Pregnant Cat Due Soon

[MikyPiky]

So recently we moved to a new house in the country, the previous owners had abandoned 3 cats when they left. When we got here we started taking care of them, feeding them, treating their ear mites, etc. There is one neutered male, one non neutered male, one female and her kitten. We tried really hard to get them to a shelter but all the ones nearby either were full of cats or didn't take them if they weren't directly from the city. We also really wanted to spay and neuter them but we have money problems and none of the vets nearby will do discounts or anything. We tried really hard to prevent kittens from happening, but we were really tired from moving and busy doing other stuff. So please do not get angry at me for this cat getting pregnant, we tried to stop it but couldn't, what's done is done. So the pregnant cat is due in about 15 days, she is quite small and her belly quite big, but I'm not that worried because she has had kittens before. I've made her an insulated box with a blanket inside, and the male cannot get to her there. I hope she gives birth to the kittens there or else she will be unsafe from the male.

I'm just writing this cause I need tips for the coming kittens, is there anything I should know before they come? Is there anything else I can give her to make her feel more comfortable. I love these cats so much, they have basically become my pets, and I want everything to go smoothly so any help would be very, very appreciated!

 

[jen]

She needs kitten food 24/7 for extra nutrients.
Also she will come out of the box for breaks and the male will get to her, she can get pregnant almost right away after giving birth. Where are you located? Maybe we can help you find a place that does low cost neutering?

No one blames you. We blame the idiots before you who abandoned them in the first place.

 

[MikyPiky]

She needs kitten food 24/7 for extra nutrients.
Also she will come out of the box for breaks and the male will get to her, she can get pregnant almost right away after giving birth. Where are you located? Maybe we can help you find a place that does low cost neutering?

No one blames you. We blame the idiots before you who abandoned them in the first place.

Believe me, I have searched EVERYWHERE for low cost neutering, and even if I did find one me and my family are self isolating because of COVID-19. So no going to the cities.

I'm not getting worried about her getting pregnant again, there are much more serious matters atm. This coronavirus comes first, we need to protect our families before our cats. I hope you understand this.

 

[Sarthur2]

Do you have the pregnant cat inside the house and away from the intact male? The same for an intact kitten. We can help you through this! Thank you for caring for these abandoned cats!

 

[MikyPiky]

Do you have the pregnant cat inside the house and away from the intact male? The same for an intact kitten. We can help you through this! Thank you for caring for these abandoned cats!

No she cannot come in the house cause we have two male house cats inside. I really wish she could but it's just not a possibility.
Thank you guys so much for reaching out and helping me!

 

[Willowy]

Is there a way to set up a spare bedroom/bathroom/closet/pantry/garage for her? Or a cage where her box is now? Just some way to keep her away from males and keep her kittens safe---kittens raised outdoors have an extremely high mortality rate. Also her older kitten if female, because she'll be pregnant soon too.

Yes, of course your human family members are a priority at this time, but having a zillion kittens to deal with, or having the kittens get killed, will be another family stressor that you probably don't need!

Anyway, yes, she should have kitten food, both dry and canned, and it would be a good idea if you could get some kitten replacement milk (PetAg should be available at Walmart, but considering the current situation idk about stock levels right now), because that will help her make enough milk for her babies.

 

[MikyPiky]

Is there a way to set up a spare bedroom/bathroom/closet/pantry/garage for her? Or a cage where her box is now? Just some way to keep her away from males and keep her kittens safe---kittens raised outdoors have an extremely high mortality rate. Also her older kitten if female, because she'll be pregnant soon too.

Yes, of course your human family members are a priority at this time, but having a zillion kittens to deal with, or having the kittens get killed, will be another family stressor that you probably don't need!

Anyway, yes, she should have kitten food, both dry and canned, and it would be a good idea if you could get some kitten replacement milk (PetAg should be available at Walmart, but considering the current situation idk about stock levels right now), because that will help her make enough milk for her babies.

There is no spare room in the house for her, all the rooms are taken and my family would not let her inside anyways. I've set up her box in our green house, the male can't get in there so she's safe from him. Like I said before we're not going to the cities anymore because were self isolating so we can't get her any specialties. I wish so very much we could do more for her, but we'll just have do with what we have atm. Please do not call me irresponsible, I'm doing everything I possibly can.

 

[MikyPiky]

Well I guess I should give you guys some more details of this girl, i will attach A picture of her so you guys can see how cute she is! So her name is Momma, we just thought it was the perfect name for her! She is a small 7 pound cat, super snuggly, and loves going on walks with you. She is due to have her babies at the start of next month and I am so excited! It will be the first time I have ever seen newborn kittens! We have a green house in our backyard that she loves to stay in. I put a cozy box in there for her but I have yet to see her use it. The green house door is shut enough that the male can't get in but she can get out. She also has been spending almost her whole day in there. She is getting quite big, I really wonder how many kittens are hiding in there! I have been keeping a close watch on her to make sure everything is going well, she is definitely a very healthy cat! Now I'm just looking out for signs that she's about to go into Labour, I really want to be there when it happens.


Well I hope you like this look into little Momma's life!

 

[Willowy]

I'm not making judgements about responsibility, I'm just (gently!) pointing out that if many of the kittens survive, you could have 30 cats by this time next year, and I'm not sure you want that. Cats are extremely fertile.

Can she (and the older kitten if it's a female) be locked in the greenhouse? That would be fine, just as long as she can't escape and the toms can't get in.

She's very pretty!

 

[MikyPiky]

I'm not making judgements about responsibility, I'm just (gently!) pointing out that if many of the kittens survive, you could have 30 cats by this time next year, and I'm not sure you want that. Cats are extremely fertile.

Can she (and the older kitten if it's a female) be locked in the greenhouse? That would be fine, just as long as she can't escape and the toms can't get in.

She's very pretty!

Yes we know very well that we may have a serious problem with way too many kittens, I am completely fine with you pointing that out. I was already thinking of locking Momma in the green house cause the male did find a way to get in. Her kitten is a female unfortunately and doesn't get along that well with her mom. I think they would both go crazy if they were locked in there together, the kitten loves her freedom and hunting and all that would be taken from her. Also she is still quite a bit scared of us humans and would dart out of the green house everytime the door was opened.

When the kittens do arrive I can lock Momma in the greenhouse, do you think this is the best idea? Like will she even want to go outside cause she's so busy taking care of her kittens? She will always have food and fresh water, and there's a dirt pile for her to go to the bathroom. So would it be okay to lock her in there so the male can't get to her?

 

[MikyPiky]

Okay so some good news! Momma slept in the box I made for her in the green house. I really really hope she gives birth in there, it would make everything so much easier. Also I have pretty much decided to lock her in there when the kittens come, I think that is the best solution. I just really wish there was a way to neuter the intact male, he is the source of all the problems.

 

[Willowy]

Neutering the male may help, but there's always another tom waiting in the bushes to take over :/. They'll travel 5 miles if they smell a female in heat. So if funds are limited, always spay the females first.

 

[Sarthur2]

Can you get the female kitten spayed?

 

[MikyPiky]

I have some good news and some bad news. Yesterday evening we found one of the stray cats dying, he was very sick but it was still a shock. We were surprised he lived that long, considering all his problems. I'm sad but he's not in pain anymore. As we were about to leave I wanted to snuggle Momma to comfort me, i went to go check on her and inside her box were 4 kittens! I was so excited that she finally gave birth, she really made us wait a while! Soon we could tell she was having more contractions so we let her be, 15 minutes later we came out and there were 5! So they are all brown classic tabbies, one has some white. They are all really healthy and suckling lots, Momma is doing really well, she loves her kittens. She actually ended up giving birth in the shed not the green house, which is completely fine cause it's closer.

Anyways I think God provided a miracle right when we needed it, the strays death would have been a lot harder if new life hadn't come right away. I'll attach a picture of the stray that passed away.

 

[Sarthur2]

Are they safe from prowlers and warm enough in the shed? Do you feed mom in the shed and provide fresh water? Do they have a nest with bedding?

So sorry about the poor stray who passed, but glad the new litter is doing well.

 

[MikyPiky]

Are they safe from prowlers and warm enough in the shed? Do you feed mom in the shed and provide fresh water? Do they have a nest with bedding?

So sorry about the poor stray who passed, but glad the new litter is doing well.

Yes they are safe from predators, the shed only has a small hole big enough for cats and the male doesn't care about the kittens. I have been feeding and giving the mom water in her bed, she did get out once to get food, but i can tell she doesnt like to. They are in the top of an insulated double decker box made of wood. They are safe there and very warm and cozy. All the kittens are doing very well, I am so thankful.

 

[MikyPiky]

Update!

All the kittens are still doing very well, Momma has been taking fantastic care of them. She goes out a few times a day now for breaks while the kittens sleep. They're now 6 days old so im expecting some little eyes to show! I've heard they're very sensitive to light when their eyes first open, so how much light can they take? Should I just let them be in their box for the first few days or can I take them out? I have been taking them out for small periods of time everyday, (under a minute). I also weighed the biggest one, he/she is 6 ounces, so a very healthy weight!

Well I should definitely show you some pics!

 

[MikyPiky]

Okay I have two questions.

First I realized that the kittens are a week old now, and 2 of them still have their umbilical cords. I've heard that they should fall off at about 2-7 days old and if they don't fall off you can cut it yourself, though some people say to never cut it. Also one of the kittens that umbilical cord has fallen off still has a little remaining, very small but it looks kinda scabby. Is this normal?


Second is that the kittens eyes are opening now, which I'm really excited about! I'm just wondering how much light is too much for their sensitive little eyes? I've heard that any light can hurt them, but I don't know if that's true or not.


Any help would be super appreciated, I am confused about these questions and I want answers!

 

[Sarthur2]

Wait for the cords to dry up and fall off - they will.

Very dim light is best when eyes first open for a couple of weeks.

Kittens should weigh about 4 ounces at the end of the first week, 8 at the end of the second week, then 12 ounces the third week, and a pound at 4 weeks. They then should gain about a pound a month for the next 6 months or so. So, your kittens are doing great, and in fact are little piggies - way ahead of schedule. And mama kitty is doing a great job feeding them, so you must be feeding mama well. Let’s hope they stay healthy!

 

[MikyPiky]

Wait for the cords to dry up and fall off - they will.

Very dim light is best when eyes first open for a couple of weeks.

Kittens should weigh about 4 ounces at the end of the first week, 8 at the end of the second week, then 12 ounces the third week, and a pound at 4 weeks. They then should gain about a pound a month for the next 6 months or so. So, your kittens are doing great, and in fact are little piggies - way ahead of schedule. And mama kitty is doing a great job feeding them, so you must be feeding mama well. Let’s hope they stay healthy!

Ok that's great news! I didn't know they were so big! I weighed the smallest one again and it now weighs 5.8 ounces! I think he just nursed so he was full of milk. Thank you for the help!