My Misty is due to become a mama cat!

Hello everyone!

I'm Eve, and my pregnant cat is Misty. At least I'm pretty sure she is!

Regardless of the countless posts I've read regarding pregnant cats, and all the sites I've visited, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have questions over the next couple of months that I'd like help with, so I thought I'd start early!

The profile pic is my Misty when she was a baby herself. She's 1 and a month now and I believe she's pregnant.

She had her first heat last month while I was away and had a friend house sit to look after them. As she hadn't come into heat before, I never thought to advise my friend to keep her in. It was over a week, between the 3rd of Feb and the 10th that she was out. On my return home, I got a more thorough update as to their shenanigans, which included a pic of three tom cats that decided to reside outside in my back garden.

They scared Izzy into practically staying in (she's 2.5 and spayed) unless Misty went out first and apparently, "scared them off". Basically, I'm now thinking they were there because of Misty in the first place and she got them chasing her, clearing the way for Izzy to go out.

Since then there's been no sign of her on heat but when stroking her I noticed I could feel her nipples, which i couldn't before. She's also become more affectionate in that we have a solid hour or so of cuddle time where she kneads and licks me, and I get lovely snuggles before she goes back off upstairs and sleeps. She's sleeping so much more, and mostly under my bed which was normally just for play time.

From all that, I've gathered she's pregnant. Think I'm right? Her nipples have pinked up and she has become rather rounded in her midriff yet, not overly so. If i posted some pics, could you guys lend me your opinions?

I'll be taking her to the vets when I next get paid, and book her in to get spayed shortly after birth. I'm in no way taking her to get spayed now. The internet guilt tripped me enough for that so definitely do not need that opinion here. I'm aware of the option. I'm not choosing it. I'm also aware that I haven't seen that type of response on here which I loved and made me reach out on here. Have been a member for months, but I'm one of those lurky types lol

My Izzy has become super affectionate to the point of head bumping me off the couch with her demands lol Got her spayed when we first rescued her nearly 2 years ago. Have they just uber missed me?

Any advice is welcome! (Apart from the aforementioned type )

Not the best..... But all I could manage. She does start to lightly growl when i stroke her tummy or try to look closer at nipples.

podikaki said:

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• podikaki
• Mar 6, 2016

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• podikaki
• Mar 6, 2016

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• podikaki
• Mar 6, 2016

Not the best..... But all I could manage. She does start to lightly growl when i stroke her tummy or try to look closer at nipples.

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Pretty girl! If she mated around the 8-10th day in February, that would make her around 3 weeks in, and right on track with her teats pinking up. That is the first sign.

If she was in heat and had the opportunity with a tom cat, she's very likely pregnant.
Cats and dogs are pregnant for 63 days average. As early as day 21, your vet can do an abdominal palpation to your cat and feel for little swellings, which are the kittens. (I've also mastered palpating, it's very good to know how to do when you rescue cats all the time) Or your vet can perform an ultrasound! Your vet can take x-rays of the kittens at day 40-45 to confirm pregnancy, and the skeletons will be calcified enough to count how many she's carrying.

She should be due mid-late April! Hang in there.

Thanks for the advice exactly along the lines of my thinking. Also thought that by next payday in a week and half, the vet could tell me one way or another for sure. Either way, Misty is staying in so there's no risk of getting there if she isn't!
One question though, can they pink up and return to normal or, not all pink up. Checking again, it seems a normal pale flesh color, then 3 days later, it seems dark pink. Not sure if I looked at the same one :/

podikaki said:

Thanks for the advice exactly along the lines of my thinking. Also thought that by next payday in a week and half, the vet could tell me one way or another for sure. Either way, Misty is staying in so there's no risk of getting there if she isn't!
One question though, can they pink up and return to normal or, not all pink up. Checking again, it seems a normal pale flesh color, then 3 days later, it seems dark pink. Not sure if I looked at the same one :/

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While anything is possible with pregnant animals, I have seen their nipples be really pink, and then dull down a bit. But they should stay slightly pink. The teats closest to her hind legs are the ones I trust the most, and are the ones that fill up with milk the most. The hormone surge should definitely have them turning pink by now, IF she is indeed 3 weeks in. They do look raised in the pictures, and I remember my current pregnant rescue cats nipples being like that. They're usually completely flat and hard to find. But when they perk up, it's a good sign she's pregnant.

She may also be having a phantom pregnancy, that is very common in cats and dogs. It will cause her to have a ton of false pregnancy symptoms, and even a bit of weight gain, but then 9 weeks go by without any new kittens and that's that. But, since you know there was tom cats lurking around in your yard, that she had access to during her heat cycle, she's more than likely pregnant.

If she's willing, and if you are too, you can gently but firmly palpate her abdomen and feel for the little swellings. By now, you should feel multiple little golfball-like masses. It's best if she's standing up, as the uterine horns drop down a bit and it's easy to feel with your hands, even one hand. You can press in fairly deep, but GENTLY. They're still very tiny and well protected, so they should be just fine. She will let you know if you're hurting her, trust me, lol! Vets have to press in deep during palpating to search for even smaller organs like the liver, bladder, spleen etc. So don't worry. If you're not the slightest bit comfortable with doing this, that is completely understandable, just contact your vet and have him do all the palpating needed.

If you don't need the money for the spay start saving up for food.  Pregnant and nursing cats eat a lot!  Feed her wet and dry kitten food.  She will need the nutrients for the growing kittens in her womb.

Here are a few helpful articles (fairly short)
[article="31379"]Pregnant Cat What To Prepare For The Birth  [/article][article="29720"]Pregnancy And Delivery In Cats  [/article][article="31496"]How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth  [/article][article="31414"]Help My Cat Is Having Kittens  [/article]

I'll try
All I've read so far has told me not to, so I've refrained, but I'll have a light go and see. I've already switched her to kitten food, dry out all the time, and wet once a day. Always left fresh water and have added a bit of kitten milk in the past few days, but not kmr, just the bottled type you can buy in pet store.
Already planning on fixing the front room to be completely kitten proof so she can't get anywhere to have them like the upright piano as it was one of her favorite hiding places. Last thing I need!!
Going to fix up some boxes and put them in random places so she has those options too.
The teat in the picture was the right one, closest to her hind legs, so maybe so. Izzy it's bigger and I still can't feel anything on her, like what Misty has.
Eeeeeek. Kinda hits home when someone else says that it looks like it lol

Sounds like you are on top of things.  Keep using this thread for any questions you have.

BTW if the bottled kitten milk is the snack kind it may not have the calcium and other nutrients a kitten needs.  It's okay to give it to her but may not be appropriate for the kittens when they arrive.

handsome kitty
Thanks for the links. Had seen them in other posts, but handy to have to reference here

Yes, it's the treat type thus saying not kmr, but it's whilst I don't know for certain, and more for treat reasons than for when the kittens come.

Misty likes it but hasn't had it in months. Just extra tlc her way. We got her when she was 6wks and 6 days old and she tried it shortly after being 10 weeks old. Izzy on the other hand, rarely drinks a thing, but they have always had wet food once a day and dry available to them.

I've ended up putting kitten food out for Izzy as well as they've always pinched each other's food, even when trying to feed them separately like now. It wouldn't cause her any harm would it?

No harm in the other cat eating the kitten food also.

Sarthur2 thank you

podikaki said:

Thanks for the advice

exactly along the lines of my thinking. Also thought that by next payday in a week and half, the vet could tell me one way or another for sure. Either way, Misty is staying in so there's no risk of getting there if she isn't!
One question though, can they pink up and return to normal or, not all pink up. Checking again, it seems a normal pale flesh color, then 3 days later, it seems dark pink. Not sure if I looked at the same one :/

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Visiting a vet to be sure you are recognized as his paying patient, and thus, with the morale right to phone him for advices, even if he usually dont answers phone questions, its good.  Also, this way they may sometimes prescribe something over the phone, when they know the paying patient.

But, if money is tight, and she seems healthy, its not necessary to go to the vet with heatlhy pregs, just to get confirmed what you yourself really know.   Unless you do have other questions too, of course.  Alike a correct deworming and such.

StefanZ I think I'll be taking her more for verification rather than worry. I already subscribe to their gold club for both my cats and I pay them monthly for their worming/flea treatments, plus they are insured. I think they'd be more than happy to answer any questions I put their way as they've always been good with me and I see them frequently to pick up the treatments.

Misty is not taking well to having her belly touched, looked at, and she softly growls at me but stays put. She'll eventually flip and jump off me so I'm leaving her to it lol When she decides to come for cuddles I'll see what I can do.
She's at the stage where I 75% think she is, just need to be that extra 25%.
She's taken to laying on top of radiators which she never ever did before. Saying that, we're in England and it's freazing at the moment. Izzy pops out and runs back in for how cold it is

Don't know if the picture attached, but that was her basically telling me she has the upper hand as always.

Morning. Just a bit of advice needed. Misty seems to be getting rather defensive with our other cat. Izzy was already with us when we got Misty and they've grown together and have been close, though not curling up together type close. Lately I've noticed Misty constantly chasing her off, hissing whenever she's near and now biting and swiping at her. Is it the pregnancy getting her defensive? Izzy has never attacked her. She's always been the quieter or the two. Is this something anyone else had experienced? Just worried, as, if she's like this and it seems to be getting more, what will she bee like when she has her kittens?
Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance x

podikaki said:

Morning. Just a bit of advice needed. Misty seems to be getting rather defensive with our other cat. Izzy was already with us when we got Misty and they've grown together and have been close, though not curling up together type close. Lately I've noticed Misty constantly chasing her off, hissing whenever she's near and now biting and swiping at her. Is it the pregnancy getting her defensive? Izzy has never attacked her. She's always been the quieter or the two. Is this something anyone else had experienced? Just worried, as, if she's like this and it seems to be getting more, what will she bee like when she has her kittens?

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance x

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Yes, this is natural hormone swellings.  Some become more friendly to their friends, some become more defensive - also against cats whom normally they are pals with.  Why, sometimes even their Mom get a swipe or two, if she isnt behaving.

Lets hope for the best when she comes there.  For the moment, separate your cats.  Mom must be unstressed. Obey the mom to be!

Humans do have their humours too, no? 

This is perfectly natural. Mom is setting territorial rights in advance to protect her kittens. This happens in most multi-pet households. Previously friendly cats and dogs are suddenly the enemy of mama cat! "Stay away!" says mama. As Stefan said, it is hormonal and instinctual, though a few cats do sometimes allow another resident cat to lick the kittens and cuddle. She may relax her rules after the kittens are born. But yes, there is more than one reason a pregnant and nursing cat is called a "queen"! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

I thought as much. Just don't have much space to separate them in. They have drifted into their own areas though, and poor Izzy is very obeying of the rules Misty is laying down. Hopefully, once they are here, things will calm. It'll be easier to separate the kittens from Izzy, especially whilst they're not very mobile in the first couple of weeks lol

Hello! This morning i went on a mad hunt to find misty, only to discover her with4kittens under my bed. Last night i was with her until 2am and had seen no signs of labour... Anyway. I need to move them and check on them. Can anyone please please advise me how to?

I've moved them out and weighed them. She's taken one back under the bed and seems not to know what to do! Have i done something wrong?

I've now placed them all together back under the bed... She's gone off to one side to clean herself.... Got them all weighed at least... Just hope i haven't caused her to reject them.