Stray...Pregnant?

First off, I'm new here....My mom and Dad and I have had our stray for 8 years. She's been acting strange lately. She has had a hard time jumping lately. Also, she has been letting us rub her belly (which she usually doesn't), around her rib cage it's hard, also I felt palpitations, she has been purring a lot lately, when you rub her belly she purrs, around her sides she's bulging out, my mom said her nipples are getting a little bit more noticeable, ate a 3 pound bag of food in 2 week period, we don't know if she is just getting old and fat, or if we going to have some kittens. Can anyone help my family?

Thanks.

you need to take her to the vets - if she has been a stray for 8 years and never had a litter, I would say it was unlikely, but it could be something else that needs looking at. Good luck.

Hopefully shes okay. Shes been acting like a normal cat. Playing, eating and such. We're hoping she's pregnant...my parents want kittens

You've had the cat for 8 years and never had her spayed? Interesting.

If your parents want kittens, there are plenty of them at shelters, and they want human parents and forever homes. Just a thought.

please get your cat spayed, she doesn't need to have kittens at that age. there are plenty of kittens in shelters already looking for their forever homes! there's no guarantee every one of her kittens will get a home, please get her spayed and adopt if you want kittens. also please her get to the vet if she's acting strange. some cats gourge their food, others snack. but if you're concerned please get her to your vet asap.

I would hope that she is not pregnant! That isn't exactly young for kittens!
I do love kittens though....

I would take her to the vet and get she checked out to make sure one way or the other, and if she isn't she should be spayed because in all reality, she should have had kittens years ago!

If she is pregnant I hope that all goes well and you keep us informed! We really like pictures too....

Good Luck! Keep us posted & Merry Christmas!

As much as your parents might want kittens, 8 is rather old to be having them, and also, we have an overpopulation problem at the moment, they would be best going to the local shelter and saving a life.

Yeah, IF she's not pregnant, get her spayed and then go to the local humane society and get some!! They want kittens, so Givem kittens!!
If she is you'll just have to take it one day at a time! Ive seen it happen before, but it really shouldn't at her age!! If you figure out her age in kitty years, She's 56 y/o!! Good luck to ya and keep us posted!

Please please spay this poor girl before she develops Pyometra (infected uterus). Has she ever had them before? If she has been a stray cat outside for 8 years and never had them then she is probably spayed already. HOPEFULLY that is the case. Mating with random tomcats outside of a specific breeding program and ESPECIALLY at her age can lead to all sorts of health problems from FeLV to death even. There could possibly be complications during delivery leading to very expensive c-sections. I hope she isn't pregnant. If she is pregnant, you can and I will highly recommend to still have her spayed anyways. Giving birth period, let alone at over 8 years old is not a good idea at all, especially if it is her first pregnancy.

If she's never been spayed and looks pregnant, then there is a good chance its not a good sign! She very well could have pyrometria or cancer if she's never had kittens.

Cats normally have kittens at a young age and continue till they are spayed. Cats have problems if not bred and are in and out of heat a lot or never get pregnant.

If you want a kitten, go adopt one from a rescue or shelter where the kitten is already spayed or neutered. If your kitty is not pregnant she still should be taken to the vet to find out if she's in danger of dying - cats can die quickly from cancer or pyrometria - and you don't want her to suffer. Another possiblity is FIP which also will kill her.

I think they mean that she's a stray they've been taking care of, rather than "their cat".

She's old for kittens, though not too old. It could be something else. In either case, she will need a vet visit.

Will she let you pop her into a carrier? You say you can touch her; can you pick her up?

Some vets offer discounts for ferals; so if you decide to spay-abort or if she has some other problem like a tumor, you could pay less if you mention that she is a stray you're taking care of.

Originally Posted by Callista

I think they mean that she's a stray they've been taking care of, rather than "their cat".

She's old for kittens, though not too old. It could be something else. In either case, she will need a vet visit.

Will she let you pop her into a carrier? You say you can touch her; can you pick her up?

Some vets offer discounts for ferals; so if you decide to spay-abort or if she has some other problem like a tumor, you could pay less if you mention that she is a stray you're taking care of.

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Stray or no stray, they are feeding the cat for 8 years but not spaying it which just isn't fair to that poor kitty. (There was just a thread about this somewhere on here about how you shouldn't feed stray cats unless you are going to trap/neuter/release them. It didn't make sense to me at first but now it does).

If she hasn't had kittens before in the 8 years that she's been fed by this family, then this probably isn't a litter and requires a vet check if they are worried about it.

And to the original poster - if your parents want kittens, there are LOTS of kittens that need homes. Go to http://www.petfinder.com and search for cats and then in the age box click "baby", and then type in your zip code.