Pregnant?

rabbit

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My cat, Mary Jane, is maybe around a year old. She adopted us when we moved into our apartment and has been and indoor-outdoor cat. We intended to get her spayed a while ago but between a new baby and a month of hospitalizations for my husband, it fell low on the priority list. I'm paying for it now, because I think MJ might be pregnant. We are prepared, honestly. I have some left over KMR from fostering a baby bunny, and I've fostered everything from house mice to puppies. I'm all set when there are babies to take care of. And she will absolutely be spayed and kept indoors afterall roof this.

I just can't decide whether she is pregnant or not. Her belt, while not huge is noticeably larger and pendulous. Her nipples are a pale pink, if they have pinkened it's marginal at best, but they are very noticeably swollen. When she walks her belly sways opposite of the side she's bearing weight on. Sitting is an awkward task for her now, she plays laying down, food is no longer her number one priority and she's acting the same way she did when I was pregnant and about to deliver. At times you can stroke her belly and you'll feel a little lump. A few seconds later, it's gone. And now today I had my hand resting on her belly and I felt these tiny little nudges against my palm.

While her pregnancy is not ideal, it is not unwanted. We're ready to accept responsibility of our irresponsibility. I just don't know whether I should further prepare for kittens or if this could all be something else? I'm going to try and get a picture of her in the next day or two. It's tough though because she's entirely black on her body so seeing her curves is a little more difficult.
 

Willowy

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If she is unspayed and has been outdoors, she's certainly pregnant, unless she has something wrong that makes her sterile. Cats are extremely fertile and are almost always either pregnant or nursing once they've reached sexual maturity. Frankly, it's surprising she's gone this long without getting pregnant. If she was dumped she may already be spayed. . .you didn't say how old she was when she found you. But barring that, yes, count on babies arriving soon.
 
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rabbit

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6 months old when we adopted her.
Our neighbor had found her laying in the other neighbor's yard when she was a newborn. She took her in and fostered her to adulthood. My neighbor's dog likes to play too rough so she had to make MJ an outdoor kitty. When we moved in, she just invited herself into the apartment and has been around ever since. She went back to primarily outdoors when the baby was born. For the first two months she was terrified of the baby and ran for the door when she cried. I do know she was in heat sometime in late April. I don't remember when exactly, but it was just before my husband was hospitalized. We're keeping her indoors now. Now that she's used to the ideas of the baby she has no interest in going outside anyways. And she will remain indoors from here on out.

Any idea on how early you can feel the babies moving? They're just fluttery nudges right now. She has a vet appointment next Wednesday to confirm everything.
Besides towels, KMR, bottles, and string for the chords, is there anything else I need in the whelping kit? I'm certain she will do fine on her own, but I want to be prepared.
 
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rabbit

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Oh and definitely unaltered. They tattoo an microchip every time they spay at the clinics here if it hasn't been done already. SNRs get an ear tattoo. Plus, Again, the neighbor has been watching out for her.
 

StefanZ

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You can feel them kittens move about 2 weeks before delivery.

Good luck!
 
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rabbit

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So I think we're getting pretty close. Mary is beginning to nest and now has plenty of spots to choose from. Just yesterday we began seeing the babies move from the outside. Her nipples have some crust and it appears that she is having some discharge as she cleans herself quite often. Today she's extremely restless and is only content in my lap.

Is it true that some cats like to have their bonded owner nearby during birth? Mary is like my other kid. I'm not normally a cat person but I knew there was something special about her when she walked into our lives.

She's also (just started today) been walking around and then she'll stop and just stare off in the distance. Like she's zoning out or something.

I can't help but look at her and tell her I know her pain too well. I just had a baby myself in February. I completely sympathize with her mounting discomfort now, heh.

 

StefanZ

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Is it true that some cats like to have their bonded owner nearby during birth?
 
Oh yes, its rather common. :)    Besides, the owner being there can help, if there arises a need for help.

Common citizens grows into heroes just in minunites!   (compare with all the taxi-drivers who got to deliver a women who got her baby in the taxi on the way to hospital)
 
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rabbit

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Oh yes, its rather common. :)    Besides, the owner being there can help, if there arises a need for help.
Common citizens grows into heroes just in minunites!   (compare with all the taxi-drivers who got to deliver a women who got her baby in the taxi on the way to hospital)
That's pretty cool. I'm anxious to see if she calls for me when it's time. She's certainly very much bonded to me. I'm the only one who can touch her belly at all. She attacks my husband if he even tries but she rolls right over for me, hehe.
 
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