nursing queen pregnant again?

Hello, I have a foster cat and her 3 kittens. They are approximately 7 weeks old. I got them when they were approximately 3 weeks old. When they first got here the momma cat was skin and bones. She was terrified and has only just started approaching me for pets. She has been on a high calorie diet since being here and has started putting on some weight. She looks much better. She could still stand to gain some weight. This morning when she came out for pets I noticed that her sides seemed to be slightly wider. The change is very very small and someone else may not have noticed it at all. I know that it is possible for cats to get pregnant shortly after giving birth. How common or uncommon is that? I can't seem to find any information about how often that happens. Does anyone know? Has anyone ever had this happen? She has not had access to the great outdoors since being here so it would have had to have happened before. I know that it is possible that she is not pregnant and is only gaining weight. I'll take her to the shelter's vet if I feel more certain that she may be pregnant. What else should I look for? I know the signs to look for with pregnant cats but not pregnant cats that are still caring for a litter.

It's very possible.  Where was she when the kittens were born?  Was she still outside?

I have no idea where she was when the kittens were born. I can only guess that she was outside considering the condition she was in when I got her. That and the fact that one of the kittens is still very scared and hisses at me. She is coming around but the momma has never cared when I handle them and I can't imagine her being in a house with people who just chose not to handle that one kitten. My guess is that she stuck closer to her momma than the other two.

It happens all the time! Cats get pregnant while lactating. It's hard to know if it's just weight gain from finally getting a nourishing diet, or if she is beginning to show a pregnancy. You might want to alert the shelter, as they may wish to go ahead with a spay and termination, and return her to you. She will still be able to nurse for awhile.

The hissing kitten should begin to come around soon!

I know that it's pretty common for lactating queens to get pregnant but I thought it was more common among cats with somewhat older kittens (5-8 weeks). She would have gotten pregnant between giving birth and the three weeks before I got them. Is that just as common?

sarthur2 said:

It happens all the time! Cats get pregnant while lactating. It's hard to know if it's just weight gain from finally getting a nourishing diet, or if she is beginning to show a pregnancy. You might want to alert the shelter, as they may wish to go ahead with a spay and termination, and return her to you. She will still be able to nurse for awhile.

The hissing kitten should begin to come around soon!

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The trick here, recommended from beginning by Catwoman707, is,  you wrap the kitten in a soft towel alike a burrito, all limbs up to the chin.  So it gets immobile, and wrapped up so, usually ceases with all resistence.

You carry that burrito kitten at your chest, so it hears your heart and feel your body warmth.  Talkin with it softly, crooning, singing softly you you can and wish... Half an hour, a full hour...   After aa couple of such sessions, its done.

This trick works best with younger ferale kittens, of 8 weeks or less, but it can surely be tried with older kittens too.  Even with adults.

Its a little as the american way of  "breaking in" a horse.  Essentially the same idea, but  a thousand times more gently and friendly...

fostersrule said:

 
I know that it's pretty common for lactating queens to get pregnant but I thought it was more common among cats with somewhat older kittens (5-8 weeks). She would have gotten pregnant between giving birth and the three weeks before I got them. Is that just as common?

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Yes, they often go in heat roughly a week after delivery.   And may get impregnated.  Surely if they live outside, or inside cats if the owners arent  watchful.

Its of course a dangerous time for all, not so few moms disappearing, and leaving a full litter of small kitten orphans for the owners to care about....

Cats can go into heat again almost immediately after giving birth. She may not be pregnant, but sounds likely. I'm guessing she conceived that third week, and now, four weeks later, she's showing. IF she's pregnant. My cat went into heat when her kittens were 7 weeks old, but we have folks on the forum whose cats are pregnant again very quickly.