. Most mothers will chew off the cord themselves. If they don’t, consult your vet.[14]
- Do not cut the cord if part of it is still inside the mother. Because the cord is attached to the placenta, the placenta may get trapped inside her and not be expelled, which will result in an infection and the death of the mother. Rather than try to intervene yourself, call your vet and follow his or her directions.

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