post delivery swelling.

Question
I have recently taken in an adorably cuddly black kitten, only to find out she was expecting.  She began giving birth 23 hours ago and has since delivered 3 kittens.  I am not sure if she is done yet.  Her vaginal area is very swollen, she seems uninterested in her kittens and was far to young to have a litter to begin with.  I am concerned that she may still have another kitten to birth but can't be sure.  Should I be concerned or is the swelling a sign that she is still in labor?  There were many hours between the births of her first three kittens.

Answer
Jennifer,

It sounds to me like this baby girl needs to see a veterinarian to ensure that there aren't any other kittens that she's unable to deliver on her own without help. I would also recommend packing up the kittens with their mom so that the vet can assess the entire family and ensure that the babies are all healthy. If mom hasn't got any other kittens still inside of her womb needing to be delivered by caesarian then you may have to bottle feed the kittens. I can teach you to do this if you like or your veterinarian can explain the process to you.....Depending on where you are in Ontario I may be able to offer ongoing support to help you with these babies if you like (up to and including fostering the kittens if you don't have time to bottle raise them rather than placing them in a shelter as shelters are overwhelmed at this time of year). If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me again - I'm happy to help in any way that I can.