My small cat is pregnant. Is she too small to deliver kittens safely?

Most cats are close enough in size that it shouldn't be an issue and you should not have to do anything to assist in a normal pregnancy. I would NOT recommend trying to cut open your cat as you will likely injure her and endanger both her and the kittens and this is considered animal cruelty. If she is showing signs of dystocia (difficult birth) and goes into labor for several hours without producing a kitten, seeking emergency care from your vet is needed.

Size of the opening of the vulva is not an indication of how well she will be able to deliver her kittens. Usually there will be no problem, as hormones will soften all the tissue involved and make it stretchy, so unless the kittens lie across the opening of the pelvis, your kitty should have no problem delivering her babies. Gestation time for cats on average is 63 days, a little over two months. Her nipples would be very pink now and she should be having her kittens soon.

Mother Nature generally kicks in and they seek to know what to do.it is best to keep her in a comfortable, quiet place to allow her privacy to deliver. Check on her about every 30 minutes to an hour. If you notice a black or brown discharge or there is no progression after 30 minutes of heavy contractions and pushing then get her to a vet

Yes, I would have your cat seen by a vet if you suspect she is pregnant. At 16 months old, she is old enough to have her first litter, and cats typically do not need help giving birth. The most important thing you can do for her is set up a nesting area for her in a quiet room away from everyone. Cats prefer to give birth in quiet areas. The vet can do x-rays and/or an ultrasound to confirm she is pregnant and the vet can give you an estimate of how far along she is in her pregnancy and about how many kittens she is carrying.

Bella may have difficulty feeding the litter as she is still growing herself. Confirm that she is indeed pregnant first. Your veterinarian may be able to do this via palpation or abdominal x-ray. If it is early enough, consider having her spayed for her health and safety and to prevent unwanted or accidental litters in the future. If you decide to leave her intact, she will need to be monitored closely throughout the pregnancy, delivery and raising of the litter until weaning.

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.

Unfortunately not. If you are sure about the days, I think it would be best to have her checked at your local veterinarian to see if the kittens are all vital and make sure there is no significant obstruction of the pelvic canal (by one of the puppies). Unfortunately there is not much you can effectively do back home to help. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.