Rescued stray feral Female off the Freeway, Help me tell if she is pregnant & age her!? please! (Pic

I am a first time cat owner... Let's get that out of the way immediately.

This is about my baby girl Luna, I have had her for a little over two weeks and I have been doing as much research as POSSIBLE to learn as much as I can about cats. Let me first say that I AM GOING TO TAKE HER TO A VET A.S.A.P. I don't need to hear it in any of the replies, I'm aware of all of the worms and parasites she could have, as well as all the viruses and diseases including rabies, THIS IS A RESCUED FERAL FEMALE, if we didn't pull over on the highway next to the airport and snatch her out of the MIDDLE OF IT, she WOULD BE DEAD so I'm assuming a home with a poor student is better than smashed into the asphalt(Sorry, I've read through the forum already, I just don't feel like being another 'new person' scolded by the members to take their animal to the vet). I'm a 26 year old student and I just haven't had the time or money to do so in the two weeks I have had this little girl now. I have been trying to age her and the only reliable way seems to be to go by the little ones teeth -- She has all of her teeth IN including her canines--they are just very small, I'm not sure if this is because she's just a miniature adult cat, or a young kitten that just finished growing them all in... but it seems that if she has her canines and back molars in that she is old enough to get pregnant from what I have been reading.

It also seems to me that if she is an unspayed female that was out in the wild for ANY amount of time, and she is old enough to get pregnant, it is almost impossible for her NOT to be pregnant--I understand this and I understand how fertile cats are. (I have no idea how to tell if she is spayed or not, but I have looked over her belly thoroughly a number of times and there are no visible scars what so ever).

She was found without a collar or tag, COVERED in fleas, as malnourished and skinny as I have ever seen any animal, just in a horrible physical state, we immediately bathed her with detergent to kill all the fleas(thinking she was too young to use flea meds on her because she was so tiny from malnourishment at the time) and fed her soft kitten chow which she would only eat off of our fingers...

After two weeks of socializing her to me, my fiance and other humans and feeding her regularly and keeping her in my bedroom, she no longer bites or hisses, shes started to get a little belly, she now LOVES being picked up and held, loves her belly rubbed, loves kisses and affection, plays non stop, is full of life and energy, and I have just fallen in love with the little girl.

That's the story here, again, I plan on taking her to the vet within the next two days when I get my paycheck in on the 30th, but if any of you could give me any help in determining if she might be pregnant I would highly appreciate it, and also some help with how old you think she might be--it is hard for me to tell because at first we thought she was only a couple months because she was so tiny from starvation, but she's grown SOO MUCH in the last two weeks with regular feedings that it seems there is no way it is just from a normal kittens growth--this is also why I want to know if I should be expecting a litter of baby kittens.

I've included as many pictures and a short youtube video all in the best quality I can take of her belly and her nipples(which I think may be 'pinking').

Also with the information I have given you what tests and check-ups and meds should I demand my vet perform being that this is a feral little girl kitty that was rescued and it seems most vets are lazy or can be absent minded with some things? (at least the ones I have been to see).

Thank you so Very Much for your time and patience,

--G.E.M

Here are the IMAGES and the VIDEO:













(The next / last 4 images are WITHOUT the FLASH so you can see the color difference)









(And here is a short video of them with her sleeping belly side up on my back! just in case it is helpful)



Thank you so very, very much for your time reading this, your patience, and all of your responses.

Im far from an expert here, but her nipples look like normal non pregger ones to me. Could its belly be down to worms? lmao sorry youll get better advice from Orient i dont really have a clue, but im loving the chilled out pose, Luna seems totally at home with you

Welcome to the forum anyways
 

Thanks! It's so hard to tell because her belly is growing so much just from being a starving kitty that is now being fed regularly.

Is she even old enough to get pregnant? How can I tell? Should I post a picture of her teeth or something? (they are all tiny teeth, but they are all grown in).

Also, can you tell if shes been fixed by checking her belly for scars? or does the operation not leave any marks usually?

Thanks and I await more responses.

I think it looks like pregnancy could be a possibility, the nipples look like they might be losing a little hair and pinking up. Only way to know for sure is to take her to a veterinarian and get a check up. Some cats can get pregnant as early as 4 months old so definitely get her checked and spayed if she is not pregnant (and if she is you might consider still spaying still depending on your beliefs). Thank you for taking her in and loving her!

If she is spayed there is normally a scar, however it can be pretty hard to locate.

clynn11 said:

I think it looks like pregnancy could be a possibility, the nipples look like they might be losing a little hair and pinking up. Only way to know for sure is to take her to a veterinarian and get a check up. Some cats can get pregnant as early as 4 months old so definitely get her checked and spayed if she is not pregnant (and if she is you might consider still spaying still depending on your beliefs). Thank you for taking her in and loving her!

If she is spayed there is normally a scar, however it can be pretty hard to locate.

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I agree.  Take her to the vets ASAP, get her wormed and spayed.  If you are hard-up the last thing you need is a pregnant cat, given the cost of emergency care should she have problems delivering kittens, and the cost of feeding and raising a litter of kittens.  She might need more than one round of wormer - take the vet's advice.

mykittenluna said:

It also seems to me that if she is an unspayed female that was out in the wild for ANY amount of time, and she is old enough to get pregnant, it is almost impossible for her NOT to be pregnant--I understand this and I understand how fertile cats are. (I have no idea how to tell if she is spayed or not, but I have looked over her belly thoroughly a number of times and there are no visible scars what so ever).
 

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This is very true, any cat over 4 months can be assumed pregnant.

I've never seen the spay scars on any of my cats & kittens, their wounds were so tiny to begin with so I'm not surprised.

Hopefully the vet will scan for a microchip too, there's always a chance she's someone's beloved kitty that's gotten lost.

She is a doll! Good for you for rescuing her and giving her a home- I don't think she will ever forget what you have done for her. 

I fully understand why you don't want to hear responses of just "take her to the vet" and I appreciate that you are already planning on doing so (It's always wise anytime you have a new pet). Unfortunately, determining age is one of those things only a complete physical examination can tell you. I believe after the teeth all come in age is determined by the size of the molars but I am not 100% sure. And, in your case, her possible pregnancy is dependent on how old she is. She does not appear to be pregnant to me from the photos, and I am assuming her growing belly is likely due to the increase in steady nutrition, but, she could just be early in the pregnancy and not showing too much yet. The vet will be able to say if s/he thinks she is pregnant, but only an ultrasound will tell you for sure, and even that won't show an early stage pregnancy. In my non-expert opinion, She has that kittenish/young cat look to me, but that could be anywhere from a few months to a year. She does look more developed than any of my fosters kittens ever have been (and the oldest I have had is 12 weeks) so I would guess she is 3 months or older. 

If possible for the vet appointment I would take a stool sample with you (as "fresh" as possible but it's okay if you put it in the fridge for a few hours). This way they can check her for parasites without you having to make an extra trip. You said this is your first cat so you can maybe wait a little bit on these tests but at some point you will want to get her tested for FIV/FeLV. FIV is the feline equivalent of HIV and FeLV is similar to leukemia. Neither is transmittable to humans or dogs, but is to other cats. If she does test positive she can still live a long and healthy life you would just watch her more carefully for illness and make sure she doesn't have contact with non-infected cats. For me in the Western US the test is about $40. I would also get her vaccinated and microchipped as soon as you can afford it (I understand sometimes these things have to come in stages financially so just prioritize them out). 

Sorry I can't help more but hopefully there is something in there you find useful. Please keep us posted on what the vet says- I'm curious how old she is. 

Finally, welcome to the forums and congratulations on the new addition!  

Good job grabbing her!!! I picked up a pregnant stray too, and I wasnt sure she was pregnant at first.  She had a big ol belly, but I thought it might be worms or something (I brought her to the vet the next day, who confirmed she was pregnant).  But, just from the time I picked her up til the next day, I couldnt believe how much her belly grew.  I thought maybe she was just stuffing herself cause she was so starving. Im no expert, but I think maybe when they are pregnant, and they have been starved, that when they finally get food, their belly grows really fast.  At least my cats did.  Im no help on age.  Sorry.  I just thought Id share my experience with you. 
She looks very very happy with you, and your Dr Pepper pants !!!! Im sooooo glad you found TCS!  It helped me A LOT through my cats pregnancy, birth, and still does give me a lot of help now that my kittens are all grown up!!  We are here for you.

Again, GOOD JOB! You did an awsome thing! (By the way, in that first pic of her on her side, she does kinda look like she may be preggo!)

What a gorgeous little girl, and how lucky you found her. Some things are just meant to be. Adult teeth come in at 5 months, so if she has all her teeth she must be that age, and I would also guess that from the photos. Females can get pregnant that young, though sometimes they don't get a first heat till 8 months or older. So it is not certain that she is pregnant. Difficult to tell from the photos - my guess is not.

The vaccines you will need depend on where you live - some places insist on rabies and certain others. The local vet will advise. But definitely tests for FIV/Felv as already advised. Parasites of course - normal round/tape worms, fleas and ticks, but a couple doses of wormer and some drops will deal with that. AS a word of advice to a new cat owner, do not use any OTC medicines on her, or any flea collars, all these have been responsible for the deaths or sickness of hundreds of cats. Get everything you need from the vet. As she has been out in the wild, you should keep a watch for any loose stools or diarrhea, as these could be a sign of other nasty parasites that can be picked up from feral cats or even eating infected mice.

Good luck with your new family and I hope you will stick around here and let us know how you get on together.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the help! It is VERY much appreciated. She's still getting bigger day by day, and friendlier/more loving too. I have had her for about 15 days now, I just got my pay check today so I'm going to be taking her to the vet first thing tomorrow morning or Monday if they are not open sundays. I will post back and let you all know how everything works out at the vet! I'm going to insist that she is de-wormed, checked for a microchip, and checked for FIV/Felv and everything mentioned in this thread as well. I'll also ask the vet about possible pregnancy and an estimate on her age.

Thank you all so very much,

PS. I understand it is hard to tell the questions I need answered just with pictures(obviously) and appreciate the efforts made, I really just wanted to make sure there was nothing else I should be doing in the mean-time to insure shes healthy and well taken care of before I'm able to get her into the vet, and also see if there is anything I am missing I should ask the vet when I do take her in on the 1st, and you have all helped me very much! Thanks again.

--G.E.M

I recommend telling the vet about your very tough financial situation. Sometimes they can be sympathetic and as animal lovers appreciate that you saved her. He/she might help. I know a lady who did that here (though a small town) and the vet visit was free. She just had to pay for the meds.

It sounds like you are doing everything right. Just the fact that you are seeking out information for her well-being tells me you will be a top-notch Momma to your sweet baby girl Luna. However, never hesitate to ask a question on the board- it is a wonderful resource and you can get tons of great advice. 

I totally agree with fastnoc. A lot of vets take pity on us poor students who rescue cats/kittens. My vet is always gives me my first vet appointment with a new foster for free and discounts on other things when he can.  You could also ask about setting up a payment plan so you can get everything done at once and pay it off in installments versus taking her back multiple times. Just depends on the vet. Even if they don't give you a monetary break, any good vet will take their time and answer all your questions so use that resource and ask them whatever you want to know. I find it helpful to take in a prepared list so you don't forget anything. Luna might be distressed during the appointment and that can be very distracting, making all intelligent thought slip right out of your brain. I know as it has happened to me several times.  

Good luck at the appointment!