Unpredictable Pregnant Cat- How to Handle her?

[faolanmccane]

Hello! I own 4 indoor cats- 3 female and one male kitten who has not been fully introduced yet as we are waiting for a low cost spay neuter clinic later this month. Our youngest girl, Kuma, is pregnant after an escape a while ago, and we are expecting kittens within a week. We have just moved her to our bedroom, which is where we have always had kittens in the past (we like to pick up pregnant strays and then find homes for them and their babies.) It is the only space she can be away from the other pets, so there aren't really any other options.

Poor girl has been chaotic. She has always had some minor behavioral issues (mild petting aggression, anxiety,) and her hormones have turned this up to 10. She wants so much love, but seems to randomly turn to biting with very little warning, and the warning she does give does not really help. She is very persistent about getting her pets and will be all up in my business about it, and the only way I know to brace for aggression is that I'll notice she starts tracking my hand and going in for the head rubs with unusual vigor. Normally, I would stop petting immediately and let her calm down, but she isn't giving me that option here. There are no airplane ears. no dilated eyes, none of the usual signs- and she makes it clear that backing off isn't an option, she will attack either way. It's like she is chasing my hand as a toy or something. She bites hard! She has not broken skin on me, but she got my husband really badly earlier and messed up his hand to the point where he can't bend his pinky. She does mostly target me though.

Is there anything we can do to help her feel more relaxed? We are in that room with her frequently and sleep there, and at the moment we are a bit nervous around her. I considered Feliway, but I don't think it would take effect quickly enough. We have had many momma cats, but never any aggressive girls. I would give her a totally private space if I could, but our room is the only safe option considering she has been having small tussles with the other cats recently

As a side note- the girls have been getting spayed, but we are doing them one at a time to make things more manageable, and low cost clinics don't happen frequently in our area. This little bastard actually toppled a cat tree and broke a window to go get pregnant, so I don't feel too responsible for it lol.

 

[Sarthur2]

Does your husband need antibiotics? A cat’s mouth has lots of germs that can cause infection after a bite or scratch.

I suggest you wear gardening gloves when petting this cat, and also that you do use a toy on a stick for her to chase or bat at instead of your hands, and to expel some of her energy. My guess is she wants affection, then suddenly remembers to put up her boundaries and remind you that she’s the boss.

 

[faolanmccane]

Makes sense- and my husband is ok We have a lot of medical supplies at home and we are watching it closely. I don't have any gloves, but I might be able to go grab some later. What I have been doing today which is at least helping lower the bite frequency is simply not petting, but rather letting her rub on my hands. I have been petting her briefly if she is laying down and relaxed, but when she is actually asking for pets I just let her rub on me instead of actively petting her. The only bite I have had since then was this morning, when I did give in and try to pet her

 

[StefanZ]

Makes sense- and my husband is ok We have a lot of medical supplies at home and we are watching it closely. I don't have any gloves, but I might be able to go grab some later. What I have been doing today which is at least helping lower the bite frequency is simply not petting, but rather letting her rub on my hands. I have been petting her briefly if she is laying down and relaxed, but when she is actually asking for pets I just let her rub on me instead of actively petting her. The only bite I have had since then was this morning, when I did give in and try to pet her

Wooden spoons are good for petting of feks shy cats. Spoon, because its nicely rounded. And wooden, because it feels almost warm and almost soft... And this isnt as threatening as a hand. And risk for biting is less.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Try to get a hold of a large cage and keep her in that. I think if you try to handle her with gloves it will freak her out more. If you can get a cage and cover it with a towel to make a sort of den for her that would be best.

When around her, be careful to not make eye contact or focus on her.

Get a large pet safe stuffed animal and redirect her to that. Stop petting her all together for now.

 

[faolanmccane]

Hey! Once again here with my spicy pregnant kitty, She has settled down quite a bit and damage to my hands has been minimal. She is officially due today or tomorrow, and last night we spotted some mucus plug loss (lightly yellow, mucusy, not abnormal)- however today, it has not been groomed away and she shows no signs of labor. Her appetite is good, she is happy, cuddly, and as energetic as she usually is and she shows no signs of discomfort, buuttt that lil bit of mucus is dried up and just kind of hangin there, which concerns me a little since cats are usually avid groomers. It appears brown today, but I am confident that is just because it is dried up. No noticeable smell, even when she decides to put her butt right up in my face. We did notice similar discharge almost a week ago now too, but didn't think anything of it since she isn't showing any signs of discomfort or illness. Could be that she is losing the plug slowly, I have seen that before.

I guess it could also be new, slightly bloody discharge? But I really am thinking it's the same discharge seen last night.

I also have not felt any kicks today, but they haven't exactly been crazy active in the past either and she doesn't let me check for long. Should I be concerned? I'm keeping a close eye on her. Belly has seemed a bit smaller, which would imply that babies are moving into position, but I'm not sure since she isn't showing any really obvious signs.

 

[faolanmccane]

Hi. Try to get a hold of a large cage and keep her in that. I think if you try to handle her with gloves it will freak her out more. If you can get a cage and cover it with a towel to make a sort of den for her that would be best.

When around her, be careful to not make eye contact or focus on her.

Get a large pet safe stuffed animal and redirect her to that. Stop petting her all together for now.

Hi! Sorry for the late reply. She has totally calmed down. My chosen method was simply not petting her when she asked me to, and only petting slowly and softly when she is totally relaxed and resting. This has worked perfectly- there have been small nibbles but no broken skin and she is much more relaxed.

 

[faolanmccane]

Unfortunately, she gave birth to one stillborn kitten this morning. In the process of contacting the vet (my phone is dead but I shall when it turns on) because she is still having some bloody mucusy discharge. She is happy, eating and drinking, and very cuddly. Kitten will be named and buried, and hopefully no further issues arise.

Normally, I would be super worried about the singular kitten, but the mother was very small and she herself was a singular kitten- as well as her momma who was found without siblings. It seems to run in the family. We will see what the vet says

 

[silent meowlook]

Any updates? What did the vet say?

 

[faolanmccane]

Any updates? What did the vet say?

We could not get her in until tomorrow, but she is showing no signs of illness or infection, and there is a very good chance that there was only that one kitten, since she was a single kitten and we believe her mother was too. She gets checked out tomorrow afternoon, and we are keeping a close eye on her today. We buried the kitten- it was definitely underdeveloped. No noticeable defects, but looked to be premature despite being born at full term.

 

[faolanmccane]

Update time! We just got home from the vet a little while ago. She is totally fine right now, no fever and physically healthy. The vet did feel a mass in her abdomen that she thinks could be a retained kitten, but they couldn't get a good image on the ultrasound, so we'll have to find $140 for an x-ray somehow. They also dewormed her since we had fleas recently. They said that for now we should just monitor her and watch for signs of infection until we can afford an x-ray.