How to know if a cat has given birth

So your pet cat is in labor! Normally, cats can give birth at home without any problems, but how do you know if the mother cat has given birth to all of her kittens? A litter of kittens usually has 4 to 12 kittens, so you need to know how many unborn kittens there will be. The following are signs that your cat still has a baby in her belly that hasn’t come out yet.

Table of Contents

The cat panted.

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It’s completely normal for cats to breathe heavily during labor. The mother cat is working hard to give birth and it will be quite hard. It will calm down noticeably once it has calved, so if the cat is still panting after the first few kittens have been born, it’s probably still laying. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Cats can handle labor on their own and rarely need help, so if your cat is panting, fidgeting and licking for more than 24 hours and still hasn’t shown signs of labor, it’s best. You should contact your veterinarian to ask what to do.

Cats meow a lot.

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Cats are just as painful during childbirth as people are, so it’s not a big deal for them to squeak while they’re in labor. As the kittens cross the birth canal, the mother cat may purr or meow or meow. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If your cat purrs for longer than an hour without any signs of labor, contact your veterinarian as this could be a sign of difficulty in labor.

Cats give birth.

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The mother cat will push during the second and third stages of labor. You will feel like it is trying to push to go to the toilet. Kittens are tiny, but they need to be pushed through the mother’s birth canal. After giving birth to a kitten, the mother cat will usually lick and care for her kittens, then continue to push for about 10-15 minutes. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

After the mother’s first birth, the kittens will be born, about 10 minutes to 1 hour apart.
Contact your veterinarian if the mother cat pushes for more than 25-30 minutes, as this could be a sign that the kitten is stuck in the birth canal.

There is a fluid-filled sac in the mother cat’s birth canal.

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Yes, it’s a kitten. It looked like a blackish-black sheath passed through the mother cat’s vagina. However, if the fetus does not come out within the first 10 minutes of its head coming out, it may be stuck. In this case, it’s best not to pull the kitten out yourself, as doing so will upset the mother and make it even more difficult for the kittens. Contact your veterinarian for treatment instructions. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

The cat licks its genital area.

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The mother cat licks to break the membrane around the kittens. This double-layer wrap is filled with oily fluid to help the kitten move through the birth canal smoothly. When the mother cat feels the kittens move, she will continuously lick the genital area. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

The placenta does not come out after the last kitten has given birth.

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The placenta is usually pushed out after each mother cat gives birth about 15 minutes. However, if a kitten has been born after this time and the placenta (the rusty mass of flesh) has not yet come out, it is possible that the mother still has unborn kittens in the womb. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Sometimes 2-3 kittens come out before the placenta is pushed out. There are no set rules here, but you should follow them if you can.
Mother cats often also eat the placenta after giving birth. This is completely normal!
If one or more kittens are born without a placenta soon after, contact your veterinarian. Residual placenta in the uterus can lead to infection. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Cats are aggressive or highly defensive.

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This can be embarrassing, but it’s only temporary. After giving birth, the mother cat’s priority now is to protect herself and her newborn cubs. The labor process is also disruptive to the mother cat’s body and she is trying to adapt. The mother cat will begin to calm down after giving birth. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Do not yell loudly or correct this behavior with tools such as water sprayers. You will only make the cat more defensive.
Aggressive behavior sometimes persists 3-4 weeks after the kittens are born due to hormonal regulation. This most often happens when the mother cat begins to behave aggressively during pregnancy.
Note this change and ask your vet what you can do to make your cat feel safe.

The mother cat does not fully pay attention to the newborn kittens.

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The mother cat will quickly take care of the kittens after they are born, then continue to push. Bonding time between mother and newborn is precious, but the mother cat cannot rest and care for the newborn kittens until all of them are born. Depending on the number of kittens in the litter, you may notice the mother’s rhythm: panting, pushing, licking the kittens, nursing the kittens, and repeating. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If you find that the mother cat is completely disinterested in the kittens, such as not licking or nursing, call your veterinarian to ask what to do.
Remember to give the cat space for the mother and the cat to bond with each other. This way the mother cat will feel comfortable and relaxed. Then you have plenty of time to cuddle with the new kittens.
It is also best not to leave the room during the time the cat gives birth, because the mother cat may follow you. ^{[10] X Research Source}

There is discharge from the cat’s birth canal.

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The discharge may be clear white or light brown. As the contractions get stronger during labor, you may notice a little discharge from your cat’s birth canal. The discharge is sometimes bloody, but this is normal. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is bleeding profusely, as this is a sign of danger. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Tell your veterinarian if the mother cat has bloody discharge for more than a week after giving birth. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Cats are not hungry.

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Kittens need to eat and so does the mother. Mother cats often do not seek food immediately after giving birth; Usually after a few hours they will eat, sometimes up to 24 hours.

Talk to your veterinarian about your cat’s nutritional needs so that both mother and kittens get the nutrients they need. ^{[14] X Research Source}

The number of kittens born is less than on the picture.

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No matter how excited you are, don’t forget to count the kittens. Sometimes because of excitement, you forget to count the number of newborn kittens. If there are more kittens in the previous x-ray or ultrasound than there are kittens born, seek your veterinarian’s advice on what to do. The mother cat may need to be surgically removed. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Maybe your veterinarian will do an imaging test to see how many kittens are left in the mother’s womb. Your veterinarian may also do blood tests to make sure the mother cat has normal calcium and blood sugar levels. Finally, ultrasound techniques can be used to check the kitten’s heart rate. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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