A Persian cat - kittens will have large heads - is taking a long time to start delivery of her kittens. How long after her water breaks and some amniotic fluid comes out will the cat start the delivery process? I do not live close to any vets - and it is late at night. I called and only got voice mail - No answer from the vet one hour away.

I read it can take 12 to 24 hours to start the movement of the kitten into the birth canal - but when do I know that the kitten is stuck or that the mommy cat needs pitocin.
Does pitocin make a difference in cat deliveries?

Any help would be great.

Twenty-four to forty-eight hours before labor begins, your cat will seem more anxious and restless. It will often poke its head about looking for a place to nest and have the litter. But this behavior sometimes occurs early as three days before they actually deliver. At this point confine her to the room you want her to give birth in. It should be a darkened room with an impervious floor in a quiet area of the house that is not too cold or hot. Place food and water in the room and let her get used to it.

Cats that are about to go into labor will usually lick their abdomen and vagina persistently. There is often a discharge that precedes birthing, but the mother will lick it away as rapidly as it appears. Her cervix will be dilating but no outward signs accompany this. Do not attempt to poke your finger in her.

She will loose all interest in food and become serious and attentive to only her licking. If you are perceptive, you may notice an increase in her breathing rate. It is quite common for the mother to sit with her mouth open and yowl loudly or pace the room. As her labor progresses and uterine contractions begin, pregnant cats will lay on their sides and intermittently squat and press downward to expel the kittens. Do not interrupt or disturb the mother during these periods – just watch from a door left ajar.

How Long Should I Wait?

The first kitten should arrive within an hour after the onset of labor. Sometimes labor lasts only a few minutes before the kitten arrives. Other kittens should arrive with an interval of ten minutes to an hour between them.

Each kitten arrives wrapped in a jelly-like membrane filled with clear fluid – the amniotic sac. Good mothers immediately begin licking the kitten forcefully, which shreds this sac allowing the kitten to breathe. This licking stimulates the kittens circulation and respiration.

In the exceptionally rare case where the mother does not free the kitten’s mouth from the obstructing membrane, you should do it for her and follow this with a vigorous rubbing of the kitten in a soft towel to dry it and stimulate it to breath. Kittens are delicate - so don't over-do the rubbing.

The mother will also chew off the umbilical cord at this time. If she forgets to do this to one or more of the kittens, you can tie off the cord with a length of dental floss or string and snip the cord about an inch long. It is important to let the mother do these things herself if she is willing because through licking and mothering the kitten she bonds with it and recognizes it as her infant. It also helps her to let down her milk.

The mother cat will probably begin nursing the kitten before the next littermates arrives. If she doesn't, place the kitten on one of her nipples. The nursing will stimulate her uterus to contract further so you may seen a bloody or greenish discharge at her vagina. She may eat a few of the afterbirths. There is no problem with that.

It usually takes two to six hours for the entire litter to be delivered. If labor persists beyond seven hours it is wise to take the mother and the kittens to a veterinarian. While she is delivering keep her area quiet, calm and dimly lit. Don’t become involved in the birthing unless you are certain that you are needed. Once the last kitten has been delivered you can quietly clean up the mess she has left behind. Place a fresh bowel of water and some cat food beside her because mother cats don’t like to leave their kittens for the first day or two.

What Will I See?

She should spend about 70% of her time nursing the kittens. Remember to keep a comfortable temperature in the room – kittens can not regulate their body temperatures during their first six days.

In a normal delivery, strong uterine contractions are accompanied by abdominal contractions and expulsion of the kittens. The first thing you will see is a small, greenish sac visible in the vagina, which will be followed by the kitten. The placenta is still attached to the kitten at this time. It will slowly drag out following each birth.

Although delivery of each kitten can take up to two hours the average time is thirty to sixty minutes. A kitten should not spend more than fifteen minutes in the birth canal. While in the birth canal, pressure on the umbilical cord deprives the kitten of oxygen. If you should see a kitten in this predicament grasp it gently through a soft clothe and pull it with a motion that is backwards and downwards. Grasp the kitten by its hips or shoulders and not by its legs or head. It is normal for kittens to arrive either head first or tail first.

After birth, The mother may discharge a bloody fluid for up to 10 days. Cats usually lick the discharge up as fast as it is produced. Only become concerned if the discharge becomes pus-like or has a strong odor.

Things To Keep On Hand When Your Cat Is Expecting:

Keep plenty of clean towels on hand when your cat is expecting. Go to Wal Mart and purchase a bottle of tame iodine solution (Betadine) for antiseptic, some Q-tips and a pair of blunt scissors. Buy a package of dental floss in case you need to tie off the kitten’s umbilical cords. A baby nose suction bulb works well to clean mucus from the mouth and nose of infant kittens. If it is cold, buy a heavy duty-heating pad.

What Are The Serious Problems That Might Happen?

You should contact your veterinarian if events do not unfold as I have generally listed them. Also contact your veterinarian if:

1) The pregnancy lasts more than 66 days
2) The mother’s temperature has been below a hundred for more than one day or drops below 98F
3) The mother goes off food or becomes depressed, weak or lethargic
4) A kitten becomes lodged in the birth canal for more than ten minutes and you can not dislodge it
5) The mother continues to have contractions for more than four hours and no kitten appears
6) More than five hours elapse when you are certain another kitten is still present in the mother
7) The vaginal discharge has a strong odor or appears infected
8) You counted less placentas than you have kittens
9) Kittens will not nurse or appear weak
10) A mammary gland (breast) is hot, hard or painful
11) Kittens mew continuously, do not sleep and are agitated
12) Kittens are not receiving enough milk to keep their stomachs plump and distended
13) The Mother’s temperature is over 102.5 and two days have passed since birthing