It depends on the number of kittens. If we think she's pregnant and we can catch it in time, we can get an x-ray to know how many kittens there are and, that way, how many to expect. If she's supposed to have six and you've had five, you know you should be waiting for one more, which is important to know because sometimes you don't know when she's done. That's part of what guides that process. On top of that, cat labor depends on the number of kittens you have because if you have an hour or two gaps between kittens, it could span longer than if she's pushing them out without any breaks. I would say it probably lasts a couple of hours to half a day, but sometime in that range, ultimately depending on how many kittens there are.

Not necessarily. However, you should watch. I would be hesitant to be too involved in the process because it can sometimes throw mom off. But be actively monitoring because there may be red flags that may be a sign that you need to take her to an emergency veterinarian or us if we're open during the day.

In a nesting box in an out-of-the-way place.

Yes, but watch. She should have a kitten within 30 minutes of actively pushing and about two hours between kittens. So if she's not pushing, she can take a little bit of a break, but about two hours between each kitten coming out is what you should look for. Anything beyond that would be a red flag. Other things to watch for would be black discharge coming out. Black discharge is not good, and the same goes for bleeding. Delivery in cats is not usually a bloody process, so if you're seeing blood, that may be a sign that we need to do something about it.

Not necessarily. A lot of cats can have kittens at home without complication, but every once in a while, just like with people, there can be complications with labor if a kitten gets stuck, she's too tired, or a million other things could come into play that where there may need to be veterinary intervention, potentially a C-section to make sure that the kittens come out okay and mom makes it through.