my cat belle

Question
QUESTION: hi there
i have few questions and i so hope you can help i recewntly have came to the conclusion my cat is pregnant about 3 weeks or so ago i noticed her nips had got sticky out and she went huge a few weeks previouse to that my kids left the door open and she bolted i have no idea exactly how long ago that was as she came back and i never thought anything of it untill 3 or so weks ago when i noticed the above, i have checked her belly alot to see if i can feel anything move and i thought i have once or twice but wasnt sure as i dont know what im looking for today how ever she was in the room with me and was trying to get up  on the bed and could so i went to life her up i lifted her by puting my hand under her tail and the other hand under her frount legs when i moved my hand from under her tail i notice a lil bit of blood so i had a look and it was coming for her woman parts just a very small amout and it was kinda mucasie so i have no clue what to do i caled the vet shes said make her comfie this could be it but i still duno if im feeling babys or not i had a lil feel for 10 mins there just now and what im feelin is like little slight flicks on my hands i dont see it tho is this it is this normal is she in labour im so confused and totaly scared as i dont know what im doing and scareder still incase my babys babies are sick or worse!

kelly

ANSWER: Kelly,

If Belle is pushing steadily for an hour without producing a kitten (you will feel her abdomen tense with the contractions) then it is a veterinary emergency and her babies may need to be delivered by c-section. If you notice a greenish discharge coming from her vagina the placentas may have separated prematurely and this is also an emergency situation. For now it is best to try and have Belle relax on top of a few old towels. There is always a bit of blood with birth so everything seems okay to me. The mucous that you felt was probably her mucous plug which means that she was in early labor at this point....Don't get too involved or allow too much noise or distraction as Belle's labor may stall which can be very serious for her and her babies. The little flicks against your hand are fetal movement, that is a good sign...Mom should be able to deliver her babies on her own so long as you don't allow an audience to form and begin to make noise. For now everything sounds okay...Mom should be able to have her little ones without anything too serious happening. It is also good for you to keep an eye on mom every hour or so. There is no need to take pictures or allow the children to see kittens being born. If you interrupt the delivery you can see a cat whose labor will stop. It is also a good idea to keep any other pets in the household away from the babies. Most of the time mom manages to deliver her little babies easily and soon enough. I do recommend that you consider spaying mom after the kittens have been weaned at around 8 weeks of age. It is best if mom's milk has been dry for over an hour.Kittens need to stay with their mother until they are 12 weeks old so that they are able to socialize and become good pets. If you have any questions about the benefit of spaying and neutering please feel free to contact the vet or myself.

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QUESTION: hi there

thank you for your wonderful advise i would just like you to know that belle had to receive an emergency c section today and sadly all of her babies died they werent growing properly in her tummy and her body was beginning to reject them and that is why she had a little bleed, i have been advised for anyone else who may read this that it is rare for this to happen belle isnt doing to great at the moment due to an infection she has because one of the babies died a little while back but the rest passed on today because they were to small to fight so keep your fingers crossed for me that she last through the night and i am so grateful for your help as i wouldnt not have gone to the vets if it wasnt for you i would have just assumed that it was a normal process and this would have resulted in belle passing on to

so thank you once again

keep up all your good work

Answer
Kelly,

I am so sorry to hear that the babies weren't able to survive. Did you have Belle spayed at the same time as she had her c-section to prevent this from happening again? While it is uncommon for this to happen it is not an impossibility for it to happen again in a cat with a history like this. Hopefully the antibiotics work well. Is Belle home with you or in the hospital? If she is in the hospital don't be afraid to ask about visiting her, most vets will allow it. I would like you to know that you, Belle and her babies are in my thoughts...I am so sorry that things had to happen this way. I am willing to offer some support through this web site if you need it. Take good care of Belle and yourself. If you have any other questions or concerns or you need to talk about what happened I am willing to offer that help.