Need to know if cat is pregnant or nursing.

[keith p]

I'm feeding a stray Tortishell and I want to get her fixed.

Trouble is the spay/neuter clinic charges extra to let you know if the cat is pregnant or nursing, I dont have the money to do this extra charge, only enough for the actual spay.

I only wanted to know if she is nursing kittens, because then I wont get her fixed because the kittens would die. But I guess only a vet will touch a stray cat not the assistants I pay upfront.

If she is pregnant and not nursing I can get her spayed. I'm hoping she is not pregnant or nursing.

So i'm in a bind, i'm hoping if I can tell she is pregnant, than most likely because of the time of year and there birth cycles she isnt nursing.

It's hard to see her nipples because of her mixed coloration, and I cant pick her up to look.

The last week in October 07' she was huge and fat, and I didnt see her a week after. When she returned, she was stick thin again, so I assume she gave birth the last week in October, or first week in November.

Since then she hasnt been that fat again.

This cat is very underweight, I can see the outline of her ribs. So since I have been only recently feeding her each day, I dont know if she is putting on weight from the food or if she is in the early stages of preganacy?

She eats her food whole and very quickly and in large amounts, but again she is so thin I dont know if she's eating for herself or offspring too?

Her belly area by her back legs is what is getting fatter.

I assume if she gave birth in November that litter would be mature and on there own by now since it's February? Correct me if I may be wrong?

Is there another way for me to know if she is pregnant or nursing?

 

[anmccleod]

I don't really know of another way...but it could be parasites making her belly big..
Maybe you could follow her to see if she leads you to kittens, then you would know she's nursing.

If she is that thin and was prego would the babies even be able to survive?

 

[keith p]

I dont think it's worms because her belly changes in size often, it's not really big in size.

I have never seen kittens with her, so either she gives birth to them at another house where mabye they are finding food/shelter and stay, or they all end up dying for some reason?

She was pregnant last year but by now those kittens would have been seen I would think.

 

[jen]

If she is an outdoor stray you can almost guarantee that she has worms. I would just take her in to be spayed, say she isn't pregnant or nursing, not to lie but just say you are pretty sure so she can get done, that is what's important. If her milk hasn't dried up yet a lot of times clinics will still charge more.

 

[purrrrfect]

If she is large around her tummy on the back end on some occasions and not others. It could also be an indication she has just gorged herself on food elsewhere before coming to you.

 

[keith p]

Her belly gradually got bigger in the back end in the past week, i'm almost sure she is pregnant now, and probably is safe to say she wouldnt be nursing at this stage of pregnancy.

I hope I can get her spayed in time!

 

[keith p]

Update, sad news.

The cat was infact pregnant, late term. I brought her in to be spayed today, all went well, but less than 2 hours after coming home she mysteriously died.

I made a post about it in the "over the bridge" section, her name was Sandy.

 

[goldenkitty45]

Sorry to hear that

But if she just had kittens in November and got pregnant when nursing them (which is likely) that may be why she didn't survive.