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pregnant cat under my house!

post #1 of 29
3/23/10 at 6:29pm
Thread Starter 
I'd been saying that I wouldn't mind having a cat if one turned up at my doorstep, so was sort of pleased when my husband came home last night and said he thought there was one under our porch.

So this morning, I took a look, and she is plainly PREGNANT. (how'd he miss THAT??!)

Anyway, she's not feral. She's friendly and appears to be in good health. I have four children five and under and can't take on a whole lot of involved cat-care, but am also afraid the shelter will just put her to sleep if I take her in.

She's cute and sweet but otherwise unremarkable, just a sweet lil grey tabby.

We brought her inside so she at least won't have babies under the house. My husband fixed up our Great Pyr's seldom-used kennel as a maternity suite. I've given her a couple cans of tuna and am fixing to go to the store for kitten food...

Any suggestions? I've never really had a cat of my own, let alone a cat in a complicated situation like this.
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post #2 of 29
3/23/10 at 8:31pm
Well, for the most part new moms will take care of the work involved. You obviously will need to feed her good quality kitten food while she is pregnant and nursing. Having her separated in a kennel is a great first step.

Keep us updated. There are lots of links on what is needed to be attended to. I'm sure you'll do fine
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post #3 of 29
3/23/10 at 10:23pm
Welcome to the club.....I had pretty much the same thing just happen to me!!
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post #4 of 29
3/23/10 at 11:31pm
You had made a great beginning!


In moments IF and when you feel insecure and insufficient: remember whatever you do or not do, she is better off with you then as a homeless dumped stray.


Keep us updated and dont hesitate to ask.

I presume you do read through some of the threads here...


Welcome to the Forum!


Good luck!


Ps. About the shelter... A shelter putting healthy cats to sleep is no good shelter. Right.
But as a rule of thumb. Even for the good shelters their biggest problem is often lack of place.
So it is not unusual if the rescuer/finder accepts to be the foster home for this found cat, they do help with advices AND vet costs. And vet costs will come even if she is entirely healthy: costs of spaying if nothing else.
If you arent planning for adoption, or money is an issue for you, you can try and ask them.
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post #5 of 29
3/29/10 at 10:43am
Thread Starter 
That's very encouraging, StefanZ. That is what I am telling myself; any little bit of comfort we can offer is better than birthing babies alone on the concrete under the porch.

Still no kittens, but she is in our living room in the big kennel. Keeps her away from the toddlers and the dog while she's in a family way.

The local humane society is trying to help us with the cost of having her spayed after her kittens arrive.
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post #6 of 29
3/29/10 at 2:49pm
That's great that the humane society's helping with her spaying
You're really great for having taken her in- these kittens will have so much better of a life being raised by you
If it was obvious to you that she was pregnant, she probably has less than 3 weeks, though thats just a guess. Can you feel them moving in her belly? That means about 2 weeks left at most. Also, if you have any pictures of her, we can take a guess at how long she has left, but that'd just be a guess
Good luck with her!
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post #7 of 29
3/29/10 at 3:14pm
Bless you for taking her in. I know you're excited to have a cat (and kittens), but have you been checking the lost and found ads in case she's someone's pet who got lost? It would also be a good idea to take her to the vet before she has the kittens just to have her checked out. They can scan her for a microchip at the same time. The Humane Society should also have a scanner.

Sadly, it very possible that somebody just threw her out when she went into heat, or for any number of other reasons. In that case, she could be yours for a long time.

I had something similar happen a couple of years ago when Goldy showed up on my back patio. I took her to the vet because I didn't want to bring any possible diseases in to my other cats. The first thing he did was scan her for a microchip, which kind of surprised me. It hadn't even occurred to me that she might be microchipped. She wasn't, and there were no responses to the lost-and-found ad I put in the paper. I still have her and two of her kittens.
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post #8 of 29
3/29/10 at 6:22pm
Sounds like you are going to be a grandma. Congratulations.
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post #9 of 29
3/29/10 at 6:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheesh View Post
She's cute and sweet but otherwise unremarkable, just a sweet lil grey tabby.
Maybe not so unremarkable in my experience, "rescues" (like our 3) make very good companions, I think they appreciate being taken in.

Good luck and best wishes
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post #10 of 29
4/2/10 at 1:08pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you everyone, for the kind wishes! My husband took her in to the vet's office yesterday, and to nobody's surprise, she wasn't chipped. We live far enough away from town not to have a local paper, but I've not seen any "missing cat" signs around.

Ah, well. We came by our gorgeous Great Pyr the same way. One of the dubious benefits of country living, I suppose.

(nice to have the critters, obnoxious that people just dump them like that!)

I really believe she is in labor today. She alternates between a low growl and a purr. Sounds like a woman in labor to me. lol Also, she left a chunk of mucus on my bed this morning, so I put her back in the kennel with a pile of towels and made the kids stay away.

Lots of panting and pacing, and I've seen her push once or twice, but nothing has come of it yet.
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post #11 of 29
4/2/10 at 1:12pm
for an uneventful delivery. Keep us updated as things are happening.
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post #12 of 29
4/2/10 at 1:39pm
Thread Starter 
There is what I assume is an amniotic sac bulging now, but labor seems to be stalled out for a bit. I'm trying not to bug her too much.
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post #13 of 29
4/2/10 at 2:36pm
Thread Starter 
still nothing. That sac has been sitting there for an hour now. Shall I break it?
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post #14 of 29
4/2/10 at 2:41pm
Are you sure it's an amniotic sac and not just a mucous bubble? Does she seem to having contractions, trying to push? I know that in humans breaking the amniotic sac will sometimes speed up the labor, but I don't know about cats. Can you call your vet to ask?
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post #15 of 29
4/2/10 at 2:47pm
Thread Starter 
pretty sure it's a sac. It doesn't burst under fingertip pressure. She does still have contractions, but they seem further apart than they had been.

In humans sometimes there is a longish break between the first and second stages of labor, so I'm hoping this is something similar... but I don't know.
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post #16 of 29
4/2/10 at 2:47pm
Thread Starter 
never mind! KITTEN!
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post #17 of 29
4/2/10 at 2:49pm
Thread Starter 
so freakin cute. Grey tabby like mama. She was licking it off when I heard it mewing. exciting!!!!
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post #18 of 29
4/2/10 at 3:10pm
Thread Starter 
another kitten! Solid grey, this one, or black. Hard to tell in the dim light
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post #19 of 29
4/2/10 at 3:32pm
Congrats on the two new arrivals!!! I will check later for more!! I am on my way out, so no more net for me for a few hours. Wow, I'm so excited for you!!!
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post #20 of 29
4/2/10 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
Five kittens altogether, all nursing in a tidy row. Mama cat did absolutely everything she was supposed to do. Good kitty.
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post #21 of 29
4/2/10 at 6:27pm
can't wait to see pictures!!
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post #22 of 29
4/2/10 at 7:28pm
By bringing her in, you probably saved her life, and likely the lives of four of the five kittens.
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post #23 of 29
4/2/10 at 7:49pm
The tears are rolling down my face as I read this thread. HURRAY FOR YOU!!!!!! You and your husband are HEROES!

It is a great Honor to be Chosen by a cat, just so you know.

And.. Welcome to TCS! And...congratulations on your new family!
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post #24 of 29
4/2/10 at 8:46pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you Otto!
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post #25 of 29
4/2/10 at 8:46pm
Thread Starter 
And thank you MrBlanche!
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post #26 of 29
4/2/10 at 9:02pm
Wow, five new little miracles to enrich your lives!! You won't regret a moment of it, and you will feel such love for them.

Thanks for doing this unselfish deed. You save the whole litter and mom. Way to go
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post #27 of 29
4/2/10 at 10:55pm
Oh, what a beautiful evening for you!!! You and your husband are for taking this girl in and giving her proper care. I'm so glad the birth went well.
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post #28 of 29
4/3/10 at 1:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
The tears are rolling down my face as I read this thread. HURRAY FOR YOU!!!!!! You and your husband are HEROES!
I second this...
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post #29 of 29
4/3/10 at 7:08pm
yayay!! Hooray for a safe delivery
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