Pregnant stray/feral cat?

Hello fellow cat crazies! 

My predicament: 

For the past several months I have been leaving cat food on my patio (I live in an apartment) because I noticed a few cats running around. When I started to leave food out I saw at least 6 different cats coming to eat and one opossum. One cat that comes regularly is a small female, white with buff patches on her back, a dark brown striped tail and blue eyes. She's really quite petite and unique looking. I think she is still kittenish- maybe a year old. She was VERY skittish at first and would run off as soon as she saw me come to the door. 

The last 6-8 weeks there has been a male coming too. He is clearly someone's pet that they let out at night and he is not neutered. He lets me pick him up and pet him, he even loves on my small dog. Here is the kicker- for the last 6 weeks or so, every time he comes around she is with him. she LOVES him, I have never seen cat behavior like this before. She literally follows him wherever he goes, eats from the bowl while he eats, rubs her face on him, grooms him, it is totally bizarre! 

Lately I have been sitting outside when they show up at night and trying to touch her. She will eat treats that I toss towards her, and she will even come up and eat from the food bowl that's right next to me IF he is on the porch with me. She is VERY vocal. I always know when they are outside because she is constantly mewing. She has never hissed or growled at me. If she is eating and I reach out and softly touch her she starts to knead her paws and acts like she likes it but the second she looks up and sees that its my hand touching her she darts back out of reach. She will stay just out of the railing on my patio and watch me while I sit out there with her boyfriend. Sometimes she will come up and eat or come up and lay with him while I am out there, but if she thinks I am going to try and touch her she darts out of reach. 

The past week I have noticed she has become rather large around the middle and I am quite certain she is pregnant. As I said, she was very petite before and I think she is still a kitten- her belly is really round, not like my inside cats, their fat hangs further back between their back legs and it "hangs" hers looks more solid and is further up in the middle of her body. When she sits she looks triangle shaped from behind. 

ANYWAY- I know you all were wondering if their was a question here- 

Does this sound like a feral cat to you? At first I thought she was, but now that I see her around her boyfriend I think maybe she has just been a stray for a while. 

Also, should I try to bring her inside since she is pregnant? as I said I live in an apartment (2bdrm 2bath approx 1100sq ft) and I already have 5 (YES FIVE!) cats and a small dog living inside. (epitome of crazy cat lady I know!) Its just my husband and myself as far as humans go, so I COULD put her in our extra bedroom that also has a walk in closet- but I don't want to stress her out- and I wonder if my other cats sticking their paws under the door and making noise and the smell of them might stress her out too much. 

What do you guys think? 

I will try to get a good picture of her tonight if I can. 

Thanks cat people! your feedback is much appreciated! 

Bless you for what you do, you are a very kind person to help the unwanted. It would be wonderful if you could take her in, even if she was someone's pet she obviously is left outside to fend for herself. It might stress her a little at the beginning but eventually she would come around. You might try to find her a good home through posters or free on the radio. I've found good homes for strays through the vet's office too, they took in a mama and 5 babies and neutered and spayed them all! Good luck, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

brashterson said:

 
Hello fellow cat crazies! 

My predicament: 

For the past several months I have been leaving cat food on my patio (I live in an apartment) because I noticed a few cats running around. When I started to leave food out I saw at least 6 different cats coming to eat and one opossum. One cat that comes regularly is a small female, white with buff patches on her back, a dark brown striped tail and blue eyes. She's really quite petite and unique looking. I think she is still kittenish- maybe a year old. She was VERY skittish at first and would run off as soon as she saw me come to the door. 

The last 6-8 weeks there has been a male coming too. He is clearly someone's pet that they let out at night and he is not neutered. He lets me pick him up and pet him, he even loves on my small dog. Here is the kicker- for the last 6 weeks or so, every time he comes around she is with him. she LOVES him, I have never seen cat behavior like this before. She literally follows him wherever he goes, eats from the bowl while he eats, rubs her face on him, grooms him, it is totally bizarre! 

Lately I have been sitting outside when they show up at night and trying to touch her. She will eat treats that I toss towards her, and she will even come up and eat from the food bowl that's right next to me IF he is on the porch with me. She is VERY vocal. I always know when they are outside because she is constantly mewing. She has never hissed or growled at me. If she is eating and I reach out and softly touch her she starts to knead her paws and acts like she likes it but the second she looks up and sees that its my hand touching her she darts back out of reach. She will stay just out of the railing on my patio and watch me while I sit out there with her boyfriend. Sometimes she will come up and eat or come up and lay with him while I am out there, but if she thinks I am going to try and touch her she darts out of reach. 

The past week I have noticed she has become rather large around the middle and I am quite certain she is pregnant. As I said, she was very petite before and I think she is still a kitten- her belly is really round, not like my inside cats, their fat hangs further back between their back legs and it "hangs" hers looks more solid and is further up in the middle of her body. When she sits she looks triangle shaped from behind. 

ANYWAY- I know you all were wondering if their was a question here- 

Does this sound like a feral cat to you? At first I thought she was, but now that I see her around her boyfriend I think maybe she has just been a stray for a while. 

Also, should I try to bring her inside since she is pregnant? as I said I live in an apartment (2bdrm 2bath approx 1100sq ft) and I already have 5 (YES FIVE!) cats and a small dog living inside. (epitome of crazy cat lady I know!) Its just my husband and myself as far as humans go, so I COULD put her in our extra bedroom that also has a walk in closet- but I don't want to stress her out- and I wonder if my other cats sticking their paws under the door and making noise and the smell of them might stress her out too much. 

What do you guys think? 

I will try to get a good picture of her tonight if I can. 

Thanks cat people! your feedback is much appreciated! 

Click to expand...

 My guess is she is really a point.  Although the masque is sometimes not easy to see if its cream or very light read.

Nice she is such a friend with the tom...  Yes, its not unique cats live in pairs, sometimes even in family groups.

So use this tom as your intermediaire and ambassadeur as much you can.  Pet him, leave your smells on him...  

If she sees you and him are best friends, she will easier accept you.

I agree with your thoughts and  Di and Bob above it would be swell if you took her in.

Now when she begins to be high preg, she begins to understand she needs help for her kittens.   And thus, as soon she lands at your place and calms herself, she will see this is the best practical chance for her children.  Cat moms are here exactly alike human moms.  The welfare of her children is more important than "freedom".

How to get her in?   Perhaps let her friend lead the way in...  Otherwise try to rig up a carrier.  In last hand, use a towel around her.

What you NOT shall do is to try at grab her by force and catch as catch can - THIS is traumatizing and potentially dangerous for both you and her children.

Send her to a shelter?   Nay.  If the shelter isnt very good and or has foster homes lined up and prepared, she will almost surely be pts.   A routine in many, perhaps most shelters.

Semiferal and high preg?  Gas chamber next.

Re your leaving out food.  Please consider to plan for spaying of strays.   How, is the next question and step.

Also, often it is not so good idea to give food to cats who do have a home.  There is some risk they do become strays, or dont want to eat home...

I will send some links:

Good luck!

Most of these links have been readied by our forumist  Red Top Rescue:

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 regarding birth, delivery and newborns for you here.  After reading this information, let us know if you have any more questions.  And good luck with your approaching new arrivals.

Birth, Delivery and Newborns

How to Tell if My Cat is Pregnant?

Cat Pregnancy

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

Pregnant Cat? What to Prepare For the Birth

Help! My Cat is Having Kittens!

Premature Kittens

Post-Birth Complications in Cats

And also:

http://www.icatcare.org/advice/my-cat-having-kittens     ( This is a link to a group of articles on cat pregnancy, birth and kittens.   Read the ones on normal cat birth and on " when to wait and when to worry"  )  

Fleece or flannel good to use in the bedding for kittens.

Thanks guys, 

so last night she let me pet her! YAYYY!!! 

brashterson said:

her boyfriend is also in one of the pictures. I have a collar on him and call him Neptune. I really think he is someone's cat because he is so friendly, he even likes my dog. But he is out every night and isn't fixed. Should I take him and get him fixed even though he is probably someones pet? 

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There are semiferale toms who are quite friendly to humans.  So it is not 100% he is a home cat.    (Observe the same human friendly tom may beat up your residents, if you try with introduction too early - our forumist and co-advisor  JennyR can  witness on that)

And thus,  THIS will be your shield for neutering him, if anybody notices his empty sacks,  and protests.

We are far from being an Advisor connected to the very high standard TCS to urge people do anything unlawful.  But as said -  if the chances are excellent he is homeless stray, you are feeding him and his wife, also giving some protection -  AND you are willing to take on you the trouble and cost to spay -

the responsibility but also the honours, are yours, MadameSir.

Another  point of view some of our forumists take, is to say, if he trespass my property, and is unneutered, and no sign he is a purebreed professional stud,  I have the right to treat him as I wish.  Including neutering.

Think it over and make your own, responsible decision.   

ps.   The girl is a mitted point, I think, ie point with lotsa of white.   They are called sometimes for BiColor.

That coloring isnt unusual with Ragdolls, but not so common with other points.

Yes I think I will have him neutered. I live in Tennessee and there is a leash law- even with cats. Thanks- she is a cutie- never heard of the mitted point before. I wonder if any of the kittens will be point/pointed? I have always loved that coloration!

SIDE NOTE:

I am also really REALLY worried about diseases- distemper, leukemia, HIV. The cats don't appear sick at all- I am hoping to have the girl tested for HIV/Leukemia before I bring her inside. But I am suddenly REALLY worried about distemper. I read it can be transferred on clothing and live for a really long time. I have 2 kittens right now that are about 16 weeks old and they have only had their 1st round of distemper boosters and are about to have their 2nd round next week.  My adult cats had distemper boosters when they were spayed/neutered but that has been 2-4 years. 

Am I being overly paranoid? or is this something I should be seriously concerned with? any experience with distemper?

brashterson said:

. I wonder if any of the kittens will be point/pointed? I have always loved that coloration!

Click to expand...

For this, the kitten must get point gene from both parents, as the point gene is recessive.   If the father has a point gene, half of the kittens will be pointed, half just carriers.

If he has not a point gene, they will all be carriers, but nobody will be pointed.

brashterson said:

 
SIDE NOTE:

I am also really REALLY worried about diseases- distemper, leukemia, HIV. The cats don't appear sick at all- I am hoping to have the girl tested for HIV/Leukemia before I bring her inside. But I am suddenly REALLY worried about distemper. I read it can be transferred on clothing and live for a really long time. I have 2 kittens right now that are about 16 weeks old and they have only had their 1st round of distemper boosters and are about to have their 2nd round next week.  My adult cats had distemper boosters when they were spayed/neutered but that has been 2-4 years. 

Am I being overly paranoid? or is this something I should be seriously concerned with? any experience with distemper?

Click to expand...

Distemper is highly contagious.  So you do have absolutely right to be very wary.  But as you say, these cats seems totally healthy, and you have observed them long enough.

Let them be for themselves in a quarantine room several days before you introduce them to your residents, to be more sure.

So, as long you take normal precautions, it "shouldnt" be dangerously. 

Hiv isnt very contagious, and with a friendly cat its fully possible to let it live with non infected cats if they are good pals everyone.

Felv is more contagious than Hiv and you must know exactly what to do, to even try and have such a cat  and you having residents

Being tom, THIS is the real danger, so the girl will be prob OK, but the danger is for the tom. as both Felv and Hiv spreads by bites..

So, if the budget is limited, test in first hand the tom.

Good luck!

Ok guys, so Khaleesi let me pick her up, she didn't like it, but she did not hiss, claw, scratch, she squirmed a little but i still count it as a success! 

I pulled a tick off of her, it was not attached, just in her fur. That makes me worried about what kind of parasites she may have, I think I will put some frontline on her. 

So here is the question- WHEN DO I BRING HER INSIDE TO HAVE HER KITTENS?

I want to time it as close as possible- Like I said before, I live in an apartment and have 5 cats and a dog inside already, so I don't want her hanging out locked in the guest bedroom for 2 weeks before she has her kittens because I think that would suck for her. I also don't want to wait too late and her have them somewhere and me not be able to find them. 

When I feel her stomach I do NOT feel any movement from the kittens, nor do I see any shifting when she lays on her side. However, her nipples are enlarged and prominent when she is laying down I can see them sticking out from her fur. She still has a healthy appetite. What do you guys think?

Here are the pics of her on her side... 

What do you guys think? She is pregnant yes? I'm not crazy? I do not see movement... 

?