One pregnant cat about to deliver and one new adult cat in household- how to handle?

Hi Everyone-

I am American, but just moved to Thailand.  I have a unique case where I just adopted a stray cat that showed up at my door and found out that she is pregnant and will deliver in a few weeks.  I also have a cat back in America that my husband is bringing to Thailand next week.  I've never had two cats in the same household, so I'm not familiar with how to help them adjust to each other.  On top of that, I'm nervous that one cat is about to deliver kittens at the same time the new adult cat arrives.  I'm scared that conflict might affect the kittens or that mom will feel extra threatened by the new cat.  Both cats are female.  The non-pregnant one has been spayed.  

Anyone have any experience with this kind of situation?  I've heard that sometimes ferrel male cats will kill kittens to try and mate with the mother cat (happened to my neighbor in Thailand where there are a decent number of ferrel cats outside).  So of course this story made me wonder if there would be any big problems in my case.  I didn't know the adopted stray cat was pregnant when I decided to bring my other cat from the US, otherwise I might have waited.  On top of that, I have a bunch of guests coming about the time the cat will deliver.  Not sure if all of that is going to be just too much stress for mom and kittens.  Any help or suggestions from people who have some experience on these issues would be highly appreciated!

Thanks for the help in advanced!

The pregnant cat needs a quiet room to herself where she can settle in, give birth and rear her kittens.  And if you can keep your other cat in an area of the house so there is a room or corridor between the two so much the better - you don't want her scratching at the door to the maternity ward.  I fostered this time last year and the mum cat was going nuts after 5 weeks on her own so I started letting her out when I was in, and she was a nice-natured cat who settled in with my own cats.  However it might not have worked out that way - I might have had to run two households until the mum and her kittens left.

Your pregnant cat needs checking to see if any flea control is needed, and I'm sure she should be wormed.  So far as I can gather there are some very good vets in the big cities but some vet clinics are very basic.

I agree with Orientals advices.  

When the time comes for the two ladies to meet, Im sure they will agree and be pals sooner or later. You can look up Introduction here on our forum (mostly Behavior forum), if you are nervous. 

Most home cats do prefer to have a cat pal. Or at least, can coexist with each other, even those who dont gets real pals.

Do spay her after the delivery, preferably when the kittens are weaned.

Are you planning to keep any of the kittens?  If not, Im sure you can find good homes for them. Dont forget to take payment, unless given and taken as a precious gift.

"what is for free is virtually withouth worth".  If it feels awkward to take payment, let the new owner donate some money for some nice charity, - in the cats name.

You mentioned  toms as possible treat to kittens. Yes, especielly toms not belonging to the family may be dangerous. Toms being belonging to the family and being very good friends with the mom arent so dangerous. Some are even known to be acting help mothers!.  The rule of thumb if by any reason unsure: 1. Obey the mom. If the mom is the least bothered by the other cat - do separate.  If you do want to play it safe - separate, or at the very least, watch closely...  Etc.

So, no visiting cats, and esp no visiting toms in your house, when she is high preg and has small kittens!   (some people do have very open houses, esp in hot climate - are you too? beware!)

But it is toms. Females shouldnt be dangerous, but as said: do keep them separate, if they werent good friends before the delivery.  Do not stress mom and kittens with unnecessary disturbances.

Keep us updated, and keep asking!

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the advice, I feel much better.  Do you think it would be a problem to keep mom and kittens in a bathroom (of course with toilet seat down)?  I just don't  have anywhere else they could be alone with a litter box, unless I kick my 2 year old out of her room and have her sleep with me and my husband for a month (which means none of us would get any sleep).  We have a bathroom that attaches to the guest room/office.  But I have several guests coming from America to Thailand that was planned from long time ago, so I can't exactly ask them not to come anymore.  My guess is that we could let the kittens and mom be in both rooms during the day, but then have to confine them to the bathroom at night.  Does that sound like a good plan?

Unfortunately, I don't want to keep the kittens, I can't really afford to have so many cats and its not that easy to give away cats here like the US.  Typically Thai people just keep cats outside and feed them, don't even really let them in the house.  They have a couple of organizations that help with neutering and caring for strays, and they don't put animals down for any reason here because they believe in reincarnation and that they might have been a dog or a cat in a past life, they also believe in bad karma for doing stuff like that (even if an animal is really sick and about to die).  But if they help them, I doubt its the best care if you know what I mean.  If they don't put any unwanted animals down, then they must have a huge number of animals, so the conditions must not be good.  I will check them out though, hopefully they can at least help me place the kittens in new homes.  I would not feel comfortable dropping off an animal to a humane society and not really knowing where they end up though.  

Really praying that they turn out especially cute so I can find some other foreigners (from America or Europe) who will want them, wish me luck!!

Many rescuers keep their protegées in bathroom, so your plan sounds very good.

There is almost always a need for well socialized kittens born home /raised home. Many people dont dare to adopt a homeless, but they would like to have a cat. so you will surely find homes for your kittens. 

Good luck!

StefanZ said:

Many rescuers keep their protegées in bathroom, so your plan sounds very good.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Especially when the babies are first born Mom won't stray far from the nest so she doesn't need a lot of room. By the time the kittens are big enough to roam around having the bathroom and office/guest room is plenty, and it's still probably fine to confine them at night if you need to. I do this with my fosters- I just have a one bedroom apartment so I use an extra large dog crate as a "den." During the day they can free roam my bedroom but at night are confined (or else I would never sleep!) 

Make sure you make Mom a "kittening box" (see previous threads) and put it in the bathroom so she has somewhere cozy to have her babies. 

Certainly you have A LOT going on and this was not the ideal time to take on a pregnant female. You are doing an amazing thing by rearranging so that she can have her babies in a safe and secure place. Thank you for being so committed and taking on this challenge. One look at her face and I'm sure you can see how grateful she is! 

Thanks for everyone's words of support, I really appreciate it.  My cat from America is arriving on Wednesday.  I think the Thai cat is giving birth at the end of the month at the earliest.  Hopefully they will have a little time to get to know each other before the kittens come!  One more question- are cats usually ok with sharing a litter box and food bowls when they are first introduced?  Thanks again!

littlewei said:

Thanks for everyone's words of support, I really appreciate it.  My cat from America is arriving on Wednesday.  I think the Thai cat is giving birth at the end of the month at the earliest.  Hopefully they will have a little time to get to know each other before the kittens come!  One more question- are cats usually ok with sharing a litter box and food bowls when they are first introduced?  Thanks again!

Click to expand...

The general rule is you should have one more litter box in the house than you do cats. So, not counting the kittens (because they are a ways from that and are much more comfortable sharing) you should have 3. I think a lot of people find their cats are okay with sharing after awhile but at first you should at at a minimum one for each. It's much easier to clean two boxes than it is to try and get a cat to start using it once they have decided they don't like it/don't feel safe. 

I would say the same for dishes. Over time they will probably be fine sharing but to start off with they should each have their own "territory." If I remember correctly I believe Thai kitty and babies will be in the office/guest room and American kitty will roam everywhere else. My guess is you are waiting for kittens to limit her area but I would probably just go ahead and do it now. A slow introduction is always necessary so get her used to her new space and give American kitty time to adjust. Then, you can start to do slow introductions.  

It's always easier to start slow and build up than have one traumatize the other and never get over it! 

EB24 said:

It's always easier to start slow and build up than have one traumatize the other and never get over it! 

Click to expand...

Agree, go slow introducing 2 adult cats. Kittens are much easier to integrate into a house, adults often take more time.

Hi Everyone-  Thanks again for all the support and words of advice.  Here's an update on the situation.  The kittens were born and all are healthy.  But my Thai cat is attacking the American cat pretty much every time they've seen each other.  American cat is also hostile, but more defensively hissing and running away.  I've been keeping them separate, except for a few introductions and some accidental meetings (Thai mother cat leaped out to attack when we opened the door to the room she is in with the kittens).  I feel that I'm in a bad situation.  Do cats hold grudges?  Especially if I give all the kittens away and mom feels like someone took them, will she think American cat killed them?  Will I ever be able to have them get along after kittens are given away?  I am worried.

Thanks so much for your help, any advice from those with experience would be highly appreciated!  Not really sure what to do.  The American is more my cat and the Thai cat is more my daughter's cat.  I don't want to have to give either of them away, I hope they can get along.  

she's going to be defensive, it's a mother thing, some are worse than others, she may never get over it so long as she's got the kittens, and may even get worse once the kittens are up and moving.

the other cat is a threat in her mind.

it's never a good idea to re-home kittens before three months anyway, not only in most places is it actually Illigal (in this area it's illigal to re-home kittens under 10 weeks old) but it also is the time in which the mother would naturally start forcing the kittens to go out on thier own.

other people might tell you different but I fully believe that cats (and other animals) are capable of holding grudges, because they do remember.

I had a cat once who had kittens, when the kittens were old enough to be out and about, another farm cat attacked one of the kittens, the mother promptly kicked the offending cats butt, but ever since then, she had a noticable dis-like for that one cat, even after her kittens were independent.

it all depends on the cats individual personalities, who they decide to like and who they do not
 

Once your stray has finished raising her kittens, has been neutered and they are in their new homes is the time to let her start meeting your other cat.  Until then she will be hormonal and defensive.

OrientalSlave said:

Once your stray has finished raising her kittens, has been neutered and they are in their new homes is the time to let her start meeting your other cat.  Until then she will be hormonal and defensive.

Click to expand...

I agree, there's no need to try and introduce them while mum is busy being a mum and full of hormones  Intro's will likely take a while since you've got 2 adult cats here. 

Also it's best to stagger the kittens leaving over several days to a week, this allows mum to adjust to having the kittens gone rather than them all being taken away at once. She won't think the other cat killed them. In other countries it's best not the give kittens away for free, the fee you charge can be just enough to cover the vet work you've put in to the kittens (vaccinations, microchipping and neutering).

missymotus said:

 it's best not the give kittens away for free, the fee you charge can be just enough to cover the vet work you've put in to the kittens (vaccinations, microchipping and neutering).

Click to expand...

Yeah.  Many people thinks, what is for free is practically worthless.  So always ask payment of some sort, even IF the money doesnt matter for you personally!

The ONLY exception is if the kitten is given and received as a priceless precious gift.

  If it by any reason is awkward to you to ask payment, you can agree instead the adopter pays instead some sum to a charity you both do agree upon - in the cats name.

An extra benefit with this solution is, this creates a magical bond owner - cat, as the cat during the rest of his life is making him think about this noble sacrifice.  (my theory, but I think it is correct)

Thanks again for all the help and support.  I will definitely wait until kittens are given away and mom is spayed to introduce the adult cats.  One question about weaning the kittens.  I've been giving the mom a mix of wet and dry food.  The kittens started eating the wet food (I usually pick the canned food that is more chunky with real meat in it) on their own with no pushing from me or separating them from mom yet.  But they won't touch the moistened dry food.  My concern is that most people here wouldn't spend money on expensive wet food like I do after I give the kittens away.  I'm afraid I"m going to make them super picky.  Any suggestions?  Also, because there is a huge stray cat problem in Thailand, I'm afraid it won't be super easy for me to give them away.  I feel the earlier I try to give them away (when they are small and cute) will get better results.  I"m afraid if I wait until 10 to 12 weeks, no one will want them.  What is the earliest I can give them away?  I remember when I was a child, I got my cat at 5 or 6 weeks and he grew up to be healthy with no problems until he was 13 and got cancer.  I'm assuming that 6 weeks is no problem?

Thanks again for the help!

Kittens don't need help in eating if mum is fed in front of them they'll just toddle over to the food and start eating as yours have done

No need to moisten the dry food, this can also cause bacteria growth if left out. You may find they'll eat in when left dry.

10 weeks is the absolute minimum you can start rehoming them, but 12 weeks is best. Many behaviour problems come from separating kittens at 6 weeks, weaning is a process they learn many social skills during the 3 months with their mum and siblings.