How pregnant do you think my foster cat is?

[Taloan]

Hi all! Just joined this forum because I have some questions about a cat I rescued. For a little background I foster and TNR and have even fostered a pregnant cat before, but she was completely feral and I couldn't touch her and managed to trap her the day before she gave birth, so I don't have any experience with the stages of cat pregnancy.

The cat I am fostering currently is one I rescued myself (it wasn't given to me by the rescue I usually work with, it was a pregnant stray I caught myself, but her and the kittens will be spayed/neutered by the rescue and adopted out once the kittens are weaned). She is a fairly petite cat and I have no idea how far along she is in pregnancy. Her belly is large, and definitely noticeably pregnant, but not nearly as large as some photos I've seen of pregnant cats. This is definitely her first litter. In the last couple days she has removed all the hair from her nipples. I can easily feel the kittens moving by gently putting my hand on her side. Since yesterday she seems to be having Braxton hicks contractions and when she does I can feel what seems to be the outline of entire kittens and they seem to be the size of what I'd expect full term kittens to be, but it's hard to tell. She spends all her time in her nesting box, besides when I'm in the room to snuggle with her, but she's done that since I brought her home. These are all the basic details I can provide. Does anyone have a time frame of how far along they think she is? Thank you!

 

[StefanZ]

Hi all! Just joined this forum because I have some questions about a cat I rescued. For a little background I foster and TNR and have even fostered a pregnant cat before, but she was completely feral and I couldn't touch her and managed to trap her the day before she gave birth, so I don't have any experience with the stages of cat pregnancy.

The cat I am fostering currently is one I rescued myself (it wasn't given to me by the rescue I usually work with, it was a pregnant stray I caught myself, but her and the kittens will be spayed/neutered by the rescue and adopted out once the kittens are weaned). She is a fairly petite cat and I have no idea how far along she is in pregnancy. Her belly is large, and definitely noticeably pregnant, but not nearly as large as some photos I've seen of pregnant cats. This is definitely her first litter. In the last couple days she has removed all the hair from her nipples. I can easily feel the kittens moving by gently putting my hand on her side. Since yesterday she seems to be having Braxton hicks contractions and when she does I can feel what seems to be the outline of entire kittens and they seem to be the size of what I'd expect full term kittens to be, but it's hard to tell. She spends all her time in her nesting box, besides when I'm in the room to snuggle with her, but she's done that since I brought her home. These are all the basic details I can provide. Does anyone have a time frame of how far along they think she is? Thank you!

Its apparently quite near. As braxton hicks contractions come about a week or less before delivery. Next common stage is you see her drop, ie suddenly seems less pregnant, and you dont see kittens move as clearly... After this its perhaps 2 days left...

The problem is, not all drops clearly...

So, essentially, just to prepare as well you can, and wait calmly. The fact your chargee is friendly with you makes everything easier.

 

[Taloan]

Tha

Its apparently quite near. As braxton hicks contractions come about a week or less before delivery. Next common stage is you see her drop, ie suddenly seems less pregnant, and you dont see kittens move as clearly... After this its perhaps 2 days left...

The problem is, not all drops clearly...

So, essentially, just to prepare as well you can, and wait calmly. The fact your chargee is friendly with you makes everything easier.

Thank you! I really had no idea if it could be three days or three weeks, but that gives me a better time frame to work with.

 

[Taloan]

Cat just had her kittens. She didn't seem that big, but she gave birth to 5 healthy kittens and seems to be done (I really hope!). Two black, two grey and one grey and white tabby. Mama wanted me at her side the whole time and did a great job, the birth went really smoothly and she immediately started nursing.

For people who check this thread like me for what the signs of impending birth can be, she didn't visibly drop at any point, but I did notice movement slow the last couple of days. She was eating enthusiastically right up until the end and there was no milk pre labour. Last night I noticed her going to the litter box repeatedly and scratching all around the room and she seemed restless. This morning there was the tiniest bit of mucous around her vulva, but if I hadn't been looking each day I would have missed it. She seemed restless too, just wandering around a lot whereas she's been mostly keeping to her nest. Then at about 2pm she went into labour. So a number of signs I expected never came, but some others did.

 

[fionasmom]

Congratulations! Please keep us posted about the new mom and babies.

 

[Taloan]

Mama Cat (Pete) with all 5 kittens. I made her a nice nesting box and she refused to use it and instead insisted on having the kittens under this low side table.
Also, I have a question. I put down towels and a blanket and they got pretty dirty. When should I switch that out? I assume I should leave Pete and the kittens alone as much as possible, so at what point do I clear out the dirty bedding and put in something clean?

 

[Sarthur2]

Your cat’s pre and birthing process sounds very normal to me. I’m glad to hear that all went well. You can put fresh bedding in anytime now. You can put fresh bedding in a box, move the kittens to that box, then put fresh bedding in the original spot and put the kittens back to the original spot.

If you do it when mama is away eating it’s easy. I did it with mom watching and she was nervous and got in the second (fresh) box with her kittens, but once the original spot was fresh and I put the kittens back, she moved right over with them. Then, put layers of towels or pee pads so you can gently pull out a soiled layer but have a new layer already there. You’ll get it!

I hope this makes sense, and wait at least 24 hours from birthing. Moms do not like change the first day or two.

 

[Taloan]

Your cat’s pre and birthing process sounds very normal to me. I’m glad to hear that all went well. You can put fresh bedding in anytime now. You can put fresh bedding in a box, move the kittens to that box, then put fresh bedding in the original spot and put the kittens back to the original spot.

If you do it when mama is away eating it’s easy. I did it with mom watching and she was nervous and got in the second (fresh) box with her kittens, but once the original spot was fresh and I put the kittens back, she moved right over with them. Then, put layers of towels or pee pads so you can gently pull out a soiled layer but have a new layer already there. You’ll get it!

I hope this makes sense, and wait at least 24 hours from birthing. Moms do not like change the first day or two.

Thank you, that's very helpful