Is There A Way To Tell If A Cat Has Had Previous Litters Of Kittens?

toulousekitty

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Messages
77
Purraise
36
Location
Los Angeles, California
I’ve been fostering an adorable but very pregnant cat for the past week. She’s about 1 year old and she was a stray, so I’m guessing she might’ve gone into heat before this pregnancy.
I was wondering if there’s any way to tell if she’s had kittens before this pregnancy, or if it is her first pregnancy?
 

Attachments

  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

toulousekitty

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Messages
77
Purraise
36
Location
Los Angeles, California
I’m fostering with a rescue, and since she’s healthy, she’s not going to the vet until after she gives birth, to get spayed tested and vaccinated.
I was just wondering since a cats first litter usually tends to be smaller and the mom is less experienced, while cats who’ve been pregnant before tend to have larger litters and have more experience.
Either way, excited for the babies to come however many she has :)
 

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
35,987
Purraise
17,680
Location
Sunny Florida
Hi toulousekitty toulousekitty !

If she’s just a year then she is a first-time mama.

Don’t believe the litter size and experience stories. I’ve seen first-time moms have 8 kittens or one, and moms who are instinctively excellent nurturers and some who are not.

Most cats will have 3-5 kittens and be good mommies!

Has she had an ultrasound or x-ray? This would indicate how many.

Also, orange kitties have sweet dispositions. She should make a good mom. :)
 

jcat

Mo(w)gli's can opener
Veteran
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Messages
73,213
Purraise
9,851
Location
Mo(w)gli Monster's Lair
Don’t believe the litter size and experience stories. I’ve seen first-time moms have 8 kittens or one, and moms who are instinctively excellent nurturers and some who are not.
:yeah: Most of the pregnant cats that have come into the shelter have been so young that they almost certainly were having their first litter, and usually there were 3 -5. Only two had 2 kittens apiece. Most were very good mothers.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

toulousekitty

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Messages
77
Purraise
36
Location
Los Angeles, California
Hi toulousekitty toulousekitty !

If she’s just a year then she is a first-time mama.

Don’t believe the litter size and experience stories. I’ve seen first-time moms have 8 kittens or one, and moms who are instinctively excellent nurturers and some who are not.

Most cats will have 3-5 kittens and be good mommies!

Has she had an ultrasound or x-ray? This would indicate how many.

Also, orange kitties have sweet dispositions. She should make a good mom. :)
Thank you, yes I’m thinking it would have to be her first litter but since they can get pregnant so young I was thinking there was a possibility that she had one litter before this pregnancy, hopefully not for her sake!

She hasn’t seen a vet yet since she’s perfectly healthy. I’m fostering her with a rescue so they wouldn’t want to pay for an ultrasound/X-ray unless it was necessary to do so.

This is my first orange foster, my 24th foster by now haha. She is sooo sweet she purrs and makes muffins all day long. Sweetest stray cat, she lets me touch her tummy and her paws. She’s been a bit more tired lately from the babies getting bigger but she seems like she will be a great mom!
 

nunnc84

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
706
Purraise
536
Location
Indiana
Thank you, yes I’m thinking it would have to be her first litter but since they can get pregnant so young I was thinking there was a possibility that she had one litter before this pregnancy, hopefully not for her sake!

She hasn’t seen a vet yet since she’s perfectly healthy. I’m fostering her with a rescue so they wouldn’t want to pay for an ultrasound/X-ray unless it was necessary to do so.

This is my first orange foster, my 24th foster by now haha. She is sooo sweet she purrs and makes muffins all day long. Sweetest stray cat, she lets me touch her tummy and her paws. She’s been a bit more tired lately from the babies getting bigger but she seems like she will be a great mom!

Awww!!!!
I want to do what you do!!!!
So much love!!
I’d love to see pictures!!!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

toulousekitty

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Messages
77
Purraise
36
Location
Los Angeles, California
Babies came today at 11am-3pm! 5 orange and white and 2 siamese (Or just white). All boys
One of them has a large red moist “hernia” on his navel seems to have enlarged the navel quite a bit with the umbilical cord connected to one side. That kitten is just as active and nursing just as the others are and mom isn’t messing with the area, for now at least.
I do still feel some movement 4 hours later on one side of her lower tummy which I thought was another kitten but now I’m not sure if it’s just everything moving back into place. She was panting and is breathing a bit quickly and was growling and hissing a bit for about an hour after she gave birth but started drinking and eating. She seems more comfortable now and caring for the babies as she should since each was born. It’s night now so I couldn’t take her to the vet to check for another baby, would it be possible that she has another baby in there? She has very slight bloody discharge once in a while as if another is going to come but she cleans it and has no contractions and looks at me like why are you waiting for another baby still? Haha
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,931
Location
Colorado US
Please call your clinic, listen to the greeting, get the 24-hour emergency number and call it.
I can't really tell in the photo but I think Mama pulled too hard on the cord on that baby's tummy, he needs care as soon as possible.
 
Last edited:
Top