Everything you need to know about childbirth and pregnancy in a British cat

The owner of a furry miracle must be prepared not only for the joys associated with the appearance of a new family member. But you should also know a lot about its development: how puberty and birth of a British cat go. How many kittens can a British cat give birth to for the first time, what should be done at a crucial moment and what should not be done - these questions must be studied before the pet arrives in the house.

It’s not difficult to bring a British cat into your home: you need to go to the nursery’s website, choose the beauty you like, and get recommendations for care. But not everyone can provide an animal with decent living conditions. You need to learn to become a pet's friend, assistant, and sometimes a doctor.

Signs of pregnancy

Already in the first days of pregnancy, a British cat's behavior and character begin to change. She becomes especially affectionate, lethargic and inactive. She also begins to fall asleep frequently, and the animal exhibits an increased appetite. In some cases, the opposite situation occurs: toxicosis occurs, which leads to nausea and aversion to food.

After the first month of pregnancy, the following signs appear:

• the cat's nipples change their color to pink, slight swelling and flaking appear,
• the abdomen is noticeably rounded, which indicates the successful beginning of fetal formation,
• appetite increases significantly,
• hormonal changes and stretching of the uterus can lead to frequent vomiting in the morning,
• the cat completely ignores males, her estrus stops (in some cases, estrus continues in the early stages),
• taste preferences change

In the fourth week, you can already perform an x-ray or ultrasound (these procedures are contraindicated at an earlier stage). The presence or absence of pregnancy, as well as its duration, can be determined by the doctor after palpating the cat’s abdomen. You should not touch it yourself - careless movements can easily harm the fetus and even cause a miscarriage.

It is worth remembering the day on which conception occurred, this will help determine the approximate due date.

Is it possible to influence the number of kittens?

This question is usually asked by cat breeders who sell kittens. After all, not only the expected profit directly depends on the number of offspring, but also covering the financial resources that were spent on mating with a good sire, tests, treatment, nurturing and feeding the future “money bag”.

Depending on the regalia of the male, the cost of mating can reach 10 thousand rubles. In most cases, owners of inseminators do not try to in any way influence the male health of their charges. Like we get money for mating, and then your problems: whether you got pregnant or not, how many kittens were born - it doesn’t concern us. This attitude is fundamentally wrong, and both sides should be interested in the offspring. Therefore, before you give money, ask:

• how often is a cat used for mating;
• is he eating well?
• does he have any diseases of the genitourinary system;
• how many kittens other cats bring from him;
• Does he suffer from cryptorchidism?

To increase fertility, many professionals advise injecting cats with:

• Ovariovit is a homeopathic drug, its action is aimed at restoring ovarian function, regulating the reproductive cycle and increasing fertility;
• Gamavit is an anti-stress, immunostimulating drug that supports the vitality of the body, and has a positive effect on eggs;
• Vitamin E – prevents infertility, has a positive effect on the reproductive system.

There is even a special scheme designed for 10 days:

• Ovarium (stimulates the protective function of the reproductive system) - half a cube is administered subcutaneously once a day;
• Ortilin (reduces the risk of inflammatory processes in the uterus) – one tablet twice;
• Ovariovit one tablet twice;
• vitamin E capsule twice a day;
• Gamavit one cube a day subcutaneously;
• Catozal (to normalize metabolism, increase immunity, resistance to stress) one cube per day subcutaneously.

Before putting any regimen into practice, consult your veterinarian!

Why does this work?

• Treatment may worsen estrus symptoms and increase hormone levels.
• At the same time, the cat becomes more attractive to the inseminator and is ready to attack the future father.

By the way, you can “stimulate” the cat by injecting him with B vitamins a couple of days before mating, which have a beneficial effect on the body’s endurance and activity.

Regarding the opposite effect (low fertility), there are no proven schemes as such. For example, there is an opinion that if after giving birth a cat with multiple births is left with only two kittens, then a certain switch is triggered in the body and the next time the animal will bring exactly two kittens. Although in practice, I personally have never observed such a phenomenon.

You can also do the opposite:

• poorly fed;
• keep under stress;
• exploit more often, forcing her to become pregnant every time she is in heat;
• periodically use hormones that inhibit the functioning of follicles.

In such living conditions, the body will quickly become exhausted and the cat will definitely stop giving birth a lot, if at all.

Length of pregnancy

It is impossible to say unequivocally how long a cat’s pregnancy will last. The average duration according to the calendar is 63-65 days, but the exact number of days cannot be determined for a number of reasons.

• Small cats weighing up to 2.5 kilograms can give birth earlier than usual - on days 56-60 of pregnancy. British cats over 5 kg can give birth even after the 65th day.
• In the case of the first pregnancy, a cat that carries less than 3 kittens most often gives birth at 60-65 days.
• A cat that is bearing kittens not for the first time can give birth earlier - on the 56-60th day.
• The length of pregnancy also depends on the number of babies in the womb: the more kittens, the higher the likelihood of premature birth

How to determine the number of future kittens

There are several ways to find out how many kittens a cat will give birth to. Conventionally, they can be called physiological, folk and scientific methods .

• Physiological. The number of kittens depends on the number of places where fertilized eggs attach to the walls of the uterus.
• People's Experienced cat owners calculate the number of future offspring in a simple way. The number two is subtracted from the number of mammary glands in the female. This method does not give 100% results, but is still often used in practice.
• Scientific. Felinologists recommend checking the expectant mother with an ultrasound a week before the expected birth. Thus, it will be known exactly what kind of offspring to expect. Under no circumstances should you feel your cat's belly with your hands to find out how many kittens she will give birth to. Palpation can damage embryos and lead to psychological stress for the expectant mother.

Start of labor

After 50-55 days, you can feel the kittens moving in their stomachs. During this period, the cat begins to choose the best place in the house to give birth, secluded and warm.

The first sign of labor in a cat is a drooping belly and very swollen nipples. Yellow-brown mucus (birth plug) may also come out of the genital tract. A few days before giving birth, the cat's body temperature drops to 37 degrees.

Before giving birth, the cat’s behavior also changes: she begins to lick herself more frequently, especially in the genital area and abdomen. During this period, increased anxiety is the norm for the animal; it may meow frequently and even dig in the maternity box.

During the period before giving birth, the cat needs to be monitored especially carefully: some “quiet” ones can give birth suddenly, without showing prenatal symptoms. The owner may not notice the plug that has come out and the water that has broken. Well, a cat can even give birth to her first kitten without making a single sound.

Other characteristic features

Changes in the behavior of the cat itself are also observed. During pregnancy, short-haired British darlings turn into calm, quiet and gentle animals. They avoid sudden movements and are more likely to stay indoors than outdoors. In addition, they need support from the owner and they often remind him of this.

© shutterstock

A British woman requires special attention in the second half of pregnancy. After all, the reason for this is the manifestation of such signs precisely after 6 weeks.

In recent days, British pregnant cats walk very carefully, in order not to harm the small lumps. Also, at the end of gestation, animals begin to look for a suitable place to give birth.

Pregnancy calendar with a duration of 65 days

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First pregnancy

A female British cat can become pregnant immediately after reaching sexual maturity - at the age of 6-18 months. However, you should not let your pet go to the cat too early, because pregnancy up to a year can not only harm the future offspring, but also the cat itself.

In the case of early pregnancy, birth may occur before the 50th day, especially if the cat became pregnant after her first heat. This is the worst situation, because the kittens in this case may be born dead or too weak.

The optimal age for pregnancy is from one to six years. Later, the cat’s sexual activity begins to decrease. Despite this, there are many cases where cats gave birth at 10-15 years of age, however, such a pregnancy, like premature birth, can have a bad effect on the cat and its offspring.

When is veterinary help needed?

A veterinarian's help may be needed at any time. If the cat’s health is very poor and home birth can be deadly, then veterinarians take the animal with them during the birth in order to fully control the process.

It is better for the owner to have a couple of numbers of veterinary clinics, whose doctors can quickly come to the birth if any complications arise.

In some cases, unfortunately, even the help of a veterinarian is not able to save the life of a cat or her kittens. This happens rarely, but it is still necessary to mentally prepare for difficulties.

The doctor white coat with stetoscope holding a cat

What to prepare for childbirth?

Before labor begins, the owner should be patient and constantly monitor the cat’s behavior. If she begins to follow the person, cries or purrs, and licks the perineum, it means that labor will come soon.

In order to deliver a baby, the owner will need:

• Disposable wipes or other clean, dry cloth,
• Fat cream or Vaseline,
• Threads,
• Cotton pads,
• Sterilized scissors (at a minimum, you should treat them with alcohol),
• A jar of hydrogen peroxide,
• Warm, but not hot water (you can fill a heating pad),
• Clean drinking water for the cat itself,
• Clean syringe.

We deliver babies at home

As soon as the expectant mother’s water breaks, she needs to be moved to a pre-equipped bed, which should be covered with a clean cloth. It will be useful to calm the cat, because anxiety can lead to her screaming, biting and trying to run away from the birthing area. You need to pet her and talk to her (the calm voice of the owner best calms any pet).

When the cat begins to push, you need to place your palm under her hind legs so that she can rest. The best stimulation of labor, stroking the tummy and nipples. It is also worth allowing the newborn babies to suckle from their mother in the intervals between kittens coming out.

The interval between the release of kittens ranges from 15 minutes to several hours. Several babies may be born one after another, but the next ones may be born only after 4 hours or even more.

It is better when babies go forward with their heads. In the opposite situation, the baby's body may come out, but the head may remain inside the cat. In this case, you cannot pull the baby: you need to continue stroking the belly from top to bottom, stimulating her to push and pushing the kitten towards the light.

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A newborn kitten is in a dark blue bubble, which should be cleaned in the area of ​​the kitten's face so that it does not suffocate. Then the kitten can be placed next to the mother's head so that she can lick it. If the mother does not show any attention to the newborn, then you need to immediately clear the baby’s airways: for this you need to bring a compressed syringe to the baby’s nostril and then release it. Do the same with the other nostril.

When the baby comes out, you should use your fingers to drive the blood from the umbilical cord to the cat’s belly, and then cut it off with scissors at a distance of a few cm from the belly. Disinfect the cut umbilical cord with peroxide, and wipe the kitten with prepared dry wipes or a cloth.

If after this the baby actively moves and squeaks, then everything went well. If the kitten shows no signs of life, the resuscitation process must begin. You need to take the kitten in your hands and, holding its head between your index and thumb, shake it 2-3 times. Then you will need to rub the chest, blow into the nose and repeat everything in a circle for at least 5 minutes until the kitten shows signs of life. If he squeaks, he needs to be placed with his mother so that she can lick him. If the cat does nothing, then you should massage the baby’s anus with a cotton pad or a damp bandage, which will cause urination and defecation. If after 5 minutes of resuscitation the kitten still does not show signs of life, it means that it will no longer be possible to save it.

After each baby comes out, the placenta should come out. If after 12 hours the placenta has not come out, you should contact a veterinarian. It is normal for a cat to eat the placenta - after giving birth, she needs the nutrients that are in the placenta. You should not let her eat more than two afterbirths - this can lead to diarrhea.

You must remember to keep newborn kittens away from the cat’s paws, otherwise she may accidentally injure them. It is best to place them next to the new mother’s head on a warm heating pad so that they are always within the mother’s line of sight.

Postpartum period

After giving birth, your cat needs proper nutrition to recover and have enough milk to feed. You should not spare high-calorie food for her.

The milk itself must be checked: if it is too thick and has a yellowish tint, it means it is infected. This problem goes away within two days.

A big problem is constipation, which can be treated with Vaseline or olive oil (1 tsp).

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When kittens suck milk, its increased secretion is stimulated. If such a process is not observed in a cat, it may completely stop feeding the babies after a day. In this case, you should pet and calm the pet, and also be near it while feeding. Cats that have given birth several times already push their babies towards their nipples.

It is worth paying attention to the shape of the nipples: if they are inverted or double, then it may be difficult for the baby to feed. In this case, you need to massage the nipples, which will increase blood flow and make them more prominent.

If a cat does not have enough milk to feed, you need to pay attention to its nutrition, namely, increase the number of calories in the diet. If everything is fine with the food, you should consult a veterinarian. During this period, kittens will have to be fed on their own.

We must not forget about a sufficient amount of vitamins in the diet. A lack of calcium, for example, can lead to milk fever, agitation, restlessness and pale mucous membranes. This is a very dangerous situation, because the cat can simply leave the kittens, forgetting about feeding and licking them.

Pregnancy and childbirth of a British cat is a very important period, during which the owner must especially carefully monitor the behavior and condition of the cat, provide proper nutrition and regularly consult a veterinarian. A few days before giving birth, you should arrange a telephone consultation with the doctor or even order a house call so that he can attend the birth.

After childbirth, a huge number of complications can arise, starting with insufficient milk for feeding and ending with acute metritis and fever. It will be helpful to take your cat to the veterinarian several times in the first weeks after birth.

Caring for a pregnant cat

A pregnant British woman requires increased attention from all family members. Knowing the reason why British cats do not like to be held, you can learn how to communicate with the animal during pregnancy. An aristocratic person in ordinary times does not always accept signs of attention from the owner. But while waiting for the babies, she becomes more affectionate, sometimes following on their heels, making loud rumbling sounds.

Proper nutrition

During pregnancy, it is especially important to provide adequate nutrition. The menu is more nutritious and varied. Divide the amount of food intake into 5 times. They use industrial food specifically for pregnant British cats, containing a vitamin and mineral complex. What to feed a pregnant British cat on natural food: be sure to include in the diet:

1. Lean meat.
2. Vegetables.
3. Cereal porridge.
4. Fish (no more than 1-2 times a week).
5. Additionally, they buy a complex of vitamins.
6. Eggs.
7. Cartilages.

What do we have to do

For a successful result, for the appearance of healthy kittens and support for the animal, a number of measures are carried out:

• monitor the health of your pet: if there is diarrhea, increased body temperature, or the appearance of discharge, you should urgently contact a veterinary hospital;
• control the weight of the British: it is important not to overfeed the animal.
• arrange a convenient place for childbirth: a box, a crate. The cat is shown a place and placed on a bed;

What not to do

• do not pick up the baby. If the girl herself unexpectedly wants to be closer to the person, stroke carefully, without pressing on the abdominal area;
• do not allow the expectant mother to climb high, limit access to objects near the ceiling;
• do not allow yourself to arrange a place for childbirth: the animal will ruin linen and clothes;
• Do not prescribe medications to your pet; use medications only as prescribed by a veterinarian;
• exclude factors that traumatize the animal’s psyche: loud music, noisy outdoor games.