My cat just had a kitten, but another is stuck. What should I do?

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.

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.

If you are able to grasp the stuck kitten and gently pull when the mother has contractions. This may allow you to get the kitten out. Then rub it down with a dry cloth to stimulate breathing. If the umbilical cord is still attached it may survive. If you can’t do that then take her right in for treatment. This could become life threatening if she can’t get the kitten out, and there may be more inside. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mouse.

Hello. If the placenta is still attached, the birth process can normally take 10-15 minutes per kitten. If there is enough of the kitten sticking on, you can take a cloth or paper towel & assist the birth by using a firm but gentle pull. Hopefully, her deliveries will continue well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If it has been that long between having the last kitten, and there are still more in the birth canal/visibly moving in the belly, it would be best to seek veterinary care immediately as Midnight may be suffering from dystocia, or have a kitten that is stuck.

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and this is concerning. Yes, I recommend to get Cali to the veterinarian ASAP. Cats can stop birthing and then finish up to 24 hours later if they are disrupted by something. But it's rare and that doesn't seem to be the case in Cali's situation. So I think it's best to err on the side of caution and get Cali into the veterinarian's office right away. She may need help having the kittens or she may need a C-section. Here' is a link about normal birthing (called queening) in cats: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/breeding-and-queening-cats I hope everything turns out well for Cali! Please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

Wash your hands well, lubricate your finger with vaseline and very gently put it into her vagina and check where the kitten's head and other leg is. You may have to GENTLY find the leg put your finger underneath it and pull it straight forward towards you. Check where the head is. If it is facing sideways or backwards you need to , again very gently, put it into the right position with the snout facing you. Once the leg and head are facing you, you can gently start pulling the kitten. If you feel the tail, it is coming backwards, so you can just gently pull the leg. Do not try to rectify the position of the kitten for more than 10 minutes. (You may also have to push it in a little if you cannot get at the leg.) This will be difficult. If the birth does not happen, you will need to take her to a vet for a cesarian section.