cat labor stopped

Question
Hi,

I have a cat approx 1 yr old, who I thought started labor last night. She was dragging her behind on everything, and seemed to be having contractions. She even produced a clear liquid out of her vagina, it was odorless. She continues to produce this and groom herself consistently. However her labor has seemed to have stopped, and she is acting as if nothing is wrong. She has been sleeping and eating.She cries every once in a while, does not want to be alone. She pushes her bottom to the air also. What does this mean? Does she need to go to the vet? How much will this cost?

Answer
Heather,

Based on the information that you've described I can't be sure whether your girl was in labor and having contractions that were strong enough to deliver her kittens. You mentioned that your kitty has had some clear, odorless vaginal discharge which could indicate that the amniotic sac on one of her kittens has broken, although since it's been a day or so there's a good chance that kitten may not be alive. It's possible that this little girl was in labor and the process has stalled for some reason. There are number of reasons why some queens aren't able to deliver their kittens vaginally ranging from improperly positioned kittens stuck in the birth canal to kittens that are just too large for mom to deliver naturally on her own. I do believe that it's a good idea to have the cat in to see the vet ASAP to find out what's going on with her so that she can receive the treatment that she needs to remain healthy. If your kitty's babies have died in her uterus for any reason and they've started to decompose she could develop a potentially life threatening infection that will require immediate emergency surgery to save her life.

If the vet determines that these kittens should be born by an immediate caesarian section I would strongly encourage you to allow the veterinarian to spay her at the same time to prevent her from becoming pregnant again for two reasons:

1) If this kitty does become pregnant again there's a chance that she may have to deliver by caesarian which can add up considerably if she has as little as 2-3 litters a year.

2) So many healthy, adoptable cats and kittens that find their way into animal shelters are euthanized every day of the year due to time and space constraints because there just aren't enough suitable forever families out to save them all. These deaths are 100% preventable simply by spaying/neutering our pets to prevent accidental litters.

I realize that economic times are tough and most people are living on a tight budget with little room for emergencies that pop up from time to time. If you'd like I can provide you with a list of organizations in your area that might be willing to help with the cost of this kitty's veterinary visit if she does indeed need to have her kittens delivered by c-section. I do keep a list of organizations and charities that might be able to help pet parents on a limited budget provide the veterinary care that their pets need, but in order to save your time and mine I would ask that you provide me with the general area you're writing from, if I do have organizations and charities in my binder that will offer help in your area then I will send you a list of organizations along with the contact information that I have available to me. In future a general rule of thumb when it comes to deciding whether your kitty needs immediate medical attention I usually ask myself whether I'd see a doctor or seek medical attention for someone I love if I was in the cat's position, if the answer is yes then it's a good bet that the cat should see a vet as soon as possible. Unfortunately since prices vary from clinic to clinic and place to place I can't offer you an estimate for the total cost of the vet's exam or a caesarian delivery. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns please feel free to contact me again and I will do my absolute best to help you out.