Adopting a pregnant cat

Hi I am considering adoptions a pregnant cat. The owner's not sure how far along she us, but pretty close. Is this OK or would it be better to wait until she has the kittens? If the latter, how old should the kittens be before I adopt them together with mum?

Hi tatum hills,

If I were you I would take her now so she can get used to your place by the time she has the kittens. Make sure she has a dark (keep it dark until a couple weeks after kittens eyes are open too because their eyes are sensitive) and quiet place to be where she is not disturbed by noises and people while she cares for them. Make sure the spot is comfortable and clean and that she feels safe there. She will most likely want to be left alone when she has them anyways, so if you take her now, she will be familiar with her surroundings by that time. Make sure she also has food, water and a litter box near where you place her to have her kittens as well. I would also have her have them in a laundry basket (at least until the kittens are big enough to run around) so the kittens do not spread out and about too much. If you do this I think it would be best for the kittens and the mother. It usually does not take an cat too long to get used to a place where they are comfortable, fed and watered, and get lots of love, so she should be just fine. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions and/or comments and I will do my best to answer.

Good luck!

Pauline

Thanks so much Pauline for the quick reply. If I do decide to take her I'll ask a lot more about caring for her and the bubs. I've had cats all my life but never mums and kitties.

Actually, I do have a couple more questions…

1. We have a 10 year old cat already. The room where we would put mum and kittens overlooks the cat run where our existing cat spends most of his time. Is it good that muma and the 10 yr old get to eye each other off for a while before actually meeting or will this just stress mum too much?

2. The people who have the pregnant mum also have another cat we may want to adopt as well. Would it be OK to start this other cat off in the same room as mum or would that make it hard for her to find a good nesting spot with him around? Or would it comfort her to have a cat she already knows in with her?

Thanks!

Hi tatum hills,

I think you should take the other cat along as well because it might help the mum make a more comfortable transition. The cat you already have I do not see putting up much of a fight because cats are respective by nature. It may be a little rough at first, but they will adjust. The older cat will be curious of the new mum, but he should give her her space before too long. I think that the mum will find a spot she feels comfortable with within the first few days and where she decides to have the babies will most likely be the best spot for her. Unless you think the spot is not good for her (for whatever reason) she can be left there. Like I said before, just make sure she is comfortable and does not have to go too far for the things she needs. Get a good background on her past behavior, too if you can in order to know how she is as a mother, what she likes to eat, treats, etc. Please let me know if you have any more questions and I will be happy to help! You can also send me an email (you will more than likely get a faster answer from me this way) at [email protected] if you need immediate assistance. I truly think you are doing a great thing for these cats by giving them a good home and just hink of how fun all those baby kitties will be! I hope all goes well for you and them and you can send me pics of them as they grow, that would be cute! Again, send me a quick email or post here if you need my help.

Cheers,

Pauline

Thank you got your support. I still haven't decided for sure if I'll take them... The main issue being the cost of de sexing and vaccinating them all (including mum)! If I find a good deal at a vet I'll probably get them. We live in the country and since our other cat died the rats have been going mad... Plus one cat us NOT enough

 I do agree with Paulines recommendations so far.

Re the other cat, if they ARE best  friends, take them both.  If they arent, think twice...

Im somewhat in a hurry now, I will reread and write more later.

Good luck!

We recently adopted a cat who came to us to have her kittens.  We used an unoccupied bedroom because we also had other cats and didn't want her to be disturbed.  This way, she had a nice, quiet, dark room all to herself.

 A laundry basket is a good idea to keep them from spreading out too much.  We used an empty dresser drawer, which was lower so the mama could get in and out easier.  

I think it would be better to take the cat before she has the kittens so she can scope the place out and know that it is safe.  She might get overly protective of her young ones if you put her in an unfamiliar place after the birth.

Thanks you all, yes we also gave a spare room where she could be on her own or maybe with her other friend if we got him too. They could share for a few days then slowly get out and meet our existing puss. ...

Thanks you all, yes we also gave a spare room where she could be on her own or maybe with her other friend if we got him too. They could share for a few days then slowly get out and meet our existing puss. ...

So we got the girl. We set up a room for her with a window that opens onto the cat run. For now she'll just be in the room, then we'll give her access to the run. She was doing great and getting pats and purring then she saw our other cat through the window and now she's just growling the while time! Poor thing! Surprisingly our other cat hasn't let out a single hiss or growl, just meowing. I think he'd like to make friends... Hope they settle soon!

I really wouldn't try to get them to make friends while she is pregnant and looking after her kittens.  Cats with new kittens are usually very protective and will take on anything they think is a threat to the kittens.  What you can do until the kittens are weaned and in their new homes and she is spayed is scent exchanges - keep swapping their bedding around.

BTW she doesn't need a dark room, just a room with some dark places with nests that she can choose from.

I would also not let a new cat meet my existing ones for a couple of weeks in case it has something infections.  Has she been checked for fleas and wormed?

tatum hills said:

So we got the girl. We set up a room for her with a window that opens onto the cat run. For now she'll just be in the room, then we'll give her access to the run. She was doing great and getting pats and purring then she saw our other cat through the window and now she's just growling the while time! Poor thing!

Click to expand...

That window, although a hotell guest would pay you extra for it, may be not so good for her.  Seeing other cat is not so calming for her at this moment.   Better set something for this window, so she isnt worried by the looks...

Unknown cats visible through the window is the classical cause for worries, may give for example "redirected aggression". It can get quite violent. You dont wan that.

I also agree with Shunras points.

Good luck!

Thank you all. I just checked them both this morning. My cat is still meowing, but they were both quiet all night. She has stopped growling and came for a long pat and cuddle. She's not due for a few weeks yet, I don't think but the room as dark and light spots with a variety of beds to choose from.

I don't think she's ever been to the vet so we'll need to fix that but it's too cold for fleas where we are and I am not too worried about infections as we are in the country and there are feral cats and my cat goes out roaming anyway. He is fully vaccinated. As for worms if she has them and my cat gets them they are easy fix, but we'll sort her out, compatibly with the pregnancy. All seems well so far

It is important to worm against roundworms during pregnancy with a cat that's been out and about, and to worm the mother and kittens at 3, 6 & 9 weeks.  Roundworms can 'encyst' - hide in cysts where wormers can't reach them.  They reactivate with the hormonal changes of pregnancy and delivery, and can travel to the kittens in her milk.  I'm also not convinced there is anywhere 'too cold for fleas'.  Bet you heat your house...

Ok I warmed everybody and treated for fleas just because we are getting into Spring. It really is rare to see fleas here, though and I normally only treat if I see them which has only happened once in over a decade. Anyway still waiting for kittens... Not long now I guess...

5 kittens finally arrived overnight. Mum and bubs all doing well

Oh they look gorgeous

What a cute bunch! Best wishes to them!

Thank you... To be honest they look like rats but the best kind! Very cute looks like there are 4 tabbies with various degrees of white and one mostly black one. How early can you tell gender?