How do you know when cats are finished having kittens?

[TakingBackSunday]

Hi all,

As the title suggests how do you know when a cat has finished having kittens?

Sat down for my tea and my beloved cat popped out a still born kitten, didn't even know she was pregnant.

Well apparently when I was away one weekend she got through the kitchen window and returned before I came home so DH didn't bother to tell me.

I know I'm irresponsible but she's an indoor ragdoll cat so didn't have had any urgency really (idiot) but I just need help with making sure she's okay now

She's being very affectionate, following me everywhere but not much else

Go to your room and hang out with them doing something that will keep them calm and let your cat be where she wants to be.

I realise it's not ideal but you can absolutely make allowances for your cat right now and find a workable solution

Please double check that the first kitten is definitely dead before burying it!

That's why I've moved her somewhere safe.

They love her and will be trying to cuddle and play with her - I doubt any newborn kittens would be safe around young children??

They aren't in danger because they'd hurt them maliciously, they'd want to cuddle and play with them.

Can’t you just go and sit with your kids in their bedrooms?

A cat (not ours, a feral) miscarried a kitten in our back yard (this was about 20odd years ago!) and was bleeding from her back end. I think she may have ate it after because it disappeared! We took her to the vets and she had two more dead kittens inside her. They cleaned her out and spayed her. We looked after her after that.

if the worst of mumsnet it advocating for this cat then I shall take it all day long. Not quite the insult you think it is.

Op, can you post a picture of the cat and describe what she's doing right now? I may be able to help.

Mother usually pushes dead one away and she is more likely to eat it than understand anything. It’s fine to take it away if she left it.

Mum cat will normally try to wake a not breathing kitten with licking and cleaning. If you are there, and she lets you observe, could be prepared to get a stillborn breathing with touch of brandy or similar on tongue as sharp taste causes intake of breath. If it doesn’t react, it’s truly dead.

I've let her out to see if she would go back to the sofa and she's gone and ate her dinner (she apparently didn't like the one I put down for her)

So she wasn't bothered about the sofa after all.

Our cat had two still born kittens in quick succession (withing 5 minutes) and no more after that. No nesting etc either beforehand

This. Very concerning.

Why isnt anyone berating op's dh who didn't tell her the dcat had gotten out? Have you a box op? Any dark corner or cupboards? Our dcat gave birth in the airing cupboard back in The Day...

You will have to ask someone to take in mother and any surviving kittens they're not safe with the children for a while. @TakingBackSunday

She's just eating

I put food, water and litter in the nesting area but apparently she didn't like it.

She’s said in the OP ‘I know I’m irresponsible but she’s an indoor cat’

I don’t think she is in active Labour …

You're doing a good job I'm sure she will be fine ♥️

Maybe put her in your bedroom? Or even a bathroom would be ok. Make sure she has water, food if she wants it. If she shows signs of distress, straining but nothing appears, any loss of blood other than a placenta then you need to call the vet immediately. Did she deliver a placenta with the stillborn?

How sure are you that the kitten you saw was the first, is it possible there's another somewhere?

Right, listen.

No you absolutely cannot just move some autistic kids at will. Ones that are under the sleep clinic are going to be having enormous difficulties, as is the OP in managing them amongst a myriad of other issues no doubt.

OP isn't saying 'I can't be arsed to move my bratty spoiled kids, fuck the cat' she is saying that her disabled children in their safe/regulation space, and that moving them would likely cause a meltdown. Which the kids cannot help, is incredibly loud and distressing and which ultimately helps no one (and will also distress the cat!). OP herself could need the sofa to give birth on and the kids may not have the capacity or ability to 'just move'.

Stop piling on, you absolutely clueless bunch, and think yourselves damn lucky that you're not in her shoes. What disgusting responses, some of you should be bloody ashamed of yourselves.

OP if it's not possible to explain, cajole, bribe (sometimes works!) or otherwise move the kids then yes take the cat the sofa cushion, keep her in the warm, dark nesty place and as far as you possibly can with your kids, keep it quiet. Keep a close eye on her. Vets in the morning. Good luck.

Sorry but how is posting on mumsnet saying ‘we let our unspayed cat out and now she’s knocked up and we can’t even prioritise her needs in labour’ doing a good job?

OP, you and your husband need to tag team and get the kids out of the room where she wants to be to make her as comfy as possible, no matter how difficult it is for you. You are the adults and the parents. You’ve fucked up massively here already, at least try and make it a little bit less shit…

Hope you are ok OP? Please would you just make sure that if she does have any kittens that survive that the children don't have access to them whatsoever (I don't mean that in a 'they'll hurt them' way). Cats are very maternal, but they will kill their kittens if they are extremely distressed.

Would a cardboard box with some familiar scents and away from hustle and bustle be a safe place for her?

I didn't realise I'd have to explain my life story - I'd have put it in my OP if I thought necessary.

She passed the still born kitten and placenta - she wasn't distressed or bothered by it.

Minimal bleeding, just really affectionate and purring.

I did have her in a safe place until MN said I was horrible so I let her out to go to the sofa if she needed to and it just turned out she didn't like the food I'd put down for her.

She seems fine, I'll monitor her and DH will take her vets in the morning to make sure she's okay and book her in to be spayed.

Cats purr when they are in labour .

most of my cats have given birth over several hours so she might well have some more to come .

one of my cats had a live kitten and then two days later birthed two more live kittens - that was the most unusual labour of them all!

she will find somewhere quiet to go if she is going to have anymore . Cats can actively delay their labour for a short time .