Pregnancy Signs?

[milkshake]

Hi. We got our girl Milkshake last June. My daughters bus driver said there was a litter of kittens born in her barn. Bus driver wasn't sure exactly how old the kitten was but she was guessing about 8 weeks. When we first got her she couldn't eat "hard" food that well and we needed to give her the canned soft food for a while so I'm not sure she was even 8 weeks. Any way, at this point I am guessing she is between 10-12 months old. I have never seen any obvious signs of being in heat, so I never worried too much about getting her fixed. 

She has recently gotten out of the house (she is an indoor cat). She has gotten out of the house 2 nights in a row, and we didn't know it. We have learned that she had pushed out our basement window screen out and we didn't know so when she wanted to go into the basement we didn't think much of it. My husband has since fixed it. 

My neighbor has 2 male cats that are NOT fixed either. When we spotted Milkshake in the morning both times she was with the neighbor cats. 

I need to call and try to get her an appt to get fixed, but I am totally against abortion. My first question is

1. Will they spay her if she is pregnant and abort her litter? And if they do, will they tell me first?

2. What are the first signs I should be looking for to tell me she is pregnant?

3. What should I be doing to take care of her if she is pregnant?

 

[talkingpeanut]

If she has just gotten out, I would get her spayed this week. It would not register as a pregnancy at all.

The first signs of pregnancy are at 21 days - nipples pink up.

 

[StefanZ]

 
Hi. We got our girl Milkshake last June. My daughters bus driver said there was a litter of kittens born in her barn. Bus driver wasn't sure exactly how old the kitten was but she was guessing about 8 weeks. When we first got her she couldn't eat "hard" food that well and we needed to give her the canned soft food for a while so I'm not sure she was even 8 weeks. Any way, at this point I am guessing she is between 10-12 months old. I have never seen any obvious signs of being in heat, so I never worried too much about getting her fixed. 

She has recently gotten out of the house (she is an indoor cat). She has gotten out of the house 2 nights in a row, and we didn't know it. We have learned that she had pushed out our basement window screen out and we didn't know so when she wanted to go into the basement we didn't think much of it. My husband has since fixed it. 

My neighbor has 2 male cats that are NOT fixed either. When we spotted Milkshake in the morning both times she was with the neighbor cats. 

I need to call and try to get her an appt to get fixed, but I am totally against abortion. My first question is

1. Will they spay her if she is pregnant and abort her litter? And if they do, will they tell me first?

2. What are the first signs I should be looking for to tell me she is pregnant?

3. What should I be doing to take care of her if she is pregnant?

If its freshly done, nothing visible nor noticeable as yet,  I would strongly recommend spaying.   Even if you are against it.   Some things should be done, even if we arent happy..

But if you ARE anxious to get a litter, its of course your right, you are the pilot and its you whom must fly and land the plane.

1.   Tell them your  decision, so they wont need to have doubts.

2. The teats gets red after about 21 days...   There also may be some changes in behavior, a watchful owner usually does notice some.

3. Good food, esp when she is noticeably high preg. No stress, much love...  And read on, of course.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Wanted to add for future reference - cats do not always show signs of being in heat, and they can actually get pregnant without going into heat at all.  Cats are induced ovulators, which means that the act of mating can cause them to release an egg, making pregnancy possible at any time.

Mom will be happier and healthier when she is spayed, even if she is inside-only.

 

[milkshake]

Someone had said the first signs are at 21 days. At this point would she be more tired? Tomorrow will be 1 week since the 1st day she snuck out. She has been sleeping more than she usually does. At first I just thought maybe she was more tired from being out all night but she hasn't been out the last couple days and is still sleeping alot more for what is normal for her.

She is my daughters cat and my daughter doesn't want to get her fixed if she could be pregnant. I told her I would talk to the vet tomorrow and see when we can get an appointment and at that time they would be able to tell us more about if she is. If she is 1 week into the pregnancy, would the vet be able to tell? And I guess that would be if we can get her in right away. 

 

[StefanZ]

Sorry, its late here and Im tired. So Im calling a spade for a spade.  If you want the litter so say so.  Its OK.

but if you ARE wanting to spay her, do so, there is no better occasion than at this exact moment.  Tell the dau there were no signs of any pregnancy, and get it done.

Everyone will be happier.

If your dau wants to play with kittens, you can surely cooperate with some shelter nearby, and be such a temporary home for a high preg, or momma with kittens.

They are dying out there, not because they are sick, but because there arent enough with temporary homes for them.

Even a high kill pound prefer not to kill them, if they know there is an acceptable fosterer willing to take them from the death row.

 

[talkingpeanut]

If she's a week in, there isn't anything to abort. I would get her spayed very quickly.

 

[sara1985]

I wud never terminate a pregnant a cats baby's I no ppl say it's for the best coz so many homeless kitty's but I just couldn't do it if she iz pregnant I wud try to find the kittens homes asap so u no they have homes to go to xxx

 

[milkshake]

 
Sorry, its late here and Im tired. So Im calling a spade for a spade.  If you want the litter so say so.  Its OK.

but if you ARE wanting to spay her, do so, there is no better occasion than at this exact moment.  Tell the dau there were no signs of any pregnancy, and get it done.

Everyone will be happier.

If your dau wants to play with kittens, you can surely cooperate with some shelter nearby, and be such a temporary home for a high preg, or momma with kittens.

They are dying out there, not because they are sick, but because there arent enough with temporary homes for them.

Even a high kill pound prefer not to kill them, if they know there is an acceptable fosterer willing to take them from the death row.

I am not saying I want a litter. And I do want to get her spayed. I just want to get some answers before I make the decision. My daughter is 16, so she isn't stupid. She has made it very clear that IF milkshake is pregnant she doesn't want them aborted. And I can't blame her as just the word makes me uneasy as I am against it. That being said, I am not familiar with pregnant cats so was looking for answers so I have some idea of what I am talking about before I speak to the vet tomorrow. 

Since its only been a week, I am not sure she is pregnant or even how long it would take her egg to be fertalized after the deed is done. My first concern is if the vet would some how know she was pregnant before her cut her open. Wouldn't it be to early for them to seen anything on xray or ultrasound?

 

[talkingpeanut]

If you did it now I don't think you would be terminating anything. Something to think about, and act on quickly.

 

[milkshake]

If you did it now I don't think you would be terminating anything. Something to think about, and act on quickly.

Thank you, I have been researching so I am better prepared when I call the vet tomorrow. I was reading that fertilization occurs 4 or 5 days later?

 

[talkingpeanut]

 
Thank you, I have been researching so I am better prepared when I call the vet tomorrow. I was reading that fertilization occurs 4 or 5 days later?

I don't think you will be terminating anything if you act quickly.  You will possibly be ending the possibility of there being a pregnancy, but I don't believe those are the same thing.  Please let us know what the vet says!  I applaud you for educating yourself.

 

[handsome kitty]

Depending on the size of the kittens, if there are any, the vet may not be able to determine if she is pregnant until he begins the spay. 

Yes, you are correct, the eggs are not always fertilized right away.

 

[Sarthur2]

If she's a week in, there isn't anything to abort. I would get her spayed very quickly.

A week is a week. Ovulation occurs immediately after mating. Fertilization then ocurrs within 24 hours. A spay at this point would be a termination of pregnancy following mating. We need to be clear on this.

 

[talkingpeanut]

A week is a week. A spay at this point would be a termination of pregnancy following mating. We need to be clear on this.

Right, but there are no fetuses, and there is no telling if they will take. As I said, there is the removal of the possibility of something.

 

[catwoman707]

My opinion? 

If she got out and was hanging with the boys next door, she mated. 

Good chance with both even.

Cats are fertile myrtles, unlike people, who have sex for a year and don't get prego, cats do.....

I would get her butt in ASAP and get her little butt spayed.

She does NOT have little fetuses at this point, but her body is starting to change, so don't wait.

If there are not actual fetuses starting to develop, I would not ethically call this aborting, although I suppose technically it is.

 

[milkshake]

So Milkshake snuck out sometime this morning, probably when my husband went to work at 6 am. Hasn't come back all day and we've had no luck finding her. We've talked to the neighbors and none have seen her. Also the neighbor did finally get his boys fixed so she wouldn't have been pregnant, but who knows after today, she probably will be. I took the kids to walk up and down our street, and through the woods behind our house. We live in a fairly rural part of town. 

I left some food on our back porch for her if she returns. She has a very soft meow so I am worried if i will hear her or not. Plus its supposed to be stormy tonight.

 

[talkingpeanut]

I'm assuming she is still in heat. Please consider taking her in this week.

 

[milkshake]

I'm assuming she is still in heat. Please consider taking her in this week.

I talked to a vet today and they said she couldn't be spay as long as she was in heat and i needed to wait until she was done

 

[StefanZ]

 
I talked to a vet today and they said she couldn't be spay as long as she was in heat and i needed to wait until she was done

True. Spaing while in heat is more difficult, and may be dangerous with not experienced surgeon.

So the trick is to do it after the heat ended.