Pregnant stray help?

xlastpetalfalls

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Hi, we have a neighborhood stray that hangs about and she's full blown pregnant. We've been letting her in at night from the cold but we've now been able to see movement from her belly by sight alone so I've been trying to keep her in all around. Seeing the movement means she's quite near the end, right? My problem is the sweet girl doesn't use the litter box and hasnt had any accidents. She stayed in a whole day sleeping and didn't use the bathroom once. Outside she disappears into the wooded area and seems to go to the bathroom there. should I keep her in and just waited it out for her to start going or let her out for her bathroom breaks? I don't want to chance her having the kittens outside but I don't want her to be even more uncomfortable either.
 

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Do not let her out at all anymore. Make sure the litter box is right near her, and make sure she knows it's for her to use by putting her in it. She will learn to use it quickly if instead of letting her out you pick her up and put her in the box.

Thanks for taking her in!
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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Thank you for answering so quickly! I'm just concerned about her not using because she eats like a pig still and I was think she was constipated.
 

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Thank you for answering so quickly! I'm just concerned about her not using because she eats like a pig still and I was think she was constipated.
Some outdoor cats don't recognize kitty litter. You can try putting dead leaves, grass or dirt in the box to see if that works for her. You need to give her something she's more used to. After she's using it, try layering that over kitty litter
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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I asked a few people about doing a shallow thing of dirt but no one thought it'd work. I'll definitely try it though! Thank you!
 

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If you look through the Caring for Strays and Ferals forum, you can find lots of ideas.

Members there have a lot of experience dealing with outdoor cats

I've been "lurking" a lot on this site, and I know this has worked for some people.
 

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I am in the same boat as you, took in a pregnant stray.  It took her about two days before she used the litter, but she used it.  Cats are incredibly instinctive with litter.  If you keep letting her out, that will be her expectation and she will hold it.  I'm inclined to believe that if you leave her in the house, physically pick her up and place her in the litter box, she will catch on and use it when she can't hold it anymore.
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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I'll look through those, thank you!! And yeah, everyone said she'll eventually take the hint because 'every cat knows how to use the litter' but she just hasn't been having it and I'd let her out because I couldn't bear the thought of her having babies kicking about a full bladder. I've got the pan of dirt and leaves now and she's actually been smelling it and looking into it unlike the litter although she hasn't tried it yet. She'd growl whenever I nudged her to the litter but there's hope for the dirt.
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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She hasn't started any real nesting. She'll poke around some but she's primarily been laid out on the towel on the floor, she's not on the bed as much anymore. Doesn't care for the box at all. I'm wondering if she's not as close to giving birth as I think she is but there's definite movement by sight. Like they're doing flips in there. And sometimes in the middle of the night she'll jump awake like they get a good kick in there and wake her up.
 

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Whether you use dirt or litter doesn't matter. Just keep her in, even if she has 2 weeks left. She will learn to use the box, though you do need to put her in the box. Kitten movement can be seen and felt the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy, so it's possible she has more time left.
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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She finally used the 'dirt' box! Thank you all for helping! She kind of accepted her indoor fate though she does stalk the doors still and growl when she's turned away. She is primarily kept within my room though I allow her visiting times around the rest of the house. Still no nesting behavior but favors a single spot in the middle of the floor.
 

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She finally used the 'dirt' box! Thank you all for helping! She kind of accepted her indoor fate though she does stalk the doors still and growl when she's turned away. She is primarily kept within my room though I allow her visiting times around the rest of the house. Still no nesting behavior but favors a single spot in the middle of the floor.
I very much doubt she'll give birth in the middle of the room. She will give birth in the corner of a room, inside a closet, somewhere dark & quiet. I set up an old litter box when I fostered a pregnant mom. She loved it.

 
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xlastpetalfalls

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That's so well done!! I've set up boxes and stuff around the room but she won't go into any of them. She'll go under the bed and and in the closet but the moment a box is placed in those spaces, she won't even try it. She'll starting growling if she placed in a box and runs off. I've gotten an old guinea pig cage tray now that's wide with low walls and covered it in blankets and placed it halfway under the bed so maybe to ease her into the idea of the box. Possibly? I don't know. She seems to be a very stubborn cat but I don't want to push it.
 

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That's so well done!! I've set up boxes and stuff around the room but she won't go into any of them. She'll go under the bed and and in the closet but the moment a box is placed in those spaces, she won't even try it. She'll starting growling if she placed in a box and runs off. I've gotten an old guinea pig cage tray now that's wide with low walls and covered it in blankets and placed it halfway under the bed so maybe to ease her into the idea of the box. Possibly? I don't know. She seems to be a very stubborn cat but I don't want to push it.
I wouldn't worry about it then. You've given her options, that's the most important thing.
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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She gave birth to four little kittens today, in one of our closets, but because I have a male cat of my own, I've relocated her to my room in the back of the house where my boy doesn't go. My issue now is she doesn't like me leaving the room without her but I can't leave my door open because of my boy wanting to get near her kittens. She's already ripped a hole into my carpet!! I have to leave the house at some point. Is it best to place her in a crate?
 

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Can you put her in a closet in your room? She may feel safer in there with her kittens. Cats love closets.

She should also calm down in about 48 hours. It seems to take about that long for new moms to adjust after giving birth.

Is her food, water, and litter in your room as well?
 
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xlastpetalfalls

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My closet is stuffed but she's in a covered box right beside the closet, her food right across from it and the litter/dirt box just off to the side. She has no issues and is completely relax when I'm in the room, door open or shut but the moment I get up and leave, it's like she panics and follows after me.
 
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