I'm on the fence about whether to start this, having just seen a thread where a woman has been slated for knowing a dog who is having puppies and it wasn't even her dog.
My cat is due to have kittens any day. I'm not an experienced cat owner and haven't cared for a cat going through this experience. I'll say at the outset that this is a completely undesirable situation and it won't be repeated.
We've talked to the vet and read what we can about what to do, but thought it would also be helpful to start a thread in case further questions come up. If you have some experience and are happy to share it, I can't thank you enough.
If you wish to chastise me for getting into this situation in the first place, please don't bother as it will achieve nothing for the cat or anyone else at this point. I will simply hide the thread and not return to it (unless, of course, there is specific need for urgent information relating to the cat's welfare and it's impossible to get it anywhere else).
The cat is a Maine Coon and only ten months old. The vet wouldn't neuter her over the summer because she was being treated with antibiotics for a long-running gut infection that lasted months (now recovered). She came into heat at the tail end of that illness and unfortunately managed to escape my clutches (that is, the place where she was being confined) for long enough to mate. It shouldn't have happened and was an unfortunate one-off resulting from a unique set of circumstances that I won't go into here. She's a sweet natured, beautiful animal and we're upset that she is carrying a litter and at such a young age.
She didn't have the 'pinking up' symptom so we didn't know she was pregnant until the vet confirmed it two weeks ago. Apparently there are at least five kittens there. He estimated that she would give birth anytime from Monday to Friday of this week. (So she is a day late).
Don't urge me to spay her at the first opportunity because that is exactly what I am planning to do. In the past we have rehabilitated rescue dogs and never imagined we would end up contributing to the problem of overpopulation - very humbling experience and the priority now to is to get this right for the cat.
Thanks very, very much to anyone who has constructive advice.
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The litter tray
Pregnant Cat
slenderisthenight · 22/10/2016 14:56
In this instance, I'd give her what she wants as long as it's not going to be actively bad for her. Many many cats only have 3 or 4 kits. 9 is a massive number. In fact, and sadly, I would almost be resigned to losing one or two if I were you. 
Well done for keeping going.
I'm afraid that it sounds as if the littlest one is about to go. There will likely be people around here to talk to if you need to at any time. Don't forget to eat and drink yourself.
Just wait until weaning stage - trampling the slop all over the house. I'd start investing in kitchen towel now! 
In one sense it is - but it's a good idea to cast your eye over things now and temporarily remove e.g. breakables. (Unless you're going to keep them sequestered somewhere they can't escape, like a separate - and nicely bare - room.) 
You must feel so sad for the littlest ones that were beyond saving. You did all you could. 
Forgive me if this has already been mentioned, after feeding, are you stimulating them to pee and poo? This involves stimulating their "intimate areas" with a damp flannel (to simulate mum cat licking). Usually mum cat does this, but as there are 7 kittens for her to deal with, and mum isn't quite an adult cat herself, she could probably do with a helping hand.
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