Lochia is expected for 2 to 3 weeks after birth: dark red for the first 24 to 72 hours, brown-pink by day 7 to 10, and clear or gone by day 21. It should smell metallic and mild, never rotten. A queen at 39.5 C or above, with fetid discharge or 12 hours of refusing food, has metritis until proven otherwise and needs a vet within 24 hours. Lochia timing also depends on when the mating landed, so date the heat cycle from the first breeding. The difference between normal and abnormal is rarely the color on day 3; it is the temperature and the smell on day 5.
Day by day: what normal looks like
| Day after birth | Color | Volume (ml/day) | Rectal temp (C) | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Dark red, clots under 2 cm | 5 to 15 | 38.0 to 39.2 | Weigh queen and kittens daily |
| 3 to 7 | Red-brown | 5 to 10 | 38.0 to 39.2 | Change bedding every 24 h |
| 8 to 14 | Pink-brown to serous | 2 to 5 | 38.0 to 39.2 | Watch appetite and milk |
| 15 to 21 | Clear to pale yellow | Under 2 | 38.0 to 39.2 | Vet check if still red |
| 22 or later | Any discharge is abnormal | 0 | 38.0 to 39.2 | Book within 48 h |
Measure volume instead of eyeballing it
A 3.5 to 4.5 kg queen loses 5 to 15 ml a day for the first 3 days, then under 5 ml by day 7. A 10 cm stain on a cotton towel holds roughly 3 to 5 ml, so count stains rather than guessing: 2 to 4 stains a day in week 1 is normal, 8 or more is a call. Weigh the soiled pad on a kitchen scale if you want a number; 1 g equals about 1 ml. Sudden gush of 30 ml or more, especially with a 2 cm clot, points to retained placenta or a torn vessel and is an emergency.
Fever: the 39.5 line
Normal rectal temperature sits at 38.0 to 39.2 C. Take it once a day for 7 days, at the same hour, with a digital thermometer and a dab of lubricant; 39.5 C on 2 readings 4 hours apart is the trigger. Below 37.5 C in the first 48 hours is also abnormal and points to hemorrhage, hypocalcemia, or sepsis, not to a mild upset. A queen that shivers, pants, or lies stretched out with 4 kittens latched is not just tired. Record the number; a 0.4 C rise over 12 hours is easier to defend than a feeling.
Metritis versus retained placenta versus normal
Retained placenta shows green-black discharge within 12 to 24 hours, straining, and a placenta count that does not match the kitten count. Metritis shows 39.5 to 40.5 C, fetid brown-red discharge, milk down 30 to 50 percent, and kittens crying and losing 10 to 20 g a day. Normal shows no fever, mild metallic odor, steady appetite, and kittens gaining 10 to 15 g a day. Ultrasound at $150 to $350 finds retained tissue; radiographs do not help. A queen with metritis can look fine at hour 12 and be flat at hour 36, which is why the 24 hour line exists.
What the vet does, and what you must not do at home
Three jobs belong to the vet only: oxytocin for retained placenta or weak uterine contractions, antibiotics chosen for a uterine infection, and cabergoline when milk must be dried up after losing a litter. Oxytocin at 0.5 to 2 IU is a clinical dose that can cause tetanic contractions and a torn uterus; giving it at home to save a visit has ended litters. If kittens died before birth, necropsy at $60 to $200 answers whether the cause was infection, trauma, or a virus, and that answer shapes the next breeding. Never flush a uterus at home, never insert anything into the vulva, and never reuse antibiotics left from another cat.
Feeding a queen through 3 weeks of discharge
Lactation costs 90 to 110 kcal per kg per day, roughly 2 to 3 times maintenance, and water intake runs 60 to 100 ml per kg per day. Offer kitten food free choice plus 3 to 4 wet meals (lactation feeding runs to 110 kcal per kg), and keep a bowl within 1 m of the nest so she does not leave the litter for long. Weigh her daily for 14 days: 1 to 2 percent loss per day in week 1 is normal, 5 percent in 48 hours is a call. A queen that stops eating for 12 hours while nursing is at risk of ketosis and mastitis, and both show up before the discharge changes.
Hygiene, bedding, and the 21 day check
Change bedding every 24 hours for the first 14 days and wash it at 60 C. Keep the nest at 26 to 28 C in week 1, dropping to 24 C by week 3, with a 38 C pad under half the box. A litter box 1.5 times the queen's body length, placed 1 to 2 m from the nest, prevents her holding urine for 8 hours. At day 21 to 24, a vet check with a $150 to $350 ultrasound confirms the uterus is clean; if discharge is still red at that point, book it sooner.
Call within 24 hours if any of these appear
- Rectal temperature of 39.5 C or higher, twice within 4 hours.
- Fetid or rotten smell, or green-black discharge at any hour.
- Discharge still dark red after day 14, or any discharge after day 21.
- Refusing food for 12 hours, or milk visibly down by 30 percent.
- Kittens losing 10 g a day for 2 days, or crying 20 minutes after feeds.
- Straining, trembling, or a hard, hot, painful abdomen.
Run the first 3 weeks in 5 steps: temperature once a day at the same hour, count stains on bedding, weigh the queen and 1 sentinel kitten daily against a kitten weight curve, photograph the discharge on days 1, 7, and 14, and set a day 21 vet check. Total cost of the check runs $150 to $350 with ultrasound, and catching metritis on day 5 instead of day 9 usually saves 1 to 2 kittens. Oxytocin, antibiotics, and cabergoline stay in the clinic; the breeder's job is the 39.5 C thermometer and the daily weight.
Frequently asked
How long does lochia last after a queen gives birth?
Two to three weeks is normal: dark red for the first 24 to 72 hours, red-brown through day 7, pink-brown to serous by day 10 to 14, and clear or finished by day 21. Volume drops from 5 to 15 ml a day in the first 3 days to under 5 ml by day 7. Any discharge after day 21, or dark red blood after day 14, needs a vet check.
What temperature means metritis in a queen?
A rectal temperature of 39.5 C or higher on two readings 4 hours apart, combined with fetid discharge or refusal to eat for 12 hours, is metritis until proven otherwise. Normal is 38.0 to 39.2 C. Below 37.5 C in the first 48 hours is also abnormal and points to hemorrhage, low calcium, or sepsis rather than a mild upset.
Can I treat a queen with a retained placenta at home?
No. Oxytocin, antibiotics for a uterine infection, and cabergoline for drying up milk are vet-only, because each needs a diagnosis, a weight-based dose, and 2 to 6 hours of monitoring. Keep the queen warm, note the placenta count against the kitten count, and get her seen within 24 hours; a uterus that is flushed or dosed at home often ends in surgery.