Need some advice from experienced owners of pregnant cats, please!

Hello there!

I just signed up for this site because I'm having some questions about my cat! I adopted a cat, Meadow, from a lady on April 16th.  She told me that Meadow (a siamese mix) was about 7/8 months.  But she also said she was born around Christmas of 2014.  So the timeline doesn't add up.  When I got her, she didn't look pregnant at all.  However, in the next days/weeks, her belly has gotten much larger.  I didn't even think she could be pregnant as her stomach started to swell; I thought she was still too young.  Her poo was loose so I thought she had worms or something else was wrong.  Her nipples have been getting larger and I'm been seeing movement within her belly lately.  So I'm not quite sure how far along she is or when exactly her babies will pop out!  Does anyone have some kind of idea with the info I've given?  She's been very affectionate and vocal since I've had her; her favorite place to be is on my neck .  I've put out several boxes with towels around the house hoping she'll use one of those to have her babies.  She's already quite small, still being a very young cat.

My next question is: I'm pretty sure she may have some type of worms.  Her bowels have been loose almost the whole time I've had her.  I've seen her scoot her butt on the ground the last several days as well.  Could the bowels being loose be part of pregnancy?  Does this happen to anyone else?  If it is worms, is it safe to give the tape worm tablets from Petsmart while she's pregnant?  Can her babies get it any way if she isn't treated before the babies come? 

Last one : The lady I got her from had a large family of cats.  I'm not sure how the family system worked..  If she bred with any of her brothers, father, or someone she was related to, what could happen to the kittens if there was inbreeding?  Will there be any symptoms or issues that can possibly ensue?

I've never had a pregnant animal before and am excited but nervous about something going wrong!  Any information will be helpful! Thanks!

rose100 said:

 
Hello there!

I just signed up for this site because I'm having some questions about my cat! I adopted a cat, Meadow, from a lady on April 16th.  She told me that Meadow (a siamese mix) was about 7/8 months.  But she also said she was born around Christmas of 2014.  So the timeline doesn't add up.  When I got her, she didn't look pregnant at all.  However, in the next days/weeks, her belly has gotten much larger.  I didn't even think she could be pregnant as her stomach started to swell; I thought she was still too young.  Her poo was loose so I thought she had worms or something else was wrong.  Her nipples have been getting larger and I'm been seeing movement within her belly lately.  So I'm not quite sure how far along she is or when exactly her babies will pop out!  Does anyone have some kind of idea with the info I've given?  She's been very affectionate and vocal since I've had her; her favorite place to be is on my neck .  I've put out several boxes with towels around the house hoping she'll use one of those to have her babies.  She's already quite small, still being a very young cat.

My next question is: I'm pretty sure she may have some type of worms.  Her bowels have been loose almost the whole time I've had her.  I've seen her scoot her butt on the ground the last several days as well.  Could the bowels being loose be part of pregnancy?  Does this happen to anyone else?  If it is worms, is it safe to give the tape worm tablets from Petsmart while she's pregnant?  Can her babies get it any way if she isn't treated before the babies come? 

Last one : The lady I got her from had a large family of cats.  I'm not sure how the family system worked..  If she bred with any of her brothers, father, or someone she was related to, what could happen to the kittens if there was inbreeding?  Will there be any symptoms or issues that can possibly ensue?

I've never had a pregnant animal before and am excited but nervous about something going wrong!  Any information will be helpful! Thanks!

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RE the timetable, yes its very tight to squeeze in, barely possible, but females getting in heat at about 16 weeks isnt unique.  Esp with lotsa of toms around.  Also, cats doesnt really need to be in heat to get pregnant, they are in part "inductive ovulators", thus a mated female may produce eggs.  And with house full of eager toms she may very well be mated.  Friendly toms mate when they see the female is ready. but quite a few mate because they can and they see the female is without defences...

When you see movement, she has about two weeks left, this is the rough timetable for you.

Worms?  Yes she has surely some.  Surely roundworms (which she can send on to the kittens with the milk), and possibly tape worms, if she had fleas - fleas are an inbetween host.  OTC dewormers bought in Petsmart or similiar may be tricky, some arent good at all.  But some are OK, so you must know what you are buying...

Preparates of  Pyrantel poaomate  are usually safe, good against the common round worm.

If you can buy them at your Pharmacia its safer.

I wont write more, I dont know what you do have exactly in your shops there.

As she is so young, make sure you have contact with a vet.  There may be need for a cesarean, or other complications...   The vet will also advise you on proper dewormers.

Get also home gears for hand raising the kittens, alike kmr or goat milk, needleless syringe of 1 ml, etc...  With such young moms the instincts not always kick in immediately. And if there are complications, she perhaps isnt not able to take care of them properly.

There is probably inbreeding yes, but with a little luck, it will not be very noticeable.

The most common sideeffects is the litter is smaller than with your average moggie, and the kittens are somewhat smaller.   Which both facts are a blessing here.

Please come back with reports and further questions!     A couple of good photos are also welcome!

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.thecatsite.com/a/kitten-development-stages-illustrated-guide

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.

Thanks for replying StefanZ.  I took her to the vet today. They gave me a dewormer pill, Droncit, and said it was safe for pregnant/nursing cats.  Once we got back home, she went to lay on the open floor, which she normally doesn't do.  I gave her the pill and the vet said they should be gone by tomorrow or the next day.  She ate just a little bit and drank hardly any water, although she was panting in the car and breathing hard once we got back.  She's such a little cat but her stomach is huge!

Ow, she is a real prettie.  And may even be a siamese for real, not "just" a mix, guessing by her looks.  The old type, but its typical for BYB breeders.

Some maternity lines of siameses has extra long pregnancy time, even into the 70:ties.   While other breeders swears its largery a myth.

Good you were at the vet.  NOW you are his paying patient, and it will be easier for you to phone and ask  advices, perhaps even for free.  Very useful esp in emergencies.  

Im a little surprised about the dewormer.  Droncit is good, but its for tape worms.  The vet apparently though she could have tape worms - which is very possible, esp in a so so home where there may be fleas.  He perhaps also though she was dewormed with some standard dewormer taking round worms.

If she WAS dewormed properly against roundworms, good and well, but if not, i would recommend you to deworm against roundworms.  Perhaps even twice.

Drontal is the parallell product of Bayer, taking both roundworms and tapeworms.

As doubling up against tape worms is to overdo,  I would suggest some mild Pyrantel (Pyrantel poaomate) preparate.   These are counted as mild and safe.   Just be sure its for cats, and fresh.

Buy at pharmacia if you can, but  they may be OTC in a well sorted petshop, or the pet shelfs of Walmart.   Or some good online-shop.

rose100 said:

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• rose100
• May 7, 2015

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