Indoor cat escaped like a bullet. Now I think she's pregnant

[Thebroughfamily]

I have a beautiful 2 year old indoor cat.
Obviously you will have heard this a million times but when Callie showed signs of wanting to go out last year we had planned to have her little kitty bits taken away but with covid cancelling a few appointments and working as a full time carer doing extra shift the op hasn't happened. What actually happened was my 16 year old daughter accidentally let Callie out when she was letting my bulldog out to the garden this was on the 24th of February. She was out for a few hours because every time my daughter attempted to catch her she would run off. Finally I encouraged Callie to come in with food. Callie was in season at this point and was trying to hard to get out again. She meowed soooo much and so loud she gave herself a sore throat and her meow was nearly non existent.
Fast forward to this week. My 16 year old said "oh there's that black cat again" I asked "what black cat" and Alicia said "the one that was out with Callie when she got out".
So now I'm understandably concerned my cat is pregnant. So I actually look at her and she walks with a podge going from side to side which is unusual for her as she's a very skinny cat. So I've felt her belly and it feels real hard. I know worms could do this so I wormed her. When she laid down I looked at her nipples and this is what I saw (pic below) but also last week she was sick X3 times over night and I almost stood in it at 5am leaving for work.
Callie is never sick.
So I know if I want a definite answer I should go to the vets but I was wanting to ask you your opinions.
Pregnant or not pregnant.
Thank you for taking your time to read this thread.

 

[StefanZ]

If her teats are visibly more rosy today than a month ago, so yes, she is preg... They usually gets hindbeerry red quite exactly on day 21.
IF you wish, you can still spay / abort her, even if its a little unpleasant. Otherwise, just plan on having her litter in about 35 days...

 

[Maurey]

She's almost definitely pregnant, considering the situation, yes. Cats start to pink up at around 2 to 3 weeks, and her nipples do look enlarged to me.
Since it's a month along, it's most likely too late to spay with the kittens (though worth asking if your local vet considers it safe and is willing to do it!), but it's worth noting that pregnant cats can be spayed with minimal risk if they're early enough along.

 

[Thebroughfamily]

Thank you for your reply.

 

[Sarthur2]

Well, it sounds as though your gal is pregnant from all the signs you’ve mentioned. She is four weeks along, and depending on litter size, her belly will begin to show more and more from here on. She will be due between 63-68 days along, which puts her labor and delivery at the tail end of April or first few days of May.

So, feed her high quality kitten food for optimal benefits to the babies, and she should have as much of the wet and dry food as she wants. This goes for her nursing time as well.

Get powdered PetAg, Royal Canin, or GNC KMR and 1-2mL syringes in the house, in case a baby needs supplementing, and mom will need a dish a day for the extra calcium required.

Get ready to fall in love with kittens and keep us posted!

Thebroughfamily

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

The cat is pregnant. I would call the vet they can see how many you might get.

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

Watch her. Start to get ready

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

Don’t let her outside. She has a possibility of having two litters at the same time.

 

[lutece]

Don’t let her outside. She has a possibility of having two litters at the same time.

It's good advice to not let a pregnant cat outside, since there are lots of health risks out there. However, it's extremely unlikely for a cat to conceive any additional kittens when they are already four weeks pregnant.

 

[StefanZ]

It's good advice to not let a pregnant cat outside, since there are lots of health risks out there. However, it's extremely unlikely for a cat to conceive any additional kittens when they are already four weeks pregnant.

Yet it happens they have two different litters simultaneously. One of my neigbours had such a cat. She got the cat from a peasant / farmer. Whom did drowned the litter but spared one or two for momma, as is the old custom among peasants. But when she delivered next litter 3 weeks later, he let them live - as he understand this was something rare...

I have also read about this. I think its very rare with breeders, whom have good control over their stock, and control over the matings.

But its probably not that unique among free living cats, or cats whom are able to go out at will.

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

Yet it happens they have two different litters simultaneously. One of my neigbours had such a cat. She got the cat from a peasant / farmer. Whom did drowned the litter but spared one or two for momma, as is the old custom among peasants. But when she delivered next litter 3 weeks later, he let them live - as he understand this was something rare...

I have also read about this. I think its very rare with breeders, whom have good control over their stock, and control over the matings.

But its probably not that unique among free living cats, or cats whom are able to go out at will.

My family is very careful because my family has been breeding cats for a long time

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

I wish you good luck with the kittens

 

[lutece]

Yet it happens they have two different litters simultaneously. One of my neigbours had such a cat. She got the cat from a peasant / farmer. Whom did drowned the litter but spared one or two for momma, as is the old custom among peasants. But when she delivered next litter 3 weeks later, he let them live - as he understand this was something rare...

I have also read about this. I think its very rare with breeders, whom have good control over their stock, and control over the matings.

But its probably not that unique among free living cats, or cats whom are able to go out at will.

Although theoretically possible, it's very unlikely to happen. Think about it... we have so many pregnant cat stories all the time on this site, and a large number of these are accidental pregnancies due to male and female cats living together, or cats going out at will, so if this kind of thing happened often, we would hear some stories... but how often do you have first hand news of such a pregnancy?

Not to say anything negative about your neighbor or the person she got the cat from, but "friend of a friend" stories are also not always accurate.

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

You are right but if she is in her heat or a male nearby who had the first litter with her might make her have another litter

 

[Thebroughfamily]

Thank you for all your replies. I have ordered some kitten food (wet & dry) on our food delivery tomorrow.
This is my first ever pet pregnancy so I am completely new to all this. Quite excited but also panicking a bit.
In regards to the nursing box other than puppy pads and towels/fleeces what else is needed in there? Also after the labour do we leave the kittens and mother in there for how many days/weeks? Should I get a big enough box to allow the kittens room to grow or does it have to be just big enough so it's nice warm and snug? Sorry for my ignorance but I want to do everything just right and I'm completely clueless so on the hunt for as much knowledge as possible.
T.I.A

 

[Frost and Fern’s mama]

You will do just fine

 

[Thebroughfamily]

This is the first time I've had an animal pregnant so I'm new to all this and I will be asking lots of questions that has no doubt been asked before so please bare with me.

I'm currently thinking about the birthing box.
Size, hight if the sides, lid, what essentials are needed inside ect ect.

Can I see a picture of your queens birthing area so I know what I have to aim for please.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Sarthur2]

You’ll want a box big enough for mom to fully stretch out in for nursing, and room for the kittens to move around for the first 3 weeks. After that, they’ll need a bigger space - preferably a room closed off from the rest of the house and kitten-proofed for another few weeks. They’ll need to be supervised if brought out of the room. Kittens get into everything!

You’ll want mom’s food, water, and litter nearby during this time so she does not need to go far from her kittens to dine and do her business.

You’ll want to layer the bedding so that sometime after delivery once all are cleaned, nursed, and settled you can easily remove the soiled top layer. Bedding will need changing every couple of days.

No need to panic though; you’ve got a few weeks to read the articles on pregnant cats and kittens that you’ll find at the top of this forum. We’re here for any and all questions and support!

 

[Sarthur2]

Oops, I’ve confused your post with another one.

 

[Thebroughfamily]

No that definitely wasn't me.