Pregnant Rescue Cat - New Cat (grandma) To Do's AND Dont's

On June 25th a homeless 9 month old cat rolled up on my doorstep. I took her in, got her a rabies shot and tests, and the vet said she was in great health. Only a harmless parasite and nothing else (no FIV, worms, etc).

She was thin and hungry a lot, so I fed her a lot. Her belly kept getting bigger, and bigger, beyond normal you know? I consulted the vet, who said she was likely impregnated within a few hours or days of her coming into my home and to get her checked. I took her back to the vet yesterday (4 weeks and a few inches on her waistline late), and found out that she is approx. 30 days pregnant. Being she came into our home the 25th of June, I would guess 40-45 days.

This is my first rodeo with a female cat, none the less a pregnant cat. She is in a safe, clean and loving home. I will spare no expense and do everything I can to take care of her and her kittens and find them good homes.

Being that she is so young (10 months now), it concerns me as much as a human teenager having a baby. Should I be concerned about her future health? And if so, what can I do to help her health NOW and AFTER her pregnancy to ensure she has a long, healthy life?

Once she goes into labor, I told my partner to call so I can come straight home to observe, When should I intervene, if at all?

Most of all, what do I do in the days and weeks after their birth?

Specifically::

How soon after their birth should I take them to the vet?

How and when do I help box train them?

How old is safe to adopt them out?

To get them weaned off mom's milk?

And a final concern - since she got a rabies shot, could that have hurt her babies? She has a minor case of fleas and that parasite, and the vet says no chemical medicine until after the kittens are born. But those are minor concerns considering.

I've read a lot but a lot of online information is contradictory. So I'd like to form a consensus of informed answers directly from people.

Thank you

Melissa (Krissy, and her soon to be born babies)

missgraves

Hello and Welcome to TCS! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Thank you for taking this poor cat in and giving her a home!

Vaccinations are not recommended for pregnant cats. Since we don't know for sure where she was in her pregnancy when she got her shot, there is no way to know if it affected her kittens. Let's hope not.

So many cats on this forum are pregnant before a year old, having conceived during a first heat. They seem to do well with pregnancy and motherhood, with very few exceptions.

You will want to be there for her during labor and delivery if at all possible. You will become aware of early labor signs, so it's not usually a complete surprise. She will likely let you know if she does not want you around. This is rare.

Kittens do not see the vet for 8 weeks unless there is a problem.

Kittens begin weaning to solids around 5-6 weeks, at which point they also litter train. The process continues until about 8 weeks old.

The earliest they can be re-homed is 8 weeks, however; I recommend they stay with mom for 10-12 to finish nursing and learning kitten manners from mom. They are better adjusted and make better pets.

You CAN put a tube of Advantage II on mom's neck now. It is safe! Flea anemia can be deadly for kittens, so it's best to get rid of fleas now.

Also, mom CAN be treated for parasites now, and should. If she is not treated now, they will pass from her milk to the kittens.

Here is link to our articles on pregnant cats and kittens, see post #2:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/318623/several-new-articles-for-this-kitten-season#post_3997606

thank you so much.