Oopsie Pregnancy

  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #41

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
Okay, so I went back and calculated and she SHOULD be 7 weeks pregnant if you start keeping track off the same exact day they mated.

Is that how it works or are you supposed to wait a few days?

If not, then I dunno why shes not bigger.

Her nipples are sticking out more and definitely pink, but her body hasn't really gotten any bigger. I don't get it. Is it possible for smaller litters to not cause her to expand as much or something maybe?
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
You generally go by the first day of mating.

If her belly is small at 7 weeks, she might have a small litter (one or two kittens), or she might not have kittens in there. It's possible to have a "false pregnancy" where the body reacts hormonally to mating, even though conception didn't happen. It's also possible for kittens to be conceived but then die in utero (in which case they are usually re-absorbed by the body).

In order to know for sure if she is pregnant, you could visit the vet and get an x-ray. At 7 weeks gestation, an x-ray of a pregnant cat would show fetal skeletons. Or you can just wait and see if she has kittens.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #43

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
You generally go by the first day of mating.

If her belly is small at 7 weeks, she might have a small litter (one or two kittens), or she might not have kittens in there. It's possible to have a "false pregnancy" where the body reacts hormonally to mating, even though conception didn't happen. It's also possible for kittens to be conceived but then die in utero (in which case they are usually re-absorbed by the body).

In order to know for sure if she is pregnant, you could visit the vet and get an x-ray. At 7 weeks gestation, an x-ray of a pregnant cat would show fetal skeletons. Or you can just wait and see if she has kittens.
I'll probably have to play wait and see cause I can't afford an X-ray cause they told me it would be around 77 dollars just for that.
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,668
Purraise
32,854
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
I wanted to set a good price. Something not too high but not too low. I'm no professional breeder so I doubt I could get a MASSIVE amount.
Even if you are able to find people willing to pay a rehoming fee, you shouldn't think that you will be able to make any money out of these kittens.

People won't pay money for kittens that haven't had any vet care, as there are so many other people offering "kittens free to good homes" Shelters ask for a rehoming fee, but there cats have been blood tested, vaccinated, spayed and neutered. People don't mind paying for kittens that have already had the necessary vet work done.

Kittens will need to be blood tested for FIV/FeLV. $55
They will need a fecal check for worms and other diseases not detected by blood test. $50
They will need their first vaccine when they weigh over 600 grams.
A follow up vaccine 1 to 2 weeks later. Prices vary, but this is usually around $60 to $100.
Responsible owners will make sure any kittens they rehome are spayed or neutered first, so there aren't anymore "Oopsie pregnancies" which leads to more kittens being thrown out to join the feral population or being sent to shelters.
The mother cat will also need to be spayed.
Kittens eat a lot, need good quality food and get through a lot of cat litter.
They also need to be treated for worms, fleas and other parasites.

The last lot of kittens I fostered and re-homed cost me close to $1,000 over the 3 months I cared for them.

I usually ask around $100 as a rehoming fee, but as these kittens were rehomed through a shelter that spayed and neutered them I didn't get any money back at all.

Then, of course, you need to put some money aside in case the mother cat has any complications during her pregnancy, has to have an emergency c-section etc etc.

It cost a lot to take care of a pregnant cat and make sure the kittens get the best start in life.

If money is a problem then I strongly recommend that you have the cat spayed now. I know you said you don't want to do this, but there are so many unwanted cats in the world and so many of our members already struggling to give the cats they care for everything they need.

You sometimes have to make decisions from your head, rather than your heart.
 
Last edited:

Fish Em

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
60
Purraise
54
I definitely am in agreement with that there will not be any money made. Big money made from animals a lot of times comes from unethical backyard breeders. However, that should not stop you from finding the best homes you can. If you can't afford deworming, vaccines, etc I think free + vetting is the way to go merely to give people a headstart for their care in cost. They can be educated on the cat care. Maybe pamphlets with reputable vet advice would help too.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #46

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
Even if you are able to find people wiling to pay a rehoming fee, you shouldn't think that you will be able to make any money out of these kittens.

People won't pay money for kittens that haven't had any vet care, as there are so many other people offering "kittens free to good homes" Shelters ask for a rehoming fee, but there cats have been blood tested, vaccinated, spayed and neutered. People don't mind paying for kittens that have already had the necessary vet work done.

Kittens will need to be blood tested for FIV/FeLV. $55
They will need a fecal check for worms and other diseases not detected by blood test. $50
They will need their first vaccine when they weigh over 600 grams.
A follow up vaccine 1 to 2 weeks later. Prices vary, but this is usually around $60 to $100.
Responsible owners will make sure any kittens they rehome are spayed or neutered first, so there aren't anymore "Oopsie pregnancies" which leads to more kittens being thrown out to join the feral population or being sent to shelters.
The mother cat will also need to be spayed.
Kittens eat a lot, need good quality food and get through a lot of cat litter.
They also need to be treated for worms, fleas and other parasites.

The last lot of kittens I fostered and re-homed cost me close to $1,000 over the 3 months I cared for them.

I usually ask around $100 as a rehoming fee, but as these kittens were rehomed through a shelter that spayed and neutered them I didn't get any money back at all.

Then, of course, you need to put some money aside in case the mother cat has any complications during her pregnancy, has to have an emergency c-section etc etc.

It cost a lot to take care of a pregnant cat and make sure the kittens get the best start in life.

If money is a problem then I strongly recommend that you have the cat spayed now. I know you said you don't want to do this, but there are so many unwanted cats in the world and so many of our members already struggling to give the cats they care for everything they need.

You sometimes have to make decisions from your head, rather than your heart.
I wasn't planning to 'make money' off them. I just want the fee high enough people actually consider this seriously. I also don't plan to keep them for three months. Kittens can be rehomed safely at 10 weeks, which is when I plan to do so. Please don't misunderstand any of this. My intent is for whats best for the kittens.

If I was an actual breeder, then yes, I would not only expect to get money from it too but would also be asking for a lot more than the $50 they'd also pay the local pet store to adopt one of the kittens that the shelters keep there. Breeders ask for hundreds to thousands of dollars, not fifty bucks.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #47

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
I definitely am in agreement with that there will not be any money made. Big money made from animals a lot of times comes from unethical backyard breeders. However, that should not stop you from finding the best homes you can. If you can't afford deworming, vaccines, etc I think free + vetting is the way to go merely to give people a headstart for their care in cost. They can be educated on the cat care. Maybe pamphlets with reputable vet advice would help too.
Can't do free unless its someone I 100% know otherwise theres risk that someone could sell it to a science lab or dog fight ring. Thats the whole reason I am even gonna ask a fee. Also keeps people who may just take it cause its tiny and cute and make them seriously consider so they don't end up a street cat when it gets bigger.

Of course, I plan to screen people, but people can lie and I rather have that extra precaution. I also plan to write up contracts for them to sign. I won't let them go to bad homes easily.

I was thinking I may even make a page or Discord channel for the people they get sold to, to ask them to simply post pictures of the kittens growing up as an extra precaution.
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,668
Purraise
32,854
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
I think you're being very optimistic about how easy it is to find homes for kittens. Even if you can afford to have the kittens blood tested, fecal tested and vaccinated by ten weeks you won't be able to ask enough as a homing fee to cover the medical costs. You're much more likely to end up keeping the kittens for four, five, or six months and even then you may not be able to re-home all of them.

Passing on untested, un-vaccinated intact kittens to people for as little as $50 is very irresponsible. You are just adding to the feral population, as well as to all those cats and kittens in shelters that end up being euthanized.

If you Google the animal shelters in your state you'll see that many of them are full and are refusing to accept any more cats or dogs. The few that are accepting animals ask for a surrender fee to pay for the cost of caring for more unwanted pets.

Why would you allow a cat that you're not even sure you can afford to keep have a litter of kittens? You have said in your other threads that you are struggling financially. A pregnant mother cat and a litter of kittens is going to cost hundreds of dollars to feed and provide with vet care. You're just not going to be able to do it.
 

Jewely

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Messages
775
Purraise
921
Isn’t your male cat neutered? Then it’s highly unlikely she’s pregnant.
Shes become more affectionate than she already was with me, but with her cat buddy, shes become more distant. She hisses at him and smacks him on the head if he tries to touch her. Before they mated--and even when she wasn't in heat--the two used to play together. They were best friends. He doesn't hate her for her attitude now, hes still just as concerned for her and loving toward her as he was before. She doesn't outright charge him if hes in there, she just prefers he not get too close. So he'll just sit back and watch her.
 

m3rma1d

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
716
Purraise
1,590
Location
Maine
I am assuming this is the stray you wrote about before, and you said Kitty Village place near you wouldn't take her, claiming "no room".
But you also said they're always adopting out kittens? So they're sure to take her in if she's pregnant, right? More kittens for them.
Perfect solution for this sad situation.
Call 'em up.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #51

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
I think you're being very optimistic about how easy it is to find homes for kittens. Even if you can afford to have the kittens blood tested, fecal tested and vaccinated by ten weeks you won't be able to ask enough as a homing fee to cover the medical costs. You're much more likely to end up keeping the kittens for four, five, or six months and even then you may not be able to re-home all of them.

Passing on untested, un-vaccinated intact kittens to people for as little as $50 is very irresponsible. You are just adding to the feral population, as well as to all those cats and kittens in shelters that end up being euthanized.

If you Google the animal shelters in your state you'll see that many of them are full and are refusing to accept any more cats or dogs. The few that are accepting animals ask for a surrender fee to pay for the cost of caring for more unwanted pets.

Why would you allow a cat that you're not even sure you can afford to keep have a litter of kittens? You have said in your other threads that you are struggling financially. A pregnant mother cat and a litter of kittens is going to cost hundreds of dollars to feed and provide with vet care. You're just not going to be able to do it.
I stated already that I would be getting them taken care of medically...
I feel like you didn't really read everything we spoke about already and are just assuming a bunch of things.

I plan to vaccinate them but I can't spay/neuter them as babies, they have to be at least three months old.

Also, shes already at least 7 weeks along and I stated outright I wasn't aborting any say the negative remarks aren't helpful.

Isn't it against the rules to attack someone on here? I remember clearly reading that and you're being heavily negative trying to deter me from all this instead of offering useful, helpful advice like the others.

I'm stressed enough from all this, could you please stop with all the, 'You won't be able to do this' and 'You can't do that' and all this stuff?

This is why I was heavily thinking to not even reach out on here in the first place because I was worried about this type of thing... this stuff makes me not wanna ever ask for help.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #52

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
I'll check back up in here in a few weeks... I can't deal with the negative stuff right now, its gonna cause an anxiety attack so I'll give an update in a few weeks or so... later.
 

war&wisdom

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2018
Messages
1,048
Purraise
1,298
Location
Rockville, MD
I stated already that I would be getting them taken care of medically...
I feel like you didn't really read everything we spoke about already and are just assuming a bunch of things.

I plan to vaccinate them but I can't spay/neuter them as babies, they have to be at least three months old.

Also, shes already at least 7 weeks along and I stated outright I wasn't aborting any say the negative remarks aren't helpful.

Isn't it against the rules to attack someone on here? I remember clearly reading that and you're being heavily negative trying to deter me from all this instead of offering useful, helpful advice like the others.

I'm stressed enough from all this, could you please stop with all the, 'You won't be able to do this' and 'You can't do that' and all this stuff?

This is why I was heavily thinking to not even reach out on here in the first place because I was worried about this type of thing... this stuff makes me not wanna ever ask for help.
Most vets will spay and neuter at 8 weeks, actually! That's what my local SPCA does. You could also consider having adopters sign a contract saying that they'll have the kitten spayed/neutered by 5 or 6 months, or else you can take them back. (Not expecting to actually do so, since you'll screen each person and hopefully be confident that they will do as they say, but then you have recourse.)

If you don't get them spayed/neutered, you really shouldn't charge $50. That is the absolute highest cost I've seen in my area for rehoming spayed/neutered kittens and cats, and I live in a major metropolitan area with a fairly high cost of living.

$25 or $35 still scares away people with ill intent.
 

She's a witch

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
1,780
Purraise
2,371
Location
Europe/WA, USA
I wasn't planning to 'make money' off them. I just want the fee high enough people actually consider this seriously. I also don't plan to keep them for three months. Kittens can be rehomed safely at 10 weeks, which is when I plan to do so. Please don't misunderstand any of this. My intent is for whats best for the kittens.

If I was an actual breeder, then yes, I would not only expect to get money from it too but would also be asking for a lot more than the $50 they'd also pay the local pet store to adopt one of the kittens that the shelters keep there. Breeders ask for hundreds to thousands of dollars, not fifty bucks.
Actually kittens shouldn’t be separated from their mom and siblings before they reach at least 3 months, the longer the better. Otherwise the risk of behavioral problems is higher.
Good luck!
 
Last edited:

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,173
Purraise
67,767
Location
North Carolina
Those of you attempting to help, keep in mind that this member lives at home, and that her parent is less than willing to help overly much. She takes her cats for medical care on her bicycle, and is limited on what she can do at any one time. This was stated on another thread, so I'm not divulging anything by reminding here.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #56

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
So just an Update.
Yukiko seemed to be dealing with a false pregnancy. No babies.
I'll be looking into getting her fixed probably the month after next as its required that she has her shots first. Which means I'll be saving up to get her brought in and checked out next month.
 

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,173
Purraise
67,767
Location
North Carolina
Poor baby. But better than "poor babies," in the long run! Once she's spayed, those hormones will go away and not bother her anymore! SO happy that this was a false alarm (and false pregnancy, too!).
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #58

Anime Chick

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Messages
184
Purraise
183
Poor baby. But better than "poor babies," in the long run! Once she's spayed, those hormones will go away and not bother her anymore! SO happy that this was a false alarm (and false pregnancy, too!).
Thanks and yes I agree. I'll be doing what I can to get her checked out and shots handled so I can get her fixed. Then I'll focus on getting her to be able to get along with Atsuko after.
 
Top