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.