Is She Pregnant?

I recently got a cat. She's very kind and sweet, I love her to bits. She's been inside since I've got her, not even around any of my dogs because she's so skiddish. The day I got her I realized she was a bit big around her belly area. I wasn't too concerned, just assumed she was fed well, but now it has gotten a little bigger within a few days period. She's supposedly only supposed to be 4 months, but to me she looks a big older. She's a scrawny cat, except the belly, and has no fat anywhere else. Her stomach isn't tight, but it's not exactly jiggly either like fat would be. The first few days she let me touch it just fine, but today I touched it to look at it and she bit me (she could have just warmed up to me and been playing though). It was nothing hard, barely even put her teeth on me. Not even a nip. She's extremely affectionate, always wants to cuddle and sleep on me (could just be her personality though). Another thing I've noticed is the hair around her nipples has dissapeared, yet her nipples haven't pinked up or become very prominent which is why I'm not sure if she's pregnant or not.

She looks preggo on this pic.  Especielly if she is that youngish kitten, not a fatty older matrona.  No doubt.    Its not common kittes of 4 months got pregant, but its not unheard of.  Especially as she has some orientalish looks - these do mature earlier.

So the diagnose is easy.

Its more difficult to advice for me, and decide for you, what to do with it.

Let her proceed?   With a little luck it may end well, and you will have several more kittens in the house.   The obvious risk is of course, you will be forced to an emergency cesarean anyway.   Another possible problem is, she being so young, her maternity instincs wont kick in, and you must handraise the kittens yourself.   Although some young mothers DO excellent job, after they did understand what is happening - so all variations are possible.

The other obvious alternative is to let spay - abort her NOW, asap as you can arrange it.  If you have access to a decently skilled vet surgeon its the safest - and I would say - the very best. 

You must do a spaying anyway, if not now, so after the kittes are born and raised, so this is really not much extra cost, if we talk money.

@RogueScavenger

@StefanZ

I forgot to mention I have a sneaking suspicion the lady didn't take care of her as well as she said she did, and she might have worms. I'm going to schedule a trip to the vets as soon as I can to spay her. I would love kittens and they'd all have a home here (we have plenty of room for them all), but I wouldn't want to put her through that at such a young age. It could be damaging to her health. I just wanted some opinions on if she was or not, so thank you.

She appears rather advanced in her pregnancy, so you should consult with a vet immediately. If she is in her final 2-3 weeks you may not want to spay her. Many vets will not spay late in pregnancy.

@sarthur2 she looks really big in this picture actually, but she's not really stomach wise. I was thinking if she is pregnant she could be 3 weeks, maybe 4. When I take her I will ask the vet if she's too far along to be spayed or not in the right shape to be. Although, I guess for the petite type of cat she is, her stomach is pretty big so maybe you're right and she's at the final stages.

Cats begin to show at 5 weeks, so she is past the halfway point. I don't recommend spaying the final 3 weeks.

She looks pregnant and shes preety sometimes cats can be really mother-like when there pregnant

my vet advised me kittena can get pregnant at 3 months ! I thought he was joking as he wanted us to spay our kitten asap. If they can get pregnant so young, they'd surely be able to have a natural birth ? Sorry wasn't sure why this kitten may have to have a c section if she is pregnant... Suppose you will know as soon as take her to vets ! I'd nether heard of aborting / spaying pregnant cats either ! I'm in UK maybe it's different . I hope everything turns out ok for your kitten and maybe she isn't pregnant after all !

Sarthur2 Oh right, I wasn't sure if they did or not, thanks. I'll ask if she's too far along, if she is I'll just have to hope for the best during her pregnancy.

daisyd I have heard that with outside cats they can get pregnant very early, but it still risks some health issues and difficulties which is what I worry for this kitty. It's pretty common in the UK depending on how far along the cat is, I've had many friends who've done it. Thank you though I hope she isn't really, but if she is and I can't do anything about it then all the kittens will have a good home here (and be fixed ASAP, haha)

I'm new to having cats and am mistaken and have just read up on it ! Yes they so spay pregnant cats if early ! Never had a cat so very new to this ! Apparently there is a morning after pill available for dogs too ! I suppose all been around for us humans for a while so why not animals

RogueScavenger said:

@StefanZ

I forgot to mention I have a sneaking suspicion the lady didn't take care of her as well as she said she did, and she might have worms. I'm going to schedule a trip to the vets as soon as I can to spay her. I would love kittens and they'd all have a home here (we have plenty of room for them all), but I wouldn't want to put her through that at such a young age. It could be damaging to her health. I just wanted some opinions on if she was or not, so thank you.

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Yes, its quite probable with worms.  Best to have her dewormed, and to this end, to get advices from the vet which dewormer and which dose.

This either you want to go on with spaying, or you dont want...  But you must decide very soon now. Very soon.

StefanZ yes, she's got an appointment for this Wednesday so no worries there. I'll ask the vet what he thinks is best for her health and for the kittens if shes got them. If it's too late already then I'll have to do everything I can to make sure she gets through birth safely.

Now she attacks when I even out my hand near her stomach >.

My great grandfather had gotten very ill and I was unable to take her to the vet due to constantly being with him and my family, so I couldn't get her fixed. I read you could see the kittens moving when they were 7 weeks pregnant, so I assume by now she doesn't have much longer to have them. But I'm extremely worried because I can no longer see them moving and sometimes I can't even feel them in her stomach anymore? Could I have been wrong about her being pregnant? She's still getting big and it seems like her nipples are pinking up, but sometimes her sides aren't big at all and all the weight is more towards the bottom of her belly between her legs, then it changes back to her sides like she's gotten bloated. I just worry somethings wrong, and I'm unable to take her to the vet yet due to everythinget and spending so much money on gas to get to where my family is and then back home. I just want to know if it's normal or if I need to take her to the vet ASAP

It sounds like her kittens have dropped into the birth canal. This is normal as she prepares for delivery.

talkingpeanut said:

It sounds like her kittens have dropped into the birth canal. This is normal as she prepares for delivery.

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Oh, I feel so dumb! I didn't even think about that! Thank you so much!

R roguescavenger

It's perfectly normal to worry. There's no such thing as a stupid question. You have a lovely kitty, and I hope all goes well

I'm posting on my mobile, so links are difficult for me. There are several articles linked in this other thread that have advice for supplies and other information you might need

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/336237/my-first-cat-her-first-litter-advice-please#post_4238696

This morning she seemed restless? I keep her in a room because she doesn't like the dogs and will hide under our chair for hours from them and often won't come out. She sometimes tries to escape the room if I'm not in it with her, but she's never tried to leave if I'm there and all morning she's been trying to get out while meowing at me and barely able to sit still. I've never been around pregnant cats much or even cats really (she's the first inside cat I've had that has stayed around me so much, my others always kind of did their own thing instead of hanging out with me) so I'm not sure if it's just a cat thing where she wants to explore or if she's trying to nest. I have a little box made for her in a closet, but she doesn't seem to care for it. She soon settled down this morning and I was able to nap with her before leaving, but now that I'm back home she's trying again to escape constantly and meowing.

Her instincts may be driving her to want to get out and find her own place in the house to nest. Since the dogs are out there that's not a good idea.

Is she in your bedroom? Does she have food, water, and litter in the room? Is the nest big enough?