# How can I encourage my cat to use the nesting box?



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

My cat Sophie is currently on day 62 of her pregnancy and I have looked for as much advise online as I could find. As suggested I made her a nesting box and cut a hole in it, shredded newspaper in the bottom and put a blanket on top. I have had it down for 2 weeks now, under the bed where she likes to sleep, away for the children and dog. She has shown no interest at all!

Is there anything you can suggest I do to encourage her to use this, I don't want her to have the kittens somewhere where they can be disturbed.

Thanks

Laura


----------



## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

have you tried a little sprinkle of cat nip powder it may be enough to get her near or interested in it.


----------



## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

I have found there is nothing you can do aprt from keep her in one room with the box, dont let her roam the house I keep my cats in the lounge with me-I sleep on the sofa with them from about a week before they are due to about 3 weeks after so they kinda know where the box is, although my girl had her first in the litter tray & 2 outside on ther floor due to the heat and the last in the box, you casn move her in there when she has her first if she goes elsewhere, but id keep her in 1 room


----------



## nfp20 (Jun 29, 2010)

if she is anything like mine and the queens I used to birth for rescue she will already have her spot picked out. If your lucky it will be with you. I;ve had three cats birth either on my bed or in it... wierdest sensation moving your feet along the bottom of the bed and coming across something warm wet and sticky


----------



## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

We had success with ours, and I think it was purely because she was kept in one room (with me) 24/7 and because I sealed off every possible nook and cranny that she could get into. The only dark quiet place left after I had finished was her nest box


----------



## Honeybunch (Apr 25, 2010)

Hi there with my cat I kept her confined to one room the last week of her pregnancy. She also showed no interest in her nesting box. When she started labour she was on my lap purring loudly and then the heavy breathing started. When this happened I put her into the nesting box and she settled down and gave birth half an hour later! She never did any of the digging and searching for a nest like I had read about. I think if I hadnt of moved her into the box she would have delivered on my lap!! If you keep her in one room and dont give her any other options she should use the box hopefully.Good luck!


----------



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

Thank you for all your advise. I have tried moving her litter tray upstairs near the bed and her food but she just crys to come out. So I thought I was upsetting her i let her out. I will deffinately move her back and hopefully this will encourage her.

I am also concerned that her pregnancy is on day 63 and apart from an increased appetite for the last 2 weeks she has shown no signs that labour is near. Should I be concerned I know I can be upto day 70 but as it is her first litter I dont want to leave her too long.

Thanks again.


----------



## serenitylove (Nov 23, 2008)

one of mine loves her box the other has had 4 litters and would not put a paw in a box she always had a thing for my cupboard


----------



## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

Why put her upstairs alone? Cant she stay with you in, say, the lounge area? Or where you are most of the day then go up with you at night?

She cries as she wants to be with you! 

One of my girls went to day 70 on he first and day 71 on her 2nd, dont be to worried


----------



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

Taylorbaby said:


> Why put her upstairs alone? Cant she stay with you in, say, the lounge area? Or where you are most of the day then go up with you at night?
> 
> She cries as she wants to be with you!
> 
> One of my girls went to day 70 on he first and day 71 on her 2nd, dont be to worried


I only put her upstairs because the children and the dogs are running about the lounge and I read that cats would only go into labour if they were in a quiet area where they were not disturbed.

If i put her box in the lounge will she be bothered by all the activity?


----------



## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

No, putting her out of the way of all the going's on is a good idea, but you really need to spend as much time with her as you can.

Folks in this situation go as far as to sleep in the same room as their queen for the week leading up to the birth and the week after. In my case I spend mostly 24/7 with my girl anyway, so I didn't need to change anything.

Lots of queens manage perfectly fine on their own giving birth, but if you look around this breeding section you will see an awful lot of births where things haven't gone so smoothly. You have to weigh things up and ask yourself how would you deal with a problematic birth. Do you want to be there for the birth and make sure your girl and her kittens are safe and well? Then the only way to do that is spend as many waking (and sleeping) hours with her as you can. My hubby booked two weeks of work specifically to help when my girl was due, and for the week after.

Leaving your girl alone for long periods, is not good. Most queens seek comfort from their human mums before, during and after labour. I bet you would hate to think of her feeling lonely at a time like this?


----------



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

I have kept her in the lounge with me today, she tried to climb behind the sky box which had me worried, luckily she couldnt fit! She has since spent alot of time under the sofa. Am going to try moving her nesting box under there, see if she takes any interest.

I have to say I am very nervous about the birth and have spent ages online reading about the signs and problems to look out for and I have found reading the various parts of the forums helpful. Luckily I dont work full time so am only out the house a couple of hours and have arranged for my mum to pop in whilst I am out to check on her.

She is on day 64 now and no signs so far. I have become a bit impatient and worried as it is her first litter. I have read that I should take her to the vet if there is no sign at day 66. Is this a good idea? I dont want to rush things but I would hate if anything happened to Sophie.


----------



## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

sounds like you have alot going on! ive had girls go up to day 71 so unless she is ill and not eating drinking kits not moving I wouldnt stress her by taking her to the vet, if you must call and talk to them before taking her down there for some advice.

what type of nesting box do you have & whats in it? dont worry about her taking no notice, mine dont until d day.

my first girl had 8 kits, over the bedroom! Well the first 3! until I woke up and heard mewing! Then I created a basket bed and she loved it! 

Also it is SO hot down here dont know where you are but my girl gave birth a week ago and she wouldnt go in her box as it was just too hot


----------



## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Unless you can get under your sofa to get to your girl if she needs help, I wouldn't put her nest box under there hun. Also I wouldn't move it around too much. My trail of thought tells me that if it is left in one place she will clock it, and when she is ready she will go to it. But if you keep moving it she will see it as an unsafe option.


----------



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

Thanks for all your advice.

I will leave her box where it is for now then and see what happens when she starts showing more deffinate signs. With regards to what is in it I have a large box with high sides but I have cut one side out so she can get in without climbing. I have put shredded newspaper in the bottom and a blanket on top. If u have any suggestions if it needs anything else please let me know. 

Have noticed today that she is very restless and is breathing very heavily, sort of panting. So you could be right Taylorbaby, she heat could be making her a bit uncomfortable.


----------



## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

In this heat she may be happier without the blanket in there. Though she might not use it at all in this heat either unfortunately.

I'm so glad my girl had hers when she did now. She was uncomfortable enough as it was, and it was pretty warm then! But sheesh, I can only imagine how all the poor sods are coping (or not) at the moment.

To cool her down a little and have some bonding time with her, you could get a flannel or small towel and run it under the cold tap. Then with it nice and wet (but not too wet) gently stroke her with it. Just enough so the wet penetrates her fur  I did this with Rilly on the hottest day we had, and she loved it. It also seemed to help calm and cool her quite a bit.


----------



## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

my girl panted throughout, was horrible to watch but the heat is awful!

We use cut up sheets and newspaper below it, I ended up cutting up my bed sheets as the ones we bought dissapeared!
A blacket might be a bit to hot for her? I know people use ripped up newspaper but I just layer mine on, easier to replace if it gets dirty!

Maure sure you leave a side bar on the box so that kittens cant crawl out, IVe called one of these lot froggy ason day 4 he crawled out of the box following mums scent lol!

Had to make a new box with a higher side that he keeps trying to get over! his only 9 days old lol! 

we have put the fan on now and the cats love it, mum keeps going to sit in front of th breeze! 

Watch out for her eating less food (altough 2 of mine keep eating till they are giving birth-but its normally a sign) wanting more attention things like that, pop her in the box, keep it by your feet facing you so she can see you, make sure it has a top to as they do like privacy!


----------



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

Well, I took the blanket out of the nesting box and replaced with a sheet. She seemed to have a restless day yesterday. Went out to work at 9 and came home at 11.30 to mum with 4 kittens, she didnt use the box, they were just on the lounge floor. She had showed no signs things were imminent, ate her breakfast and went to sleep on the sofa when i left.

She had cleaned them off but was not feeding so spoke to the vet, moved her into her box and got them latched on, the dog was going mad next to one of the chairs in the lounge and when i looked underneath, there was kitten number 5!! I have put it in with mum and its feeding well.

I didnt find the births of my own 2 children this stressful!! Don't know how you guys go through it more than once!! 

Thanks for all your help over the last few days. Your advise has been great.  xxx


----------



## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

oh well done mum! I wouldnt have been able to go to work and leave her!! Glad it all went well, how good is your dog telling you about the other kitten! :thumbup:


----------



## lollycort (Jul 7, 2010)

Have tried to put up a couple of plotos of the kittens. Hopefully it has worked. I am no expert on cat types so I only refer to them as 2 black ones and 3 stripy ones!!! Can anyone help with what type of kitties they are. Thanks


----------



## Lintama (Nov 2, 2007)

Stripey cats are tabbies. They look like mackerel tabbies to me as opposed to classic/marbled tabbies.


----------

