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Please help...I think this stray is Pregnant - UPDATE

post #1 of 78
10/6/09 at 8:25pm
Thread Starter 
Hi there, this is my first post, I needed some help and found this forum. My name is Jennifer and I found a stray cat in my neighborhood. I think she was dumped recently because she had no fear of cars. I placed several "found" ads in newspapers and no one has answered. She was timid at first but then I started feeding her and she got used to our family. We were having a really bad storm today and because of her being naive to the dangers of cars, I put her in my garage. She laid down and she looks pregnant to me all of a sudden and I don't think it is from extra food. Her nipples are huge and very swollen, almost like bulges under them. There is no dried milk on them and no milk coming from them so I don't think she is nursing.She also doesn't try to leave the garage to get to kittens. Here are some pics. What do you all think? If you think she is preg, about how far along? Thanks in advance!



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post #2 of 78
10/6/09 at 9:36pm
I would take her in and get her spayed. She looks to be quite young, and honestly, the world has enough kittens to deal with.
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post #3 of 78
10/6/09 at 9:49pm
the breeding Forum wasnt as bad. She is probably part russian blue. Too bad pictures to see really, but there is the look of it.
Her being preg may have beeing the cause for dumping.

good you had ads in local newspapers. Try also with ads on local message-boards and other places where cats are sough and announced as lost.

But prepare to give her the necessary help.
How much help can you give? Are you willing to adopt her as your own?
Do you have own animals, ie, is a quarantene an issue for you?

Tx for helping her and her kittens.

Welcome to the forums!
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post #4 of 78
10/6/09 at 9:59pm
Thread Starter 
I am willing to learn about what to do to help if she is preg and prepared to keep them together for 8-10 weeks. We have a local rescue the animals (no kill) shelter here and hoping they can find them good homes. I have two cats of my own, one is about 15 years old. My garage is where I am keeping her (the stray) for now, it is warm but also has a ceiling fan in there.

If she recently had kittens, would she be trying to escape my garage to get to them? She has just been laying out there. Of course I check on her once every half hour to pet her and make sure she is feeling safe and loved. Payday is next week and I want to get her checked out to make sure she won't give disease to my other pets. Just anxious and trying to get some info lol
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post #5 of 78
10/6/09 at 10:09pm
She looks preg to me.
You have to keep the kittens for at least 12 weeks.
8 weeks is to young to let them leave.
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post #6 of 78
10/6/09 at 10:31pm
Thread Starter 
I just read that on one of these threads That's fine, I don't want to do anything to hamper their growth. Is there a way of telling how far along she is. So far I noticed the pink nipples, bulges under them, really warm belly, she seems to be breathing kind of deeply, she will keep coming over to see me but goes to a pile of my husbands old clothes, she seems like she is uncomftable laying on her belly. I have been touching her very gently but don't feel any kittens moving.
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post #7 of 78
10/6/09 at 10:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hissy View Post
I would take her in and get her spayed. She looks to be quite young, (

Taking her to the vet IS advisable. Check up, deworming and deparasiting, etc. And if the vet is willing to make spaying on a late preg, such a late spaying may be an option yes. (it is entirely possible and technically nothing difficult for a good vet surgeon. Some vets dont do it, some do, especielly on homeless and strays),
If you dont spay her now, you should of course spay her later after the delivery and perhaps after the weaning of the kittens. So whatevery you do, the spaying IS there awaiting.



You dont ask about the breed. Otherwise a very common question here about found moggies here on this Breeders forum.
I think she has the looks of a young Russian blue, the european type.
Thus, I wouldnt be the least surprised if she was partly a RB...
You can surely say she has a little look alike to a RB.


Congrats to your new friend!
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post #8 of 78
10/6/09 at 11:08pm
She might be closer then you think.
I had a ultraound done when I had a preg cat 7.5 years ago.
You can go to the vet and see if they can estimate how far along she is.
She may have been dumped for being preg.
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post #9 of 78
10/6/09 at 11:10pm
I can see some Russian Blue in her.
I have a mostly Russian Blue Cat.
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post #10 of 78
10/6/09 at 11:13pm
It sounds as she has the kittens in her. If they were outside she would almost surely be worrying about them.

Make sure she gets good food. Think kitten food. Water aplenty.
She has now a nice place to lie on, but prepare also a delivery nest. It will feel more comfortable for her if she already know everything is ready.
It will also give her some hiding. Many cats do appreciate this, not only semiferales.

Essentially, this is the most important and it could be enough. But she looks young. Some young mothers dont really knows what is happening... So good if you are prepared she dont manage herself.


About the vet. Your good local no kill shelter has surely cooperation with a vet? If you have recommendation from them, you should get a good price reduction, I hope... Talk with them, its worth a try.
Or they are perhaps even prepared to take the responsibility and the costs, but you remain the "emergency and foster home". Such solutions are not uncommon. So talk with them.
Their biggest difficulty is often not necessary the costs, but they dont have enough of places and enough of good foster homes.
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post #11 of 78
10/6/09 at 11:42pm
Thread Starter 
Her lumps in her belly aren't shaped like golf balls, they are rather oblong and there is about 4...does this mean anything about the kittens?
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post #12 of 78
10/7/09 at 1:46am
When you make her a nesting place, make sure the box has sides on it so the babies will not roll out. Also, do not put a lot of towels or blankets as very young kittens will crawl under too much bedding and smother. I put a very low pile rug in my nesting box, right up to the sides so they could not get under. I even duct taped it down. I was so scared of them getting under it. It probably is not cold where you are. But make sure they aren't in a cold or damp or drafty area. Good luck for a healthy mom and babies.
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post #13 of 78
10/7/09 at 2:19am
Her lumps in her belly aren't shaped like golf balls, they are rather oblong and there is about 4...does this mean anything about the kittens?

It depends on where the lumps are. Are you talking about the lumps being inside her abdominal cavity, where the womb is? If you can only feel four oblong lumps there, then you are feeling four kittens, which simply means she's going to have an average size litter. An oblong shape simply means they are stretched out, which is normal. If you can feel kittens, then she is getting close to delivery, probably at least halfway through pregnancy.

If you are talking about lumps on her tummy, just beneath the nipples, then oblong is also normal. That would be her milk trying to come in, and would mean that she is even closer to birth, probably within a week or two. Only having four active teats would be a sign that she is probably going to have a small litter of 2-4 kittens.

Also, she may have already had kittens, and they've been weaned off of her before she was dumped, and she just hasn't had a chance to dry up yet.

Really, a vet would be your best bet, as we can't physically examine the kitty here on the forum. But thank you so much for taking in this beautiful girl. She's very lucky to have a caring person take her in. for a healthy kitty and litter.
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post #14 of 78
10/7/09 at 4:35am
Thread Starter 
lol She has oblong lumps everywhere from her teats and down..uh oh! lol
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post #15 of 78
10/7/09 at 6:40am
That is was Peaches (our rescue) looked like about a week, week & a half before she had her kittens. Previously you weren't even able to tell she was pregnant she has so skinny!

Thankfully she only had two; Best of Luck!! Preg & Kit forum is VERY helpful so stick around!
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post #16 of 78
10/7/09 at 6:45am
Thread Starter 
awww I have a Miss Kitty as well! We rescued her while we were stationed in Japan at the age of 9 and now she is with us in Tx at the age of 15


Ok so back to this other cat (which my kids have been calling Princess for a week, very funny since I didn't know pregnant cats were known as Queens

She was very skinny two weeks ago, so I couldn't tell she was very pregnant. Since I started feeding her, you can tell. I am being very careful touching her belly but I can't feel any kitten movement...I hope they didn't die inside of her!

She is kneading the blanket a lot today...

I really appreciate this help. Sometimes, you never know what God wants you to help with lol
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post #17 of 78
10/7/09 at 7:42am
Peaches' kittens didn't move allot until the last 4 or 5 days either. Again I think that has something to do with the condition she was in :S. Time to build her a nesting box!
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post #18 of 78
10/7/09 at 9:26am
Thread Starter 
Here is a pic I took today, I follwed the curve of one of her "lumps" so you might be able to see it. Stupid cam phone isn't that great...sorry

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post #19 of 78
10/7/09 at 5:01pm
Looks very pregnant to me. If the kittens aren't moving around too much they might just be out of room. A cats gestation is fairly short (around 60 days) and usually they get about that big for the last week or two (or at least that's what I've witness from my previous dogs pregnancy) so she could be ready to go soon. Just keep an eye for labored breathing and a hard stomach (contractions) and be sure to offer her plenty of food/water. Good luck!
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post #20 of 78
10/7/09 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 
I found you all just in time!! Her milk is now running down her belly from one of her nipples. Thank you for your help so far...whew..breathe lol
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post #21 of 78
10/7/09 at 5:22pm
You're going to have kittens very soon!! You better find some old towels quick!! (she may well go tonight)
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post #22 of 78
10/7/09 at 6:32pm
I agree, maybe within the next 24-ish hours! Can't wait to hear an update/see kitten pics!
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post #23 of 78
10/7/09 at 7:15pm
Thread Starter 
Ok so her breathing is combined with purring, like closed mouth slower panting. Is that what I am listening for? How do I know when she is having contractions. Two days ago I never would have seen myself doing this lol
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post #24 of 78
10/7/09 at 7:52pm
You're pretty much looking for hard/labored breathing/heavy panting. As far as contractions her belly will tighten up, you can feel it or probably even see it.

Here's a video I found on youtube that might help, there are plenty of other video's on there of cats in labor =0)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKW2-Y_hEBg
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post #25 of 78
10/7/09 at 8:28pm
Thread Starter 
wow thanks....If I didn't see that beforehand I would have thought she was in trouble. Yu guys are awesome. Another cat board did not even help me, they just told me to get her spayed right away. HMMM looks like I couldn't have had that done in time anyway.
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post #26 of 78
10/8/09 at 5:15am
So, any updates? I can't wait to know how things went.
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post #27 of 78
10/8/09 at 7:43am
Thread Starter 
Nothing yet Her belly seems to be hanging lower and much flatter at the bottom, most in a straight line but you can still feel the lumps. I wonder if that is because I didn't get to feed her enough is time considering she was dumped by someone? Every once in a while milk comes out at a pretty good flow.
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post #28 of 78
10/8/09 at 2:38pm
Any news yet?
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post #29 of 78
10/8/09 at 3:30pm
Thread Starter 
Nope none yet? Am I being punked?

She is still dripping milk everywhere and found a quiet corner, which is not her nesting box (go figure). She has been there for 20 minutes, no visible contractions. I am wondering if maybe she just got her milk early. I am sure it is not a false pregnancy because I feel the kitten lumps. I think I felt some movement, but trying no to be too hopeful so I don't get crushed later. She is messing with me too, I think. She will meow when I am not in there but as soon as I go in, she looks at me like "I didn't say anything"
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post #30 of 78
10/8/09 at 3:58pm
Thread Starter 
Another question just came up...do the kittens move closer to the birth canal like in humans, her top two nipples seem a little darker pink then before and a little smaller and the lumps moved further down
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