How far along...?

thursday's hope

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My cat is pregnant and I'm not sure when it happened. My mom is telling me she's due any day now but I'm worried because she hasn't shown any signs of nesting. Its her first litter and she's still young, just over a year, could this be why she hasn't really been trying to find a spot? We have a nest area made for her and for the last 2-3 weeks she's been sleeping in it or in bed with me. Last night we added another box with streaded newspaper to see if that made any differance. She looked in it and even lay down for a while before joining my bed. We've been able to feel the kittens moving around for about a month or so. She's well along with what looks like a softball on each side of her stomach and she's been increasingly nervous about everything and in the last day or so she's started pacing the house. She also increased her eating a tenfold in the last two days.

The first nesting area we gave her is a box overspilling with her favorite blanket, would laying in that be considered nesting? The blanket is very settled and she never digs at it. She hasn't really poked around looking much. Should I expect kittens in the next few days or does she still have a few weeks?
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by Thursday's Hope

My cat is pregnant and I'm not sure when it happened. My mom is telling me she's due any day now but I'm worried because she hasn't shown any signs of nesting. Its her first litter and she's still young, just over a year, could this be why she hasn't really been trying to find a spot? We have a nest area made for her and for the last 2-3 weeks she's been sleeping in it or in bed with me. Last night we added another box with streaded newspaper to see if that made any differance. She looked in it and even lay down for a while before joining my bed. We've been able to feel the kittens moving around for about a month or so. She's well along with what looks like a softball on each side of her stomach and she's been increasingly nervous about everything and in the last day or so she's started pacing the house. She also increased her eating a tenfold in the last two days.

The first nesting area we gave her is a box overspilling with her favorite blanket, would laying in that be considered nesting? The blanket is very settled and she never digs at it. She hasn't really poked around looking much. Should I expect kittens in the next few days or does she still have a few weeks?
Welcome to TCS....it will be hard to determine when her exact date should be unless you know exactly when she mated. I'm assuming she accidentally got out and became pregnant by a male outside. I'm hoping you are keeping her indoors only. Best thing to do is keep her in 1 room...it will restict her options when the time comes to have her babies...it will also ensure that she chooses a location that is safe rather than one that is unsafe. I would buy a couple of pillow cases and put the nesting box materials (whether it be shredded newspaper or her favorite blanket) inside. Make sure her litterbox, kitten food and water are close by. A bathroom or a spare bedroom are usually ideal.

Just remember that cats can become pregnant again as early as a week after giving birth, so she needs to remain indoors only and away from intact males until she is safely spayed once her kittens are weaned.

Katie
 
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thursday's hope

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Yes it was an accident and we're planning on getting her spayed after the kittens have been weaned. thanks for the nesting box suggestions. She's very happy to just lay down anywhere but if she's not laying down she becomes very restless and paces. I'm trying to keep her inside as best I can but other people in the house let her out when I'm not home. She goes to the nesting box with her favorite blanket and then she'll waddle to the door and sit there staring. She does a lot of staring too.
 

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If the "other people" are letting her out when you are not there, then you are going to ~have~ to find a way to confine her to your room only while you are out. Allowing her outside right now is a bad, bad idea. Can you sit down with these people and explain that she must NOT be allowed out at all?
 
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thursday's hope

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Its mostly my mom letting her out, she believes that nature should take its course and just watching her is fine
. If I can't see Aisha (my pregnant queen) I worry. We have two other female cats that go outside (they're both fixed) and Aisha has been sneaking out with them, which is how she got pregnant in the first place because she wasn't supposed to be outside. Will she be fine if she is locked on the deck without being able to get out or would that be too much?
 

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Originally Posted by Thursday's Hope

Its mostly my mom letting her out, she believes that nature should take its course and just watching her is fine
. If I can't see Aisha (my pregnant queen) I worry. We have two other female cats that go outside (they're both fixed) and Aisha has been sneaking out with them, which is how she got pregnant in the first place because she wasn't supposed to be outside. Will she be fine if she is locked on the deck without being able to get out or would that be too much?
Is the deck secure?? Is it warm/cool enough?? It would not be my first choice...I would really recommend having a discussion with your mother but if that doesn't work...then get a large dog crate and place your girl in the crate when you are out with strict instructions that your mom cannot open the create.

Unfortunately, nature taking it's course can lead to her having her kittens outdoors or even becoming pregnant again. I would put in place measures to ensure that your cat is indoors only (until she is spayed).

Katie
 
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thursday's hope

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Okay Aisha has been confined indoors and she's beginning to show more signs. More panting, digging, meowing at everything and lifting her tail while propping herself up on her hindlegs. I have a question though. Before the kittens are born do they become more active or does activity slow down?
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by Thursday's Hope

Okay Aisha has been confined indoors and she's beginning to show more signs. More panting, digging, meowing at everything and lifting her tail while propping herself up on her hindlegs. I have a question though. Before the kittens are born do they become more active or does activity slow down?
Honestly...from what I've gathered here..a majority slow down.

Katie
 
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