Postnatal Cats
Source: Eustaquio Santimano
If your cat is expecting a litter of kittens, you can expect there to be a few changes after they are born. The queen's personality will alter as she focuses on caring for her kittens' health, safety and well-being. Generally though, the mother will take care of her young by herself and you will only have to step in if something unexpected occurs.
The most important thing to remember is that your cat may not want you around as much as she did before. This will be most obvious in the first two or three weeks after the birth, and you will need to let her decide how much she wants you around. The best thing to do is to create a small nursery in a quiet place so that your cat and her kittens are comfortable.
For the first three weeks, a mother cat will do everything for her litter. This includes making sure that they are well-fed. Of course, a lactating cat will require a lot of calories (up to three times her normal daily allowance) and the right amount of food should be provided.
For up to ten days after the birth, there may be some vaginal discharge present. This should be reddish-brown and without smell. If the discharge has a pungent odour or is bright red, you should take your cat to the vet. There may also be complications if the discharge lasts longer than three weeks.
There are quite a few illnesses associated with postnatal cats, but the chances that they can be contracted are very low. Symptoms to watch out for are:
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Swollen, hot or sore breasts
- Lack of interest in the litter
You should take your cat to the vet if they have any of the above as this is a sure sign of a medical emergency. Most of the time, however, everything will go as planned and the mother will take care of everything for you. All that you will need to do is provide a warm place for the queen and her litter to sleep and an adequate diet so that there is enough milk.
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