Oh boy...where do I start?

Okay, about 3 weeks ago my 2 1/2 year old unspayed princess Cagney went into heat, just 4 days before her spay appointment on the 25th of last month. : She escaped onto my balcony and was MIA for over a week, returning on the 30th.
I was thrilled to have her home, it was torture having her missing and not knowing if she was okay.

I made another appointment at the vet again on the 25th, unfortunately thats the soonest they can see her. But here are the problems/questions...

She has been acting very out of character since she's been home, being stand-offish, not as affectionate, eating more, eating things she used to turn her cute little nose up at, and occasionally throwing up.
Now I'm no Vet but it sounds to me like she's pregnant. Great timing!

Are there any ways to tell if a cat is pregnant? besides just waiting for her to get round as a basketball or waking up to a batch of new furbabies?
When I called the vet to cancel the first appointment, I asked them what would be done if she came home "with child(ren)" and was told the spaying could still be done, but it would be more complicated...I don't like what I think that means

Okay, 2nd question/problem...today I noticed the litterbox had a very strong smell, and I just cleaned it yesterday!
When I looked, there were 3 "presents" in it, and all 3 had blood and a slime type substance in them.
Any ideas what this means, I hate to take her to the vet when her appointment is so close, but I don't want to wait if it coulds be something serious...

Any and all advice/responses are greatly appreciated



Cleo

Originally posted by Cleo
Okay, about 3 weeks ago my 2 1/2 year old unspayed princess Cagney went into heat, just 4 days before her

spay appointment on the 25th of last month.

: She escaped onto my balcony and was MIA for over a week, returning on the 30th.
I was thrilled to have her home, it was torture having her missing and not knowing if she was okay.

I made another appointment at the vet

again on the 25th, unfortunately that's the soonest they can see her. But here are the problems/questions...

She has been acting very out of character since she's been home, being stand-offish, not as affectionate, eating more, eating things she used to turn her cute little nose up at, and occasionally throwing up.
Now I'm no Vet

but it sounds to me like she's pregnant.

Great timing!

Are there any ways to tell if a cat is pregnant? besides just waiting for her to get round as a basketball or waking up to a batch of new furbabies?
When I called the vet to cancel the first appointment, I asked them what would be done if she came home "with child(ren)" and was told the spaying could still be done, but it would be more complicated...I don't like what I think that means

Okay, 2nd question/problem...today I noticed the litterbox had a very strong smell, and I just cleaned it yesterday!

When I looked, there were 3 "presents" in it, and all 3 had blood and a slime type substance in them.
Any ideas what this means, I hate to take her to the vet

when her appointment is so close, but I don't want to wait if it could be something serious...

Any and all advice/responses are greatly appreciated

Cleo

Click to expand...

Cleo,
At what point will it become a Vet situation for you? If nothing else, the blood should be the clincher. Take the cat to the vet; if she is still having these symptoms when her spay appointment comes up they probably won't do the surgery anyway until it is cleared up. Blood in the stool is never a "normal" situation.

Pete

I agree with Pete, you need to take ur cat to the vet. One of my cats have been having REAL bad gas and diaherra for the last 2 weeks (took her to the vet at the beginning but he said to give it time since I recently adopted her and that might've been a cause of her diaherra) but since there were no change, i took her an dmy other cat back to the vet. I apologized to the vet for seeming so parnoid but told him I rather be safe and pay for nothing than later on finding out they got something serious that I could've prevented earlier. I brought a sample of stool and the vet discovered that they have cochilla (parasite??) so now i have to give them medience and hope it works. He said it was a good thing that I decided to bring them back in before it got worse. It sounds like ur cat have a parasite, work or something that is causing her stool to have blood and a strong smell. Take her ASAP! Better safe than sorry right?
Pamela

I really felt that I should take her in also, but since the stool situation just started today, and it's Sunday, I thought I'd see what input I'd get here also. Unfortunately my Vet isn't open Sundays, so she'll be getting a call first thing in the morning.

Since a cats gestation period is so much shorter than a humans, I'm wondering about the spaying procedure...if she is pregnant, just how far developed are the kittens?

Thank you Pete and Pamela,

Cleo

Cleo; Since it is almost Monday (and may already be where you are) I will say I am GLAD you have decided to call the vet ASAP. If Cagney has a serious infection it might be better to let them spay (and ultimately terminate her kittens) as soon as they can. Especially if the outcome would seriously endanger Cagneys life. I do not mean to sound cruel about aborting the babies but the vet will (or should) know if the infection or parsite would ultimately endanger the unborn kittens anyway. Please let us know what happens. I was very concerned when you posted about Cagney being missing. I am glad you were lucky enough to get her home and will be praying that she will recover quickly.

Cleo,

If she is pregnant and sufferes from an infection called Pyometria, chances are the kittens would've been stillborn. The gestation period in cats is about 62 days. The vet will be able to determine if pyometria is present. If it is, he will most likely spay her. It would be in her best interest to do so.

My cat Faberge had pyometria and had to be spayed. She was so sick and the vet said she was a mess. Now she's wonderful!

Please keep us posted. Good luck.

I posted an update on Cagney in The Lounge, but want to post here also and thank all that offered advice.

I took Cagney to the vet Monday, and took a stool sample with me.

The vet, not my regular but very attentive and nice, said she found nothing abnormal in the Fecal "float and smear"...that was a relief but left me unsatisfied. She said that since the syptoms had only been showing for 2 days, to watch for 3 days and if they continued to bring her back in.

So far everything looks good, her stool is still loose, but no blood or mucous.

On the down side, my suspicions were confirmed, she Is pregnant, and after discussing the Pro's and Con's, I decided to let the pregnancy continue.

After the kittens are weaned, I will have her spayed.

Thank you all for your advice and support,

Cleo

Cagneys attitude and demeanor have improved dramaticcaly, she is affectionate and vocal again...more like her Old self and is even playing with Lily again.

Lily has an appointment for her 2nd shots and I'll be taking Cag in with her for a re-check.

Cleo