Help

Hi, new to this but hoping to get some help. About 3 weeks ago in snow storm a stray cat showed up at my house. I suspected she was pregnant because her stomach was rounded on both sides. I've been feeding her and let her come in the house because it's really cold here on the island and she seems to be really friendly.i named her Annie..Anyway she seems to be getting bigger and she is eating well, but I'm not 100 percent sure she is pregnant.ive felt her belly and it's rounded and kind of firm. I'm hoping she doesn't have something wrong with her. I've looked around online trying to find helpful information but nothing that really convinced me in either direction... I've inspected the litter box looking for signs of worms but can't find any. Q

You have definitely come to the right place when it comes to learning about pregnant cats, labor, and the resulting kittens.   Check out the Pregnant Cats and Kittens forum for both information and advice.  http://www.thecatsite.com/f/36/pregnant-cats-and-kitten-care  At the top of the page, there are several articles listed, including this one:   [article="31306"]How To Tell If My Cat Is Pregnant​[/article]    It will tell you all the things to look for.  While you are at it, check out the other articles there, as well.  If Annie is not spayed, she is almost certainly pregnant so these will be very helpful to you.

When the time comes for Annie to have her kittens, if you have any concerns, start a thread and ask for help.  There are quite a few members here who are very knowledgeable about the process and who will help you go through it. 

And....welcome to TCS!

Welcome! [emoji]128571[/emoji]

Continue using this thread for all your questions. I agree that your cat is pregnant, and she may be nearing the end if her belly is firm. You'll want to make a nest for her, and feed her unlimited dry kitten chow and wet food meals.

Thank you!
I already got a big bag of kitten chow from a pantry over here and I'll make that accessable to her and keep giving her wet meals. any input is great!

What worries me about her overall appearance and trying to determine that she is pregnant or not,is that her nipples aren't huge and swollen. But she's so round, if she's not pregnant then something is wrong with her health. Her over all health seems great though she's happy and friendly and eating well...Her coat looks good too...

taralee said:

What worries me about her overall appearance and trying to determine that she is pregnant or not,is that her nipples aren't huge and swollen. But she's so round, if she's not pregnant then something is wrong with her health. Her over all health seems great though she's happy and friendly and eating well...Her coat looks good too...

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Thsi with nipples may vary.  Tehy are individuals after all, not automatos.   There may be several different reason why they have a big growing belly, but as you say, she seems healthy and otherwise in good shape, mentally and physically.  It hints strongly its no big faults on her, just a normal pregnancy.

If she had, God forbide, a great tumour, she would look destroyed and emaciated otherwise...

Can you by any way get raw goats milk? its always a good supplemnt both for kittens, and for  mommas...

If you cant, wise if you can get some kmr or cartooned goats milk, so you arent defenceless IF the need would arise and she hasnt enough milk for the kittens..  Both are useful as an extra for a high preg momma too.

The nipples may not change until she delivers or just before.

Thank u for input! I definitely should pick up what I would need to help her out with feeding, I happen to live on an island with no pet supplies available. I swear Annie got bigger today! I don't think she will be too much longer![emoji]128008[/emoji][emoji]128008[/emoji][emoji]128008[/emoji]

Can you get to the mainland for supplies?

Yes I can. There's a pet center about fifteen minutes from where the ferry lands on mainland.

Nice does she look to also have fleas get all the supplies you can or invest in one big shopping trip for that so that you have everything for her kittens and birthing process so please if possible do try!!! Thanks for saving a cats life now that cat will forever be blessed now![emoji]128571[/emoji][emoji]128516[/emoji][emoji]128591[/emoji][emoji]128588[/emoji]

Here is a link that details things you may need:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/pregnant-cat-what-to-prepare-for-the-birth

taralee said:

What worries me about her overall appearance and trying to determine that she is pregnant or not,is that her nipples aren't huge and swollen. But she's so round, if she's not pregnant then something is wrong with her health. Her over all health seems great though she's happy and friendly and eating well...Her coat looks good too...

Click to expand...

My Maine Coon Didn't Have Swollen Nipples At All, She Didn't Even Produce Milk Until The Babies Were Pushed Out. If her belly is round, firm, and big she is most likely pregnant. Since she is a stray, she is most likely malnourished. You can give her some kitten milk (not regular milk) a few times a day.

Surprisingly she doesn't have fleas. When she came to us, it was freezing outside and snowed 2 feet. I put up signs and no one has Claimed her! I'm thinking a summer person got her as a kitten and then left her behind

Soo...I just got news of a big snow storm coming tomorrow morning and my instincts are telling me to get supplies in case Annie goes into labor and I get stuck on the island for a couple days. Is regular goats milk in the cooler at grocery store just as healthy and beneficial to Annie and her kittens, as the KMR?

We have a scale and all other supplies that will be needed...Just nothing for feeding the kittens. I have some syringes, but no little bottle

Full fat goat's milk will be fine. Powdered or fresh will do. Go ahead and get everything you need ahead of the coming storm.

A syringe always works better than a bottle for supplementing tiny kittens. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Thank you so much! The KMR was easier to find than goat's milk! Kind of surprising. I did get a little bottle kit just in case. It came with plenty of extra nipples and a bitty bottle brush! I'm getting excited to see these little guys!

I was surfing around on here and read some of your advice on hartz KMR. "Sometimes uneven"that's the brand I found... Did u mean that it wasn't good? Or the texture is off?

It makes kittens very sick in my experience. Please do not use it! It's not worth it. If that's the only choice you have, then please use goat's milk instead. Hopefully you can return the Hartz you purchased. [emoji]128528[/emoji]