Stray cat pregnant or does she have kittens?

I've been feeding a stray cat for a couple months. She ate up to 3 to 4 cans a night. After awhile She looked heavy in the back end then she seemed thinner (we figured she may have given birth). But really not sure she was pregnant she wouldn't let us near her. Two weeks ago she came closer and eventually let me touch her. I noticed her nipples seemed to have the hair pushed away and they were sticking out, she seemed to hang out on our porch for long periods of time after eating. We thought if she had kittens would she leave them for so many hours, it appeared she stayed under our porch overnight as well, So I then thought she was pregnant so I was able to grab her with a towel and bring her indoors 2 nights ago, although she was frightened at first she calmed down and seemed to like the warm room. She isn't afraid of us at all she is happy and content, however now her breasts are warm and very swollen & hard. I plan on taking her to the vet but I am sick with concern she has kittens out there somewhere! Only thing is how calm happy and relaxed she is, my thought is if there were kittens she would try to get out of the bedroom. Ugh I just wanted to help her and I talked with a woman from the shelter she said if she were nursing her nipples would look used and they don't . Any thoughts?

There are mixed signals... Had she delivered?  Are the kittens out there or had she lost them and already stopped seeking?

It depends much on how you say she got thinner. Delivery done?  In the wild moms are not always with the kittens. They must find some food, so they leave the kittens now and then, even a couple of hours at a time.  Can it be so her den is under your house?

Can you palpate her tummy? If you feel kittens move you do have your answer. Or even - her belly full. Or go to the vet asap, and let the vet palpate /make ultrasound. (not x-ray!).

The most probable is she has them inside, in the tummy. Being high preg she will accept to be catched as long as it is a friendly catching... Everything to help her coming kittens.

There ARE cases of double litters, several weeks apart.  So it could explain she delivered one litter, perhaps a little premature, lost it, and is now seeking protection for the next. 

But it is rare, we can count on this...

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Good luck!

Thanks for your response and the welcome here. I plan on taking her to the vet to get the answers I need. being it was the weekend our vet doesn't have weekend hours so I had to wait. This kitty use to completely disappear on weekends. I even thought she was someone's cat they let out at night (why they would do that I don't know). Asking around the best we can gather is she is a barn cat and there was someone other than me feeding her. I still tend to think she is more friendly than a barn cat but I imagine she went to a barn for food till she found me. She is no longer eating the same amount, probably because she isn't burning calories trying to stay warm. It kills me that people don't spay and neuter, I have 4 cats (all rescues) and my heart just broke for this little one out in the cold. If she is pregnant it was suggested I get her spayed and prevent the kittens birth. How sad is that but I know all to well how difficult it is to find responsible homes for them. I really hope there isn't a litter of kittens needing her. Thanks so much for your thoughts.

delilah said:

If she is pregnant it was suggested I get her spayed and prevent the kittens birth. How sad is that but I know all to well how difficult it is to find responsible homes for them. I really hope there isn't a litter of kittens needing her.

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Yes, spay-abortion is a option in many such cases. At least, should be.

Especially if they arent high preg.  When they are high preg near delivery it becomes very unpleasant, so if there IS a fostering home, or the delivery itself isnt threatening moms death....

Yeah, if there is a litter out there they are  probably no more now, as she was inside with you so long now. - This is a dilemma for quite a few rescuers!  Also for them who know there is a litter, but must do the TNR.

But she isnt frantic and seeking, so probably they arent out there. or died off earlier.

In my letter above there was a couple of typo.  One "can´t count" become faulty "can count"...

Does she allows you to lay a hand on her tummy?  If she is high preg you will probably feel them move if they are inside.  Or at least, you will feel if the tummy is  packed inside,

OR  soft and empty.  Compare with your residents, so you know how a normal tummy feels.

Even if you arent experienced with this you can draw some conclusions.

Good luck!

I took the kitty to the vet today, the vet said her teats proved she had been actively nursing..she was able to express some milk from her. She feels she isn't currently pregnant. The vet doubted the kittens were still alive and suggested I find some kittens for her to nurse to help relieve the pressure from her milk. I posted on facebook and 11 people shared my post. I have one girl that has a sister that will be adopting kittens whose mother cat didn't have enough milk so that might help this mother cat if she nurses them.

I went to speak to the other woman that our neighbor told us was also feeding her. She told us this kitty has been around for awhile, she had numerous litters of kittens over the course of a couple years. She thought she stayed in one of the barns near her and mentioned the farmer did not like cats.

I made a number of calls and ended up speaking to a woman that works at an area Vet Clinic, she knew the area I lived in and knew the people that owned the barn so she called them and asked about this calico cat they said yes she was one that stayed in their barn and they had heard kittens in the wall of the barn on Sunday. This lady set it up for us to go down to the barn and she suggested we let her go look for her kittens. Well she bolted out of the carrier and went behind a house, hid in a wood pile. I had gained her trust, she was wonderful at the vets today with all the girls, now I think she must feel I was dumping her off. When I tried to go near her she ran. My vet thought it wouldn't be a good idea to let her go look for kittens she thought must be dead by now. When I got home (without her) another woman returned a call and she works with PAL (Preventing Another Litter). this woman said she thought it was good to let her go and see if she would find her kittens. I feel like I let this beautiful cat down. I put out food for her and I am hoping she'll come back to my porch where she has been fed for almost 2 months.

Now another dilemma, what if she comes back with no kittens and her teats are empty? If they're full then I would know she didn't find them or they may have died. This is killing me I want her to be safe and warm here with us.

The mother cat came for food tonight, she is no longer full of milk so her kittens must have survived and she found them!! What a relief the kittens survived. I want to get her spayed but I have to wait till she is done nursing her kittens, wish I could find those kittens'

What a relief!  These kittens must be made of tough wood!     Lesson for us all?  Dont give up in such situations, and believe the kittens must have perished. They may survive even a surprising long period alone.

Now, how to find the kittens. It may be tricky. You dont either want to risk the mom feeling stressed by your pursuing her.

Normally, the mom doesnt go directly in their direction, so it doesnt help to just look after where she is going (although it may be worth a try anyway).

One coworker of mine who did rescued these semiferales at her place, her trick was to talk sweety to the mother cat and following.  At the first attempt she was led astray, but at the second attemt she was led to the den, almost a mile away...

Talking sweety helps also the mom not to be stressed. You arent cheating her, you do it with her permission, so to speak.

And your mom cat here recognizes you as her food giver and protector, it may work.

Good luck!