- Joined
- Apr 10, 2020
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I've been lurking on this site for a while as I monitor a couple of strays I've brought in. I had originally thought one of them was pregnant, but now I'm starting to think she's not.
I have one cat myself (Dina) who is about 8 years old and spayed. The neighborhood we live in has a large cat colony. We used to see them more when we had a male cat (even though he was fixed), but he was always standing at the door and hissing at a random cat outside. We found a tiny kitten once and cared for it until it was old enough to go to a forever home. But these adult female cats I brought inside in early March don't seem to be feral. We posted about them in our neighborhood app but no one claimed them and it's been about 6 weeks now. Due to the virus, I haven't taken either cat to the vet since they both seem happy and healthy, just a bit skittish.
Anyway, one is a mostly grey calico cat with longish fur and the other is a fully black shorthair cat. I would assume they are both over a year old because they don't really seem to play other than occasionally chasing each other around the house. Both were very skinny when we brought them in, but the grey one quickly put on weight and rounded out to the point that we were sure she was pregnant. She waddles and her lower two nipples seem more pronounced with the fur coming off the lowest part of her belly. Her sides got so wide she started to take her time when going through the stair railing. She was still fairly small, but so much bigger than when we first got her. She was originally the most energetic. She followed me around and was friendly but she was never still and didn't care to sit in my lap or be held, but she likes to tap me with her paw when she wants to be stroked. As she got bigger, she started sleeping a lot more. I put out 3 nesting boxes but she showed no interest in those and found another spot she likes to sleep. She was staying there all the time except to eat so I thought it was close. She was always constantly cleaning herself.
Then one day when we woke up she came up to eat and we noticed she was a lot smaller. She didn't even really look pregnant anymore at all. My husband and I searched all over for any signs that she had given birth. We couldn't find any wet spots or stains or anything. So then I thought maybe she just dropped and the birth would be soon, but it's been a week and she's just acting like a normal cat. She's more receptive to belly rubs (before she didn't want me to touch her belly) and while she does still sleep in that spot she picked out, she comes out to socialize more. I've never felt any kitten movement, but prior to the last few days, she didn't like me to touch her belly. She also doesn't like me to just have my hand on her trying to feel around so I don't know how definitive that is. The other cat has been in heat, very obvious heat, but this cat really hasn't shown the signs. Although, another cat has come to our front door a few times and the grey cat will go to him. She acts distressed that he's out there and sits with her paws on the window and makes a crying noise. Maybe that's her way of being in heat? The black cat does the typical yowl as she walks around the house day and night and puts her butt in the air. The cat outside always runs away when I try to go out there so I think he might be feral.
Years ago I used to foster for a cat rescue and I had a pregnant cat that didn't look pregnant and then she had a kitten the night I brought her home, so I haven't completely ruled out the idea of pregnancy, but I have started to worry it might be something else like worms or pyometra? Her coat is really soft and healthy. I remember when I had a cat get worms in the past her coat was sort of oily, but I suppose different cats or different types of worms might have different symptoms. Since they both seem happy, I haven't bothered the vet. They both eat well, but I did order some herbal dewormer to try on them. Any chance it is pregnancy? I play to spay them both once the lockdown is lifted and keep them if no one has come looking.
I have one cat myself (Dina) who is about 8 years old and spayed. The neighborhood we live in has a large cat colony. We used to see them more when we had a male cat (even though he was fixed), but he was always standing at the door and hissing at a random cat outside. We found a tiny kitten once and cared for it until it was old enough to go to a forever home. But these adult female cats I brought inside in early March don't seem to be feral. We posted about them in our neighborhood app but no one claimed them and it's been about 6 weeks now. Due to the virus, I haven't taken either cat to the vet since they both seem happy and healthy, just a bit skittish.
Anyway, one is a mostly grey calico cat with longish fur and the other is a fully black shorthair cat. I would assume they are both over a year old because they don't really seem to play other than occasionally chasing each other around the house. Both were very skinny when we brought them in, but the grey one quickly put on weight and rounded out to the point that we were sure she was pregnant. She waddles and her lower two nipples seem more pronounced with the fur coming off the lowest part of her belly. Her sides got so wide she started to take her time when going through the stair railing. She was still fairly small, but so much bigger than when we first got her. She was originally the most energetic. She followed me around and was friendly but she was never still and didn't care to sit in my lap or be held, but she likes to tap me with her paw when she wants to be stroked. As she got bigger, she started sleeping a lot more. I put out 3 nesting boxes but she showed no interest in those and found another spot she likes to sleep. She was staying there all the time except to eat so I thought it was close. She was always constantly cleaning herself.
Then one day when we woke up she came up to eat and we noticed she was a lot smaller. She didn't even really look pregnant anymore at all. My husband and I searched all over for any signs that she had given birth. We couldn't find any wet spots or stains or anything. So then I thought maybe she just dropped and the birth would be soon, but it's been a week and she's just acting like a normal cat. She's more receptive to belly rubs (before she didn't want me to touch her belly) and while she does still sleep in that spot she picked out, she comes out to socialize more. I've never felt any kitten movement, but prior to the last few days, she didn't like me to touch her belly. She also doesn't like me to just have my hand on her trying to feel around so I don't know how definitive that is. The other cat has been in heat, very obvious heat, but this cat really hasn't shown the signs. Although, another cat has come to our front door a few times and the grey cat will go to him. She acts distressed that he's out there and sits with her paws on the window and makes a crying noise. Maybe that's her way of being in heat? The black cat does the typical yowl as she walks around the house day and night and puts her butt in the air. The cat outside always runs away when I try to go out there so I think he might be feral.
Years ago I used to foster for a cat rescue and I had a pregnant cat that didn't look pregnant and then she had a kitten the night I brought her home, so I haven't completely ruled out the idea of pregnancy, but I have started to worry it might be something else like worms or pyometra? Her coat is really soft and healthy. I remember when I had a cat get worms in the past her coat was sort of oily, but I suppose different cats or different types of worms might have different symptoms. Since they both seem happy, I haven't bothered the vet. They both eat well, but I did order some herbal dewormer to try on them. Any chance it is pregnancy? I play to spay them both once the lockdown is lifted and keep them if no one has come looking.
