my cat is due

Question
My cat is due following the cat pregnancy calender. It is her first litter and i am worried about what going on. what are some signs that she is getting close to have her babies. She has started to stick her tail straight up in the air and rub her bottom on the floor. Also are there some things I can do to help her start labor. She will be past due as of July 5, this include about 3 days after her due date, which was July  2nd. She loves to have her tummy rubbed. please help

Answer
Kristel,

The gestation period for cats is between 60-68 days. Her due date depends on which mating your cat took to. If you don't see mom looking for a nice, quiet and dimly lit place to have her babies and she doesn't seem to be anxious (pacing, meowing more often, etc) then it may not be time yet. The rubbing her bum on the floor may just be that her anal glands are impacted and painful or infected. If you are concerned that mom is overdue (past 68 days) then I would recommend a trip to the vet. It isn't unusual for mother cats to hide their kittens or have them in places that you would rather they didn't. I highly suggest that you prepare a box lined with old towels, in a quiet place and make it easy for mom to get out of but something that will contain her little ones. You can show her the box and make an effort to move the kitten food that she should be eating throughout pregnancy and nursing as well as a kitten sized litter box and a water bowl into the room. I would suggest that you be sure that the litter is on the other side of the room from the food in order to be sure that mom will use it. I would also like to remind you that pet overpopulation is responsible for the loss of millions of lives worldwide each year. Please spay and neuter to save lives. There are medical and behavioral benefits to spaying and neutering which include a reduced risk of cancers and infections of the reproductive organs as well as a decrease in using urine and feces to mark territory. It is best to spay and neuter cats unless you are a serious breeder (purebred, show animals) because it is completely unnatural for the cat to not be spayed or neutered and be allowed to cycle repeatedly without mating. It is important that you are aware that cats who aren't spayed or neutered tend be focused on reproduction mentally and physically so it really is best for the all around health of your cat to have her spayed. If you notice that mom has been straining for over an hour without producing a kitten or she has vaginal discharge that is greenish in color she must see the vet at once as these are signs that something is going on and needs to be handled by a vet. It is important that you not interfere with the labor or birth process by having too much traffic into and out of the room or videotaping or taking photos as this may cause the labor to stall and become a medical emergency. Your vet can take x-rays to determine the fetal age of the kittens and provide treatment options if necessary. I hope that this information is helpful. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me again.