Hey, I'm new, and I'm mainly signing on because I have some questions, because a situation has come up that I never thought I'd have to deal with.
About 8 months ago the local shelter had a problem with a distemper outbreak, and needed to get all of the unaffected cats and rabbits out of the building so they couldd disinfect. aving adopted a rabbit from them, I came by to see if I could help.
I went home with a young cat who I named Niko. She had a very bad cold, which is why no one would take her. She had come in with a litter of kittens a while ago, and had already been reurned because of the cold. The person who took her feared it was distemper, despite their assurances. It should also be noted that the SPCA filed were a bit wonky with her... she was originally listed as male!
So I took Niko home and took care of her, and the cold cleared up within a week. By then it was too late, and I couldn't bring myself to bring her back. She got along well with the rabbits, so why not?
Unfortunately, a little piece of information slipped past during all this. Namely, Niko had never been spayed! I assumed the SPCA didn't release animals unless they were fixed, but I guess this was an exception.
The result is that Niko is now pregnant. As an overanxious owner, I've been digging up all the info I could for her, and feeling guilty for not realizing this sooner (I thought she was just getting fat! I put her on lo-cal food for a few days! Auuugh!)
She is now on kitten food and is kept indoors permanently. But I'm curious if there's any way to tell when the litter is imminent, or even if she's just close? Her abdomen is quite swollen now, flared out to the sides, her nipples are pink and enlarged. She now eats smaller portions more frequently, and she seems to be having more difficulty getting around, preferring the floor to her usual spot on the bed. I've also found her in the darkened bathroom a few times, which she NEVER goes into unless someone is in there. She's more demanding of attention, but she won't stay put for long. She sleeps for shorter periods, and spends the rest of the time restlessly prowling the apartment.
This behavioural change is recent, within the last few days, and I'm not sure if it's because of being shut in, or the pregnancy.
I believe she was mated on or around February 22nd, because she disappeared for four days around then, which is the only time she's been away from home for more than a few hours. I could be wrong, though. There IS a neighborhood Tom who's taken an interest in her, and I think he's the father. He's probably lurking around waiting for the litter to be born.
What I want to know is, is there any way short of a vet visit to verify how far along she is? Even roughly? She's a regular grey and black tabby.
About 8 months ago the local shelter had a problem with a distemper outbreak, and needed to get all of the unaffected cats and rabbits out of the building so they couldd disinfect. aving adopted a rabbit from them, I came by to see if I could help.
I went home with a young cat who I named Niko. She had a very bad cold, which is why no one would take her. She had come in with a litter of kittens a while ago, and had already been reurned because of the cold. The person who took her feared it was distemper, despite their assurances. It should also be noted that the SPCA filed were a bit wonky with her... she was originally listed as male!
So I took Niko home and took care of her, and the cold cleared up within a week. By then it was too late, and I couldn't bring myself to bring her back. She got along well with the rabbits, so why not?
Unfortunately, a little piece of information slipped past during all this. Namely, Niko had never been spayed! I assumed the SPCA didn't release animals unless they were fixed, but I guess this was an exception.
The result is that Niko is now pregnant. As an overanxious owner, I've been digging up all the info I could for her, and feeling guilty for not realizing this sooner (I thought she was just getting fat! I put her on lo-cal food for a few days! Auuugh!)
She is now on kitten food and is kept indoors permanently. But I'm curious if there's any way to tell when the litter is imminent, or even if she's just close? Her abdomen is quite swollen now, flared out to the sides, her nipples are pink and enlarged. She now eats smaller portions more frequently, and she seems to be having more difficulty getting around, preferring the floor to her usual spot on the bed. I've also found her in the darkened bathroom a few times, which she NEVER goes into unless someone is in there. She's more demanding of attention, but she won't stay put for long. She sleeps for shorter periods, and spends the rest of the time restlessly prowling the apartment.
This behavioural change is recent, within the last few days, and I'm not sure if it's because of being shut in, or the pregnancy.
I believe she was mated on or around February 22nd, because she disappeared for four days around then, which is the only time she's been away from home for more than a few hours. I could be wrong, though. There IS a neighborhood Tom who's taken an interest in her, and I think he's the father. He's probably lurking around waiting for the litter to be born.
What I want to know is, is there any way short of a vet visit to verify how far along she is? Even roughly? She's a regular grey and black tabby.
