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How to Build a Nesting Box for Your Pregnant Cat

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 even on - your bed is often a prime 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.

Afterwards, there will need to be enough room for all the kittens to suckle easily and for their mother to care for them.

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.

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.

The nesting box should be made ready at least two weeks before your cat's expected delivery date. Give her free access to it so that she becomes familiar and comfortable with it. Find a quite, warm and draught-free position where your cat can feel secure and unthreatened so that she is able to get on with the business of giving birth without stress or anxiety.

Of course, she may not think that you have chosen a suitable place for her nest, so watch for signs that she is constructing her own nest elsewhere and simply move the box 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!

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