cat in labour right now

Question
Our cat Misty is having kittens right now and we have never delivered kittens before. She had one that was born breach and it looks as though it is having issues breathing. We were wondering if we should call pet emergency?

Answer
Jason,

If a newborn kitten is having issues breathing there may not be a whole lot that an emergency clinic can do. Newborn kittens are very tiny and immature. There is no way that I am aware of to intubate somebody that small. If mom seems distressed or begins to have bleeding or dark colored discharge from her vagina then you may need to take mom in for medical attention. I am very sorry to hear that one of the kittens is not doing well and I hope that the rest of the family is okay. Congratulations on your new additions. I do recommend that once the kittens are weaned that mom be spayed so that she doesn't contribute further to pet over population. Unfortunately euthanasia rates for cats and kittens in shelter systems are staggering so I would really recommend that mom be kept indoors so that she doesn't breed while she is still nursing. You will want to keep an eye on the mother cat and little ones just to make sure that all is well, the nice thing about most mother cats is that they know just how to take care of their family. It is fine to handle the new babies here and there, but for the moment mom is doing her job. If the kittens or mother seem restless or anxious that is a cue to take the family in to be seen by the vet as it can mean several different things from calcium/magnesium deficiency (characterized by a stilted gait and somewhat jerky movement), the kittens may not be getting enough to eat, mom may get mastitis which is an infection of the mammary glands, if this happens you will have to raise the kittens on formula which is tons of work as they need to be weighed regularly to make sure that they are growing properly and they will generally eat every hour and a half to two hours. I am willing to offer advice or suggestions as I am sure that you will likely have questions and concerns over the next few weeks. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Good luck with the new family!