Brought in Very Pregnant Stray Cat

We have a large yard with a privacy fence built around for one reason, our two dogs.

We have a neighbor who hates cats, dogs, people, even his wife of 33 years lives in another home on the same block.

Not with him. He patrols the road day and night, looking for 'intruders.' People taking a stroll, strays, or people who drive

and park to look at the water on the lake where we live. He is a very unhappy man. We've been told he sets traps to catch animals.

We have always been responsible dogs owners, but just for our own sense of security...we put up a privacy fence.

The neighbor came through our locked gate by cutting the lock, and stole the side of our fence that bordered his property. He didn't like

that he couldn't see into our yard. The neighbors told us who did this. We called the police, it was replaced.

It was a long night, where we found out how dangerous and entitled this man is. We've never spoke to him, and had not completely moved

into our home yet, not at that time anyway. Now we've been here about a year.

A small cat was sitting outside the fence, it looked starved. My dogs brought my attention to it. I went inside and opened a can of tuna

to bring out for it. I left the dogs inside the house then went outside of the fence to find the cat. I could see her, but this nasty

neighbor was approaching her, she had now crossed the road. He has some kind of...(whip?) rope in his hand, and I know he would've

used it on her if she hadn't run off. I looked at him for the first time, such an ugly scowl on his face. Although we're neighbors, our houses

are appx fifty yards apart, I couldn't quite hear what he was saying under his breath, I could only imagine. I kept looking for the cat, but she

was gone.

Everyday I looked. One day I had the dogs outside playing and could hear this horrible, long and drawn out cat cry. A moment later, I heard his truck

start and he slowly drove down the road. OMG! I though he had surely killed her, but I saw nothing...and didn't know what happened. A few days

later, I heard meowing. I went outside and there she was, in my yard! I kept the dogs in the house and slowly moved towards her until she let me get near enough to touch her. She had a very bad limp, was skeletal, and some hair missing. Took her to the vet, got everything done for her they could do except fatten her up and love her. Her leg wasn't broken but looked like it had been hit pretty hard. 

I also thought Gigi was a he, and because he was so loving I named him Pepi LaPew. This is when we found out he was a she, hence the name change.

I don't know if the neighbor is the cats owner, or if he was stalking the cat as prey...but I'm keeping her, and have not let her out.

Well, now it's a couple of months later and looks like the cat is due any day now. Yep she was and is pregnant. I've never had a cat before Gigi. I've never delivered anything but my own two children and that was over a couple of decades ago, with a Doctor in the room. 

I'm glad to find this site, I've read a lot already and feel pretty confident. I appreciate all the information here and any pointers I can get.

GiGiLaMew said:

 
We have a large yard with a privacy fence built around for one reason, our two dogs.

We have a neighbor who hates cats, dogs, people, even his wife of 33 years lives in another home on the same block.

Not with him. He patrols the road day and night, looking for 'intruders.' People taking a stroll, strays, or people who drive

and park to look at the water on the lake where we live. He is a very unhappy man. We've been told he sets traps to catch animals.

We have always been responsible dogs owners, but just for our own sense of security...we put up a privacy fence.

The neighbor came through our locked gate by cutting the lock, and stole the side of our fence that bordered his property. He didn't like

that he couldn't see into our yard. The neighbors told us who did this. We called the police, it was replaced.

It was a long night, where we found out how dangerous and entitled this man is. We've never spoke to him, and had not completely moved

into our home yet, not at that time anyway. Now we've been here about a year.

A small cat was sitting outside the fence, it looked starved. My dogs brought my attention to it. I went inside and opened a can of tuna

to bring out for it. I left the dogs inside the house then went outside of the fence to find the cat. I could see her, but this nasty

neighbor was approaching her, she had now crossed the road. He has some kind of...(whip?) rope in his hand, and I know he would've

used it on her if she hadn't run off. I looked at him for the first time, such an ugly scowl on his face. Although we're neighbors, our houses

are appx fifty yards apart, I couldn't quite hear what he was saying under his breath, I could only imagine. I kept looking for the cat, but she

was gone.

Everyday I looked. One day I had the dogs outside playing and could hear this horrible, long and drawn out cat cry. A moment later, I heard his truck

start and he slowly drove down the road. OMG! I though he had surely killed her, but I saw nothing...and didn't know what happened. A few days

later, I heard meowing. I went outside and there she was, in my yard! I kept the dogs in the house and slowly moved towards her until she let me get near enough to touch her. She had a very bad limp, was skeletal, and some hair missing. Took her to the vet, got everything done for her they could do except fatten her up and love her. Her leg wasn't broken but looked like it had been hit pretty hard.

I don't know if the neighbor is the cats owner, or if he was stalking the cat as prey...but I'm keeping her, and have not let her out.

Well, now it's a couple of months later and looks like the cat is due any day now. Yep she was and is pregnant. I've never had a cat before Gigi. I've never delivered anything but my own two children and that was over a couple of decades ago, with a Doctor in the room. 

I'm glad to find this site, I've read a lot already and feel pretty confident. I appreciate all the information here and any pointers I can get.

Click to expand...

Tx for helping this little sis our ours!

How is she now with the dogs?

Im sending our links, please come forward  with reports and further questions.

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.

Oh my word! With a neighbor like that, who needs enemies! Just wow - he sounds extreme.

Thank the Lord you have saved this kitty. I hope she has fattened up now in a healthy way, in addition to the fattening from her pregnancy. Since you have read a lot, you probably know to feed her kitten chow and lots of good wet food, and to make a couple of nests for her to choose from. Can't hurt to have some KMR on hand in case you need it, and mom will surely enjoy a bowl of it each day as well.

Can you post a picture? I'd love to see this very special cat who managed to survive at all odds. She knew you were pet friendly and had food because of the dogs, so she picked you!

Please ask questions as you have them, and welcome aboard. Glad you started a thread for Gigi!

Yes, I'll get a picture of her tomorrow sometime and post it. I've been wanting to get her pic before the kittens are born.

I'm so excited!! Everyday I keep thinking this will be the day. And every night I'm with her by my side. I can't believe

how much I love her already.

She gets along with the dogs ok. They don't chase her, they weren't real thrilled to share the house

with her either, not at first anyway. It took awhile to set boundaries. I think Gigi needed no help in letting them

know she is here to stay. We supervised them closely for the first month, once the curiosity wore off it was just

a matter of how and where the dogs could safely jump onto the bed. They are both too short to see if Gigi is laying

on it, and a couple of times they made the mistake of getting too close to her spot. She let them know, and they

approach with caution now.

It took a good month for me to know the dogs wouldn't be territorial with her any longer, I can leave the doors open

in the house and not separate them when I leave. Although, I will close them again when the babies are born. I made her

a nesting place in three areas. I put soft towels in each box. I'm just not sure how to work it with her littler box.

I'm thinking she'll be pretty weak and will need it close by, like her food will need to be close too I read.

Lucy is our Bassett/mix and Ricky 'Rooey' is our Chihuahua. Lucy and Gigi are actually pretty good buddies now.

It's our Chihuahua that has the hardest time adjusting. He's ran into her going around the corners and into a room

a little too often. I started giving the dogs their favorite treats only when I had Gigi on my lap, I read that here somewhere.

It really worked for these three.

I didn't know about giving them wet food, I have been doing that...but she's slowed down on eating it, so I haven't been

trying to push it. I will now. Thank you for that. Not sure what KMR is...I read somewhere I should try to give her cottage

cheese...to help her milk come in after she has the babies.

I'm worried about giving her flea prevention treatment, I'm also worried about the kittens if I don't.

I just don't know much, but am learning.

Thanks for your advice and concern

Ok, here's Gigi

I posted Gigi's pic finally, and added my dogs to it for you to see

GiGiLaMew said:

 
I posted Gigi's pic finally, and added my dogs to it for you to see

Click to expand...

Gigi is a true beautie, a spotted tabby for real, no a broken mackerel.

The dogs are nice too, although perhaps not that same stunning beauties.   

Lol, no...not the same at all. Lucy has the look of...'what's she doing on my bed?'

She is beautiful! And the dogs are nice too. Glad they are mostly getting along.

KMR is kitten replacement milk. Formula actually. Cats like to drink it as do kittens when they begin eating on their own. It's great nutrition.

And yes, once she has her kittens you'll want to put her food and water and litter box in the same room with them so she doesn't have to go far.

The cat in profile in the second photo, tis isnt Gigi, no?  As it seems to be a classical tabby, as I can see it.

At first I thought it was a second pic of Gigi, in the milieu and company, but now I think its another one.

Its so great that she has adopted you and your dogs!

I love that! Nice way of putting it, she did adopt us...and we're so happy to have her in our family

Yes, the second pic is Gigi too...in motion. I keep thinking she can't get any bigger and will have the babies anytime.

The pictures really don't do her belly justice.

She looks very relieved in the forward facing photo.  So happy to have a safe place to give birth and raise her kittens.  Thank you.

Thank you! Gigi's walking around slowly today, taking a lot of breaks to rest. March 22 is when I found her in our yard and brought her inside.

Since this is a short week, I may work from home so I can keep an eye on her. I'm so nervous. My husband and I decided we are going to keep

the kittens, at least until they are old enough to get fixed, and we'll do that before allowing them to go anywhere. I just know I'll be too attached to them.

Awww, thank you. I'm so happy, feels like our home is complete with a cat in it.

It sounds like it could literally be any time now! So glad you have the option to work from home so you can be there for her! She will appreciate that.

Well, Gigi isn't very happy today. Husband laying down watching tv, Gigi jumped up to lay with him. He began to pet her, I got the camera out to take a picture and she bit him. She'll sometimes play bite or nibble when she's feeling affectionate. This time she bit enough to draw some blood. He took care of his bite, cleaned and disinfected it. We'll watch closely. I'm thinking he must have hit a sore spot on her leg, where it had been hurt.

Or, the poor thing just feel a little anxious, having a lot of discomfort.

I was doing laundry when she came in and swatted at me. I hadn't even noticed her coming in until I felt her swat my leg. I do have one of three nesting boxes in the laundry room. Later she wanted to lay where the biggest dog was sleeping, and wouldn't stop swatting at Lucy til she moved.

This is unusual for her, she's following me around...not wanting to be left alone...but not really wanting me giving her a lot of attention. I'll just stay near her, every once in awhile I'll rub and scratch her on the head. I have things to do, so she doesn't have my undivided attention on her...I don't want to create more anxiety for her.

Right now, I'm just reclined while she is laying down. She is up and down in the same room. Takes a little work for her to lay it seems. Inching down.