Sophie's Pregnancy Log

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting, but I have been reading through threads on here for a few weeks now. I have learned SO MUCH from reading past threads!  My story starts in October when I was given two cats, one male, one female each about a year old (they are not siblings). I live in the part of the country that was devistated a few months ago by bad flooding and a good friend of mine lost pretty much everything in her house. She had two cats, and had them bouncing around to different homes while they redid the majority of the first floor of their home, needless to say she felt bad that they didn't have a constant home, and asked if I would keep them permanently, so I did. Well, they weren't fixed and when I brought them into the vet to get updated on their shots I found out that the female, Sophie, was pregnant. The vet said she was surprised that it hadn't happened sooner, because of neither of them being fixed, but said that maybe the stress of moving them from home to home had kept it from happening, but either way, here we are. Miles, the male, has since been fixed, and as soon as Sophie is able, she will be as well. According to the vet she should be due sometime in the next few days, and I'm going crazy waiting for it to happen!!  I have her birthing area all set up in a quiet room, but I can't lock her in there. Whenever I seperate the two of them they just sit at opposite sides of the door and cry for one another, it makes me feel horrible, so as of now I'm just keeping a close eye on the situation and am allowing them to be together.  She seems to be doing well, and the kittens are moving like CRAZY, in fact right now she is resting near me and it looks like she has boiling water in her belly there is so much movement!  I thought it may happen tonight because she was awake and moving things around in her nest and frequently going in and out of the litter box.  She was wide awake for hours, and she hasn't done that since she was given to me, but just as I decided to post on here she has finally decided to get some sleep and is conked out next to my feet.  I guess the waiting game continues!  At this rate, perhaps she will decide to give me kittens on Christmas morning!! LOL, we shall see. So anyway, I wanted to share my story and thought that maybe posting on here would help me be more patient in waiting for our little fuzzy bundles of joy. Anyone else expecting Christmas kittens??

Jules102 said:

 The vet said she was surprised that it hadn't happened sooner, because of neither of them being fixed, but said that maybe the stress of moving them from home to home had kept it from happening, ... but I can't lock her in there. Whenever I seperate the two of them they just sit at opposite sides of the door and cry for one another, it makes me feel horrible, so as of now I'm just keeping a close eye on the situation and am allowing them to be together.

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Actually it may even be the opposite. they did mated because their normal routine was broken. It is quite common cats living together arent interested in each other even if fully fertile and different sexes.  So if a breeder wants them to mate, they must be locked in a smaller mating room, so they understand something is going on - and getting the light dawning on them....  

As they are very good friends, you dont need isolate mom from the male. Especielly as he IS the father.  There goes stories about males hurting the kittens. Even some forumites does witness.

But the danger of a highly stressed mom hurting the kittens is statistically speaking even greater. Esp if she is young and it is her first litter.

And not so few males, even fully fertile studs and toms, are known to be acting as help mothers.

That is quite common if the male is good friend with the queen. As is the common case with breeders.

The male being the father, or just another member of the group.

So, keep an eye, esp in the beginning. But if the mom is fine with the males company and help, do allow it.

Good luck!   *vibes*

ps

  Welcome to the TCS site and our Forums!

Hmmm, perhaps it was the moving that got them going!!  They are the best of friends though, I could FILL this thread with adorable pictures I've taken of them cuddling and sleeping together, I think its so precious.  I'm glad to know I don't have to separate them, they really don't like being apart. She was not a happy camper while Miles was away getting fixed, so hopefully he cooperates and is a good daddy and she won't need to be away from him.  He still often tries to get her to play with him, though within the last week or so she just doesn't want any part of it, so I try to keep him away when he gets in a playful mood and I know she doesn't want to participate.  Thank you so much for the welcome and the good vibes, and hopefully my Christmas kitties will be here soon!

Well, I sat with my hand on her belly through out a lot of the night and I think I may be feeling some contractions, they are still very far apart (maybe 20-30 mins?).  I'm pretty sure that was what I was feeling because I would feel the babies moving constantly, kicks and rolls, then all of a sudden her belly would get hard in like an L shape and I wouldn't feel ANY movement from the kittens for as long as it was hard (usually between 30 seconds and a minute) then it would be soft and liquidy again and I would go back to feeling the babies moving around.  I also noticed when she had the contractions that her vulva would squeeze kind of, sorry hard to explain. She was also sleeping but when her belly would harden she would wake up and usually lick her belly or nipples.  Does this sound like the first stage of labor??

Yes.  

Well, nothing yet... She is just wandering around, not sleeping much.  Hopefully we see some action soon, but I've read enough threads on here to know that contractions can come days before the pushing stage, so I'm not holding my breath.

I posted some pictures of my kitties and a video of Sophie's ever moving belly on this thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/239562/hello#post_3154239

Well, today is Sophie's due date if the vet was right about her being about 4 weeks pregnant when she last saw her on November 16th... and we've got a whole lotta nothing going on.  I haven't felt any more contractions since that night and her milk hasn't come in yet, so I suppose we still have a few days.  She's still eating a pretty good amount and sleeping a lot, and she seems content to stay pregnant forever!  I don't know how much bigger she can get at this point, my sister in law commented today that she looks like a bowling pin, poor Sophie.  Oh well, the waiting game continues....

Hope everything goes well!

Thank you!  I just hope that I'm here when things happen.. Normally I would have no problem staying home and keeping an eye on her but with the holidays quickly approaching we have a lot of places to go and things to do, so its impossible for me to be home all the time.  I'm keeping a close eye on her in hopes of catching some of the earlier labor signs so that I have some idea of when we are getting close.... so far I see nothing. 

Adding my vibes, too!  I don't know much of anything about cats having kittens, but just wanted to wish Sophie luck! Has she had them yet?

Nope, no kittens yet.  I thought maybe she would have them yesterday, I put her in her nesting room and was gone shopping all day, but when I got back all I had was a mama kitty who was sick of being cooped up in the bedroom for hours. Her belly is so hard, I think the kittens are running out of room in there, so hopefully it'll be soon!!

Just śaw this thread.....hopefully she'll have the babies soon, that must be miserable for her. 

As to males needing to be seperated...I have to preface this story with a disclaimer:  this happened when I was a child, living in the country, before most people spayed/neutered or kept cats indoor only. 

We had an old male cat named Tom (original, I know) and a female named TB. TB had multiple litters and Tom was very protective of his territory. During her last pregnancy Tom got in a very serious fight and sustained a lot of damage. He was the father of TB's litter. We had them both in the house the day TB went into labor. By this time, even with medical attention, Tom was in very bad shape and we knew he wasn't long for this world. TB was in her closet having the kittens and Tom made his way to the bedroom. During the entire birth, he and tb talked to each other. It was truly amazing. He stayed in the room with her that entire night until my Dad got home from work (he worked 2nd shift). When Dad got home, Tom went to the closet, cleaned the kittens and TB, then went to the kitchen with my dad and got in his lap and passed away. It was the most somber moment I have ever been a part of. If Tom had lived, I have no doubt he would have been a wonderful father to those kittens. 

Dont keep them seperated, some males are truly remarkable.  

Jules102 said:

Nope, no kittens yet.  I thought maybe she would have them yesterday, I put her in her nesting room and was gone shopping all day, but when I got back all I had was a mama kitty who was sick of being cooped up in the bedroom for hours. Her belly is so hard, I think the kittens are running out of room in there, so hopefully it'll be soon!!

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It is quite common they are delivering some days later. Esp if first time.  Which is good, kittens dont stand premature deliveries as good as human babies do.

But. What you must look out with is,  IF her labor had started, but nothing much is happening over many hours.  In such a case a close contact with a good vet is necessary. Telephone contact is enough, but you must be prepared to rush her in.

You see it among others as she will be clearly uncomfortable. Contractions, etc... If unsure, better phone the vet once too often...

Good luck!  *vibes*

RAFM said:

We had an old male cat named Tom (original, I know) and a female named TB. TB had multiple litters and Tom was very protective of his territory. During her last pregnancy Tom got in a very serious fight and sustained a lot of damage. He was the father of TB's litter. We had them both in the house the day TB went into labor. By this time, even with medical attention, Tom was in very bad shape and we knew he wasn't long for this world. TB was in her closet having the kittens and Tom made his way to the bedroom. During the entire birth, he and tb talked to each other. It was truly amazing. He stayed in the room with her that entire night until my Dad got home from work (he worked 2nd shift). When Dad got home, Tom went to the closet, cleaned the kittens and TB, then went to the kitchen with my dad and got in his lap and passed away.

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What a story! Both of the old fighter who also was a loving father and acting helping mother.

Also the waiting for Dad to come back, and passing away in Dads laps.   Already Homeros did tell such a thing, although with a dog. I had at least two co-workers who themselves witnesses about their old cats passing this way - waiting on their return, and going on in their arm hold...

Here, RAFM. I do wonder:  Did any of these kittens here got a behaviour exactly similiar as Tom?

Good luck! 

StefanZ said:

What a story! Both of the old fighter who also was a loving father and acting helping mother.

Also the waiting for Dad to come back, and passing away in Dads laps.   Already Homeros did tell such a thing, although with a dog. I had at least two co-workers who themselves witnesses about their old cats passing this way - waiting on their return, and going on in their arm hold...

Here, RAFM. I do wonder:  Did any of these kittens here got a behaviour exactly similiar as Tom?

Good luck! 

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I don't know actually. We found homes for all of those in the last litter. Back then, kitties weren't as much a part of the family as they are now, especially in rural areas. 

Wow, thanks for the replies everyone!! RAFM- that story was absolutely beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. How amazing that he held off long enough to see his babies born, and people think animals don't have deep thoughts and emotions.. smh.  Well everyone, NOTHING yet, but I'm not concerned, she is in wonderful spirits, very sweet and affectionate as always. She still plays and sleeps (though she plays for about 5 minutes then sleeps for hours haha) and I haven't noticed any contractions since the night I posted about it.  I spoke to the vet yesterday and she told me not to worry, that she caught the pregnancy early and we didn't do x-rays or ultrasounds to give an exact date, so its very possible that she was a few days off. I have her cell phone number that I can call her if there's any problems. (Great vet huh??)  I just hope its soon for Sophie's sake, everyday I say, "Sophie, no way you can get bigger than you are today.." and the next day she's bigger... she's going to burst soon!  I'm rather glad she waited to have them though because I have my 3 daughters every other week and they go back to their dad's tomorrow.  I would rather her have a few days of peace and quiet when she has the kittens, so its better timing for all of us.  I will be sure to let you guys know when she goes into labor!  Merry Christmas to you and your fuzzy besties!

Well, no kittens yet!!  Mama Sophie is doing just fine, she is her normal sweet self.  One thing I did notice today was that Sophie was very, very affectionate.  She is usually very sweet to me, but today she barely left my side.  She was constantly climbing into my lap and rubbing on me, she usually isn't that agressive about attention.  Has anyone else noticed an increase of affection shortly before a cat gave birth??  Other than that though I haven't noticed anything different in her behavior, she is eating well, plays a little, and sleeps a lot.  I sure hope we have kittens soon!!

HELP!!  I was just petting Sophie and noticed her girly bits had a greenish tinged discharge all around it, it wasn't a lot, but I haven't seen it before... Could she be starting labor???

I dont like this about greenish... Such is often from bacteria infection.

How is she otherwise?  seeming down?  high temp?

I would recommend you to phone your vet, esp as shehe IS willing to be phoned to.    ASAP!!!

ps. But if not bacteria infection,  it is the water going, and beginning of labor.  I suppose you could call it sort off greenish sometimes.

Anywyay, why shall we guess, please phone.

Good luck!