Pregnant cat restless, breathing heavily. When will she give birth?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It could be a sign of impending labor! But not 100%. I would give her space and limit the number of people hovering around her and checking on her. Cats can delay labor when stressed. Leave her in a quiet room with a litter box, food and water. Provide a comfortable box or bed for her to have the babies. Check on her every few hours. Good luck!

In the 24-48 hours prior to giving birth, the cat appear appear anxious and restless. She will start to show nesting behavior, looking for a quiet place to give birth. She will lick her abdomen and vagina persistently, and you may see a discharge. She will lose all interest in food. You may see an increase in her breathing rate, and as labor continues, she will lay on her side and intermittently squat and press downwards to give birth to her kittens.

Your kitty will pick the place she thinks is perfect, so you can try to put the box where she is resting. No point in arguing with her. Cat mamas know best. So if she is coming for cuddles, give her cuddles as long as she wants them. eventually she will either go away to have her babies, or have them on your lap if she so sees fit.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Daisy is panting and pregnant close to term then she is likely going in to labor. If she isn't close to being due she should see a Vet right away. I would have her somewhere quiet and calm. Keep children, a lot of people and animals out. If there isn't a kitten born in 2 hours with this panting she should be seen by a Vet. Panting in cats is not normal in any other situation. I wish you the best!

96.5 is indeed low, however in order to verify this one would need to know your cat's individual normal temperature and also take the temperature with another thermometer, to make sure that the first one is working properly, At this time I would say she will have her kittens within the next 12-24 hours, especially if she is making/leaking milk. If your cat appears lethargic, or ill, you should take her to a vet for a quick exam just to make sure that she is ok.

It sounds like she might be showing signs of early labor, but it also could be normal behavior for the end of pregnancy. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for an exam and an x-ray if you haven't already seen them recently - it is very helpful to take an x-ray to count puppies late in pregnancy. That way you know approximately how many puppies to expect. You should also start checking her rectal temperature with a well lubricated digital thermometer three times a day to establish a baseline (make sure it's at the same time every day) - usually a dog's baseline temperature will drop by one full degree prior to labor. If Luna's temperature drops but you don't see puppies within 24 hours you should see a veterinarian to make sure everything is okay.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Fast respiration is a common finding in nursing cats, particularly with the first litter. If Lily is nursing the kittens well, is eating and drinking and acting as normal, you should just monitor her at home. However, if she goes off food and becomes lethargic you should take her to your local vets for an appointment. In that case, she should be checked for fever, mastitis, uterine infection, which could cause increase in respiratory rate in feeding cats.