I think my cat's pregnant!

[amyx]

i have a 9month old cat and im worried that she pregnant, shes showing all the usual signs but her nipples havnt gotten bigger, i've built her a nest box that she does use but she does prefere to lie with me, shes become very affection towards me but pays little attention towards my boyfriend. I have kept her apart from the other 2 males we have, one is neutard the other isnt, but i them from the same place, both from seperate mothers but only a month apart in age, so they were raised together so i think they think they are litter mates. The only reason im worried is becauae she's so young i dont want her to run into complications if she is, she has started to meow really strange over the past week or so but i think she may be looking for her friends. Can anyone offer me any sort of help or advice? i am taking her to a vet but last timw i took her they said they couldnt feel anything

 

[Draco]

I have zero experience with pregnant cats.. but did you happen to check out the sticky?

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/249018/...regnant-cats-kitten-care-articles-and-threads

it may provide some insight while someone comes on to give more experience answers

 

[amyx]

No, but i will thank you, i've done a lot of research, and helped my mum when her cats were pregnant, im just having trouble with my own!

 

[Willowy]

Well, if she lives with an intact male I guess she probably is pregnant . Too bad. It will be difficult to find good homes for the kittens as there are already far too many unwanted kittens in the world. Do have the boy neutered soon, as cats can get pregnant again right after giving birth and you don't want that. But still keep them separate as sperm can stay in the tubes for quite awhile after neutering and he could still get her pregnant.

Ask the vet what kind of prenatal care she needs, what you should do in case of an emergency (be sure to get your vet's after-hours number or the number to the local animal ER), how old the kittens should be before she can be spayed, etc. If the vet feels she isn't pregnant yet, do have her spayed ASAP.

 

[amyx]

Yeah, i actually have him booked in to get done, im just scared about her age, i know its unfair not getting her done, but not too be rude, i know your offering help but i know she needs to get done, i do have some money saved to get her done, but i litterally just lost my job, and it cost more to get her done so i can get her hernia fixed at the same time. I just want to know how to properly check her stomach. It was easy to check my mums cat, but now its my own cat im doubting it, and the fact the vet already said they wasnt sure :/ i dont know what to do.

 

[StefanZ]

 I just want to know how to properly check her stomach. It was easy to check my mums cat, but now its my own cat im doubting it, and the fact the vet already said they wasnt sure :/ i dont know what to do.

Whatever you do, dont let the vet take x-rays, like is quite common in USA. Probably mostly because they do  have the equipment.

Ultrasound is much better, and also cheaper I think.. Or palpating. Which may be free if the vet is minded so.  

About your question to perhaps letting her be together with her friends.

The standard advice is to keep them apart, and always so if she or her kittens got stressed or threatened by them. 

Toms may be extra danger to kittens. Not common with home cats, but we cant swear never.  Forumites know examples of accidents.

But if they are really good friends, and she wants their company, it is not the same no no.  Quite many queens do have help from their male pals,esp if neutered.

Even studs have been known to be help mothers, IF they were from beginning good friends with the mom.

If she is very stressed being alone, it is of course also a factor, as rule of thumb nr 1 is the high preg and the mom must not be stressed.

So you being "the pilot who is alone is charge" must decide.

( observe  the fact he can impregnate her again soon after delivery is another problem you must count with)

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!

continuing...

False pregnancies are not so uncommon. Another variation which is not unique is they do get pregnant, but a later on do absorb the kittens, and thus - no real delivery...

But pregnant at 9 months isnt uncommon.  If fertile and met a willing tom - count on it.

9 months is young, but not extremely young to bear kittens, healthywise.  With a little luck it should go OK.  Although, being so young and inexperienced, no all instincts do kick in at once.  So quite probable she will not know in the beginning what to do. or how.  Count on you must help her with the first one or two.   But the instinct usually do kick in after a while.  

 

[amyx]

Thats a lot of help! Thank you, and yes the un-neutered male, she's known him since he was born, they came from the same house but seperate mommas! There actually only a month apart in age! Why i said i think, that they think they are litter mates. But because i havnt seen a male tom knocking about anywhere, im thinking he might be the father... The other boy we have, we've only had him about 3weeks or so but they seem to get along fine. And i know about them gettin pregnant quickly after delivery. But its strange, when she has been in heat Sullivan (un-neutered male) hasnt paid any attention too her at all :/ what i might do is keep them together for a few hours, and when im not in seperate them, and she dosnt seem stressed, she just wants to sleep, i just dont want the boys to come in, start runnig around and stress her out. I've also kinda prepared myself to get ready if she runs into trouble. Any advice on when she delivers, how long to keep the males away?

 

[orientalslave]

If the vet can't be sure if she is pregnant then in my view getting her spayed is the best course of action.  Not only is she young, but a pregnancy carried to term will put a lot of strain on her hernia.

Also, the last thing you can afford is if she needs an emergency c-section - that will be $$$$ - and raising a litter of kittens is expensive as well.  They eat masses, and use mountains of litter, plus they need worming and vaccinating.

 

[StefanZ]

 But because i havnt seen a male tom knocking about anywhere, im thinking he might be the father... ...... But its strange, when she has been in heat Sullivan (un-neutered male) hasnt paid any attention too her at all

If she is pure inside, and never ever did come out, he is the only possible candidade...

Thrue, toms living togehter often dont do "ignite" on the females in the household.

You cant count on it, but there is such a tendency.

But is she does sometimes go out, I would vote on some stranger.  If she is in heat, she will try to sneak out, ESPECIELLY if she feels some fertile tom outside.   And there WILL be a tom patrolling outside, as fertile, experienced toms do feel the females in heat even several kilometers away. (a couple of miles away).

When they meet, an experienced tom will need just  a couple of minutes, not much more.

....................................

If you keep them apart, dont let the boys meet the kittens before they are at least 4 weeks old, preferably 6+..

Some adult cats are afraid of small kittens. They dont attack as such, but hiss, and may swat...

that swatting may be harmful for the small, esp if it is not soft paw.

 

[amyx]

Yeah thats what i thought! The plan was to get her done with my christmas bonus, because it would cost me £90, not sure how much that is in $, but after paying rent and bills, its still a lot of money, the only good thing is if she did have the litter, there is a place nearby which offers finacial help with raising them, and the vet has already offeredd to vaccinate them (depending on litter size, upto 3 they said) but they wont spay or neuter them, so either myself or the family they go onto would have to pay for that. And i know its a lot of hard work, but if she dosnt run into complications, it would be worth it. She's currently in the box, and she keeps twitching, bless her she just sleeps all the time now. I was acctually there when she was born, so im reallllly attached to her and i'd hate to see her suffer

 

[amyx]

Well she's actually rather scared of going outside, she only does to potty, plus with it being so cold outside none of them really go out now. I've also heard that female cats come into heat in the months of jan to oct, is this true?

 

[missymotus]

Cats come into heat year round, if they live outside they can stop during the colder months but this isn't the same for indoor cats

Cats also don't need to be in heat to get pregnant, that's just when they're more receptive to the males advances.
Cats are induced ovulators.

I'd get her to the vet, ultrasound not X-ray and spay abort if she's not far along
If the vet wasn't sure she's likely in the range for spaying being ok, kittens can be felt from 28 days

 

[amyx]

Thanks, im just trying to determin the last time she came into heat so i can judge how far she is, to me i think she's appox 6/7 weeks. And i didnt know they could do that! That would be a better choice for really with her being so young, thank you for the advice, like i said she has all the signs, but her nipples havnt got any bigger.

 

[dejolane]

Let me tell you something. I have been on this site for about 1-2 months now and I got slammed for not spaying my 2 cats. Have your cats checked before a litter can get out of hand like my daughters did.

dejolane

 

[amyx]

Just because you got slammed, dosnt mean you should do it to others! If you read through properly you'd have read that i JUST lost my job and only had just over HALF the money saved, im not stupid you know, i know its important to get her spayed. Its unfortunate that it happened, you dont see mothers telling there teenage daughters to go get there bits out! So read before you slam someone, i've had some real helpful advice. I actually want)d to breed her i just didnt want her to fall pregnant at 9mnths by some random cat!!! So yes, i am going to get her done as soon as i can afford it, untill then she will kept indoor and away from my males thank you.

 

[missymotus]

Let me tell you something. I have been on this site for about 1-2 months now and I got slammed for not spaying my 2 cats. Have your cats checked before a litter can get out of hand like my daughters did.


dejolane

Your thread was asking if you should get your cats spayed, and the replies were yes you should

I would hardly call that being slammed

 

[amyx]

My post? Or dejolanes?

 

[missymotus]

My post? Or dejolanes?

Not you

 

[amyx]

Oh right! Good i just think that was a little unfair, im gettin a bit on edge about Von D (thats my cats name btw) she keeps going under the christmas and making a really strange meow, as if she was calling in heat, is that normal? I cant tell weather she's trying to tell me somethings wrong, calling the boys or trying to say i need the toilet.

 

[missymotus]

Some of my girls meow, like they're in heat a day or so before labour begins.