Hi, I'm new here. I've been reading around for all I can find on pregnant cats, and though I've learned a lot, maybe there's still yet some advice that can be given. Here's the story:
I'm an old hand at having cats and love them a lot. I had three brothers from the same litter who, sadly, passed away over the last three years at the ages of 18 1/2, 19 and 20 years old from respectively: alimentary cancer, throat tumor and a combination of diabetes and heart trouble that finally took my last baby. I just lost the last this January and took some time off from pet ownership so that I could grieve. Of course, given my known soft spot for cats, it wasn't long before friends of mind found a very sweet and sociable stray tortoise calico cat that was needful of a home. :-)
I took her in and immediately noticed the distended nipples, the big belly on what was an otherwise small and skinny cat and thought "no way!" Well, a trip to the vet three days later and yes, "way!" The vet estimated her to be about one year old, and could palpate at least two kitten fetuses. He said that this usually meant that there are more behind them. He also said that she was due in about a week or two, and that it would all just take care of itself. Well, today marks the end of two weeks, and I'm not sure if she's about to give birth, or what. Also, I like to be prepared for possible problems.
I read about mucus plugs - here's a question: are they dry sometimes? I found a weird little dried brownish-yellow thing outside the litter box. I had thought at the time that it was feces, but now I wonder.
As of yesterday, she's become very restless, getting up and laying down repeatedly, and I can see her belly moving with the fetuses. She was panting for a while, then stopped. She seems to go in and out of restlessness. Her appetite is still good, very good. I'm glad that my instinct to feed her anything and everything she wanted is a sound one. I'm feeding her about three cans of wet food a day, plus there's a constant supply of dry food, water and milk available. That, and I hand feed her cream cheese. Thankfully, she's put on a bit of weight since I got her; she was really skinny.
That has me wondering another thing: Can malnutrition during pregnancy possibly create malformation in the kitten fetuses? I'm afraid that all my feeding of her is a dollar short and a day late.
Also, the mom has a cough and seems to occasionally have shortness of breath. The vet says he cannot give her antibiotics until the litter is delivered. Will her having a respiratory infection cause trouble during labor?
Does anyone have experience with a cat that was ill during pregancy?
Lastly, since she is a stray, she doesnt' have the most trust in me. Though she's sweet and occasionally seeks to rub on me and jump up on the couch with me, she's just as likely to swat at me as I walk by and reacts with extreme displeasure if I try to touch her belly (lesson learned! :-)). I gather that some of this moodiness might be due to her pregnancy, but I'm wondering if, in the case of trouble during labor, it would be worse for me to try to intercede on her and the kittens' behalf. If she doesn't fully trust me, will she then kill the kittens if I intercede?
Even if the labor goes well, I'm wary that she might not feel okay with me approaching her or the kittens. I want to socialize the kittens well, though, and have good, loving, responsible homes lined up for them once they are weaned, spayed/neutered and vaccinated. I'd like for them to be acclimated to human interaction, and for them to be used to handling for such things as vet visits and claw trimming. Any ideas on how to do so without endangering them because of the mother's feral status?
Ack, one more question: Is it true that clumping litter dehydrates kittens and that it is not recommended for cats under six months old? I haven't had kittens in twenty years, and back then, there was no clumping litter. This is a whole new ballgame for me. I'm nervous, and keep worrying that something will go wrong, or that the kittens will be sick because the mother has only had two weeks worth of good, steady food.
BTW, yes, momma is going to be spayed as soon as the babes are weaned. :-)
I'm an old hand at having cats and love them a lot. I had three brothers from the same litter who, sadly, passed away over the last three years at the ages of 18 1/2, 19 and 20 years old from respectively: alimentary cancer, throat tumor and a combination of diabetes and heart trouble that finally took my last baby. I just lost the last this January and took some time off from pet ownership so that I could grieve. Of course, given my known soft spot for cats, it wasn't long before friends of mind found a very sweet and sociable stray tortoise calico cat that was needful of a home. :-)
I took her in and immediately noticed the distended nipples, the big belly on what was an otherwise small and skinny cat and thought "no way!" Well, a trip to the vet three days later and yes, "way!" The vet estimated her to be about one year old, and could palpate at least two kitten fetuses. He said that this usually meant that there are more behind them. He also said that she was due in about a week or two, and that it would all just take care of itself. Well, today marks the end of two weeks, and I'm not sure if she's about to give birth, or what. Also, I like to be prepared for possible problems.
I read about mucus plugs - here's a question: are they dry sometimes? I found a weird little dried brownish-yellow thing outside the litter box. I had thought at the time that it was feces, but now I wonder.
As of yesterday, she's become very restless, getting up and laying down repeatedly, and I can see her belly moving with the fetuses. She was panting for a while, then stopped. She seems to go in and out of restlessness. Her appetite is still good, very good. I'm glad that my instinct to feed her anything and everything she wanted is a sound one. I'm feeding her about three cans of wet food a day, plus there's a constant supply of dry food, water and milk available. That, and I hand feed her cream cheese. Thankfully, she's put on a bit of weight since I got her; she was really skinny.
That has me wondering another thing: Can malnutrition during pregnancy possibly create malformation in the kitten fetuses? I'm afraid that all my feeding of her is a dollar short and a day late.
Also, the mom has a cough and seems to occasionally have shortness of breath. The vet says he cannot give her antibiotics until the litter is delivered. Will her having a respiratory infection cause trouble during labor?
Does anyone have experience with a cat that was ill during pregancy?
Lastly, since she is a stray, she doesnt' have the most trust in me. Though she's sweet and occasionally seeks to rub on me and jump up on the couch with me, she's just as likely to swat at me as I walk by and reacts with extreme displeasure if I try to touch her belly (lesson learned! :-)). I gather that some of this moodiness might be due to her pregnancy, but I'm wondering if, in the case of trouble during labor, it would be worse for me to try to intercede on her and the kittens' behalf. If she doesn't fully trust me, will she then kill the kittens if I intercede?
Even if the labor goes well, I'm wary that she might not feel okay with me approaching her or the kittens. I want to socialize the kittens well, though, and have good, loving, responsible homes lined up for them once they are weaned, spayed/neutered and vaccinated. I'd like for them to be acclimated to human interaction, and for them to be used to handling for such things as vet visits and claw trimming. Any ideas on how to do so without endangering them because of the mother's feral status?
Ack, one more question: Is it true that clumping litter dehydrates kittens and that it is not recommended for cats under six months old? I haven't had kittens in twenty years, and back then, there was no clumping litter. This is a whole new ballgame for me. I'm nervous, and keep worrying that something will go wrong, or that the kittens will be sick because the mother has only had two weeks worth of good, steady food.
BTW, yes, momma is going to be spayed as soon as the babes are weaned. :-)
