My *possibly* pregnant cat, Valentine- what do you guys think?

This is Valentine.

 
She is nine months old, and is one of our two outdoor barn cats. Both outdoor cats (her and a male) are unfixed, because we were hoping that they would breed before we eventually neuter them- we need more barn cats, the pack rats are particularly bad this year, and all the shelters in the area have a no-outside rule for adopting cats (we adopted our three indoor cats from the shelter, though! 
When she gets inside the house, she heads right for a covered table beside my bed. When she's outside, she hides out in the cat house, which is pretty high up (8 feet in the air.) If she is pregnant, should we move her inside when it's about time for her to be due? 


This isn't our first rodeo, we've had pregnant queens before and helped with births from previous barn cat generations. But in previous years, birthing just kind of "happened." We didn't know that the neighbors had an unfixed male until our two cats (this was about eight years ago) were too pregnant for us to do a spay-abort. Those two females were quickly spayed after their kittens were born, though. Today, I'm just looking for a second opinion on if Valentine is pregnant, and if so, how far along she is. Thanks a lot, everyone! I'll keep y'all updated on her! 

 

We have a good collection of articles in the Cat Health section which you can access by scrolling up to the brown bar, clicking on Articles,and then choosing the Cat Health section and scrolling through the choices.  To make this super easy for you, I am copying the links in here.  I know you said you already had birth experience, but I'm just gibing you the whole collection.  The first two articles cover how to tell if your cat is pregnant and when to expect kittens.  You asked if you should bring her in, and it sounds like she is telling you clearly that she really wants to be inside the people house and that the covered table beside your bed is a really nice cave that she likes.  I think she knows best.  She and the babies will be safer inside, and she can train them to be barn kittens much later.  If they are born outside, socialization won't be so easy.  Also, if she's inside, you can get her spayed before she gets pregnant again.  I have one here whose kittens are just 6 weeks and she's in heat already!

Birth, Delivery and Newborns

View media item 212113Cat Pregnancy

How to Tell if My Cat is Pregnant?

Pregnant Cat? What to Prepare For the Birth

Help! My Cat is Having Kittens!

Post-Birth Complications in Cats

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

Premature Kittens

I totally second Red Tops answer.  I too say, let her be inside now, especiely as she herself wish it.  It will also be easier to socialize the kittens and make them adoptable - both as mousers AND as people company loving cats.

I understanding your reason for making sure you get an own litter. 

But, such place as yours is gold worth  for cats in need!  Too good to throw away!

A barn full of mice, cats welcome to chase them and be there. These cats being well taking care off by loving people.  They may be shy semiferale, they may be fully socialized.   as long as they are decent mousers they are warmthly welcome.

There are lotsa of cats who would need such a place!   Shy semiferales, too old to be  fostered succesfully into homecats.

Cats who dont manage the litter well, and so on.

dont seek after kittens to adopt, and honestly explain they are to be mainly barn cats.

Do say as it is: shy semiferales are welcome to a very good position for them!   full care and people help is assured and quranteed for your working cats!   Social security payed for, and also allowed to be members with the Union. 

Possibly you shall not talk with shelters working mainly with tame cats.  talk with shelters and rescue groups working with semiferales...

Good luck!

Pamela Derouen said:

 
Now that she is pregnant I would make her an inside cat.  But please get her fixed after the kittens are weaned. There are so many feral  cats that need homes!   They make awesome barn cats!! 

Click to expand...

We were planning to, don't worry.  

We live about 40 miles from the nearest town, way out in the desert. All the feral cats are in town, and when we have tried to bring them out here as barn cats, they run away or they don't know how to get up high, away from coyotes. It's sad, but we need kittens who are raised in the desert and know the desert so they don't die.  

Oh ..I understand now!  Yes that would be a problem!    

It's been two weeks, and Val has really grown! She waddles a bit when she walks, and it eating a lot more. Pics from this morning- 


(The gray tabby with her is the daddy of her babies!)

I think we're about a week out. She has lost hair around her nipples, which are much, much bigger than they were even a few days ago. She spends a lot of time in her nest, and eats like a maniac. She often licks her nether regions, and is always trying to get comfortable, poor baby! She's also way, way, way more affectionate- I went outside to care for the chickens, and she twined around my legs and rolled up on her back to be rubbed, and when I sat down, she hopped right up in my lap and started cuddling under my chin, totally not normal behavior for this barn cat. I'll remember to post pictures when things start really happening! 

OK, I'm going to amend my previous post... I was back outside, checking on her nest and refilling her water bowl... and I think she's having contractions! She was flopped down and panting, and I watched as her belly suddenly seized up! And then, about ten minutes later... it happened again! I'm keeping an eye on her, but I think we may be closer than I thought.