Is My Stray Cat Pregnant?

[Maryamxo]

I live in the Middle East- so it is hot all year round. So I don’t know if the “in heat” period is the same as other countries.

She is a stray cat, I assume she hasn’t been spayed, but we have had her for 2 years and she’s never had kittens before. Which makes me think she was once a domestic cat and has been spayed? She lives outside and technically is not our cat- just a stray we feed regularly.

After some careful inspection after I let her in, I saw she had pink nipples and she has put on weight. My dad thinks she is pregnant, but since she has not been pregnant in the two years we have been feeding her (and she lives outside) I doubted it.

She has been sick for a few weeks. But now she is better- could this be morning sickness?

Ironically, I am a student (human) midwife, yet I have no idea about pregnancy in cats!

Opinions?

 

[abyeb]

I think she could be pregnant. It’s a bit difficult to tell from the pictures alone. This article gives some more information: How To Tell If My Cat Is Pregnant?

Pregnant cats do experience morning sickness during the first few weeks of gestation.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Is it possible for you to move her inside?

 

[Maryamxo]

I think she could be pregnant. It’s a bit difficult to tell from the pictures alone. This article gives some more information: How To Tell If My Cat Is Pregnant?

Pregnant cats do experience morning sickness during the first few weeks of gestation.

Thank you! Is it possible for her to be pregnant for the first time after I’ve been feeding her for two years and as far as I’m aware she hasn’t had any kittens before. I assumed she was either infertile or was once a domestic cat and therefore had been spayed previously.

 

[Maryamxo]

Is it possible for you to move her inside?

Is it possible for you to move her inside?

I’d love to but my parents won’t allow it ): she’s stray so they said she probably has worms/fleas and will ruin the furniture. She’s already scratched our door mat to pieces I try and let her in when my parents are out but they won’t let her in themselves.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Especially if she is pregnant, she will really need a safe place to deliver and raise her kittens. She can be treated for worms and fleas prior to being brought in, and even confined to one safe room if needed.

You could also have her spayed now, which might be the safer choice if she is to remain outside.

 

[Willowy]

It would be very unusual for an unspayed cat to not get pregnant in 2 years. The only thing I can think of is if she did get pregnant but miscarried early on. So I think it's fairly unlikely she's pregnant now.

Her teats are little pinker but not so much that they're a sure sign of pregnancy. And the belly could be from worms, if she hasn't been de-wormed for at least 2 years. If you can't get her to the vet, I guess all you do is wait. If she is pregnant, it'll be pretty obvious in another 3 weeks. If she is, I hope you'll find a way she can raise her babies indoors. It's dangerous for them outside.

 

[Maryamxo]

Don’t know if these help? Is it pregnancy or something more serious? She doesn’t seem in distress, but her stomach swelling could be due to worms?? Any help is much appreciated! I want to do everything I can to help this stray but I don’t really know where to start

 

[Somebody]

I would take her to the vet. Not even they can tell if a cat is pregnant just from looking at them. I have a stray cat where the vet said she was pregnant when I took her in for the first visit. He said he can spay her and do an abortion with the surgery. When we made the appointment and I delivered her they called me later that day and said after shaving her belly they found a scar from a previous surgery and that she was already spayed. It turned out she was just fat, but it even fooled the vet.
Plus if she shows an unusual look, she might be ill.