How to help a cat give birth if she can't cope on her own

How does childbirth occur in cats?

Cats bear offspring for approximately 2.5 months. During one birth, 1-2 kittens are born, as well as 6-7. The process itself takes several hours and consists of several stages. If you are helping your cat give birth, then you need to know how everything usually goes:

pushing – kittens pass through the birth canal in 4-5 pushing;
birth - kittens come out in the amniotic sac, less often without it;
starting breathing - the cat breaks the bubble and licks the born kitten, removing mucus from the respiratory tract;
rupture of the umbilical cord, eating the placenta - after the kittens, an afterbirth (placenta) comes out, which the cat eats. As many babies are born, so many placens should come out.

Human assistance may be required at each stage of the birth of kittens. When all the babies have come out, all the amniotic sacs have been ruptured, the cat has licked all the babies and they are suckling milk - everything is done. Further assistance will be reduced to proper care of the newborn pet.

To know for sure that all the kittens have come out, it is advisable to first do an ultrasound and count the fetuses. Then there will be no cause for concern if the number of babies born coincides with the number given by the veterinarian.

Ways to induce labor

Step 1 . Play with your cat and encourage her to run around the house. Exercise is a great way to induce labor in any species, and it will not harm the mother cat if she is not ready to give birth.
Step 2 . Place a sturdy box with soft bedding in a secluded, quiet, dark corner. Once this is available, your cat can begin the labor process without having to induce labor.
Step 3 . Sprinkle one red raspberry capsule onto your cat's canned food once daily. Many cat breeders use red raspberries to induce labor.
Step 4 . Measure the temperature of the cat's uterus. Find someone to hold the cat for you while you use the rectal thermometer. Your cat's normal rectal temperature is between 37.5 and 39 degrees Celsius, but will drop to 36.5 to 37 degrees when she is ready to give birth. Take note and call your veterinarian if her temperature is above 39, as this may signal a problem.
Step 5 . Watch the kittens' movements and milk-producing teats. These are both signs that her due date may be close.
Step 6 . Look at your cat to see if she is panting, pacing, shaking, or anxious. This is normal behavior for a cat in the 24 hours before giving birth.
Step 7 . If you are still unsure whether your cat is ready to give birth, take her to the vet. An ultrasound or x-ray will help determine how far the kittens have progressed in their development and whether it is time to induce labor.
Step 8 . Before you contact your veterinarian, know what your options are. If the kittens are ready to be born, your veterinarian will recommend either oxytocin to induce labor, which will take effect in about an hour, or a caesarean section.

Correct care for a woman in labor

In the wild, cats give birth on their own, but in domestic cats, their natural instincts are muted. For this reason, it is desirable that the owner be nearby during childbirth and can provide the necessary assistance in a timely manner. It is especially needed for a cat giving birth for the first time. The pet can only guess what will be required of her. The owner’s task is to act competently and, if necessary, call a veterinarian.

Correct actions with the amniotic sac

If the bubble with the kitten inside is not damaged, if the fetus lies correctly head first, then your help will not be required. You need to intervene in the following cases: - if the bubble is torn, prepare a clean cloth, wrap it around the kitten and gently pull at the next contraction; - if the bladder is torn and the kitten is walking butt, pull without waiting for a contraction, speed is more important so that the baby does not suffocate.

If the cat does not chew the amniotic sac, this must be done for her. You will need sterile scissors. Act quickly - if you wait more than half a minute, the kitten may suffocate.

If the kittens are too big

It is difficult for a cat to give birth to large babies. It will also be difficult for you to remove the kitten; it will slip back into the vagina. If your cat's vulva is dry, lubricate it with Vaseline or lubricant. Proceed as follows: - wait for the next contraction when the baby approaches the vulva; - insert the index finger of a sterile-gloved hand into the vulva a few centimeters and move the skin towards the anus; - as soon as the kitten appears, grab it and move it slightly to help it come out. Determine the intensity of the impact yourself individually.

What to do if a kitten gets stuck

A few hours before birth, kittens take a forward-facing position. But sometimes babies change position or their head is turned to the side, making it difficult to exit the vulva. To help a stuck kitten be born, lubricate the vulva with lubricant or Vaseline and with a sterile gloved hand perform the following manipulations: - carefully insert your finger into the baby’s mouth, if the amniotic sac allows it; — turn the kitten’s head in the right direction so that the cat’s contractions push it further; - press on the cat's perineum at the bottom of the anus - this will cause a contraction, and the baby will not be able to return back.

We do the same if the kitten moves forward with its sacrum - grab it by the paws and guide it along the birth canal.

It happens that for some reason kittens die in the womb. In this case, they will still be born naturally. The cat will go into labor, and if your help is needed, you can act less carefully. It is important that everything is in order with the cat, so if the fetus is stuck, feel free to pull on any part of the body.

Causes of problems

If an animal is overweight, it can cause problems during the birth of offspring.
It is not difficult for a pregnant pet to give birth at home. However, there are situations when a long period has passed since the start of contractions, but the pet does not give birth for a long time. Often, a cat cannot give birth in the following situations:

large size kitten;
malposition;
traumatic injuries;
inflammation;
narrow pelvis;
incomplete dilatation of the cervix;
abnormalities in the development of the vaginal vault;
lack of lubrication;
advanced age;
excessive body weight.

Weak labor

However, often a cat cannot give birth due to the influence of the factors described above. One of the most common factors is considered to be weak labor. It is usually divided into 2 types:

Weak uterine contractions are possible when the pet’s body does not produce enough oxytocin.

Primary light tone of the uterus. It is observed due to a lack of the hormone oxytocin in the body, which is responsible for the frequency of contractions. Sometimes this condition can be caused by a lack of calcium.
Secondary. Cessation of uterine contractions due to severe exhaustion of the female during labor.

What not to do during childbirth

In the desire to help a giving birth cat, it is important not to harm. There are a number of actions that are prohibited. What you shouldn't do:

do not press on the stomach, this will cause pain to the cat and harm the kittens inside;
do not pull the umbilical cord so that it does not break or cause a hernia in the cat;
do not burst the bladder if the woman in labor is ready to do it herself;
Do not give injections without your veterinarian's approval and do not use medications to induce normal labor.
do not use instruments without sterilization to avoid infection;
Do not take kittens away from your cat immediately after birth.

Possible complications after childbirth

If the birth was difficult, the following complications may occur:

excessive bleeding, in which the animal requires a blood transfusion;
damage to the tissue of the uterus or birth canal;
severe exhaustion of the woman in labor;
stillbirth of kittens;
infection of the birth canal or uterus;
the remainder of the placenta in the uterine cavity.

In most cases, it is impossible to independently identify and eliminate complications. That is why it is recommended to undergo examination at the time of birth and within 1 week after it.

Preparing for birth at home

Every owner worries about how to help a cat give birth to healthy offspring. To do this, certain measures should be taken.

Arrangement of the nest

It is unlikely that a mother will give birth on a thin bedding or bare floor. Definitely, she will look for a more comfortable place.
Take a shallow, wide box and lay a mattress or a soft, unnecessary jacket on its bottom. You can sew a mattress yourself by stuffing it with padding polyester, or you can use a towel or blanket for these purposes.
Make sure that there are no buttons or threads sticking out of the bedding. In addition, the fabric should not slip so that kittens can crawl on it freely.
Immediately before giving birth, the kitten needs to be placed in a nest so that she can pre-settle in there.
Be prepared for the fact that the capricious person may not like your carefully prepared “maternity hospital”, and she will go to huddle in the closet or on your bed.
To attract the animal, place the “house” in a dark and quiet place.
Once the mother is settled in, place disposable pet bedding on the bottom.

Important! Sometimes when a cat gives birth for the first time, she needs your presence nearby, so she may run away from the nest and follow you demandingly and whine. Give the animal some time, as she needs your help.

What tools and materials need to be prepared

To ensure your cat gives birth without any problems, prepare:

cotton threads;
petrolatum;
scissors;
antiseptic;
cloths or diapers.

In addition to all of the above, you should always have a 24-hour veterinary emergency number at hand. Just in case, have a carrying bag ready.

Remember! If you see complications or are not confident in your abilities, it is better to take the mother to the clinic or call the veterinarian at home at the first signs of labor.

What to do at home?

How to induce labor at home?

To help a giving birth cat and speed up the birth process, it is recommended to use the drug Oxytocin. It is an artificial hormone that makes the uterus contract faster. However, this medication is not safe, so the first thing you need to do before using it is to contact the veterinarian who saw the pregnant cat. Improper use of the medicine may cause severe bleeding or cervical rupture.

The drug Travmatin will help speed up and relieve the pain.

You can also use another pharmaceutical product called “Travmatin”. If the owner sees that the cat is in pain, this medicine is perfect. It has an analgesic effect and allows you to regulate contractions. In addition, in veterinary practice the medication is used to prevent complications.

A pharmaceutical product called “Gamavit” will also help. In veterinary medicine, it is used to stimulate the muscles of the uterus. Often used in difficult situations to make the birth process easier and faster. It is also recommended to resort to calcium gluconate, which smoothly enhances labor and also provokes increased production of breast milk. This medication can also be used after the birth of offspring, as it effectively fights eclampsia. This pathology develops after childbirth and is a nervous disorder. Often the disease is caused by a lack of calcium in the body of the cat who gave birth.

ethnoscience

For a homemade stimulating cocktail you will need an ascorbic acid preparation.

To induce labor, the owner will first need to put the pet in a position as if she is defecating, and then begin to massage the peritoneum. Next, it is recommended to prepare a cocktail that can be used instead of Oxytocin. You will need to fill the syringe with 2 ml of ascorbic acid, 4 ml of calcium gluconate and glucose. To force a cat to give birth, the injection must be given intramuscularly, but only before the first baby appears. The dosage is calculated as follows: 2 ml of the product per 10 kilograms of the pet’s body weight.

The cat can't give birth

When the animal strains, but this does not help, veterinarians recommend resorting to the medications described above

If, with the help of medications, the pet is unable to give birth, it is important for the owner to call a veterinarian as soon as possible or take the cat to the clinic. This is an important condition, since sometimes the pet requires resuscitation, otherwise it may die

Kitten stuck

To carry out this manipulation, you should use Vaseline.

If the baby's head has already appeared, but the cat is unable to push it out, the owner will need to arm himself with Vaseline and sterile gloves. When a kitten is stuck in the birth canal, you need to carefully lubricate the vagina, then insert your finger into it and find the elbow bends of the cat's paws. The owner should grab both limbs and gently turn the baby from side to side, trying to move the paws forward.

Situations are not excluded when the afterbirth does not come out. In this case, you will also need to take sterile gloves, after which you need to insert your finger into the vagina, try to feel the afterbirth and remove it. If you can’t cope on your own, a veterinarian’s intervention is required. When a bubble has emerged, which often breaks inside the female, it should be broken independently, but your hands should first be disinfected.

If the owner discovers such a situation, it is important not to panic. Babies may only appear dead, which is often seen when the airways are blocked.

To revive the cat, you need to use a pipette to clear the pathways, and then stimulate breathing by holding it by the limbs and holding it upside down. Next, the baby should be placed on the cat's chest. However, there are situations when kittens are actually born dead. If the cat has already given birth to 2-3 dead babies, and when you feel her peritoneum you can find another fetus, you need to visit a veterinarian. Sometimes a caesarean section is required.