June-my cat

Question
Hi there

My cat gave birth 2 days ago and today she has been whining and crying and rolling over as if she is in pain.
Is this normal after giving birth? She had a litter of five and she is quite small herself.
She doesn't moan constantly but its taking place more often. She is eating perfectly.
Thx so much

Answer
Hi Emma,

No, this isn't normal after giving birth. Cats should appear content, nursing their litter, without any visible signs of discomfort. There is an extremely minimal possibility that the mother could have gone back into estrus if this seems to be consistent with the behavior that she's exhibiting. Mothers almost never go into estrus until their kittens are about 8 weeks old, though, and 2 days post-delivery is exceedingly rare. I would urge you to get your cat to a vet for an exam to ensure she's okay physically. Chances are good that she has developed a uterine infection, which is somewhat common after delivery. It could be possible something even worse has happened, such as internal bleeding or that there is an unborn kitten yet. The quicker she is diagnosed and treated, the more quickly and easily she'll recover. If it DOES seem she's just in heat, I recommend that she be placed on megestrol acetate until she can be spayed (assuming you will spay her once the kittens are weaned), unless you can assure she won't come into contact with any toms until then. This will prevent her from going into heat. It will be very dangerous for her as well as the litter if she becomes pregnant again right now.

Good luck!
Jessica