Pregnant Layla's owner needs advice

Can anyone help me please? My Layla is pregnant! she is near the final stages of pregnancy but doesnt look HUGE. The babies are moving alot and i can see movement in at least 3 places.
I am so excited i want to try and get an idea of how many babies will come? its her 1st litter....and also does anyone know about genetics?? Layla is pure white...the father is black and white. Is it likely that the babies will be white? could they be any other colour except blk/ white? If anyone can help me i will really appreciate it as curiosity and waiting is KILLING ME!!! lol.

I will have to look up my geneti charts for whits and black and whites but i think you have high hance of blackand whites and whites given the info,you gave us. Do you know when your girl was bred? have you prpepared several nesting boxes for her with her time getting close? Some kitties dont get "Huge" my Lilly girl didnt. You can try to gently feel for the babies and get a count. The best way would be to have a vet check. Feel free to PM me f you need anything.

I don't think you can really guarentee anything because the cats could be carrying all sorts of other colors. But there are many people on there who know a lot better. Was this a planned breeding of two purebred cats? If so you might want to head to the breeders section and ask there. If not, then someone may come along here shortly with a better answer.

Meanwhile, make sure to keep your girl inside and away from all other kitties, especially unneutered males! She can get pregnant again almost right away after giving birth and that would be a bad thing! Make sure you get an appointment to get her and the kittens spayed and neutered when they are old enough and they don't get outside in the meantime and get pregnant. Make this her first and last litter.

Good luck!

Hi, I'm sure everything is absolutely fine with your girls pregnancy. My Dee Dee is very close to giving birth any day now and she isnt huge either. Maybe this being her first litter its just not a very big one. I spent a whole hour last night with my hand on Dee Dee tummy and it was just fab. The kittens are big now and the movements can be seen under the skin quite well. It was brilliant. They are very active. She is definately having 2 possibly 3. But of course there could be more. My advice would be as long as the kittens are moving about and your girl is in good health i'd let nature take its course. If you have any concerns you could ring your vet for some advice. hope this helps a little xx

Originally Posted by sully

Can anyone help me please? My Layla is pregnant! she is near the final stages of pregnancy but doesnt look HUGE. The babies are moving alot and i can see movement in at least 3 places.
I am so excited i want to try and get an idea of how many babies will come? its her 1st litter....and also does anyone know about genetics?? Layla is pure white...the father is black and white. Is it likely that the babies will be white? could they be any other colour except blk/ white? If anyone can help me i will really appreciate it as curiosity and waiting is KILLING ME!!! lol.

Click to expand...

Welcome to TCS Sully. The best way to determine number of kittens is to have your cat seen by your local vet. There really isn't a way for us to accurately determine based on a description or even a photo how many kittens your cat will have. It is also a good idea to have your vet number on hand in case you run into any issues.

Below is a link on things to prepare yourself for the birth of the kittens:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80724

Also, if you own the father of this litter, please have him neutered so that your cat cannot become pregnant again.

Also just because she isnt big doesnt mean she will only have 1 kitten she could be hiding 4 or 5 maybe more. Just like us humans. Some are skinny and gain like 4 lbs have 12 pound babies.

Well you will get at least one all white and a black and white. White is a cover up - till you have kittens (without knowing her parents) you don't know what color she really is under the "white". And it also depends on if she or the male is carrying any dilute genes.

I'm sure you will be surprised. Post pics or at least give us colors of the kits and I can explain how you got that color

Thanks for everyones replies. Goldenkitty I will definately post pictures when the babies come along. Layla is now in her final week. Well i definately know that Layla is masking Black or Grey under her white because she has the smudge of colour on top of her head where the gene hasnt completely masked her pigmentation. The smudge appears grey but it may be because the hairs are sparse and only a few so it could be black.

As far as the birth is concerned, i feel im pretty well prepared and i have 2 nesting sites made for her. She does still insist on leaving the house for the loo so she is going out but she just goes to the loo and comes straight home. She isn't showing any sign of nesting in the places ive provided or anywhere else yet, is this normal if the birth is a week away?
What behaviour changes normally defiantely come when the birth is about a day away?

Jen, it wasnt planned / purebred mating, but i did want my moggy to have a litter to give me experience as i want to breed purebreds in the future. So i let her go out and get pregnant. The tom i saw her with a few times in the garden was this black one with a few small white markings so i assume hes the dad. The was also a tabby and white tom though...so maybe she mated with both who knows! This is definaltely going to be her only litter though so dont worry! I used to work in a vets surgery last year so i have vet friends at the ready 4 any complications as well! and im also aware of the headaches we used to get when someone dumps a kitten at the doorstep...but all my babies have homes ready already!
Sparklepants i know what u mean i was sitting with my hand on her tummy last night too! i can definately feel 2 maybe a third but thats just the ones at the sides there may be more in the mid section of her abdomen, that i cant feel. Cant w8 to see how many she has and what they turn out like!!!

As far as the birth is concerned, i feel im pretty well prepared and i have 2 nesting sites made for her. She does still insist on leaving the house for the loo so she is going out but she just goes to the loo and comes straight home.

Click to expand...

Going out of the house to go to the loo needs to stop until she has weaned her kittens and been spayed. I'm sure you are aware that she could become pregnant again within days of giving birth and it is unwise to have litters of kittens so close together. For now...until the kittens are fully weaned and mom can safely be spayed, set her up with an indoor litterbox. If needbe and if she doesn't like the feel of litter, you can use some of the dirt that she enjoys to go to the loo in.

Additionally, I'm surprised that you would allow her to mate with unknown toms given that they could be carriers of diseases such as FIV/FELV...but again, this is another reason to be vigillent and not allow her access outdoors until she has been spayed. It would also be best if the "stray" males that have access to your yard are also neutered.

I would hope that the homes that you have lined up for any of her kittens are also planning to have them spayed/neutered.

Katie

I can assure u that the homes 2 b are definately planning to spay the kittens i will make sure of it! and as far as the 'stray' toms are concerned there are no strays in my area and both of the toms wore collars and one of them belongs to someone i know. So the chances of FIV/FELV are relatively low, as these toms are defintely domestic pets that are likely to have been vaccinated also.

Hiya Sully,welcome

My cat Fudge had her kittens last wednesday,and she didn't really give me any signs she was ready..other than wandering around the house constantly,she rarely went into her nesting cage.
On the morning of delivery i checked her first thing in the morning and she was fine,took the kids to school,and when i got in she was following me everywhere!!She lay on the sofa next to me and i looked under her tail and saw some green discharge....which i was told to keep an eye out for as a sign.Within around 10 minutes she had a contraction (you will know!! its very visible!)and then she got up and went behind the pc.I carried her out and into the cage where she lay down straight away,but when i left the room she followed me,so i realised she wanted me to stay!
So i set up camp on the floor with cushions and coffee and literally 5 minutes later she was delivering the first.i just sat and stroked her and made sure it was coming out ok.
Fudge did a fab job and delivered 4 lovely kitty's.
Don't know anything about colouring but fudge is tabby and white and she had 2 tabby's ,one black and grey and one black and white.Hope this helps a bit !?

P.s.-Welcome....and keep us all updated on Layla's progress....and lots of pics

Hi scully , and welcome to the site , sorry didnt see you post untill now.
everyone has already given you so much great advise , but just to recap on a few things.
with her *nesting* she may do this from 2 week before giveing birth , or she may do it a few hours before birth , or not atall untill shes about ready to have her kittens. so dont worry to much about her not nesting yet.
i know you say she only goes outside to go to the toliet , but we strongly recommend that from this point on she stays inside at all times , as she could get spooked while outside and go into hiding and have her kittens outside.
its great you have some nesting places set up , but just to warn you , she may not use any of them.
what i have done with the pregnant mum i have here at the moment is, set her up in a room of her own with 2 birthing boxs lined with newspaper and a few blankets. she has her litter tray , food and water in with her , so that she hasnt got to go to far when the kittens are born , and this way when the kittens start to ween they will learn from mum quicker by seeing mum using the litter tray and eating.
also now would be a good time to start feeding mum on a high quality kitten food , wet and dry. i normally use royal canini.
you can get this in most pet shops(pets at home) or at a vets office.
some like to have some kitten replacement milk to hand for when the kittens are born , just incase for any reason mum dosnt have enough milk , or one of the kittens are being pushed aside , it dosnt hurt to be on the safe side. again you can pick this up at most pet shops , or ask your nearest one to order you some in.
once the kittens are born please dont allow the mum to go outside untill after she has been spayed , this can be done normally when the kittens are about 8-10 weeks old.
i think i have covered most of it, if you need anything just PM me and i will get back to you as soon as possible, also if you would like to know the nearest low cost spay clincs in your area i can help as im in london aswell.
sorry i cant be much help with what colours they will be as i have no idea about genetis as i have no idea lol.

just re-read your last post about the fiv/ felv. a domestic indoor/outdoor none neutered cat can still carry fiv/felv and in some case's fip. and vac's do not cover everything. if a male is not neutered they will fight with other uneutered males and get the desies that way. and fip any cat can get and there is no vacantion for this. so please talk with the owners of the tom cat and just give them an idea about what there cat could catch or could already being carrying. also it will stop the males spraying, straying all over to find a female to mate with , help with the over populated problem with all the homeless cats. and have many health benfits.
im in london and iv lived here all my life, and most of our cats have been strays or unwanted cats. in just the last 6 weeks we have had 3 strays who we have had neutered and treated and found homes for 2 of them , the other one i have here as his been around for a long time. so he is used to this area and he now comes in for food , and a good nights sleep.

I know it is hard and trust me I do know you need to get a litter box with litter or like I had to do with the foster mom I had I took a box and filled it with dirt and grass from my back yard put it next to the door untill mom used it.

See sometimes moms will have to go potty and instead have a baby so you will never know... Keep us informed please.

Originally Posted by momof3rugratz

I know it is hard and trust me I do know you need to get a litter box with litter or like I had to do with the foster mom I had I took a box and filled it with dirt and grass from my back yard put it next to the door untill mom used it.

See sometimes moms will have to go potty and instead have a baby so you will never know... Keep us informed please.

Click to expand...

i forgot about that thanx. sometimes a mum cat will go to the litter tray to go to the toliet and may have a kitten instead (especially first time mums) and also when you get the cat litter dont get the clumping kind as when the kittens are moving about they can/do eat the litter and the clumping kind is not good for there stomachs. some people use newspaper when there queens are near birth just incase as its less messy if the kitten is born in the tray. and 1 more good reason for keeping mum in just incase she does mistake the feeling of needing the loo with birthing a kitten.

Oops I forgot to mention to clump litter. LOL thank you for getting my back

no worrys lol. i wasnt quoting you for that reason lol. just i forgot to mentune why it was another good reason to keep her indoors.

I know but that was a very good fact. Smart person you are. This site is great.

i owe what i know to this site , before i came on i had no clue about pregnant cats, i knew basic cat care as iv always had cats . but i have learned so much from this site.

DITTO that. I was the same