Found pregnant outdoor cat. What to do?

[Ulalazawa]

Hello About 2days ago a pregnant cat started showing up in my yard. I started to give her some kitten food and turns out she is really friendly (I also posted about her in case she is lost because of how friendly and clean she is). She loves to be scratched and has even followed me to my sunroom, but never makes the move to totally come in. I've set up an outdoor nesting area which she hasn't really used yet and now basically sits out there all day until feeding time.

There's a part of me that thinks I should take her in, although it feels it might be initially forced, and let her acclimate inside so she can prep for birth, have a safe warm space, and get eventually spayed and hopefully adopted. However I heard opposing opinion to let her just keep coming and going even though it might mean she will give birth elsewhere outdoors.

Looking advice on what the best move here is. Please help!

 

[Margot Lane]

Personally if you can and want to get her in, and are willing to do everything you just mentioned, I say go for it! If you let her do her thing outdoors, she will make more unhomed kitties, and so on. Plus, it sounds as if she’d like to come in, just needs a little push.

 

[Sarthur2]

Please bring her inside and give her a home and safe space to have and raise her kittens. She’ll need spaying after the litter weans. She sounds very sweet and needs caring for. She also needs high quality wet and dry cat food available 24/7 to support her pregnancy and future nursing.

Please check out our articles at the top of this forum on pregnant cats and kittens. Also, please keep us posted! She looks very young in the picture!

 

[Ulalazawa]

Please bring her inside and give her a home and safe space to have and raise her kittens. She’ll need spaying after the litter weans. She sounds very sweet and needs caring for. She also needs high quality wet and dry cat food available 24/7 to support her pregnancy and future nursing.

Please check out our articles at the top of this forum on pregnant cats and kittens. Also, please keep us posted! She looks very young in the picture!

Maybe I'm the one that needed the push. I tend to be an overthinker so appreciate the response. Ill take her in tomorrow morning and will update and yes I speculate she is quite young. Right now I'm giving her purina pro kitten food which is what I gave my cat as a kitten, but Ill check out the articles.

I do have a neutered 1yr old cat currently and im wondering if I need to take any other precautions, but perhaps I can schedule a vet visit soon to get her checked out.

 

[StefanZ]

Maybe I'm the one that needed the push. I tend to be an overthinker so appreciate the response. Ill take her in tomorrow morning and will update and yes I speculate she is quite young. Right now I'm giving her purina pro kitten food which is what I gave my cat as a kitten, but Ill check out the articles.

I do have a neutered 1yr old cat currently and im wondering if I need to take any other precautions, but perhaps I can schedule a vet visit soon to get her checked out.

Yes, do take some precautions quarantine wise with your resident... Unless he too is a rescued ex homeless (these tend to have extra good immune system; these are survivors). Is he up to date on vaccine shots?

But I do agree; if its at all possible, plan to take her in...

 

[Ulalazawa]

Yes, do take some precautions quarantine wise with your resident... Unless he too is a rescued ex homeless (these tend to have extra good immune system; these are survivors). Is he up to date on vaccine shots?

But I do agree; if its at all possible, plan to take her in...

Update: I took her in Monday. She was very distressed and kept meowing to be let out. My partner had to keep reminding me that I am doing the right thing because honestly at times like these it just feels wrong when you see that type of distress.

I took her to the vet and found that she had fleas got her treated and got her blookdwork done. Still waiting to hear back on her bloodwork results. I didnt realize that she cant be vaccined because of her pregnancy.

I am quarentining them, but my cat is vaccined and so if her results come back negative I'm wondering if I eventually can introduce them. When she is out of hiding of bed she is very sweet wants her head rubbed and back scratched she even lets herself be picked up for a short period of time. I also do let her out of the room because she is eager but i never have the cats in the same room at the same time (musical chairs with rooms) she explores orher areas of house and that is fine but eventually she wants to recluse to under the bed. She does not really play and so I do wonder about her stimulus levels and how I can help with that.

Pregnancy timeline is unknown but I have seen the little ones moving about in her belly. Its amazing. Anyway that is all for now.

 

[Ulalazawa]

Hi all, a week or so back I rescued a pregnant stray. I made her a nesting box but she still tends to hide under the bed. Tonight she started to go into labor because I heard a little squeek from a newborn and she was showing signs during the day. My concern is that under the bed there are all sorts of nooks and crannies formed by bags and boxes. Im just concerned that the kittens can fall into one of them, would the mom pick them up? I dont want to inturrupt her labor but it does make me worry. In the meantime I moved the nesting box under the bed as well hoping she will move the gang there.

I see conflicting advice where ppl say to just leave her alone let her move them while others on this thread advise to keep watch on the labor, wat h for complications, stillborns, etc which I can't do from this position. Any advise?

 

[di and bob]

You will have to find out exactly where she is having them. If it is relatively safe, leave her be. Use a flashlight and look. Is there anyway to clear her a space under there? Usually cats do fine, they seem to know where to have them. but she'll still need a flat area to nurse and clean them.

 

[catsknowme]

I agree with Di and Bob that leaving her be for now is probably best unless you hear a tiny mewing in distress. If you need to rescue a kitten, plan carefully before the rescue. Especially consider how best to safely move things around - I know that sounds obvious but keep in mind that sound under the bed can get deflected so pinpointing a tiny's location can be a challenge.
Thank you for providing sanctuary for the mamakitty during these critical hours! No predators, no traffic, no severe weather to worry her

 

[Sarthur2]

How are things going now?

 

[Ulalazawa]

She gave birth to 4 kittens! I know you all said to leave the kittens and mom, but I am inclined to move them into the nesting box to make it easier for me to keep and eye on them and weigh them daily which another forum on the site recommended to do.

Mama cat comes out to eat here and there and is still affectionate with the occasional hiss and slap if I make a sudden movement.

 

[Ulalazawa]

I ended up moving the kittens to a new nesting box and she has been happy there for the past 5 days but today she suddenly moved the kittens again under the bed. What do I do? Any idea why she might have done this?

 

[Sarthur2]

It’s an instinctive need for cats to move their young. It’s for protection when in the wild so that predators do not smell the nest. Of course, house cats do not normally face predators, but the drive to move their kittens remains. Leave her be. The kittens will appear when they are ready to explore around the 3-week mark.

 

[StefanZ]

I ended up moving the kittens to a new nesting box and she has been happy there for the past 5 days but today she suddenly moved the kittens again under the bed. What do I do? Any idea why she might have done this?

Agree with SArthur. Momma is the pilot on this flight, you and we are just support personnel. So we do obey the pilot as far its possible.

You mentioned weighting. Weighting is good and wise, and helps in many situations.
Although; if you visibly see the kittens are thriving, in this situation you often dont need to do this; perhaps just on the runt.

But if you cant so you cant.

Try to observe, perhaps take a peek under your bed now and then - as said; if you cant so you cant. What is optimal isnt always the same as what is possible.