My baby cat is pregnant :(

Pickles was added to our family in April of 2014. We were told she was 10 weeks but she was so tiny and baby like, who knows. She is around a year old and didn't have her first heat cycle until December. She went missing for several days and we were a mess until she returned on Christmas eve! After that her heat cycles were crazy, almost 1 long continuous streak but the vet didn't want to spay during heat. Idk exactly when she got out bc she is small, sneaky, and fast but we all seem to agree that it hasn't been since at least we got our new puppy 6 weeks ago. We weren't overly concerned about the past because the tom she was found with was also a dilute calico and they are supposed to be sterile! Of course we did our best but I didn't worry about pregnancy due to that and unfortunately we couldn't get her in for a spay before I noticed her belly bulge. She is still small framed and petite like her mother, but with a fat little belly with at least 2 pinked nips. She's not a fan of belly rubs and has such long hair it's hard to see them at all or tell if the hair is thinning. It is more scraggly than usual but still thick and long. The 2 nips I saw are larger than a grain of rice, but similarly shaped and rose pink. My concern, besides a small cat having kittens of course, is that she must be at least 6 weeks along and there is no visible fetal movement. Could the new puppy stress have hurt the babies? Is she just too fluffy to see? I am so stressed out since I saw her side belly bulges and I am obsessively watching her sleep

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/55976/very-small-cat-pregnant

I've never had to go through a kitty pregnancy, but another user had a similar experience. My best advice would be to get a vet's opinion. I hope there's something in this thread that helps you.

Good luck, I hope your baby stays safe!

I read that and feel better about her size. Has anyone gotten a puppy who chased a pregnant cat before knowing? Obviously we stopped him but could stress hurt the babies?

It has been since at least Feb 14 since pickles got out. Best guess is a week or 2 before that. We've been seeing movement since March 26th! She is long haired but we saw twitches. Now the movement is bigger, more like whole body kittens rolling around. She shows no signs of labor and taking temp is not an option. She is eating and kind of playing as usual. When do we worry and take her to the vet? She drags her butt more often after using the litter and lays carefully on her side but other than that, nothing! She is at very minimum 63 days (not really possible), maybe 70, and possibly more than 70. She definitely has not been out since before 2/14!

Does she seems to be in distressed?

If she more then 70 i suggest taking her to a vet

On the plus side, cats seems to manage a little too long  pregnancies better than humans.  The alarmist tales is from the humans, I think.

But they kittensdont manage well prematury deliveries, again unlike humans, where some premature is usually no big deal.

Hers are surely made, as her time is up.  So if you decide to get help from your vet by hormone induced  labor, or by a cesaeran, it shouldnt be a danger for the kittens.

It cooks down in part, to how experienced obstetrician your vet is.   Ie,  what is a safer be, consult and discuss with a so so experienced vet, and take it from there,

or take the plunge and wait and see.

IF you DO have an experienced obstetrician, the choice is easy: phone / visit and discuss through.

You CAN measure her temp, but do it in the armpit of the foreleg.  The temp in there is naturally lower than in the behind, and you wont know the EXACT difference as its individual, but you will get the tendencies.

Im also sending our usual links.

Good luck!

Many 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"  )  

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/
http://www.kittenrescue.org/index.php/cat-care/kitten-care-handbook/
http://www.hdw-inc.com/glop.htm

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

She is in labor! Crying and contracting and panting! Thank you all for easing my mind!

picklesmommy said:

She is in labor! Crying and contracting and panting! Thank you all for easing my mind!

Click to expand...

Splendid!   Holding thumbs!

Please report as soon there are soemthing to report or ask!

4 kittens! All nursing and doing well so far. I think that's it but we will see!

Hooary!!! Keep us updated and let us know if there any problems

How mucb does they weigh?

Congratulations!

Also, the kittens were born on day 65, which is completely normal and the day I personally put as the day the kittens of my girls are born So she was well on time =^^=