Your Pregnant Cat - Building A Nesting Box
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In the final week of your cat's pregnancy, you will be able to see her displaying an important behavior - nesting behavior.
Although she may be the most pampered cat ever, she will still think that she is living in the wild and will feel compelled to search out a birthing place that is safe,warm and secure.
Under - or on - your bed is often top of her list of preferred places!
As birth is a messy business and you may be needed to give assistance, it is wise to prepare a 'nesting box' so that you are in control - even if your cat thinks that she is!
To provide an acceptible nesting place, find a roomy cardboard box that is large enough to allow your pregnant cat to move around in during birth and to have her kittens close to her whilst she delivers subsequent ones.
Following the birth, there will need to be enough space for your newborn kittens to feed from their mother and for her to care for them all.
For privacy and security, the sides of the box should be fairly high and you should be able to partially cover the top with a towel. To allow access in and out for feeding and toiletting, cut one side away, leaving a lip of around 3 inches at the bottom. This will stop any newborn kittens accidentally falling out of the box or beginning to explore before they are quite ready.
Line the bottom of the box with a good amount of old newspaper, shredding some to provide cushioning. Put more, individual sheets on top. These can easily be removed as they become soiled after each kitten is delivered and disposed of appropriately.
Make sure that you have the nesting box ready at least two weeks before your kitten's expected delivery date and let your cat become familiar with it. You will need to place it in a warm, draught-free place, away from the busyness of family life.
Your cat will need to be kept stress free and feeling secure so that she can concentrate on the business of giving birth.
Almost certainly, she will not feel that you have chosen an appropriate place for her nest, so keep an eye on her for signs that she is sorting out her own nest elsewhere. If this is the case, simply move the box close to that position.
What ever you do, don't let your cat out of the house for two, or even three weeks before her due date. If she decides to build her nest outside and disappears into it to give birth, you will have no chance of finding her and the consequences don't bear thinking about.
Once you have made your beautiful cat her nesting box, you are ready for the birth of her new kittens!
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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