Question about a rescue

[curiouskitties]

We recently rescued a cat and while we are taking her to the vet on Saturday we are curious as to whether or not she is pregnant. (She will be spayed, either after kittens have weaned if she is pregnant or after a vet conforms she isn't). Her being rescued was a strange situation but we were told she has had kittens before and may be pregnant again and that was it. She has a slight belly but is very thin overall, you can feel all of her bones. She is very sweet but does not want her abdomen touched at all and does not want to be picked up or held. Her nipples are enlarged and more pink than what I would think they would be but again we have very little history on her. Any thoughts as to whether she might be? (I know it is hard to say just from this info and a picture but I was just curious as to others opinions).

Thank you!

20151230_184416.jpg

• curiouskitties
• Dec 30, 2015

 

[handsome kitty]

I'm not sure.  Others will be along who may be able to tell.  I do know the nipples pinken on day 21.  Some vets begin the spay and then figure out if the cat is pregnant.  If you can afford it ask them to x-ray or ultra sound the cat  first.

If she is pregnant feed her lots of kitten food, wet and dry.  She needs the nourishment for herself and the developing kittens.  Do you know how long ago her last pregnancy was?

 

[curiouskitties]

Unfortunately I don't. The other thing that I forgot to mention is that she would be at least 2-3 weeks along according to the people who asked me to take her and they were clueless of if she had any type of veterinary care before.

 

[handsome kitty]

3 weeks would be 21 days.  If you think her nipples are already pinker she is at least 3 weeks.  They don't appear larger until about 5 weeks, but if she is thin and she has had other litters she will be showing sooner.

 

[Sarthur2]

An un-spayed female with enlarged, pink nipples, especially one who has been a stray, is most likely pregnant. However, if she was recently separated from her litter, she could still have milk from nursing, so it's hard in this case to be 100% positive.

As Handsome Kitty said, an ultrasound would show a pregnancy. If she's in early pregnancy it's best to avoid an x-ray until later on.

Your best bet is to keep her inside and you'll know for sure in a couple of weeks, as tummies begin to enlarge rather quickly around the 5th week.

Vaccines are not given to pregnant cats, so hold off on that. She can be de-wormed and de-flead though.

A good diet of wet and dry food is warranted either way, as she sounds thin.

Let us know what the vet says, and thank you for taking her in!

 

[StefanZ]

I agree on the earlier comments, but I must mention and ask for the answers to be complete.

A spaying / abortion NOW, is it  possible for you?  I know most do avoid this when the pregnanyc is confirmed, but as long she isnt high preg, this is not a bad alternative.  Many would do it.   Medically isnt no big problem for her nor for any decent vet surgeon.

Also, if we compare with humans.  A human baby may survive the pregnancy halfways. 6months is doable in a good hospital.  Even 5months is fully possible if the hospital is good enough specialized.   But kittens do not survive if they are taken out too early - a cesarean more than 3days before is a death sentence to them.  3 days is high dangerously - even if the owner / rescuer fights on...

So, if spaying abortion IS an alternative, you may consider it strongly?.

If itsn no alternative, we will support you of course, and help as long we can.

We recently rescued a cat and while we are taking her to the vet on Saturday we are curious as to whether or not she is pregnant. (She will be spayed, either after kittens have weaned if she is pregnant or after a vet conforms she isn't). Her being rescued was a strange situation but we were told she has had kittens before and may be pregnant again and that was it. She has a slight belly but is very thin overall, you can feel all of her bones. She is very sweet but does not want her abdomen touched at all and does not want to be picked up or held. Her nipples are enlarged and more pink than what I would think they would be but again we have very little history on her. Any thoughts as to whether she might be? (I know it is hard to say just from this info and a picture but I was just curious as to others opinions).

Thank you!

 

 

[curiouskitties]

That is not an option in my opinion. I do realize the world is overpopulated with cats and way to many die everyday because of this and I hate that people are so irresponsible that they don't spay and neuter before the cat reaches sexual maturity but we won't spay abort if she is pregnant.

 

[StefanZ]

That is not an option in my opinion. I do realize the world is overpopulated with cats and way to many die everyday because of this and I hate that people are so irresponsible that they don't spay and neuter before the cat reaches sexual maturity but we won't spay abort if she is pregnant.

OK, so that alternative is cleared out now.

Just to proceed with the major route as earlier.   

 

[curiouskitties]

Vet thinks there is 1 kitten but said they could do an xray in about 3 weeks to confirm. He said aside from being pretty underweight (6 pounds) she is healthy. He thinks she is about 4 weeks pregnant.

 

[Sarthur2]

Awesome! So glad you had her checked. If it is indeed just one kitten, her belly will not get as large as if there were several. Hopefully, on her improved diet with you, she will put on some weight soon.

An x-ray in a few weeks is a good idea. It will confirm how many and how far along.

So far so good!

 

[StefanZ]

Vet thinks there is 1 kitten but said they could do an xray in about 3 weeks to confirm. He said aside from being pretty underweight (6 pounds) she is healthy. He thinks she is about 4 weeks pregnant.

I myself dont think there si no big point with x-rays.  Also, in three weeks he can surely palpitate or make an ultra sound.  Both also MUCH cheaper than an x-ray.   Most vets take a minor fortune for an ex-ray....  

 

[curiouskitties]

Another question, I took her into our regular vet (previous one was our back up vet since reg. was out of town) due to bloody stool. She concluded it was due to the stress of a new home, new food and new house mates since stool sample was clear and she was doing fine otherwise ando sent us home with a probiotic. Anyway, this vet says she felt at least 2 kittens but couldn't tell if any were up under her ribs. She also said she thinks she will deliver in the next 2 weeks based on the size of the kittens she felt. If she is in the 7 plus week range shouldn't I be able to feel the kittens moving? I have everything ready and have read just about everything there is online about cat births but I'm a little concerned that if she is that far along that I don't feel them moving.

 

[handsome kitty]

If there are only two it may be hard to feel or see them because they have more room than if there were 4 or 5 kittens.

 

[curiouskitties]

Thank you, that makes me feel better! One more question, do cats "drop"? I have read they do and I have read they don't. She seems thinner today than yesterday, you could feel her belly up near her ribs yesterday and now you can't. Is this her dropping or just kittens moving around?

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like she may have dropped. My cat was so huge that I never noticed, but usually it is noticeable.

 

[curiouskitties]

She didn't eat very much yesterday and the two times that I checked on her last night she seemed to be pacing around. This morning she is still pacing around and wanting more attention than she usually does, she also is climbing into my lap which has never happened but that could also be that she is just getting more comfortable with me. Oh the joy of waiting!

 

[curiouskitties]

Do cats go past due very often, I know this can be bad for both mama cat and kittens. The vet guessed last Friday, based on palpation, that she would have the kittens within the next 2 weeks (which would be saying by next Friday). My concern is that because we've only had her for 3 weeks we don't know for sure how far along she is. I'm pretty sure I felt the kittens moving tonight but she doesn't like her belly touched and it was a huge step for her to let me rest my hand on her side tonight. I'm just wondering what I should look for if she were to go past when she should have them. When looking for info online I read many times that small litters (vet is guessing 2 but could be 3 or 4 if she had any up under her ribs) are more likely to go longer.

 

[Sarthur2]

Try to relax. Everything sounds like it's okay. My vet was off by a few days. It sounds like your cat is progressing naturally. Just hang in there!

 

[StefanZ]

Do cats go past due very often, I know this can be bad for both mama cat and kittens. The vet guessed last Friday, based on palpation, that she would have the kittens within the next 2 weeks (which would be saying by next Friday). My concern is that because we've only had her for 3 weeks we don't know for sure how far along she is. I'm pretty sure I felt the kittens moving tonight but she doesn't like her belly touched and it was a huge step for her to let me rest my hand on her side tonight. I'm just wondering what I should look for if she were to go past when she should have them. When looking for info online I read many times that small litters (vet is guessing 2 but could be 3 or 4 if she had any up under her ribs) are more likely to go longer.

Yes, it seems it is fairly common - and much less dangerous for cats than for humans.  The other side is too viceversa humans: a too early delivery, perhaps because of a panicky cesarean - is dangerous for the kittens.  Kittens manage being premature much worse than human babies...

Eealier you asked if cats do drop. Yes, this phenomena is common with cats, but its usually shortly before the delivery, say 3 days before.  So its possible the kittens had just changed their place somewhat - should be early to dropping, as both vets though there was time left.

 

[curiouskitties]

She started nesting 2 days ago!!