Some of you may have seen some of my other posts,...but for those who haven't - hubby brought home a stray female not quite three weeks ago. This after us debateing for months about adopting a pet...and I had thought we had settled on getting a male kitten.
Thanks to this forum, I've learned I now share house with a tortoiseshell. And I'm starting to learn what this means.
(Well maybe hubby will stop yammering about my moods, and start yammering about "torti-tudes"! Especially since she woke us up at 4 am this morning doing kitty-races thru the house!)
Anyway, I took one look at her, and besides falling in love, thought "uh oh, preggers!" Hubby reported that he had met her about three months ago, she was hanging out at a construction site he was involved in. No one around would claim her, the guy who owned the property wanted her gone as he has dogs he's getting ready to move to the new house, and they don't like cats. Ok, up the chances she's preggers, if she's been running around outside that long.
So we go to visit the vet. Vet confirms - unspayed female. Other than an ear mite infection (since cleared up with meds) - she's apparently otherwise healthy, all blood work / stool samples checked ok. Cool. But, vet isn't sure about the pregnancy, either. Says maybe....cat is 1 - 2 years old, unfixed,....but if she IS preggers....it is very early in pregnancy.
Pixie's been here almost three weeks now. Getting a waddle...nipples slightly detectable. She was a little over 8 pounds when at the vet's....a little over 9 pounds a week later. But vet said to keep her on kitten chow until we know for sure...and if she isn't preggers...would "get fat" on the food. Ok, so can't assume the growth / waddle is a sign of the pregnancy.
Now, I know that kitty gestation is about 9 weeks. If that belly bump I noticed when she first got here is indeed babies - uhmmm.....at least two weeks along? Three?? Which would put her 5 to 6 weeks along?? Can't detect any noticeable "separate" bumps....no sign of movement yet.....so yeah, definitely still pondering a possible pregnancy, still not certain.
Got a nice big snuggly box with lots of snuggly blankies inside it ready, just in case. Yesterday was the first day she spent any time in it....hmmmm.....
Well anyway, Vet is due to call this week, to check back with me on the possible pregnancy. We're holding off on vaccinations until we know for sure. I know, I know - Vet even said, I can have an ultrasound performed to find out. But where's the fun in that?
Thanks to this forum, I've learned I now share house with a tortoiseshell. And I'm starting to learn what this means.
Anyway, I took one look at her, and besides falling in love, thought "uh oh, preggers!" Hubby reported that he had met her about three months ago, she was hanging out at a construction site he was involved in. No one around would claim her, the guy who owned the property wanted her gone as he has dogs he's getting ready to move to the new house, and they don't like cats. Ok, up the chances she's preggers, if she's been running around outside that long.
So we go to visit the vet. Vet confirms - unspayed female. Other than an ear mite infection (since cleared up with meds) - she's apparently otherwise healthy, all blood work / stool samples checked ok. Cool. But, vet isn't sure about the pregnancy, either. Says maybe....cat is 1 - 2 years old, unfixed,....but if she IS preggers....it is very early in pregnancy.
Pixie's been here almost three weeks now. Getting a waddle...nipples slightly detectable. She was a little over 8 pounds when at the vet's....a little over 9 pounds a week later. But vet said to keep her on kitten chow until we know for sure...and if she isn't preggers...would "get fat" on the food. Ok, so can't assume the growth / waddle is a sign of the pregnancy.
Now, I know that kitty gestation is about 9 weeks. If that belly bump I noticed when she first got here is indeed babies - uhmmm.....at least two weeks along? Three?? Which would put her 5 to 6 weeks along?? Can't detect any noticeable "separate" bumps....no sign of movement yet.....so yeah, definitely still pondering a possible pregnancy, still not certain.
Got a nice big snuggly box with lots of snuggly blankies inside it ready, just in case. Yesterday was the first day she spent any time in it....hmmmm.....
Well anyway, Vet is due to call this week, to check back with me on the possible pregnancy. We're holding off on vaccinations until we know for sure. I know, I know - Vet even said, I can have an ultrasound performed to find out. But where's the fun in that?