Pregnant Friendly Stray..

[Issyhart]

I feed a couple of stray cats where I live. One of the girls is VERY pregnant. I've been feeding her for almost a year now. I have tried many times to have her come inside and stay. I'd love to adopt her. Although she's very friendly and trusting with me, she doesn't seem to want to be a house cat. She is now pregnant and I want to help so much. She's ore than welcome to have her babies here. Now that the days have gotten warmer she hangs around here most of the day. She has food and fresh water always available. Is there any clothing I can do to try to bring her inside so she can have her kittens here?

 

[kittychick]

First I want to say - how wonderful it is that she's got someone caring like you to watch over her during this fragile time for her and her soon-to-be-born fluff balls. She's adorable - and yes indeed - quite QUITE pregnant!!! And I wasn't quite sure what you meant by "is there any clothing...." - - I'm guessing that was an autocorrect that was perhaps supposed to say "is there anything...."?

If you're willing (and able) to bring her inside (and it sounds like you are!) and make her an indoor cat, that's what would be the absolute best for her and her babies, for several reasons. Sadly, more than 50% of kittens born to strays and ferals (and she's obviously not feral ) don't survive past the first 6-8 weeks. It's a tough world out there for the furry little babies. And sadly, momma too has a far shorter life expectancy as a completely outdoor cat (although her chances are helped by your kindness of providing food and water). Both mom and babies face so much if they live totally outdoors - -predators, cars, heat, cold, disease, parasites, and even unkind humans are big factors in their survival. But.....on the bright side - she has you willing to care for her, and if you can help her learn to love being an indoor kitty, and if her babies are born in the safety of your home (and then you can find loving homes for them), the whole family stands a GREAT chance of a long, very happy life!

It would help if you can get her inside asap so that the kittens can be born in the safety of you home - - -plus you can begin socializing them immediately (a HUGE plus for them when it comes to finding a home for them.....those of us in this forum who've worked on socializing totally feral kittens knows it can be a long, difficult - albeit rewarding! - process).

You mention that she doesn't seem to want to be an indoor cat - that she's come inside periodically but doesn't seem to want to stay. On those occasions she's been inside, have you just coaxed her in for a meal, and then let her back out as soon as she appears to want to go back out? Right now her "norm" seems to be outside - - but with a little time (and persuasion and love), most kitties I've dealt with end up realizing fairly quickly how much better "inside with love, heat, a/c, food, treats, and mom" is than outside. It might take a small bit of time, but chances are very likely that since she obviously is already very attached to you that she'd adjust quickly to being a fully indoor cat. And getting her in asap - so that the babies can be born safely indoors, is by far the best way to move ahead if at all possible. I'm guessing she'll come in on her own and you wouldn't need to trap her? If so - if you have a small room where you could set her up initially, a place that she can call her own more quickly and feel safe having the babies, that would probably help (I do know sometimes cats as friendly as she seems to be may not need to be started off in a smaller area, but I'd start out that way to be safe). I'd actually get her to a vet first (to give a general check up to both mom and unborn babies) and then bring her straight home into what would start off as "her room" ---already set up with litterbox, food, etc (including a place where she'd feel safe giving birth - say a box or two with blankets....or a cat carrier with the door removed....etc.).

I'd also make sure she's spayed as soon as she safely can be after the babies are weaned. It's FAR healthier for her in the long run (spaying reduces several health risks enormously - like mammary cancer....and birth is hard on her, so it'll obviously alleviate that possible health issue in the future! ). And it means she won't be adding even more kittens to this world that, sadly, already has SO many unwanted kittens.

There's tons more we can all impart on this forum as far as help getting her in (although that sounds like that's not an issue - which is great!), helping you make her feel comfortable being inside, etc. Just ask! This forum has SO many wonderful people with a wide variety of experience - - and everyone is kind and helpful and happy to listen and help -- so don't be afraid to pose questions!

Good luck with her - - and keep us posted. I'm seeing a home filled with adorable bouncing fluff balls very shortly.

 

[Issyhart]

When she comes inside, she always comes in to eat. She does this early in the morning and several times a day for feedings. As soon as she's done eating she'll sit right outside to groom and just relax. I usually always sit with her around lunch time. She loves it and takes the freedom to walk in and out of the entrance. Shes very reluctant to go up some stairs to where my front door is. I wouldn't want to force her in as I don't want to scare her off. I will continue to try to coax her inside.. thank you for your kind words and knowledge

 

[tabbytom]

Hello Issyhart , I agree with what kittychick has mentioned. And yes, thank you for taking care of her all this while and please get her indoors ASAP.

What you can do is to get towels and soak up as much of her scents as possible. Let her roll in them, wipe her with them or any way possible to get her scents. Once it’s done, bring the towels in and find a safe room and place one or two pieces of your clean unwashed garments in the room so that your scent is also familiar to her and prepare a nest for her to give birth. Make sure that there are no escape route in that room and also when visiting to give her food and water and clean the litter box, make sure that she don’t charge out of the room else it’ll be hareder the next time when you try to bring her in. Make her as comfortable as possible and win her trust totally.

Once she’s in, settle her down and let her give birth and weaned off the kittens and after that, off to the vet she goes.

Do keep us posted of the progress and feel free to ask questions and many of us here would like to help out.

 

[kittychick]

I'm going to revise part of my answer - thanks to the stellar advice from tabbytom . While getting her to the vet before giving birth is ideal - since you don't have other cats she can pass any health issues along to - getting her settled while causing the least amount of stress at this very late date of her pregnancy is probably the most important. I'd get her in - and keep her in asap. She doesn't have long before she'll give birth - - and getting her in then will be more difficult AND place the babies in so much more danger.