taking care of stray pregnant cat

Hi, I'm new to all of this but I have read alot off of this website and hoping that if I posted some one could me out. So June 18, 2013 I took in a pregnant stray cat that I have been taking care of for a while, but didn't realize that she was pregnant until about 3 weeks ago. Because usually when I do feed her she runs off and then she didn't. Well my neighbor was threatening me that her dog was going to kill the cat, so I took her in. Well any ways I don't know how far along she is, but I have felt the babies moving and I have a video of them moving. For about four days now she has been spotting not alot of blood, but maybe 20 drops or so. Well up til yesterday she wouldn't barely eat, and so far today I have had to give her food twice, and refill her water, and she is also pooping alot. She don't trust me enough to let me look so she is she is swollen down there or not. She has been nesting in the nesting box also for about four days as well and making it the way she wants. Her belly is also almost dragging the ground. I believe she is maybe only a year old since she is so small, but I don't know for sure it may be just because she is just a tiny lil girl.

The first two pictures was taken June 18,2013.

These photoes were taken tonight June 25, 2013




I also have noticed that one of their lil heads is back by her left hip, and that she is very moody. Please help me and thank you so much 

Hi and welcome to TCS! Thank you for taking this poor pregnant cat in and caring for her. I'm not sure what your question/concern is, and to be honest, I am not experienced with pregnant cats. I do know from reading here that her behavior seems fairly normal and that you can expect birth about two weeks after you first feel the babies move. If you have any specific questions, please do post them, and I'm sure some experienced members will be along to help you. I just wanted to welcome you and say thanks!

I agree with Vball91. 

So you can almost count her down on your fingers, only YOU know when you began to feel them.

What worries me at this moment is this spotting of blood.  Through mouth?

This is not the usual, so whatever it is, it is NOT "according to Hoyle".

Frankly, the best is you visit your vet, if at all possible.

And try to read on, articles here on our site, the other threads.  Look on you-tube films on high pregs, delivery and kitten care... you will surely find some.

Good luck!

Hello,

I took in a pregnant stray cat around a month ago, she gave birth to five healthy kittens 2 days ago.

The spotting of blood is not normal and I advise to see your vets or at least give them a call.

By the looks of things she seems to be very heavily pregnant, when you first see the kittens moving she will have them roughly 2 weeks from then.

Most likely before labour your cat will stop eating or will eat a lot less, she will be more affectionate towards you, she may drink more water (mine sure did), may use the litter tray more often.

You will need to keep her secluded in a dark, clean and quiet place with a nesting box which I've seen you done.

Some peoples cats like your to stay near when there in labour and giving birth but a lot of cats don't like people near them, your cat is a stray so may not want you near her, if thats the case, sit from afar and keep an eye on her but do not touch her unless she wants you too.

Really you should take her to the vets to make sure she has no health problems however a week after the kittens are born, I advise you to take them all to the vets to be checked for any problems.

Kittens and cats do cost a lot of money as you need to worm, vaccinate and I advise spaying each and every kitten and of course the adult cat. After she has given birth keep her indoors away from tom cats as they can go into heat very soon afterwards.

Good luck!

Please, describe closer what this spotting of blood is.  IS it real blood, or more like red coloured water?

I was in hurry earlier, I thought on spit, that is why I asked if she spotted blood by the mouth.

The word in swedish is exactly so...

But it dawned to me you meaned small spots, like drops.

Now. They often have some discharges before delivery.  And sometimes the discharge is somewhat red coloured - contains a liiittle blood.

This is not ideal, but common enough.

But real living blood, blood-blood, you dont want to see...   So you must analyse if it was red colored water, or real blood, or perhaps something in between - and decide from there.

If it WAS blood, I think you must contact a vet.  Talk at least on the phone, the vet will know which follow up questions to give.

Tx a lot for you helping and taking care of this little sis of ours!!!

Please continue to report and talk with us!  We do worry!

Good luck!

Thank you all for all of your help, the blood is really thin like and shiny in a way, there is not alot which I believe that I have stated that as well. Also I have been trying to get ahold of a vet, but where I live their only open like 5 hours a day 4 days a week, so it has proven to be rather difficult to get ahold of them while I'm not working. She seems healthy tho I have two fixed male cats and she acts just like them, just a little more less trust worthy towards us. Tho she is warming up to me pretty well, she has her moments where she is love able and then she goes crazy on me. My question is can you tell from the pictures how much longer she has? You all was very helpful about the two weeks we would be able to feel the kittens moving and it has be about a week and one day now. She seems really happy and calm but still has her moments. Thanks to all of you 

The exact hour is impossible to predict... that is one of the experienced we had as a Forum...

We had lotsa of thread about what different signs there are, and we had cats with all the signs, and days went and went and we got more and more anxious and worried... And then they did arrived.

Our / my lesson?  Prepare as well as you can, and wait. They will come when they come.

Although it is good if you are there and ready to assist if need be. Sometimes it is necessary.

There IS some theoretical danger of they being pregnant too long, but the practical danger to perhaps make cesarean-section too early is much bigger.   Too early born / delivered are very weak with bad chances.

Good luck!

I know that it will be hard for me to think right on the minute or hour of when she will have the babies but I'm figuring around the first of next month. Also I have not felt the kittens since 6-26-2013 is that normal??? I also have a really weird question the mother "Mitsy" is a polydactyl, she has extra toes on all four of her paws, and I was wondering if you think any of her kittens will be polydactyl as well??? Thank you 

Ponnie Moore said:

I know that it will be hard for me to think right on the minute or hour of when she will have the babies but I'm figuring around the first of next month. Also I have not felt the kittens since 6-26-2013 is that normal??? I also have a really weird question the mother "Mitsy" is a polydactyl, she has extra toes on all four of her paws, and I was wondering if you think any of her kittens will be polydactyl as well??? Thank you 

Click to expand...

They are lesser felt in the end of pregnancy, when they wander down into the birth positions.  OR if the tummy is  drawn out into maxumum.

But not feeling at all?  It may be how experienced with palaption you are. Most people arent.

But yes, it is worrying.   It MAY have gone something wrong there. It may be so the tummy is extra tense by some other reason.

Do you have some neighbour who is used with pregnant cats?

Or even better, a friendly vet who is willing to palpate and perhaps make some ultrasound, without charging you overly much?

As I remember, polydactyli is - or can be, dominant, so yes, there is big chance / risk, the kittens will be too.   Why I write risk?  There are different reasons for polydactyli.  Some types arent harmful, but some others are really sign of a genetic fault, causing skeleton faults, which tend to be worse for every generation...  This is the main reason why polydactyli is not allowed in breeding.

Good luck!

I just went to check on her and silly me I was feeling where I always do, but this time a felt lower down also closer to her hip area and I felt kicking. Which put a big smile on my face. Thank you so much for all of your help, but no there is no one in my neighborhood who knows about pregnant cats because all the people in my neighborhood have dogs that are left in the house, and all of the cat are left out side, no body cares about their cats. Mitsy none of them wanted me to take her in and since then I have had to call the cops for the neighbor who lives right next to me. I do not know how many generations of mitten kittens Mitsy is, just like I don't know if this is her first litter or not. She seems fairly small, but the neighbor behind us was trying to sell mitten kittens to us about two weeks ago. We also know that Mitsy came from the same neighbor trying to sell us mitten kittens, but they never took care of her and we have. We don't talk to any of our neighbor's so we don't really know nothing about Mitsy.

I just would like to let everybody know Mitsy is starting to loose her mucus plug and I'll post pic of them when their born thank you all so much

Good luck with the kittens she looks pretty big so it can't be much longer my cat is also going to have kittens any day now