Pregnant Kitty?

Hello,
I am new to this site. I have read some of your posts and thought I would drop a line or 2. I have a strictly indoor cat. she will be 2 yrs old in April. Well, January 20th me and the hubby went out for the evening and my cat was just starting to go into heat again. Well when we came home 5 hours later I seen a cat on the back porch, and oh my gosh, it was my indoor cat. Her name is Molly, by the way. She must of slipped out as we were leaving. She had never been out before. Well the next day at my sons birthday party she was really cranky toward everyone, which is not normal with her. I didn't think anymore of it afterwards because she seemed to return to normal, other than the fact she never finished being in heat, because she was just starting the night before. Well 4 wks later I noticed her tummy looked a little different, Not real big but different. Then I started thinking about the fact that she has not went into heat again. Which normally is every 2 wks! She is eating like crazy, I can't keep cat food in the dish. Well now it has been 55 days since she got out. She is not a whole lot bigger but she still has not went into heat and I think her nipples are bigger but you know, I never went around feeling her nipples, lol, so I can't really compare, you know? She has been jumping up on my lap all the time and wanting me to pet her and she keeps chasing the dog around and licking him all over his face. Today she starting meowing a little funny so I thought she might go into heat but it wasn't the same type of meow as that and she wasn't backing up to anything like she always does when she is in heat, instead she meows and stares at me and then goes and cuddles up and goes to sleep next to the dog. She has been doing that all day. So we think she could be but shoudn't she be real large at this point? Sorry to go on so long but I am anxious to figure this out.

any chance you can get her to the vet to be checked out?

I would second the recommendation to take your cat to a vet. The vet can verify whether she is indeed pregnant.

Katie

Hi katybug, welcome to TCS.

If a cat just starting another heat has escaped the house for a few hours (even though a cat doesn't have to be in heat to mate and become pregnant), chances are that she is pregnant. A normal cat pregnancy lasts around 63 days with 59-69 considered normal.

I agree with Dan and Katie, a vet visit is a good idea. They will be able to palpate her abdomen in the proper way and maybe even take an x-ray to check for a pregnancy.

If she is pregnant, she needs to be eating a good quality KITTEN food from now up until the time the kittens are weaned. You need to set up some boxes with something warm like blankets or towels in them, in a quiet, warm area, so she can choose a nest when the time comes.

She can mate and become pregnant again as soon as a few days after the birth so you'll need to keep a very close eye on her and make sure she absolutely doesn't get out again. Both she and the kittens can be spayed/neutered once the kittens are 8 weeks old.

Good luck with this.

Yes I have tried setting up an appointment but he is pretty booked. Might be able to get her in next week. When I started thinking about it last wk we bought her some Purina kitten chow because I've only gave her purina food. We also set up a box in a secluded area where she likes to hide. We had an app. to get her fixed right before this happened but then she went into heat so we were waiting for that to be over. So I need to wait til kittens are weaned to fix Molly?

Yes, you do need to wait. At 8 weeks, they won't be fully weaned but able to eat on their own.

Yes and be very careful that she does not slip out again because she can become pregnant again very quickley after the birth of this litter. I would take her to the vet to confirm the pregnancy. BTW cats can be fixed while in heat, it just costs a little bit more. In case she is in heat again the next time you plan to take her in for it. Get her on some good quality kitten food, like Nutro or a premium brand and she should be okay. Don't forget to have all the kittens spayed and neutered before you find them new homes! It can be done as young as 8-10 weeks. Or 12 weeks when they are seperated from the momma and off to new homes!

Thank-you for the information. I will definetly be getting her fixed as soon as she has them, if, indeed she is pregnant. I cannot stand the howling noises she makes, lol, and I feel bad for her.

At day 55 in gestation, you should be able to both see and feel movement of the kittens in utero. If she is willing, let her recline on your lap and just place your hand lightly on her side. You should be able to feel little bumps and rolls if there are kittens in there.

I would suggest trying a different brand of cat food in both canned and dry varieties. Go to your local pet store and ask the clerk to help you choose a food for pregnant/nursing queens.