Cat just gave birth, but still feels pregnant. Is this 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.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If she recently had kittens, her nipples may feel more plump than they typically would, since she may have residual milk in there that needs to resorb or they may still be swollen from being recently suckled on by her kittens. If she truly has not urinated in 24 hours, I would be concerned. I would check around your house for any spots, as she may have urinated outside of the litter box, since this is a new home for her. Stress can slow cat's GI tracts, so she may not defecate for a few days. As long as she is acting normally and has a good appetite and is drinking water, I would continue to monitor her at home. If she ever becomes excessively lethargic, or loses her appetite, or vomits or has diarrhea, I would have her evaluated by your veterinarian. You could try confining her to a smaller area for a day or so to make sure she is urinating. I hope this is helpful!

If she is not straining to push at this time, then yes give her more time to birth the rest of the kittens at her own pace. This process, known as[ queening](https://www.petcoach.co/article/queening-giving-birth-in-cats/), can take up to 48 hrs to complete. Please try not to worry or [stress](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-surprising-ways-stress-can-impact-your-pet) her during her labor process as this can stall and prolong her labor. If no kitten is delivered after 30 minutes of active straining/pushing, then you should have her examined by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER.

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!

This is normal and no cause for concern. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian to confirm no kittens remain to be delivered. It may take some time for Kitty to lose the pregnancy weight or for swelling associated with the pregnancy to resolve.

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.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Lucy seems comfortable, is caring well for the kittens, & you do not see her pushing or having active contractions, then you can let her rest. You may be feeling a contracted uterine horn, or it may be another kitten, but if she is content then you can probably wait until the morning to have her checked out. Since it is already late, you would have to take her in to the emergency clinic anyway, but I would not recommend it, yet. If she becomes restless, vocal, & you see her pushjng for more than 30 minutes without producing a kitten, then take her in. Hopefully, this will not be necessary. Take care.