Pregnant cat temp help?!

Ok so about a month ago we took in a cat. She had clearly been someone's cat but looked like she had been out for a while. We tried to find an owner but no luck so I decided to keep her and took her to the vet.
During the exam the vet informed me that she was pregnant.
He estimated her due date was the 25th of July (yesterday), he suggested I take her temperature to have a better idea of when the kittens were coming.

Anyways...

I took her temp at 9am yesterday and it had dropped to 99.4 (yay kittens!?) - then I took it this morning when she hadn't had any kittens or shown any signs of labour and it's back to 101.1

Is that normal or what? The vet never told me about this - also I did call the office but just got the phone help - she said that she could call the vet in if I thought it was an emergency but jinx (my cat) doesn't seem to be in distress, just a bit restless (like she can't find a place to get comfortable)
this is Jinx, the 'stray' cat

Nay, its no emergency.   Its true, normally the temp is slightly above 100F,  and drops to slightly under 100.  Its good of course to know what her normal temp is, as it may partly vary in each individual...

Next,  even if it is an useful trick, its not entirely reliable...   You must wait anyway...   The luck is, cats manage a little too long pregnancies better than humans, so dont worry its just to wait.   As long as she is fine and no troubles, you dont need to worry either.

Last, measuring in the behind, as is the common, is more or less stressing.   So we dont recommend this, unless it happens to be really important for you to know the exact temperature.

There is also milder  akternatives, not so exact but milder.

One is these modern quick ear termometers.  The second is to measure in the armpit of the foreleg.

The temp will be lower about 3F  compared with the behind.      And its extra wise to know the normal temp here, to know when it drops.

Because all standard tabelles you see on the internet tells about the temp taken in the behind...

So, my advice is, wait and see,   Worry first if she has a prolonged labor, raised temp, or  almost any other troubles you dont want to see.

Good luck!

Thank you so much. I'll leave her be then. I wasn't even going to take her temperature but the first time I did she just layed there however I'm ok with the wait as long as she lets me know if she's unwell lol
I just worry because I didn't want her to go over (especially since we don't know for sure when she got pregnant) but I will stop worrying and let nature take it's course.

Thank you for your reassuring reply

obaynne said:

I just worry because I didn't want her to go over (especially since we don't know for sure when she got pregnant) but I will stop worrying and let nature take it's course.

 

Click to expand...

Yeah, here is the crucial point.    And  my scary scenario giving me nightmares.

A scared owner rushes to the vet talking about cesarean.   Vet knows everything about cesarean, he is good at it, he is asked to do it - so he does the cutting.   Owner is scared, because she has learned a too long pregnancy is very dangerous.   That is so with humans, so it must be so with cats, no?

Mom will be fine after a skilled done cesarean, of course.   

If the kittens are done, the natural delivery would anyways happen in 24 hours - yes, they will be fine too.  

But if the kittens arent ready - they wont make it.  At very best they will be very weak prematures, leaving you with a heavy uphill fight.  And mom probably uninterested - she is not only cut, but she wasnt ready for them as yet...  The hormones, the milk  are not ready.

This is unlike humans.  Human babies may survive already after 6-7 of the 9 months.   At a first class hospital even somewhat earlier.

But not so the kittens.   More than 3 days too early = "game over".    Even 2-3 days isnt to recommend.

But as compensation,  it seems they do manage a little too long pregnancy better than humans.   

So, my advice is.  If you think there is a real risk for mothers life - dont hesitate, away to the vet and let him cut.

But if it is "just"  a long waiting game -  observe closely - problems does happen sometimes - but as a rule of thumb wait it out.

If there seems to be problems - contact your vet of course, but dont demand  immediate surgery  just for the sake of it. 

   In humans a cesarean is sometimes almost a standard procedure to ensure a safe delivery.  Even if its not really needed.

Many words,  I hope you get the picture.  

I totally her what you are saying! That would be very scary. To put your mind at ease about this situation I would not accept a c-section unless I could see there wa something wrong, and even before then I would request an ultrasound (I'd refused with our first visit because I didn't care how many kittens she was having - and that was how the vet posed it) I feel like I have a very good vet he's always been very open about the typical results of things and if it's worth doing (I.e blood work, X-rays, etc.) a few years ago I took in a lot of strays to him for checkups and shots etc. So we have a decent relationship.

But any who- no worried about an unneeded cesarian! I'll wait longer and worry less! Lol