Scared I hurt the babies!!!

Before I was trying to see how far along the at was by feeling her tummy I wasn't pressing too hard but I did use a small amount of pressure . Could I have damaged or even killed any of the babies ?!?!? I just now read only it can be dangerous to feel the cats stomach !!!!

 I really doubt you hurt them with just a very light pressure.  they're just floating in their little sacs .

but if you don't really know what you're feeling for it's probably best not to  even try that;  you might not be able to tell much that way anyway. Around 3 weeks or a few days before to a few days after, an experienced vet can palpate and  may be able to tell if a cat id pregnant and at least estimate fairly closely how many there are.  They are about the size of a walnut at that   time.  After  that it actually gets harder to tell.  

 Here is an article that includes a section  ( 1c)  on  abdominal palpation  --  it's talking about a vet doing it.  but notice it says aging the litter that way is inaccurate.      http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/cat-pregnancy.html

Any idea when she mated /  when she was last in heat?   If you know when the mating was you can estimate approximately 9 weeks . 

If you look at her closely pretty often,  you might have noticed when the nipples "pinked up"  --  when they get a brighter pink  and start to stick out more than usual.  That is usually about 3 weeks into pregnancy.   

I jut rescued her and her little kitten about 2-3 weeks ago and her lumps in her tummy are pretty big if I'm not mistaken they are sometimes making little movement , honestly I'm not even sure if she's almost ready to pop , do you know the signs of a cat in labor because she seems to be irretated and keeps kicking her kitten off of her but she still wants to eat everything like treat an wet food . So do you have any idea on labor and can describe it ?

And also I can't tell by her nipple they are super pink and pretty big but she just had a kitten more than likely 6-10 weeks ago I'm not sure how old the little one is and the kitten still seems to be breast feeding also right now she's being extremely rough with her kitten idk if they're playing or again in labor idk

 Oh dear, this cat  just gave birth 6-10 weeks ago,  has been nursing the one kitten ( maybe others did not survive?)  and now is pregnant again and may even about to be going in labor?   Poor thing!      lucky you now have a chance to stop this cycle of back to back pregnancies.   After she has these, you need to be very careful to keep her in until she is spayed so she doesn't get pregnant yet again. 

Well, if you're feeling movement,  she probably is at least in the last two weeks.   So actually you do need to keep her in starting now ,  and set up a nursery room.    Transition her to the best quality food you can,  should be kitten food or an 'all life stages ' food .  and at least half canned.   but do the transition gradually  to minimize upsetting her digestion.   

 I'll give you a link to an article about  cat pregnancy that includes signs of labor.   But   it is hard to predict in advance.    as you will see if you read many of the threads about pregnant cats in this section!   lots of people trying to figure out when it will happen. 

http://www.cat-world.com.au/pregnancy-in-cats  

 Here is another one on the same site,  it has some similar info but it goes into more detail about the birth process, what is normal and what is abnormal,   when and how to help if needed, and when to get her to a vet   http://www.cat-world.com.au/parturition-birth-in-cats

 The pregnancy is no doubt making her push the older kitten away sooner than she otherwise probably would have.    You or someone in your family will need to try to show it more love and attention as the mom prepares for another littr..   I hope the kitten is eating solid food ?  

Yeah I've decided I want both of them to be 100% indoor cats but I have another question in sorry to keep asking but how will I know when she is dilated like does her vagina grow in size ? And when her water breaks what will it look like ? Because I honestly don't know what that would look like I'm only 19 so I'm lost . And my cat is abnormally active she is young but hasn't been very active since I moved her in . Do you think she is playing or getting ready to give birth because I read sometimes if you want to enduce the labor you can make them move around a lot and she is walking room to room etc not sure if she's nesting or being a curios kitty idk also thank you a lot for your detailed and extremely helpful answers

Oh and last thing I've given both my cats only three times l-lysine because they have problems with there eyes and it's helped ALOT but instead of the full amount it says to give them I've only been giving them 250 Milagrams a day instead of 500 because one cat is still very little and the other is pregnant will this kill or deform any of the babies ? I didnt think it would because it's only a vitamin and it helps with tissue growth and skin health but I could be wrong

 hi Sarah.

You're probably not going to really notice much about how much she is dilated in the beginning of labor. 

 You may or may not notice when she loses the "mucus plug"    That might look sort of like snot  -- sort of pale yellowish  whitish and gooey / stringy.    some look more solid than others.   Sometimes it's tinged with a little blood so  that would make it partly pink.     you could see this hanging from her vulva, or fallen out somewhere that she was lying.   but she might just lick it off.  

You might not even see any discharge  but may notice her licking her vulva more. 

It's hard to predict because sometimes the cat loses the plug and then  almost right away,  she is  having contractions, .  She might pace or meow,  or turn around acting uncomfortable.    You can feel the contractions if  she lets you lay your hand gently on her side   like feeling it sort of ball up  then relax. .       Then you can see she is pushing,  and the kitens start coming.   the first kittens sac appears at the vaginal opening,  it breaks and  the water comes out. 

 But... sometimes it can be many more hours -- sometimes even days!    There are lots of threads on here about  cats losing mucus plug and people wondering how soon she will have the kittens.   and there's not just one answer that is true every time.   

 I know  "the waiting game" is nerve racking!             

 The L-Lysine is not a problem.  It's better for her not to be having a feline herpes outbreak when she's got newborns who might catch it. .   and giving birth is stressful,  which could bring on a flare up of the herpes.  So I think it is good you are giving the L-Lysine to help prevent that.   It won't hurt the kittens.  

 There's no absolute rule on how active they are right before.  

 But you're right ,  if a cat is at full term anyway,  her moving around a lot can start to bring on labor.  

 It might be the kittens are moving around getting in position for birth within a few days and it makes her feel restless, so she's just moving around more. 

  Also of course they start feeling a need to find where to have the kittens  so they start looking around for a safe, quiet place They usually want something at least somewhat enclosed,  and  not brightly lit.     

 Just try to prepare as much as possible.  Probably everything will go smoothly.  but it's a good idea to at least be informed,  so you can help if she needs you.  Read those links I gave you.  

and here's another set of articles that go into more details than those.  

http://www.icatcare.org/advice/my-cat-having-kittens

Especially read the ones about birth    - Normal Cat Birth  ,   and  "Cat Birth  : When to Wait and When to Worry  "   (That one repeats some of the article abut Normal Cat Birth,  but then also tells what could go wrong.    ( but try not to get too freaked by reading the possible problems.   The great majority of the time cats give birth without serious complications.)  

This is a post that quotes  a vet Dr Mike Richards who used to answer questions online ,   and this answer tells about how to assist if needed if the cat is having trouble having a kitten.   .   http://www.thecatsite.com/t/50754/mucus-plug#post_668195