New Cat

I recently (yesterday) picked up a stray cat that has been hanging around the office for a couple of weeks. I took her home and got her fed and cleaned up and she is VERY happy to have a nice home!! Unfortunately, I suspect that she might be pregnant. How can I tell if she is? I have never owned a pregnant cat, so any advice you have would be helpful.
(P.S. She WILL BE spayed after she has this litter if she is in fact pregnant!!!!!!!)
Thanks!

The first sign of a pregnancy is an enlargement of the nipples. They get pinker and larger. You might not notice her getting fatter until she is farther along. She will probably want more attention as time passes, and when it's obvious that she's expecting kittens, she will start to investigate dark, quiet places as possible places to have her kittens.
I would start mixing high protein kitten food with her regular food, gradually, so that she doesn't get digestive problems, and get her a nice cozy box lined with soft cloths that you can change after the babies are born. Put it in a warm, private, dark place, such as a closet. Hopefully, she will want you with her when the babies are born, and you can see the miracle. My cat did. She cried for me to stay the whole time.

Welcome to the site, and congratulations on your new addition to the family.

The same question about a cat being pregnant (this cat was an infoor cat who escaped for a couple days) was recently asked in another forum, and this is what one of our very knowledgable people said (he's a breeder, so he should know how to tell! )

What you should do is count from the day she returned forward 21 days. You should notice that her nipples will be a bit puffy, and pinker than usual. At 21 days, that the only way to tell... I dont think even a vet will be able to "feel" kittens yet. If you determine that she is pregnant, then she should be started on kitten food to boost her nutritional requirements. Make darn sure she doesn't get out again! If she isn't pregnant, get her spayed, that way if she does sneek out, you'll not have to worry.

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Regardless, she should be taken to the vet as soon as possible to be checked out and tested for some of the nasty things that strays can pick up. Hopefully she will get a clean bill of health. The vet can also help determine approximately how old she is, and if she is pregnant.

I hope you enjoy this board as much as I have. Don't be afraid to ask any questions, no matter how simple you think they are. We all started somewhere with our knowledge about our furry angels.

I am going to move this over to the Health forum for you. Good luck with your vet visit.