Pregnant kittie questions

Hello to all!! I am new here...Have done quite a bit of reading, though. It sounds like there are lots of kittens coming these days!!

I have a few questions, I guess, and any help would be greatly appreciated!

I "adopted" a stray kitten when she was quite young. Not sure of her exact age, but am sure she was less than three months old when I got her this past winter. She is gorgeous and so lovable!!

Several months later, there was a litter of kittens abandoned at my place of business. I chose to adopt one of these as well, as they were quite cold and I guess I have a soft spot...

Anyway, I thought they were both far too young to mate, but surprise! I now have a pregnant kittie. I realized she was pregnant around the middle/end of March. Money was quite tight, and since she was already pregnant, I decided to wait until I could afford to neuter the male, then spay her as soon as she weaned the babies.

She is quite pregnant now, and I assume she will deliver at any time...however, the male was mating with her again last week! So my first question is this - is it possible that she could be carrying two separate litters now? I freaked out when I saw him doing that, and he has now been "fixed"...I am also keeping him away from her, as I have read that males can kill the babies when they come.

I am worried about having a premature kitten or two as a result, and am just not sure what to do - if anything. She has become even more affectionate than before...she is always under my feet now and seems stressed when I leave. She spends around 95% of her time laying around/sleeping...I'm guessing this is all because the time is near...Her nips are huge and pink, but I can't tell if there is any milk yet or not. I have been seeing the babies move for a week or a little more - they sure are wild in there!! Mostly she lays on her side with her HUGE belly up...

Both are inside cats that are NOT allowed outside at all. My other concern is that my husband and 3 kids and I are leaving for vacation on Friday - what can I possibly do if she has not had her babies by then? I can't cancel the trip as we have already made a deposit and such - I will have family or friends stopping by each day to love and feed them...but am worried about her having trouble delivering while we are gone.

I'm sorry this is so long - I am completely new to this, have always had cats that were spayed/neutered, so haven't had this problem before. Again, I thank you in advance for any suggestions you might have!!

kgail....I don't think she is carrying 2 litters...however I would get him neutered NOW. The problem is that it can take up to a month for a male to no longer have active sperm after a neuter and a female cat can become pregnant again as early as a WEEK after giving birth. Until he has been neutered and she has been spayed...I would keep them seperated to avoid another pregnancy.

I would set her up to stay at your vet's office if she does not have the kittens by Friday.

Below is a list of low cost clinics in Kentucky:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html#ky

I would find one that can have your male fixed.

Katie

Thanks, Katie...He is already neutered and separated from her...I knew that they could get pregnant again quickly, and that it takes awhile for the male to start "shooting blanks".

Glad to hear you don't think she is carrying two litters, though...I was very concerned about that.

Originally Posted by kgail76

Thanks, Katie...He is already neutered and separated from her...I knew that they could get pregnant again quickly, and that it takes awhile for the male to start "shooting blanks".

Glad to hear you don't think she is carrying two litters, though...I was very concerned about that.

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I would think she is too far along in her current pregnancy....but males are opportunists. It's good you got him fixed.

I would set her up at your vets for the time that you are on vacation. That way, any issues can be dealt with by your vet (although most cats have no complications..best not to risk it).

Katie

Hi yes it is very important to keep her sperated from the male for about a month after he got neutered and not to let her out after words... i had a few problems with that and my cat... do you have a good warm spot set up and everything for the kittens? yay! kittens are so exciting! good luck and keep us updated!

Hi JessieNkittie...

Yes, I have set up a box for her to queen in, but of course, she wants nothing to do with it. She does seem to stay quite close to me, so maybe if I watch closely I can get her there in time.

I think she must be close, as she has even become much more tolerant of my little ones (ages 18 months and almost 3 years) the last few days. Normally she stays away from them, but not anymore. She just seems to want to be in the same room with me.

We're all very excited and anxious for the kittens to come...I know they have to be "ready", just like with us humans, but WOW, waiting is sure hard!!!

I agree with boarding her at the vets office while you are on your vacation. That way you won't have to worry about her while you are gone.

Welcome to TCS!

are you sure she is pregnant? Did you see her mate the middle/end of March? If she was getting bigger by the middle to end of March she would have been around 4+ weeks then would would have meant she would have been due the end of April......... if she mated the middle to end of March then she would be due Middle of May-maybe any day now but that is if she mated the end of March......... Cats are only preg. for 9-10 weeks which is why I ask Since even the end of March is now 11 weeks ago..........

could she have gotten pregnant after that?

Originally Posted by junior67

are you sure she is pregnant? Did you see her mate the middle/end of March?

could she have gotten pregnant after that?

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Well, yes, she could have gotten pregnant after that. Perhaps I have my dates confused...Will have to look at a calendar now...The way I had it figured (from the time I first saw her getting big), she should have been "due" yesterday...If she started showing at 6 weeks, then yesterday would have been 9 weeks...Not great math, I know, but it's all I've got.

I am positive this is not a false pregnancy, as I can see and feel the babies moving about inside...They are quite active. Also, her nips are huge and bright pink and her behavior is altered...She was a petite cat to start with, and now her sides are really bulging a lot...Her appetite has at least doubled, although today she just sort of picks at her food.

However, she has not started to "nest" in any way. She is just much more lazy than usual, and pretty much looks miserable - just the way I looked before my kids were born!! She also hasn't had any discharge that I've seen or passed a mucous "plug"...So I don't know if she's as close as I've been thinking she is.

Are there any more thoughts about whether or not she is close to delivering? I want to make sure to be there for her if she needs me, but I can't stay up all night every night!!

can you remember when you first felt the babies move? From what I have read on here you normally feel them move about 2 weeks before they are due.

Ok so if she is just about 9 weeks she may have another week TOPS but bet sometime this week. GL!

Skittles did very little nesting till 40 hr before birth when she tried to nest under everything even a dresser and the middle of my bed

My Oreo had clawed a hole in the bottom of my box springs - she was spending most of her time under my bed or in the box springs, so I have locked her out of my bedroom...I really didn't want her having her babies IN my bed where I couldn't help if necessary - besides the mess...

I am hoping I haven't disturbed her "nest" so much that she will just hold off on labor. I have heard they can do that if they don't feel safe. I made a safe box for her with towels and blankets in a closet. I keep putting her there and sitting with her to comfort her, so maybe she will know to go there, but she hates it and jumps out pretty quickly.

I have been feeling the babies moving for at least a week - maybe longer. I really wish I had written down the day...I guess it should be any time now...

Kgail its funny you mentioned the cat having babies in the boxspring because thats exactly where my cat Tiger had hers on the first. I had made her a nesting box in my closet but she didn't go in there until the day she went into labor. That night i was in the closet with her and had fell asleep when i heard her meowing. i woke up petted her and she jumped out of the box and ran under my bed and in the boxspring. I was so freaked out and it took me 24 hrs before she would let me move her and the babies. So make sure she can't get under any bed.
Tami