Parturition Behaviour - Cat
During the last week of pregnancy, the queen seeks a nesting area. This is usually a quiet, undisturbed spot but some house cats will demand more human contact.Mammary development becomes noticable in the last week of pregnancy, especially in maiden cats. Rectal temperature may fall a few days before parturition, but this is not a reliable indicator.
Stage 1
- Restless
- Frequently visits the site for kittening
- Occasionally lies down and will strain unproductively.
Stage 2
- Straining in lateral recumbency.
- Rapid expulsion of kittens with a short interval between each birth.
- Parturition usually complete within a few hours.
- If the queen is alarmed, this may disrupt the pattern and she may move the kittens to a new area before parturition resumes.
- Soon after birth the kittens begin to suckle.
Stage 3
- Placentae usually expelled still attached to the foetus or shortly afterwards.
- Consumed by the queen.
- Breakdown of marginal haematoma releases biliverdin, giving the discharge a brownish colour.