when is my cat due? i'm worried

Hi all,

So here's the story. On February 23rd I adopted a cat from a stranger. She told me she had found the cat (probably abandoned) at a gas station. She took her home and began to search for a home for her. She said she had her about a month prior to handing her over to me. I took her but I couldn't help notice the cat had large nipples and her tummy felt a bit round. I asked her if she was pregnant and she said she didn't know. I took the cat home and boy does she eat. 2 weeks ago, her kittens started moving. She's huge now and it feels a bit creepy when she lays on me lol. There is no doubt she's pregnant. I'm worried though because I've never had a cat, her nipples have swelled since 2 weeks ago and she shows no signs of delivering soon. Could she be over due? I'm worried that it's been over a month since I got her and I have no idea how pregnant she was when I got her. I don't want her to have complications. I will definitely have her spayed after about 4 weeks of her delivering. I've read they reproduce rather quickly. Does anyone have an idea of how long she will take to deliver? She looks young. She's a black cat. I'm assuming some type of short hair. She's not a Bombay for sure.

Can you post photos of her and her belly? Sounds like she farther then 5 weeks but photos will help

4 weeks is too early to spay her as the kittens are just starting to be wean, try to do it when the kittens are fully weaned and wait another two weeks for her milk to dry up

Thank you for telling me that. I didn't know. These are the best pics I could take of her. She doesn't let me touch her belly since yesterday

Ok when you touch her bellyhow did it felt?

She looks 8 or 9 weeks, i would post links but i am going to let our expert StefanZ do that when and if he sees this thread, he will be able to give you better info and confirm how far she is.

It felt hard and I can feel the kittens move. But it seems to bother her when I touch the lower part of her belly. She actually tried to bite me and she's not a biter. The pictures don't show how she actually looks. She looks like she swallowed a volleyball when she walks

Ok i say she 9 weeks so Any day she could give birth, have you check for milk? How her behavior? Is she restless? Licking herself a lot?

No that's why I'm worried. I made her a box. She didn't acknowledge it. She's not restless. She doesn't lick herself more than usual grooming. She eats well. The only difference is her trying to bite me. She used to want me to run her belly. Now she gets angry. No milk comes out of her nipples but the area surrounding the last 2 nipples and the area surrounding the first 2 nipples are puffy like if she was actually lactating

When i ask about licking i meant is she licking her genital area alot? Where the box? Looks like she going to have them week. Sorry we can't give you the exact day she will have them. It a waiting game

No she doesn't lick her genitals. I've moved the box to different rooms. But she just want to be laying in the hallway. I tried putting the box there too but she just doesn't want it.

Thank you so much for replying. I just worried that she may be overdue.

She probably won't show interest in the box until she looking for a place that she feels is safe to have them. If you could make few more boxes so she can choose.

Great idea. Thank you

Anywhere will be fine just as long it will be calm and peaceful and the most important is that she feels safe in that area

She is beautiful, feel free to post some photos here http://www.thecatsite.com/t/268663/black-cats-only

jam82 said:

Hi all,

So here's the story. On February 23rd I adopted a cat from a stranger. She told me she had found the cat (probably abandoned) at a gas station. She took her home and began to search for a home for her. She said she had her about a month prior to handing her over to me. I took her but I couldn't help notice the cat had large nipples and her tummy felt a bit round. I asked her if she was pregnant and she said she didn't know. I took the cat home and boy does she eat. 2 weeks ago, her kittens started moving. She's huge now and it feels a bit creepy when she lays on me lol. There is no doubt she's pregnant. I'm worried though because I've never had a cat, her nipples have swelled since 2 weeks ago and she shows no signs of delivering soon. Could she be over due? I'm worried that it's been over a month since I got her and I have no idea how pregnant she was when I got her. I don't want her to have complications. I will definitely have her spayed after about 4 weeks of her delivering. I've read they reproduce rather quickly. Does anyone have an idea of how long she will take to deliver? She looks young. She's a black cat. I'm assuming some type of short hair. She's not a Bombay for sure.

Click to expand...

So its nearing!  Any day now essentially.  The saying is, you begin to feel them moving two weeks before delivery.   But some forumites tell they began to feel almost three weeks before.  So it prob depends on how often you are looking...  If you rub and search the tummy every day, or just sometimes...

As MrWallace mentioned, the exact delivery isnt easy to know.  There are signs you could watch out for to be sure, like beginning to lactace, but none of these signs are really reliable.  So its essentially to wait and see.   And prepare as well you can, of course.

They often take to the nesting box very late, or even after delivery.  Their instincts is, not to get their chosen nest smelly, before its absolutely necessary.

But she will be easier of mind if she knows there are safe and good places to have her kittens in.   so prepare some places.

Anyway, cats seems to manage a little too late delivery quite well, better than humans.  While the opposite, too early delivery, are dangerous for the kittens.   Unlike humans, more than a couple of days too early, and it may be disastrous.

The last one, two, three  days before delivery, her belly will prob  "drop", she will suddenly seem to get smaller, and you will not feel the kittens move as clearly as before.

You do have got yourself a real beautie!  She is sweet too!

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.

Thank you! I shall wait patiently [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Keep us updated on how she is doing and the kittens when they comes

I certainly will. I'm so excited!

It good idea to get some milk replacer if she don't produce milk or enough. Our experts recommends KMR by PetAg but any kitten milk replacer will do fine or goat milk, raw goat milk is best. It good to be prepared

Thank you! If I get goat milk, do I have to dilute it?