Pregnant cat with heat symptoms?

Hi guys,

I see your nice forum and would like to ask for advice.  I fostered in the past for about 5 years so I have experience with preg queens.  Anyhow, I have 3 young kids, 1 dog, and 1 cat now so I thought I would wait til the kids are older to foster again but this kitty fell into my lap so to speak.  

I found her (dilute calico medium hair) in the park next to my house and she followed us home. Vet check was good, she is malnourished but ok, vet is fairly certain she is preggy because her teats are sticking out and she thought she could feel a couple fetuses.  She is maybe about 4 weeks along. 

Introduction to the other pets has gone very well, never had a cat that gets along with everyone this well, she was cuddling with the other cat 2 hours after meeting him and follows the dog around all day rubbing against her.  I definitely want to keep this cat. 

Anyhow, she is very thin with no tummy at all, her sides actually go inward.  She displays some some symptoms of heat such as sticking her butt in the air and treading legs when dog sniffs her and rolling around on the floor a lot.  Has anyone ever had a preg queen that acts like she is in heat or does this mean she is not pregnant?  Could a cat have a miscarriage without anyone noticing it?

p.s.- I thought about spaying her but morally can't do it.  I will find homes for the kittens, I still have support from shelters if I need to use it. Thanks.

I have a cat who I believe is far into her pregnancy, and she sometimes have acted like she was in heat... Walking around rubbing up against things, and laying down with her butt up in the air. Just like she does when she is actually in heat... She hasn't done the "call" but everything else. But in your case, hard to tell if she is actually pregnant or not, I guess just wait a week or so and see if she gets bigger on her sides. Good luck keep us posted!

She may be in heat.  It is a not so wellknown fact, but cats CAN have two entirely different litters [at the same time simultaneously], and deliver them several weeks apart, both fulltime and both healthy. Not common but not very unique either.

Tx for caring!

Welcome to the Forums!

Good luck!

She could have reabsorbed them without you knowing.

I also have a (breeder) friend who's queen appeared to be in heat during her pregnancy and went on to deliver her babies on time. 

Keep in mind if she is pregnant her demeanour might change after birth, pregnant girls are often very cosy and smoochy.

Thanks guys.

I felt her gently tonight while she was laying on her side and there is definitely a mass in there, just feels like maybe one kitten, but who knows. 

Yep, I am expecting her to not be as affectionate with the other animals after she gives birth.  We will see how things go, but my gut says that it will work out ok. 

I caught her diggin in my closet and under the bed tonight so that's a good clue... unless she has a false pregnancy, but I'm still pretty sure I felt something in there.  Ahh... now the waiting game, so difficult to be patient. 

AHHH!!!! Tell me about it! I hate the waiting game lol I've only been on this site for a little over two weeks I believe, just for my cats pregnancy and it feels way longer! But I expect her to go into labor within this week... Hoping anyway! I was just watching her and giggling at her earlier, with her bull legged and wobbly walk, and big belly, it's too cute! Please keep us updated on your kitty

Some pics.  Her nipples look preggy to me, what do you think?  She is still so tiny but she is gaining some weight now. 

She is so petite and pretty!!!!!! her nipples look like she could be... Guess just give it a week or so and see if she and they get bigger... Sorry I'm not much help! Lol.

Guys, I am so confused.  This cat is so small without any protruding tummy but now she is nesting like crazy all day and following me around crying all day.  I can feel the firmness of her abdomen and know there must be kittens in there but why is she nesting?  She can't possibly be that far along?  The vet wasn't much help other than saying that she thought she was pregnant and she offerred no guess as to how far along. Have you ever had a cat nest early on in pregnancy?

Some will nest early, each cat is different

Most definitely felt a kitten moving around a lot in there last night.  She likes to push her nesting box over and squeeze behind my dresses to nest. 

I had a lady respond to my lost cat ad on the humane society website and it made me realize how much I'm attached to her already (turned out it was not her cat though)!

We are dealing with the exact same thing right now. Rescued stray (who we've gotten several calls about all turning out to be negative) who after a few days with us started showing a bulbous tummy, huge nipples, sleeping a lot, eating a metric ton, vet was pretty sure about her being preggers. Now suddenly she behaving like she's in heat. The constant almost distressed vocalizations, the rolling, the butt in the air, extra affectionate - just not putting her butt to everything or everyone yet but it's only been two days. Can I ask HappyKitty; what was the outcome with your kitty? I've got a wedding I'm helping with that goes off this Saturday and I'm torn on what to do about the cat.

SpiritPixie said:

 
We are dealing with the exact same thing right now. Rescued stray (who we've gotten several calls about all turning out to be negative) who after a few days with us started showing a bulbous tummy, huge nipples, sleeping a lot, eating a metric ton, vet was pretty sure about her being preggers. Now suddenly she behaving like she's in heat. The constant almost distressed vocalizations, the rolling, the butt in the air, extra affectionate - just not putting her butt to everything or everyone yet but it's only been two days. Can I ask HappyKitty; what was the outcome with your kitty? I've got a wedding I'm helping with that goes off this Saturday and I'm torn on what to do about the cat.

Click to expand...

Lets call on @HappyKitty  

I propose you close her somewhere she cant sneak out from, and where it is nice and cozy, with food, litter, water, some toys,  and proceed on with what you got to do.

I mean, you dont need hardly to do anything especial.  But you must safeguard for her not to get out to meet a tom, with all the dangers it means.

The only question is, how late is she?  Sometimes they get these heat symptoms very late in the pregnancy, so if the delivery is oncoming, you want to be with her...

In THAT case, you do have a dilemma.

Good luck!

Thanks StefanZ. We are an indoor only house. She was a stray that followed us into our house but we're not letting her out now. She has really settled in too our hearts already. And I admit that if it turns out this was a false pregnancy I'm actually really disappointed.

Oh and I didn't think she was more than 4 or 5 weeks along

I haven't been on this forum for awhile but I'd be happy to give an update.  I noticed a few days later that there was no movement from the kittens.  We brought her to the vet, even though she wasn't showing signs of infection.  The vet spayed her and found a kitten that had been partially re-absorbed.  I think the vet mentioned something about there being a greater chance to lose a pregnancy when a cat has only one kitten.  Muffin had mastitis after her spay, but managed through it alright. 

I have to say her demeanor hasn't changed much since then.  She still sticks her butt up in the air every time we pet her body, I guess that is just one of her quirks.  She's a sweet and loving cat, she would've made an excellent mother but it wasn't meant to be.  Maybe someday our family will foster kittens and she can help.  

Do you see any colostrum or milk from her nipples? 

I have a very similar situation going on right now. Took in a stray that found me over Christmas. Brought her to the vet on Dec 29 and the vet said she was fairly certain kitty was pregnant and due in a few weeks' time. Her belly is not too big but her nipples are erect and she has put on some weight in the last couple weeks for sure. Of course, I've been feeding her a higher calorie diet of kitten food as was recommended to me, so it could just be from that!

In the last couple days she has suddenly started acting like she is in heat. While I wasn't expecting to adopt a pregnant cat from the get go, I do admit I had gotten used to and even excited about the idea. I called about getting an X-ray or ultrasound done but was quoted $250-400 for the procedure which I just don't have.

I guess I will be waiting to see what happens
spiritpixie what happened with yours?

Well our kitty eventually went into full blown heat, and bolted out the door as soon as she spotted a chance. Despite our going after her we didn't recover her until she was run over by a car. Almost a week later.

spiritpixie I'm so sorry to hear that!

emilyb, I hope you keep us posted on your little girl, I'm really curious now! I'm so very sorry to hear that SpiritPixie lost her little one, my heart goes out to her, it's horrifying to be in that situation.