My cat had kittens. Is she still contracting because of more? Normal?

Cats are typically pretty predictable when it comes to delivering their babies, but when they decide to act outside the norm they become extremely unpredictable. Your average short haired house-cat will have a kitten every 10-60 minutes after the first one is delivered. However there are some cases where cats are known to intentionally stop giving birth (usually we aren't able to determine why with certainty), and will resume anywhere from a couple hours to upwards of 24-36 hours later. This tends to happens most often in animals that were interrupted physically during the birthing process. In cases where there is truly difficulty with delivery or failure to deliver all the young, veterinary intervention will be required. This is especially true if you feel Lily is not caring for the others babies, is acting unusual or sickly, or if she is actively straining but not producing any offspring. Hope this makes sense.

Hi, bearing in mind that each case is a different one, cats can give birth after 24 hours from the first initial kitten or from the first few. If you are in doubt though as nothing seems to be happening, have her checked over. Hope this helps !

Hello, yes kittens can have nursing behaviors that include seeking more attention from you and nursing her kitten. However, keep a close eye on her and make sure she is not continuing to have more contractions without being able to produce another kitten. Most frequently, cats will have multiple kittens at birth, not a single one. If you suspect she is not able to deliver the rest of her kittens, then you should consider having her evaluated by her primary care veterinarian for a possible dystocia. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Contractions can continue for several hours after delivery, that is for the purpose of getting all the placenta out of the uterus. It's not possible for you to know if there are more puppies in her uterus just by feeling her belly, but if you are unsure and worried, the only thing that can give you a definitive answer would be an xray or an ultrasound.

Hello. It has been a few hours since you posted, so perhaps Quinn has already had the rest of her kittens. If not, & she remains comfortable, there are no obvious signs of contractions & she is happily nursing her kittens, there is not much you can or need to do. It is possible that what you felt was actually the uterus contracting down, a common mistake. If she goes 24 hours without delivering any more kittens & you still think you are feeling something, please have her examined by your veterinarian. She may require an injection to stimulate contractions, or she may need a C-section, but I think she may actually be done. See your vet if you have any concerns. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Since she has been having contractions for a few hours now and has not produced a kitten, it is now time for an intervention by a veterinarian. Please take her to a vet or petER now. The vet will be able to determine whether there is another kitten or more than one, and whether there is a kitten blocking the birth canal. Your cat may need a cesarian section in case the kitten (if there is one) is too big to be born naturally. Please take her to a vet now.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She might. If she is laying comfortably, grooming herself and her kittens and NOT having contractions then she may have more later. Cats can delay labor for up to 24 hours. If you are still worried at the 24 hour mark make an appointment with your Vet for a belly X-ray to be sure she is finished. Good luck!