I caught another cat, think she may be pregnant.

I have been feeding this cat for quite some time, the first time I saw her she was pregnant back in February, she would have had her kittens the last week of March when I noticed she was skinnier. I go and feed her everyday, she lives in a drainpipe running through a parking lot at a business close to here. I have looked everywhere for kittens and cant find any. I only see her coming from the drain pipe and I have looked everywhere I know to look for kittens and cant find any. She is a really young cat, looks to be younger than a year and she is very friendly. I saw her a couple of weeks after she would have had her kittens and she was rolling around on the ground like she was in heat and tomcats all around her. I dont know if she lost her kittens or what but I have been concerned for her ever since I first saw her. She runs around the parking lot like she is following cars and I was afraid she would get hit so tonite I brought her home. I'm not sure I did the right thing. She doesnt act very protective like a mom cat would and lets me pet her. I have watched her many times to see where she may go when she gets done eating and she just hangs around in the parking lot or plays in the grassy area. Its so sad cause when I go to leave she runs after my car. I hope I did the right thing by taking her, I dont want to take her to early from kittens if they are there but I have spent alot of time there looking and I have seen no sign of them. If she did have them in the drain system I see no chance for them to survive, we had horrible rain the first week of April and several times after that.
She looks as if she is pregnant again. She has gained weight in the last couple of weeks. It doesnt look like she is nursing though.
She looks so young and is a very friendly cat, I think someone dumped her off where the other ferals are. I really want to do the right thing by giving her a chance for a good life. She hangs out with another cat, Ladybugs brother, another one that I caught and had spayed and I plan on trying to trap him also. They hang out together and come to eat together. I'm sorry for the long post, I just dont know if I did the right thing by taking her now or should I have waited another month?

I personally think you did a WONDEFUL THING!!!!! Took in a poor thing that needed love........ You did what any one of us would have.

Just because you can't find the kittens doesn't mean that they aren't there. Momcats are very skilled at hiding kittens. Her rolling on the ground after getting skinny, is normal- after a birthing, mom cats will go back into heat, and if outside, will get mated with. If she shows any type of anxiety to go outside- please release her. She will want to go to her kittens, and they need her protection. Otherwise, without her to protect them, they will die.

Malynn, like you said, she may very well have lost her kittens and you did the right thing by taking her in. A vet visit and spay is in order for her now. She sounds like a real sweetheart and will make someone (you? lol) a wonderful kitty.

She didnt really resist when I put her in her crate, my husband was with me and he was petting her through the gate on the crate, she didnt hiss or make a big fuss. She is on the back screened porch now and seems content. I am worried about her possible kittens dont think that I'm not, I just think she may have gotten hit or someone could have done harm to her easily in the place where she was. I looked in all possible hiding spots for kittens, except of course down in the drain system. I did look in all the openings for the system also. Last nite while I was there feeding some younger men where kind of messing with them, as i was driving up, she would be an easy target for someone looking to do harm to an animal. She is easy to catch, the other one isnt. I will go up there early tomorrow morning before anything is open and look once more and listen. I do plan on having her spayed and keeping her.

You said it didn't look as if she was nursing. A good indicator is to check the area around her nipples. Was the area wet or matted when you first caught her? Also, are her nipples enlarged or producing milk? These are all indications of kittens nursing. As you said, she seems too relaxed and happy to be inside, to have kittens waiting for her return.

Sounds like she has indeed lost her kittens. If she hadn't then she would be scratching at the door and eating the walls trying to get out. Thanks for further describing her inside behavior- and thanks for stopping the cycle of reproduction for her.

I did look at her belly, there wasnt any matted spots or wet looking spots, I did feel of her belly also and when she lays on her side and bathes her belly it doesnt really look like she had milk. If she is indeed pregnant would that make her nipples look different or would that come later in the pregnancy. She doesnt look that far along but she does look pregnant to me. She is looking inside through the sliding glass door at one of my other cats and she doesnt seem to mind him looking at her. I think she will be a real sweetheart once the stress of all of this is passed.

Oh and by the way, thank you so much for responding so quickly to me.
I dont know what I would do without the cat site. I rely on it so much and just wanted to say thanks for the info.

Her nipples would only start to enlarge around the 6th or 7th week of pregnancy. Good luck with her, she sounds sweet.

When a cat has worm their stomach can a get bloated and appear pregnant. I would have her treated for worms.

Yeah, I thought maybe that also about the worms. I will have her dewormed when I take her in for the spay, testing and shots.
She is outside on the back porch bathing, she loves attention. Loves to be petted and she rolls around and kneads.
I went back up to the parking lot this morning, no one was there and I looked and looked in every drain hole and possible place for kittens and I saw nothing. The people driving by probably thought I was a nut or something but oh well I dont care.

Well the kitty is doing well, she is adjusting fine. She is still out on the screened porch, with a cat tree and toys. She is eating and drinking well and using the litter box.
She is a little girl, a gray tabby with big green eyes.
We named her Clover and her appt. for spay, shots and test is next Friday.
I'm hoping and praying her tests come back negative. She is a sweet girl and loves attention.

Clover is doing great, she is so lovable and wants to come in with the rest of the family. I am having a hard time with the thoughts of having her spayed while she is pregnant.I knew she would probably be pregnant when I caught her but I feel really guilty about it and its heartbreaking but she is a young cat and I want to do the right thing for her. She has been through alot already. I dont really know how far along she is but she isnt too terribly big yet. My husband is gonna stop by the vet and talk with her about it today and see what she thinks. I just want to make sure she is ok and if she did have the kittens make sure they had responsible homes and made sure they were neutered or spayed and the only way to do that would be for us to keep them and we already have so many. Just having a hard time with the decision to keep the appointment. Anyone else had this do deal with? I'm feeling really sick about it. I know that if she were still on the streets she would have had them and if they survived they would be producing more offspring and the cycle would continue and I'm so glad she is with us now.
Just feeling bad about it.

Hi! I went through the same thing. Your lucky the kitty you found is friendly. Mine is feral and doesn't want anything to do with us! She was very very pregnant when we trapped her. Everyone recommended that we have her spayed before the kittens were born. It is a very tough decision. I personally couldn't do it. She was so far along there was no way I could live with it if I had the kittens aborted. I have a hard time understanding this, but I haven't been around enough to see the tons of cats and kittens that get killed daily because they don't have a home. We took her in and fed her really well. She has four beautiful babies and they are all doing great. I was worried since mom cat seems very young but she is doing a great job. It is bascially up to you and if you can live with your decision. Try not to feel pressured with other peoples advice. It is a very hard thing to go through. Good luck!

Becki

Also, you have to remember it is not your fault she got pregnant.... you are doing a wonderful thing by giving her a home and preventing her from getting pregnant again, but if you feel uncomfortable with spaying and aborting the kittens, you should go with your heart. If you can raise the kittens and find homes for them, then go ahead and let her have them and wean them before you spay her. It's your decision and you have to feel comfortable with it in the end.

Clover went in for her spay. A hard decision to make but we feel its best. She is such a young cat and has been pregnant most of her life. She will be loved here at home for the rest of hers. She's such a sweetheart. I can still imagine her running after my car when I left the parking lot where I used to feed her. She is truly a part of the family now and a welcome addition.
The vet said her tests came back negative and her bloodwork looked good. She had a bad case of earmites and gave her treatment for that, she can come home in the morning. I really love that cat care clinic I took her to, its so nice and quiet and the people are really caring. I cant wait till she is running around getting into things with the rest of the bunch. She's come a long way from living in a drain pipe in a parking lot! The other one I got from there a couple months ago, Ladybug, is the sweetest cat! We all love her so and hopefully Clover will adjust as well as Ladybug has.

You did the right thing for Clover I'm so happy for her.

Great news about Clover!

Clover is home now, resting in another room. She is doing great! They gave her a one time only ear mite treatment, and a free dose of Advantage also. She is purring up a storm everytime I walk in the room and is kneading and resting with her feet tucked up under her. The vet said everything went well with her, she had good bloodwork. She is doing fine.
Got a good discount also on my bill. They are such caring people there where I took her. They said she looked to be about 9 months old. She is a little thing. I think she will blend in great with the rest of my guys and girls.