Advice on Pregnant cat needed please

hello all. i've been researching, researching and researching and decided to just come and ask my specific questions. rather than relying on google to answer them all.

my little cat got out ages ago, she was super sneaky and when my partner went to the door she dived out. we tried catching her, but it was dark and she headed straight for the trees at the top of the garden.
i hunted for ages but couldn't find her.
quite a few hours later she came back when i called (after about the 1000th time).

i was worried at that point she may have been caught. only a few days later she was calling - so it eased my concern, thinking if she had been, she wouldn't be calling.
only last week, my mam says she noticed she had a belly. i never noticed, not even when she pointed it out. only now i can't deny it.she  was crying for food practically every hour and has been for a while. up until 2 days ago. she doesn't want to play fight with my other cat as much either.

i'm wondering if she's coming to labour soon, as she has been sleeping the majority of the day, and night. she wakes up to groom herself, eat, groom some more and sleep again.
i've noticed the past few days she has been really restless come night time, crying and seems to be calling - she is cleaning herself a lot more these past few days and not eating as much.
when she has been crying and calling - she wants me to follow her upstairs. i have followed her everytime incase she is going into labour - only she just purrs loads, wants loads of cuddles and attention, and then lays down on the floor ...and goes to sleep. if i try to leave, she follows and goes back to the crying and calling again.

what i have noticed, is she isn't purring anywhere else in the house. she will not purr downstairs. only in my bedroom upstairs, when i am with her.

usually, she is a very loving and cuddly cat. she even jumps from the floor on to my chest she loves cuddles that much. and she is always purring...up until the past few days, where it's only in my bedroom!

i've set up nesting areas all over the house, just incase. she doesn't seem to be interested though. she just lays infront of the one i've made in my bedroom.

any advice on what you think might be happening would be greatly appreciated.
just to add - i will be getting her spayed as soon as all this is over!

thanx

Don't worry, it will be ok!

I've had cats have litters before and one thing i know for sure: they know what to do.

I can actually relate to putting up nesting areas and all kind of details for her, but ultimately, she will decide where to have the kittens.

I can see she likes you, thats awesome! You can probably expect the kittens crying around close to you when the times comes.

You can just make sure she has food and water available. She will be tired after labor, so just make sure it is close by.

And about sleeping all day... i would do that too if i had to carry around that belly!

Good luck!

Oh yeah. DON"T touch the kittens. I don't remember the rule, but just leave them alone. You don't want to risk the mother not recognizing them.

Nekomancer said:

Oh yeah. DON"T touch the kittens. I don't remember the rule, but just leave them alone. You don't want to risk the mother not recognizing them.

Click to expand...

False rule! it is about wild rabbits and deers, NOT cats.

With cats, esp taken in semiferales, do it respectfully. Tex when you do weigh them, as you shall every day. So the mom sees you and the kitten the whole time, and the mom also sees you return her kitten safely back.

A homecat will prob not bother much about you handling the kittens, she trusts you, but dont stress her.  So the same respecfful handling till you know for sure.

But it may be  good to tell to kids so they dont sneak up and fetch the kittens...

THAT is the rule.  

Good luck!

Cats calling are super-sneaky...  But too late, she's pregnant now.

Feed her as much good-quality food as she wants.  Continue all the way through lactation until the kittens leave, they should be at least 8 weeks old.

Add 65 days to the date she escaped, and you have a good idea of her due date.   By your account that's the only time she could have mated.

Cats almost always give birth without problems, but make sure you have your vet's phone number to hand, and find out if you go to the same place out of hours - in the UK quite a few vets now use an out-of-hours service in a completely different place to normal.

A nest needs bedding you can change and easily wash - fleece is ideal, with newspaper or a puppy pad (if you happen to have any) underneath to absorb birth fluids.

If you don't have a set of electronic kitchen scales, get a cheap one that weights to 1g or 1/10 oz.  Recording the kittens weight at about the same time each day is the best way to be sure all is well - they should be putting on 10g or more per day, about 1/3 oz.  I put my results into Excel and get it to calculate the weight gain.  The first sign of problems is a kitten not putting weight on, though some lose in the first day or two is normal and so is erratic weight gain once they start weaning themselves.

Until their eyes start opening I only handle the kittens very briefly to weigh them, and I do it where mum can see.  Once their eyes are open and their ears are starting to stand up (e.g. they are starting to be able to see and hear) I start to stroke them a little, but as soon as the kitten cries, or mum looks agitated I put them back, and it's never for more than a few seconds to start with.