How To Build A Nesting Box For Your Pregnant Cat | Cats

By JaneTompsett
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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.

In the middle of your bed is often her first choice!

Giving birth to kittens is a messy business and you may also be called on to give help if needed. Because of this, it is a good idea to prepare a nesting box so that you can have easy access to your new mother cat and her kittens. This way, your cat thinks that she has made her choice of birthing place but you also can remain in control.

To build a suitable nesting box, locate a cardboard box that is spacious enough for your cat to move around in comfortably and to have her newborn kittens close by whilst she finishes delivering their siblings.

When your cat has finished giving birth, there will need to be enough room for all her kittens to suckle comfortably and for their mother to take care of them.

The sides of the box should be high enough to give privacy and security and the top should be partially covered for the same reason. One side should be cut away to allow access to feeding and toileting facilities and for you to be able to monitor what is going on. However, leave a lip of around 3 inches at the bottom to prevent a kitten or two from rolling out accidentally or venturing forth before they are quite ready.

The best bedding material to use is old newspaper. Line the box with a generous amount and top this with some shredded paper. Finish off with a number of individual sheets that you can then remove easily as the need arises following the delivery of each kitten. You can then dispose of the soiled bedding appropriately.

Have the box ready two weeks before you think that the kittens are due and allow your pregnant cat to become familiar with it. Place it in a position that is warm, free from draughts and away from the hustle and bustle of family life. Your cat needs to feel secure and unthreatened so that she can get on with the business of delivering her kittens without added stress.

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 provided your much loved cat with a nesting box, you are ready for the big event!

About the Author

Are you 100% prepared for your pregnant cat 's labor? Learn all you need to know about building a nesting box and subscribe to Jane Tompsett's free Cat Owners Confidential newsletter by following these links.

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