The pregnant queen

The pregnant queen

When she returns home the queen may still be calling so you hold her paw and make reassuring noises. You can return the kitten box to the queen's quarters after birth.

Most cats have their kittens quite naturally with no mishaps. Each kitten comes in a plastic bag called the amniotic sac. This has to be broken so that the kitten does not suffocate.

Usually the queen bursts the sac If she fails to do so or neglects the kitten. perhaps because another is already on the way you can safely break the sac with clean fingers or a tissue wiping mucus away from the kittens mouth and nose It will then be able to breathe and will probably make little squeaking noises that immediately cause the queen to take fresh interest in it. She will lick it all over and draw its towards her to keep it warm It may even move towards her teats instinctively and try to suckle.

If the kittens come in quick succession you should certainly help but if they are well spaced the queen may prefer to do all the work herself. This will include biting off the umbilical cord about 1 0cm (4in) from the kitten to separate the kitten from the placenta. which attached it to the womb and came away during birth. If the mother fails to sever the cord, you must do so. Take care not to cut it too close to the kitten, nor to pull it away from the kitten.

You can use scissors, or pinch with thumb and forefinger pulling towards the kitten After some weeks the remaining piece of cord withers and falls off. The queen usually eats the nutritious remains of the placenta known as the afterbirth. If there are many kittens the queen may not want to eat all the afterbirths and when you see she has no more interest in those that remain, remove them.