Search Results
291 results for “cat labor”
Cat Cold: Symptoms and Home Care
A sneezing or eye-discharging cat may have a mild viral cold or the start of a worse respiratory infection. Nearly all cat colds trace to calicivirus or herpesvirus, with signs appearing days to two weeks after exposure. Watch for mouth breathing, fever, or loss of appetite, and treat any cough, labored breathing, or darkening mucus as a red flag for pneumonia or secondary bacterial infection — and never give human or dog medication.
Can a Cat Have a C-Section?
A cesarean (hysterotomy) is an emergency surgery to deliver kittens when labor stalls — call the vet if strong straining lasts 20 minutes with no kitten, pregnancy passes 65 days, there is persistent red discharge, or fever. After surgery, give all meds, keep the mother quiet, protect the incision with an e-collar, and watch both mother and kittens closely.
Can You Give a Pregnant Cat an Injection for a Cold
A pregnant cat with a cold is best treated without injections: the stress of a shot can frighten her and risk premature labor or miscarriage. Use gentle, pregnancy-safe symptomatic meds, keep her warm, and feed a balanced diet, and never give human cold medicine, which is toxic to cats.
Feeding a Pregnant Cat: Diet Before, During, and After Birth
A pregnant queen's needs shift hard — her intake climbs to 1.5–2× normal by delivery, so transition her to calorie-dense kitten food over seven days and keep calcium steady. After birth she loses about 40% of the pregnancy weight gain and needs energy-rich, calcium-supplemented food, with free feeding while the litter is large.
High-Protein Cat Meal Recipe
This high-protein cat meal — brisket, chicken, shrimp, scallop, and egg yolk — suits a pregnant queen who needs extra protein and calories, fed as about 10% of her dry food and split into small meals as her belly grows. Keep shrimp modest to avoid excess weight that could complicate delivery, and refrigerate any leftovers.
Caring for a Pregnant Cat: What Owners Should Do
A newly pregnant queen needs little beyond her normal routine and good nutrition; keep her active but avoid jumps in the final two weeks, and transition her to kitten food as her belly grows. About a week before delivery, set up a private, safe birthing space with a low-sided nest, nearby food and water, and a prepared breeding kit so you're ready for anything.
How to Tell If Your Cat Is Sick
A sick cat hides its discomfort, so the earliest clues are changes in sleep, litter-box habits, appetite, weight, coat, and water intake. Red flags such as vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, a head tilt, or straining to urinate need a vet, and routine checks also catch fleas, hairballs, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and urinary disease.
Caring for a Pregnant Cat: Key Precautions
A pregnant cat needs gentle exercise and sunlight, regular grooming, and a quiet place to rest, with a familiar whelping box set up about ten days before delivery. Keep her from jumping down from heights or clearing obstacles, and support her belly when you pick her up so the developing kittens are never compressed.
Why Is My Cat Vomiting After Giving Birth?
Occasional post-birth vomiting can be normal — from licking kittens' feces, overeating, or labor pain — but frothing with panting, a stiff gait, or tremors signals hypocalcemia and needs an emergency vet visit. Monitor closely and get help for any worrying sign.
How to Treat Feline Rhinotracheitis (Cat ‘Snuffles’)
Feline rhinotracheitis is essentially a cat upper-respiratory infection: it starts with watery eye and nose discharge and, if the virus spreads, progresses to thick pus, swollen eyes, poor appetite, and labored breathing, sometimes ending in pneumonia. Treatment works best in stages — supportive care early, nebulization and antivirals mid-way, and antibiotics only if it worsens.