Took In A Feral Cat...is She Pregnant?

[Skippyandjif]

Hi everyone! About two weeks ago, the feral kitty I’ve been feeding since she was a kitten decided to follow me into my home and now lives here with me full time. She only started letting me get close enough to pet her last month, and now here we are... I brought her to the vet last week and was told that they’re not comfortable spaying her until next month, so I do definitely intend to get her spayed as soon as I can!

Anyway, this kitty has the craziest appetite I’ve ever seen, and while it might be because she’s a skinny, hungry ex-feral cat, I also know that it’s “kitten season” around now, so I’m wondering if she’s pregnant. I was looking at symptoms and I’m not sure if these are the nipples of a pregnant cat, but the area immediately around each nipple is hairless and they seem large...?

If anyone has input I’d appreciate it greatly! Since she wasn’t cleared to get spayed until October anyway, I assume she’d have the kittens if she is pregnant and I want to make sure I’m caring for her properly.

Cheers! Thanks!

And here’s a picture of Grayson being her cute self.

 

[abyeb]

Yes, I do think that she looks pregnant. But the vet could confirm for you. I’ll attach some helpful articles:

How To Tell If My Cat Is Pregnant?

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

Pregnant Cat? What To Prepare For The Birth

 

[Sarthur2]

Why is the vet not comfortable spaying her until next month?

 

[DreamerRose]

Why is the vet not comfortable spaying her until next month?

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he wants to wait until after the kittens arrive.

 

[ArchyCat]

She may be eating like crazy not just because she is pregnant, but also due to being food insecure. And skinny. But once she realizes that food is now reliable, she may slow down. Thanks for the rescue!

Please keep us updated!\\\\

 

[recurringecho]

So the vet wasn't able to confidently tell whether she has kittens? Don't cats only really start to show when they're around 4 weeks pregnant? I think that's when you can actually feel the babies too, so I'm guessing the one month wait period is just an observation period to see if she really does have kittens and the vet doesn't want to risk aborting them if that's the case.

Anyways, what a pretty pretty kitty! Seconding ArchyCat's remark to keep us updated! By the way, if you are able to get a full side shot and a full body shot including her belly sometime, it might be easier for more experienced people here to give an input

 

[Skippyandjif]

Thank you everyone! I’m still in shock she decided to follow me in...her sisters don’t even let me near them. Graysie’s the only one who warmed up to me and even that took her two years! I guess she got tired of feral life.

Graysie had a bit of a cold and conjunctivitis when I took her in, so the vet wanted to wait until she was all better to spay. She’s like 98% better now. Also, because she’s pretty skinny, the vet said it would be better if she gained a little weight first, hence the “sometime in October” date. (Poor thing’s hip bones stick out.) I don’t have any other cats and she’s strictly indoors from now on, so if she’s not pregnant, there’s no danger of her becoming so in the meantime.

And to answer recurringecho’s question, the vet couldn’t tell definitively if she was pregnant, so I guess she wouldn’t be too far along if she is.

She’s starting to eat a little more calmly, which is a relief, but she still has a huge appetite. I’ll update this afternoon or evening with more pictures of her.

Thank you all again!!!

 

[Skippyandjif]

Sorry I haven’t posted again until now...I never realized how hard it is to get a car to stand still when you want to photograph her! Anyway, here is Grayson from the top down:

(Please excuse my foot.) And here are some photos of her lying on my bed and preventing me from folding the sheets, hahaha. If you need more photos, please let me know! Thanks!

 

[Skippyandjif]

So, upon further inspection I suspect Graysie's pregnant and was further along than I thought because she's...poking out, I guess? I don't know how to put it...at the sides significantly more than she was two weeks ago but is still pretty thin everywhere else. I mean, I'm still going to really really really hope that she's just putting on some weight due to finally getting regular meals, but I've been feeding her kitten chow for her dry food "snack" just in case because I don't wanna endanger her health by sticking my head in the proverbial sand.
I called the vet on Friday and was told the soonest they'd feel comfortable spaying was two or three weeks because of the issues Graysie had when I first took her in and how skinny she was (poor baby apparently also has giardia on top of the URI and conjunctivitis, and is on Panacur for it now), so it looks like if she is indeed pregnant, she'll be having the kittens. :/ I love kittens...but I feel awful knowing that these are kittens that are potentially depriving cats in shelters of a home...but on the other hand there's nothing I could've done that wouldn't endanger Graysie's health, and it's my responsibility to make sure she's healthy and happy now that she's come in off the streets to my home.
(Cute note, though, is that I think she can tell I'm feeling down about this and she's spent the last couple mornings sleeping next to my pillow and purring. Such a sweetheart!)

 

[Sarthur2]

She definitely sounds pregnant if her sides are bulging or showing. Feed her lots!

Don’t feel badly, you are giving her a good home.

 

[Skippyandjif]

Thank you! I shall— and a happy update is that Grayson seems to be getting over her food insecurity! Before, when she was living outside, she’d scarf down any wet food that I put out but now she knows she’s getting meals regularly and made a big show last night of picking out every...single...piece...of crab in the salmon and crab wet food I gave her for dinner. Lined them all up very neatly at the edge of her dish. Fortunately I’d only gotten one of that flavor...

I also picked up some wet kitten food as well as dry kitten chow so I’ll try her on that tonight!