Stray cat! Is she pregnant?!

My boyfriend and I came home last week to a cat in our apartment building. She was very friendly, and kept meowing. Against my boyfriend's protests, I brought her inside. Gave her a room to herself, food, water. She used a cardboard box with litter, so I assume she was trained (unless older cats just do that). I don't know much here. We noticed she looked a little bloated, so I shut the door to the room so she can't interact with my other pets, just in case it was worms (besides, she almost took my other cat's eye out lol). We've fed, watered, and changed litter. But haven't paid her much attention other than quick pets. I was just gonna hold her til we had the money for the cage fee at the humane society.. Now, I went in and she was meowing. She wouldn't get up at first, then struggled to her paws. I figured her food would be gone (fed her this morning, now it's almost midnight), since she's been eating nonstop 4x a day or more. But nope, the bowl was hardly half gone. Her nipples are all poofy and weird looking, but I don't really feel much when I touch her belly (scared to get too much of a feel because I'm not sure how she'd react, and don't want scratched or bitten by a stray). We've been really careful about washing up ourselves after leaving her room, but now I'm worried. She seems off. Demands more attention. Meows less, seems to have less anxiety. Is this why she's stopped eating as much, she's comfortable? How can I tell if she already had a litter, or is in progress? How far along is she? And most of all, if she is preggers... *** DO I DO?! I don't really know how to handle cat birth lol. Please gimme some help here people!!!!! -freaked out teenager





Ps googled it and no certain answers. STRAY! Don't have money for vet for her. Have made her a nice little house in closet, enclosed with blankets.

She does look pregnant! I'd say I'm pretty sure. Are you sure she's a stray and doesn't belong to someone in your complex? Often strays won't use a litter box, but sometimes they can. I would contact the leasing office/property manager that you found a cat, and put up signs to make sure she doesn't belong to someone and that she isn't missed!
If she truly is a stray and you can't care for her, try calling rescues and I'm sure someone will take her. Try to avoid the shelter if you can. I'd say she looks like she has at least two weeks left but it can be hard to tell.

If she is pregnant and you are there for the birth, you need to get a kitchen scale, powdered kmr (kitten milk replacer), and a needleless syringe/nursing bottles (often they won't take a bottle if they have mama) they could need supplementing, and weighing is important to be sure they are all thriving. With her behavior changes she could be a few days away but she does not look it. Her mammory glands don't look very enlarged yet and she doesn't look too massive. So you have time to prepare. Other members will be glad to help you out too!
It can be hard to know its time sometimes until she starts pushing. All cats are different, she could be close, she might not be. Vaginal discharge is a good indicator of labor, so is milk. But don't worry, if you can't afford much, just get the basics for her. Make sure she has wet and dry food out. Cats have been having kittens for thousands of years and it's very unlikely that something would go wrong! Just let her do her thing when the time comes, and be near just in case. There are articles on this forum that can give you more info you should look at

Hello! Welcome to TCS! Thank you for taking her in.

She's definitely pregnant. Probably has a couple of weeks to go. She was starving, poor thing. She sounds starved for attention too. Try to spend some time with her. She looks like she's still a kitten herself. She was probably dumped, and got pregnant on her first heat. She's very pretty, and looks healthy.

Can you keep her for now? If not, let me know and we'll go from there! [emoji]128522[/emoji]