Pregnant momma or daddy?

There is a bunch of cats in our apartment basement. One cat had already had kittens. About 4 weeks ago, this beautiful gray cat came up. Automatically she felt comfortable which was surprising Since she has never seen us and she was a stray. She looked pretty swollen so i made her a bed and put some towels up to give her a little privacy. She is licking her "area" a lot and is having trouble jumping down from our porch. She is really sweet with the kittens from the other mom. But a few days ago me and my step mom noticed she had... Balls. We were shocked. If she was a dad we are suprised that she had balls and. Was so big. We never seen her before and we always watch them eat and dont leave any out over night. The only thing we havent seen is her tits. But we never the her belly just the sides. She is also eating more than the other cats.




Please help!! And we are definatly getting her or him fixed but not until the kittens come. Then she will come inside and we will send them to petsmart or the SPCA.

Well he/she does not look pregnant to me, looks like a well fed normal sized cat which make me wonder if it really is a stray and not someone's lost pet.

If he has testicals he is defiantly a boy. He probably waiting for the cat that had kittens to come back into heat. Which will be very very soon within the next couple of weeks max and she will then have kittens again. If he or any other male gets near her.

@GemsGem   It isnt someones pet and the moms other kittens are about 5mths old. But I am not sure that they are testicles because they are really high. They are right under the tail and higher than normal. My first time that I saw him he seemed really swollen. He is sleeping a lot and hasn't gotten out of his bed unless he needed to eat. But the other strays are his size but he is bigger around and it isn't fat. I am just wondering if the testicle isnt a testicle and its a tumor cause I only saw one. and my step mom, the one who pointed it out, only saw one as well.  He also breaths really heavy. and can barely fit through  the bars of the porch. And he got big really fast. He gained about 3 pounds in a week. And when we  open the sliding glass door, the other cats jump down with no hesitation. But he/she is really cautious. My step mom is starting to wonder if he has FelineLukemia?

Erm... He/she does not sound well at all shouldn't be breathing heavy wether pregnant or not.

Would it be possible to take a photo of this lump by his bum and post it on here ?

I could try but she keeps her tail down. And she just jumped down.  I think we should trap her/him and take her to the vet or somewhere. Any ideas or methods?? I hope we can because I'm really worried. She was kinda shaking when she jumped down, her legs weren't steady. @GemsGem

Yes, a visit to a decent vet seems definitely in order, whatever it is.

Good luck!

Illgraykitty.   Are you not sure if you can get himher into a carrier?   try gently at first.  If he goes in, all well. 

Have a towel on the carrier so it seems like a dark, cozy hide place.  Also during the transport.

Do the try as soon as you can, not 15 minutes before you must travel to the vet.

If he is luckily in a carrier, he can wait there several hours if need be. Strays are used to hide in a hole if necessary many long hours.

If he doesnt go in volutarily, try and wrap him in a towel like a burrito.  Wrapped up, he ceases resistance.

If necessary, let the carrier stand up, opening up, and leave him down into the opening. It is easier this way.

Or if you have a carrier with roof opening up, take him in through the roof.

Another  option is to use a laundry basket.  Here in Sweden a very common laundry basket is a big plastical cylinder, with holes in the sides, and a cap to set on.    I presume such ones are also in most other modern countries.

They are useful as emergency carrier!   Also, as the opening is big, it is easier to have in a reluctant guest.

Have something soft on the bottom of the carrier, and let him in...   Tape securely the cap, so he cant jump out, nor wriggle out.

Him being sick / weak, he probably wont do any violent resistance, as he knows you are friendly, and he seems to be a friendly fellow.    Cats in need do often understand they are in need, and cooperates if you are trying to help them.

Like he apparently does at your place.

Btw, I dont think it is Felv or similiar.  May be a tumour as you suggested.

He has no big cheeks, so he is not one of these dominating, territorial toms.

But still, be careful. Put on thick clothes and gloves. Preferably also glasses / protective googles. 

But be sure these clothes have your / his smell, so he doenst get scared by unused smells.

Good luck!

Great advice and tips form StefanZ. You really need to get her to the vets. Hopefully if she not feeling to good she won't put up too much of a fight getting her in the carrier. Try wrapping her in a blanket then shove her in the carrier very quickly.

Do let us know how you get on

@StefanZ  Well she is a stray so she wont go into a carrier. And we don't have a carrier.  Any suggestions on using a box and food or something??

Do you know anybody who has got a carrier ? That you could borrow ?

How do you plan to get her to the vet for spaying (or him for neutering, as the case may be)? You NEED a carrier if you're going to be helping stray cats. Walmart has a pretty good one for about $20 for the medium (regular cat size), about $35 for the large one (I prefer a nice big carrier). Menards also has good prices for carriers. Don't buy a carrier from a pet store---$$$$!

lilgraykitty said:

 
@StefanZ  Well she is a stray so she wont go into a carrier. And we don't have a carrier.  Any suggestions on using a box and food or something??

Click to expand...

You dont have such a plastic laundy basket I did mentioned?  Or any of your neigbours?

If you dont have neither, I suppose a tree or plastic box should be OK.  Just make sure there are holes for air passage.  And tape in / wire in the cap, so shehe cant wriggle out.  When they feel trapped and get desperate, they can get surprising strengh...   she hopefully wont being sick, but  its only the secured who is safe, as the proverb says, "the secured is protected by God our Lord"

And as said, wrap her up in a thick towel or blanket.  This ia a common trick, used also for home cats who hate to be nail clipped, so you arent treachous nor cruel.

*vibes!*

Willowy said:

How do you plan to get her to the vet for spaying (or him for neutering, as the case may be)? You NEED a carrier if you're going to be helping stray cats. Walmart has a pretty good one for about $20 for the medium (regular cat size), about $35 for the large one (I prefer a nice big carrier). Menards also has good prices for carriers. Don't buy a carrier from a pet store---$$$$!

Click to expand...

If there are several models to choose among, try to find one where you can lift off the roof.  Very practical to sink in reluctant cats through the ruff, its much easier than to show it in horisontally.   Or if the cat is defensive, the vet can give shots from above, with the cat still feeling safe in the carrier.  For example,  calming shots. Or vaccinating shots.  Or even, when the time comes, the last shot.

Good luck!

@GemsGem   @StefanZ    @Willowy      We have  a laundry basket but it doesn't have a lid. I will just put cardboard over it. what ever works for getting her to the vet.  how should I do this? What method or tips & tricks.

I have used TWO standard U.S. type openplastic  laundry baskets to transport a feral cat to and from the vet many times.  I was lucky, he chose to sleep in it when he was injured, and I gave him a tranquilizer in a piece of turkey bacon so he would be more calm.  nce he was pretty sleepy from that, I took a second laundry basket and put it upside down on top of the one the cat was in and I hitched it with zip ties.    When I got to the vet, we cut the zip ties on one side and opened the top and the vet quickly gave him a shot to put him under so he could treat him.  I then took him home while he was still out of it from the vet's shot, put the laundry basket back in its usual place and cut the rest of the zip ties and removed the top laundry basket.  When he woke up, he was fine because he was in the "bed" he had chosen in exactly the place it was supposed to be.  He had to go to the vet every 5 days for about 5 weeks for dressing changes (both front legs were bandaged from toe to elbow.)  The laundry basket technique was perfect.  -- there is no way anyone could have gotten that cat into a carrier while he was conscious!  As he recovered and only one leg was still bandaged, one day he was NOT in the basket, so I had to catch him -- I just put one basket over him and slid a big piece of plexiglass underneath him, then had to flip the thing, like catching a bug in a glass, and quickly put the second basket on top, but that only happened once.  Still, you could do somethng like this with your cat.

I don't think cardboard is going to be secure enough. 2 laundry baskets zip-tied together, sure, but what are you going to do if she bends/rips the cardboard halfway to the vet and starts running crazed and terrified around the car? :/ I can't really recommend that.

Cool!!! Thanks that helps a lot!! What kind of food should I use to get her to come? She is too scared to just come up to me or anyone.   @Red Top Rescue

Try something like tuna

@Willowy  The ccardboard is just uuntil we can get her inside.

@GemsGem   ok pperfect!