Question about cat pregnancy

[Miss Molly]

So my cat's been knocked up for a while now, and showing noticeably for a month and a half now.

Not sure when she got knocked up, but her tummy is HUGE and at the moment she's got a brownish goo coming out of her 'tang.

Are there signs that labor is about to begin?  How can I get her to start nesting in the laundry basket that I've prepared for her?  Is she going to run off and try to have them somewhere else?

Anybody who has any advice on cat birthing, please let me know.

[Jessie]

As far as I know kittens take 9 weeks to cook.  If your cat's been showing for 6 or more, it's probably about that time.

If she can get out of the house or into any really difficult places, watch her, because she'll likely go for it.  Keep an eye on her after the kittens are born too, because if she's getting too much attention, or doesn't feel safe for some reason, she'll move them.

Much like a woman, when she's in labor, you'll know it.  She'll be in obvious discomfort.  If she's having some sort of discharge, I'd assume that it's starting.

I like to watch kittens and puppies being born, and to keep an eye out for any problems, but for the most part, she'll take care of herself.

I'd try to keep her on an old towel or blanket, as it will be messy.  Also, be prepared for this to last all night.

Have you felt her belly enough to have any idea how many she's going to have?

[ReBurn]

As far as I know kittens take 9 weeks to cook. 

Huh.  I wouldn't have figured a kitten to take more than an hour to cook on 350.

[nishi]

<<In the build up to parturition the queen may become less active, eats less and starts to show nesting behaviour by seeking out somewhere to give birth and rear the kittens. Left to their own devices, most cats will pick the foot of a wardrobe or under the duvet so owners should be advised to offer a warm, dry, secure and enclosed box which should be large enough to accommodate food and water bowls. A hinged lid is useful to allow easy access to the kittens. It's best to keep the queen away from other cats in the house. In the last day the queen may noticeably eat less and her rectal temperature can drop slightly before she enter the three stages of parturition:

STAGE 1: Under the influence of hormones, the cervix and vagina begin to relax. Gentle uterine contractions will start but they aren't visible to us although we may be able to appreciate movement of the kittens through the flank wall. A small vaginal discharge may be present. The queen is often restless and may be noisier than normal. Some cats seek solitude but others become more clingy and attention seeking. Some cats pant in the later stages. The first stage of labour usually lasts for 2 to 12 hours but can be up to a day and a half.

STAGE 2: This is the forceful expulsion of the kittens. The cat now develops much more obvious and active uterine contractions. Full dilation of the cervix and vagina occurs with the passage of the foetal membranes. As the foetal head enters the pelvis the queen's abdominal contractions begin. The cat may lie on her side to strain or may stand in a squatting position. There can be extremely loud vocalisation. The first kitten is born about 30 minutes after active straining. The foetal membranes appear first at the vulva and usually burst releasing fluid. As the kitten emerges the queen may bite at it in an alarming way but this is quite normal. The queen usually start licking the kittens to remove the foetal membranes but if there appears to be a delay, the owner can assist. A healthy kitten will quickly be wriggling and actively seeking the nipple. Further kittens will usually be born every 10 to 60 minutes but cats can have a long rest between kittens.

STAGE 3: The passing of the placenta is a distinctive stage in species which have only one or two offspring but it is less so in the cat. Each kitten has its own placenta and it may be passed immediately after producing the kitten or appears some minutes later. It may occur with a further stage two delivery where a kitten is delivered with two placentae. The queen may eat the placenta straight from the vulva or may chew to sever the umbilicus. If the queen delays severing the umbilicus it is possible to tear it by holding the cord between clean cloth-covered fingers or applying forceps and cutting with scissors.

A normal parturition can last between one and 36 hours. It can sometimes be difficult to tell when all the kittens have been born. Unborn full term kittens can usually be easily palpated by your veterinary surgeon but an x-ray may be considered to more accurately confirm the number of kittens present. Care should be taken not to not to disrupt the bonding process between the queen and her kittens. Many cats prefer solitude when having their kittens but some pet cats seem to prefer having their owner nearby. It's advisable for some observation to occur during parturition so we can recognise when intervention may be required but it's important to allow the cat to progress with as little fuss as possible.>>

[Infobahn]

I like mine with baked apples.

[nishi]

this is really good too, and talks about things you'll need to have on hand and what you can do to help if she needs it:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1366&articleid=919

[ReBurn]

OMG!  As a joke I was looking for kitten recipes and I totally came across a site that talks about really eating cats!  Too effing gross!

[Grumpus]

As far as I know kittens take 9 weeks to cook. 

Huh.  I wouldn't have figured a kitten to take more than an hour to cook on 350.

Huh, there's more then one way to cook a cat.

[Jessie]

I wonder if Molly's a grandma yet.

[Miss Molly]

She's going into labor as I type this.  Eep.  I really don't have any supplies ready..

am i supposed to cut the cords myself or does she do that?

eep eep eep

[nishi]

you should probably do that. she'll know how, but it will be easier on her if you do it.

[eo000]

it will bring you closer with the kittens if you chew through the cord.