Many Symptoms

Hello all,

Seven weeks ago (Dec 16), I brought home a female cat, Nova. She was a stray, and because she had a runny eye and sneezing, I decided to take her to the vet the day after I got her. She was tested for FIV, given her vaccinations, was given antibiotics and an ointment for her eyes, and when I asked about spaying the vet told me that there was no way to tell whether she was spayed except to wait and see if she went into heat. At this point, she weighed 6lbs and guesses on her age were from 7-10 months.

Four weeks ago(Jan 8), I weighed her and noticed that she had gained 1.5 lbs. I took her back to the vet for her booster shots. Her respiratory infection had cleared up. I suspected that she might be pregnant because of the weight gain. The vet said he couldn't tell at that point whether or not she was pregnant. He said that she might have gained weight simply because she was being fed regularly, and that if she was pregnant that vaccinating her could cause harm to the kittens. He told me to wait and see, and come back. He also told me that if she was pregnant, that there was a one week window in which he was willing to spay her still. I wasn't quite sure what to do, but decided to let nature take its course. I'm still not sure if that was the right thing to do, as I can think of arguments both for and against having spayed her at that point.

One week ago (Jan 25) I took her back to the vet. She had been restless the week before (week 5 of having her) of having her. She was constantly crying at the door and windows. (I thought she might be in heat). She had a difficult time urinating, and she had vaginal discharge (clear). Also, she was throwing up every other day, 1-2 times each day. I was given Cefa drops for her difficulty in urinating. He gave me a hairball remedy for the vomiting because it had been mostly undigested food and he said it could be hairballs. He showed me that her mammary glands were swollen, and her nipples were quite pink; he told me that she was pregnant. However, he said that he could not make out any kittens when he palpated her.

In the past week, she has been urinating normally. She is vomiting less frequently, but still vomiting. She is pooping 2-3 times each day, and I have noticed what looks like blood on her stools. (It usually comes out as a small red lump on the outside of the stool.) She drinks normally and eats quite a bit (she's being fed Purina Kitten Chow), and she's quite playful. I have yet to see evidence of kittens moving inside her.

I have now had her for 7 weeks. I'm not sure how far along she is, but if she is pregnant, she is at least 7 weeks because I have not let her out at all since I got her. She seems to be in good health, aside from the occasional vomiting... and, I'm a little bit concerned about the blood in her stools. Should I be concerned and rush her to the vet? Or, is this normal considering how much she is eating and pooping? Also, I'm concerned about the health of her kittens because she was given vaccinations, deworming medicine, and frontline in the first couple of weeks I had her.

If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it. I have not had any experience with pregnant cats, and I want everything to go as smoothly as possible for us.

The blood in the stools would make me think she needs to see a vet. Also, at this point you might be able to feel the kittens in there, just feel gently around to see if you can feel them. Otherwise the vet can do an ultra sound or xray to see if she's pregnant! Im suprised the vet didn't offer one of those! Cats are pregnant for 9 weeks normally. Did you get her from a shelter? Or just bring her in as a stray? If she was at a shelter I would see if they could check to see how long she was there, if she was there over two weeks and confined away from un nuetered males there would be no way! Cats can also have false pregnancys, where their bodies think they're pregnant even though they aren't. Normally with those you let nature run its course! Are her nipples large and pink?? Any milk?? Good For you and your kitty!

My Meeko had 1 Kitten once and she did not show at all. Her Nipples were red so I took her to the Vet and he wasnt even sure. Then 2 Weeks later she had Yoshi. I just lost Yoshi at age 5 last Month. If you had the Cat that long she would be getting close. Blood isnt good I hope she will be ok. Meeko got Shots to because I didnt know she was Preg. The Vet told me they can cause birth defects and other problems.

Although the meds you gave could cause birth defects it is too late to worry about it. You will know in a short while if she is really pregnant. You usually don't feel the kittens until the last 10 day or so . I breed cats and it is usually in the last week that I really can feel them. I wouldn't have her x-rayed at this point her little body has been through enough. She has been exposed to enough. Not much you can do anyway. I also would deal with the blood in her stool after the kittens are born. Again she doesn't need anything else in her system. As long as it is just a little blood she should just bear watching. The blood may just be because of all the changes she has gone through, food, meds, pregnancy etc. Godd luck and remember lots of love usually doesn the trick.

Thanks for the advice!

glitch, I did not get Nova from a shelter, she was a stray. So I do not know exactly how many weeks she is. She must be at least 7 weeks along, because I got her 7 weeks and 1 day ago. Her nipples are pink... and large! (How do I check for milk?)

I am worried about the blood in her stools, but I will take Tia's Mom's advice and wait until the kittens come out. I have 2 weeks to wait, and I really do hope that it's just a symptom of all the changes. I hope that 2 weeks is not too long to wait. I will take her in sooner if I notice more blood than what's been coming out, or if she stops eating, or gets a fever. In the meantime, maybe I can take a stool sample to the vet? (Does anyone know what types of tests she might need?)

mews2much, thank you for sharing about Meeko's pregnancy. I am sorry to hear about the loss of Yoshi. :-(
Nova does not show much, so I hope that she doesn't have too many kittens if it turns out not to be a false pregnancy

I will let you all know if/when she has kittens.

Let us know when she had. Coco my almost 16 year old Cat had 1 Litter when she was 10. She can not be fixed with all her problems. I could nher with me because we were in a Apartment that did no allow Cats. There was a unfixed Cat where she was and they let him in the room with her. I was so mad at them. I had her 9 years and she had never been Preg. She had a Ultrasound and they said maybe 3. She had 5 but 2 were dead. I kept Stormy but Ijust lost her Dec 5th to Kidney Failure. I gave my Sister her Son and my Cousin took the other one. The day we moved to a Apartment that takes Cats Coco had so i had to leave her behind. She was a very good Mom. If you have any questions I can help you. Coco did Nurse Yoshi too. I had him fixed when he on Coco was 10 weeks so he would not get her Preg. I just got a Kitten last Nov and she was trying to Nurse on Coco. My Kitten was 3 Months when I got her and is now 5 Months.

My concern is the fact that the vet has vaccinated her without knowing if she was pregnant or not. This could effect the kittens. They may be stillborn or deformed. So be prepared to possibly having to put them to sleep if they are really in bad shape.