Unsure on pregnancy - clear/pink-tinted discharge nearly a week ago and no signs of going into labour

Elvis1990

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Hi,

I’ve had a cat that I found in a bin bag in the alley outside my house (:frown: people are awful) for 2 years now. She was extremely nervous and aggressive for the first year and then she began to trust me and we are nearly there in curbing her nerves and aggression entirely with me (yay!). However, I took her to the vet about 6 months ago for something unrelated and it took 5 people to restrain her and somebody came out of the room with a bleeding face :doh: so she’s nearly impossible for a vet to examine properly. Their ‘best guess’ was that she was spayed as there haven’t been any litters in two years and she is allowed out freely.

HOWEVER, cut to 15th September and I think - she looks huge, she’s sleeping a lot and keeps licking her bits and *then* I think I can see wiggly movement in her abdomen. A few days after this, she tried to jump into the back of the pan cupboard (and she’s never done anything like that before) and going on a general safari of the house. At this point, I’m convinced she’s pregnant.

On 21st September at about 6pm, there’s a little puddle of clearish pink-tinted odourless liquid on the bathroom floor and she’s licking her bits again like mad, so I’m reading everything online and expecting kittens to fly out of her immediately.

However, today, she looks smaller and I’m doubting the movement I thought I’d seen over the last 10 days. She has let me put my hand on her belly once today but it just all feels solid with no movement (she’d not eaten and been to the loo already) but I didn’t press that hard, just a little firmly. I can’t see her nipples because her belly is SO fluffy and she’s got an unusually large primordial pouch. She’s not a small cat to begin with either so that makes it harder as there’s no big visible pot belly :\

No vet near me will do a home visit due to covid restrictions - am I best waiting or do I put her through the trauma of the vet again? I don’t want to stress her to that level if she is actually pregnant - she seems perfectly fine in herself and she hasn’t had an opportunity to have the litter somewhere unknown or undiscovered.

Any advice would be great, thank you!
 

Sarthur2

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A picture would help, but she definitely sounds pregnant, and it also sounds like the kittens may have dropped into birthing position, which makes a pregnant cat look smaller. Just wait it out as long as she is not in distress. She sounds very near the end - any day now really.

Also, when you take her to get spayed in a few weeks (after kittens are weaned), you’ll want to ask the vet for a sedation tablet to give her before heading to the vet so her behavior will be less aggressive.

Do keep us posted!
 
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Elvis1990

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Hi,

Thank you for getting back to me and for your advice! Despite the trauma of the last visit, the vet did say they ‘unfortunately don’t give sedatives’. I think I’ll be looking for a new vet!

Picture #1 shows on her 16th September, #2 is 21st September, #3 is today (she’s very grumpy and not in the mood for rolling over this morning!) and #4 is her not pregnant back in March.

I will keep you posted!

Natalie
 

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Elvis1990

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No baby news! But I have seen her nipples for the first time in two years today. It looks like she’s lost fur around them but they aren’t pink or swollen 🤷‍♀️

Picture #1 is now
Picture #2 was back in March (when I doubted she even had them 😅)
 

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Elvis1990

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I’m feeling very lost and upset because the registered vet doesn’t want to see her and all other vets in the area aren’t taking on anyone new. It’s just me being daft I guess but I can’t seem to get her the care she needs after she’s had such an awful life 😞 it’s tough, I love her very much, even if I’m the only one who does! I wish I knew a vet!!!
 

Sarthur2

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Hopefully you’ll find a vet eventually. You’ve got time. You may have to go a town over perhaps. Keep calling and don’t lose hope!
 
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Elvis1990

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Thank you so much - but the UK seems to have a blanket rule with no home appointments or even the owner being in the room during in-clinic consultations right now. I’be provisionally booked her in for a spay in 2 weeks (in the event she’s not pregnant!) so I guess it’s wait and see. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply - it means a lot.
 

Sarthur2

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She sounds pregnant, so hopefully she’ll have delivered kittens by then. If so, you’ll need to reschedule.

I did not realize things were still so locked down in UK. We are now allowed inside again here in Florida, but with masks. We did go through months of curbside waiting while the pets went in with a vet tech.

Of course, with a spay, it’s a day drop-off regardless.

It’s possible your cat may still have a couple weeks to go now that I’m seeing her belly. So hard to know!

Do keep us posted! 😊
 
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Elvis1990

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Things generally aren’t that locked down here - it just seems to be vets that have kept really strict rules for some reason 🤷🏻‍♀️
The uncertainty is driving me mad though! Thank you for bringing me somewhat back to Earth x
 
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Elvis1990

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Hi! Just an update to say Elvis hasn’t shown any signs of impending labour - all nesting behaviour has stopped and her nipples haven’t pinked up at all. I don’t think she’s pregnant after all but thank you so much for your advice.

She’s got a spay booked in the week after next so there won’t be any future accidents!

Thanks again,
Natalie
 
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Elvis1990

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It did, didn't it! Weirdly, just after I’d sent that post, I received an email from a vet I’d contacted previously for help who recommended a very experienced vet at another surgery (she called him ‘the cat whisperer’ 😅) so I’ve managed to get an appointment with him on Friday morning for a proper examination. Also, this vet allows one person into the consultation room in exceptional circumstances so I can accompany her too - such a relief!

I’m absolutely over the moon she’ll (hopefully) get a proper examination this time. Even if there are no kittens, I’ve got no confidence at all in her previous vet so I’d like to be sure she’s healthy in herself anyway.

Again, I’ll keep you posted!
 

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Thank goodness! So glad you’re seeing a new vet. They can do an ultrasound or x-ray, and listen for heartbeats. A scan would show kittens and developmental stage. You really do not want her spayed if she’s pregnant and near-term.

I’m anxious to hear results on Friday!😊
 
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Elvis1990

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You’ll genuinely be the first person I tell on Friday after all this!!!

I know, I wanted to be absolutely sure she wasn’t pregnant before I booked her in for a spay, so I thought two weeks from now would confirm either way. Regardless, we now have the cat whisperer of north west England to the rescue 🥳
 
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Elvis1990

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She’s not pregnant after all… it really seemed like it but the vet couldn’t feel anything. At least she’s okay though :) thanks for your help and support x
 

Sarthur2

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I’m shocked! She sure had me fooled. I hope her spay and recovery go well! We’re here if anything else comes up!
 
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