Pregnant cat HELP

[Hipus]

I everyone, i hope someone can help me as i have no idea what i am to do.

I have just moved into a new house (Renting) the last owners had a young female cat who had kittens in the back yard. The people moved out and left cat and family behind the landlords friend was gong to take them to the cats protection or give the mum to next door. I have been here for 2weeks now and mum has come back, shes a lovely little cat but shes pregnant again. She must of been mated as soon as she had had babies or as soon as she came into heat again.
I have spoken to cats protection but they wont take her (i was going to get a cat but not just yet and not a pregnant one) they said to get her spayed now which will kill the kittens but i cant do that. I can feel lots of little "balls" in her tummy. I have spoken to my vets and they said i can leave her to get on with it or check her if i want to be sure.
Do i have to keep her in the house???
What do i have to do with a pregnant cat who loves it outside and only comes home for dinners. She doesnt come home at bedtime but comes back in the middle of the night as her meal has gone outside but i dont have a cat flap so she cant get in or at least i think its her who comes back as 2 bigger cats came into the yard looking for her this afternoon.

Someone please help me this is my 1st cat.

Oh she had a flea colar on do i need to remove this as shes pregnant or is it ok.

Sarah

[kado]

Welcome to Catsey. My cat Maisey who was a stray got out while my cat simon was ill. She got pregnant and i have 4 wonderful bundles of fluff 2 wks old on saturday. I could have got her speyed but like you didnt have the heart too do it. What does she look like. Does she look like a rugby ball and will she let you stroke her. I personaly dont like flea collars and use frontline. If you do decide to bring her inside i would use that first. Could you take her too the vets for a check up at my vets the vet nurse gave her a check over and i only paid for Anti biotics that she had. She realy does in my opinion needs to be inside as she could have the kittens anywhere. I have only learnt things about cats on here somebody should be along in a bit

[Moli]

I would try to encourage her to come inside, even if its just a shed, she needs to be somewhere warm and safe before she has her kittens.....I would take the flea collar off of her....and as Kado says use frontline ......

[Hipus]

Great thanks, i have the back door open still for her to come in but shes out and about still. I know she wil be back by the time i go to work in the morning, i hope. I will get her to the vets begining of next week even if its just to confirm shes pregnant.
Yes shes looking like a little rugy ball even more so today than yesterday. I got her a blanket today i just have to get her a bed then shes got somewhere of her own to feel safe.
Can i use frontline without it upsetting the babies?

Sarah

[kado]

I used it on my maisey 4 days before she had her kittens i didnt use frontline but frontline combo which is only avaiable from the vets. I would say she could be at least 6wks pregnant but i am only going by maisey. If she comes in i would keep her in she could be farther along. Are her nipples pinking up. She could only have 3 wks to go so for her own sake she needs to be inside if possible. Have you a spare room you could keep her in. I would use a couple of cardboard boxes lined with old towels put in a pillow case as kittens can catch there claws in towels. I had boxes a bed and she had them in my daughter toy pram there still there. She might sleep in a cat carrier though. You can also buy frontline from asda for £13 for 3. Please let us me know on how she is and have u got any photos

[Mistleto's-mum]

Please try to encorage her to come in and stay in as the nights are drawing closer and getting colder.
I would also advise vet visit, good luck with it all.

[kado]

IVe had pm you, I would also say she needs to be on kitten food if possible it will build her up and her unborn kittens,

[SageCat]

I'm afraid I can't be of any help at all as I've never had a pregnant puss! Others have given some excellent advice. I just wanted to wish you and the mum-to-be good luck and hope all goes well. Please keep us posted!

[dandysmom]

Same here; never had a pregnant cat either. but well done for looking after this little cat. Hope all goes well.

[angieh]

Same here from me! I took in a little pregnant cat many many years ago - she had her kittens and stayed with me for the rest of her life. Good luck. Let us know how things go.

[Hipus]

Thanks everyone. Shes has used her litter tray this eve, i was worried she wouldnt know how to use one but she was good all day in the house with no accidents untill i ca,e home with her tray then she used it as soon as it was down.
Her tummy underneith is hard i cant feel little balls now. I can still see her waist but her tummy is round and sticks out n hangs past her body line. She just keeps lieing down on the carpet then going for a walk around.
She is much calmer today. You can deff see her nipples shes just been washing and chewing one or thats what it looked like.
I am going to get her a travel box and take her to my vets next week.

[Moli]

Sounds good, she has settled with you...Good for you helping this little girl..please keep up updated...

[dandysmom]

She seems to be settling, that's encouraging. Have you named her?

[Hipus]

She seems to be settling, that's encouraging. Have you named her?

My 3yr old son heard me call "here puss" to her yesterday so now he has said her name is Hipus (hip us)

She is fast asleep by my feet so shes either fedup of asking to go out or is happy to be around us. My son (3yr old) is taking his new job very well, he puts her food down and tries to get her to play n gives her attention baby (16mth) thinks its great to have a cat in the house, shes trying to be gentle and will just sit on the floor next to Hipus but the main thing is she is good with the kids.

I think i will put her and the kittens in my bedroom where they will be safe from little hands when they arrive shes already been in there for alook around.

I hve just noticed that shes leaking milk from her nipples a friend said she could have mastitus if her last litter were taken away to young im now worried im worrying over nothing and shes not pregnant.

[catwoman999]

What happened to the first set of kittens that this cat had? You didn't say...

[Hipus]

What happened to the first set of kittens that this cat had? You didn't say...

i Have no idea what happend to her 1st litter. I am told that the last owners (people who lived in the house i have moved into) let her have the litter in the back yard, i was shown where and its just in a pile of bricks and mud there was a little rag there but thats all. The guy who painted the house just before i moved in (house was empty 1week) told the landlord he will take the cat and kittens the the Cats Protection or give the cat to next door, I have asked the CPL and the date the cat went they didnt have anything in, I have also asked the RSPCA who are next door and they didtn have any in then. Next door know nothing either. Several people have said seeing as theres the Manchester shipcanal at the courner of the road they could of ended up there and mum just found her way back as she wasnt around for about the 1st week i was here.

I have spoken to my vet today he said shes about 5-6weeks pregnant on what i have told him, so thats about 3 weeks left is that rigth?

[dandysmom]

How horrible that there's no trace of the first kittens, at least this litter will be born safely and taken care of; so glad she came to you.

[catwoman999]

I almost wish I hadn't asked :(
As Dandysmom says, at least this litter will be born indoors and given good homes.
I am just hoping some money hungry person took the kittens and sold then onto good homes, rather than kittens ending in the canal... Maybe if kittens were taken away, mum cat was away for the week looking for them. Life is so sad sometimes :(

[Hipus]

Thats what i am thinking, that she was looking for them. There is no way shes getting out so will have the kittens in the house where ever she picks. Im just sorting some more boxes from when i moved in a few weeks ago and now have a box thats long but not very deep so she could have the kittens in there for a few weeks untill they can climb out its easy for her to step in/out of but babies wont for a few weeks.
Im not 100% convinsed shes pregnant as i no nothing about a cat being Preg only dogs LOL but im going on as if she is as the vets said they dont need to see her as it might upset her more while shes only just getting used to us unless there is a problem.
I have had to kick her out of the kids room twice tonight as she is trying to get down the side of my sons bed and i dont want her in there anyway.

She has now decided its great to sit at the door meowing there is no way im letting her out she better not start in the night and wake the kids up, she will sit by me for ages then she starts again LOL

Sarah

[Hipus]

OK big shock.

I was getting out of the car this eve and a lady asked me if i have seen a cat that lived in my house befroe i moved out. I asked why and she said shes found 2 kittens locked in a shed (no access to the shed) she has them at her house but is looking for mum as she doesnt know anyone whos had kittens. I asked her to come in and see Hipus and shes the same colour as 1 of the kittens. I went over to see them they wont eat cat/kitten food at all they are dehidrated. I have brought them home, mum went nuts as did babies (2 of them one tortes shell, other ginger) mum jumped into the box and started washing kittens they are now happy feeding in my room where they cant get disturbed.
How old would you say they are :-
eyes open,
walking well
teeth
Mum and babies are going to the vets tomorrow eve, but what do i need to do now???

[dandysmom]

Oh what a miracle that she's been reunited with her babies! The vet will be able to help you with all your questions tomorrow.

[catwoman999]

Gosh, what a turn of events!
Ah, thats lovely that they are now feeding from mum. Thats probably saved their life, if they are too young to eat solids!
It hard to tell how old they are without seeing them, maybe 3/4 weeks or so if they are not eating solids or weened.
Someone must have been feeding these kittens for the last week or they would be dead :?
Maybe whoever lifted them to sell them, couldn't sell them so abandoned them in shed????
Very strange mystery..... Could the lady who came to you tonight actually be the person who lifted them in the first place? Just a thought, but I have a suspicious mind lol...
Gosh, you really have your hands full now... Hipus and her two kittens, and another litter on its way!
Maybe you could contact RSPCA or CP to help you find really good homes for them all.
Let us know how you get on at vets tomorrow! :D
Hats off to you, for helping the little mum and her family.

[Moli]

Bless you for helping this little girl and her babies, wish there were more people like you around...

[louise_81]

I would start getting in touch with rescues now, all the ones I phoned said they couldn't guarentee taking kittens, but I could go on their list, but they would not take cats :( Most of our local rescues are very full and I had to make the so hard decision of neutering Ava, at around 5 weeks gone :( It was a hard decision to make, and I was made to feel better as the vet said it was an unusually large litter,and she wouldn't have coped. On the other hand it was made so much more difficult by Ava's reaction. She started nesting, wouldn't let me leave her. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't I would have found homes for them all. :) Hope you manage to find them all homes once old enough, although I agree, you have your ands full!

P.S. PIIIICCCCCCSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kado]

That's fantastic news. So glad mum and babies are reunited at last. Pics please

[Hipus]

I will take pics tomorrow, I dont want to upset mum and babies so soon. Hipus has been down for her dinner and wee and gone back into there box, they feel a little cold so i have put another blaket in with them, they are in a high sided box so no draft can get into them. Im sure mum will keep them warm.
What do i do in the next week or so when they want to run around?? do i just let them have the run of down stairs??? I have a livingroom, door through to middle room (playroom) with staris off and kitchen off but no door to kitchen.

CP have loads of kittens and pregnant mums in, i have a friend who said she would have a kitten off me but that was when we were told she was pregnant she doesnt know we have babies already.

[catwoman999]

Maybe your friend can take one of the kittens in a few weeks time when they have been weened and on solids.
Is mummy cat producing milk ok? Have you checked?
You will find that mummy cat will do a the looking after of the kittens, she will even litter train them with a bit of help from you.
Soon, you should try and ween them. Give them a few days to settle back with mum (as long as she is producing milk). Then try and tempt them with some kitten food mashed up a bit.
You will find a wealth of info on the net, on whats best to do!
Maybe keep kittens to one room at the moment, then yes do what you feel is best. Though watch open doors and windows, you don't want an escapee.

[Hipus]

well thats night one over. Mum was very good but babies cry as soon she jumps out of the box they dont like her going at all. Shes down at the moment haveing breakfast of kitten food on vets advice. im not sure what to do as im going to work in 1hour then not home untill 4pm i will leave the bedroom door open for her, and fill her bowl again and hope she will be ok. im going to try and get home midday if im doing ok time wise.

[yola]

Wow, what a wonderful story, I've so enjoyed reading everything that's happened and I'm very pleased that 2 of the kittens have been reunited with their Ma.

I too would love to see some pictures . . . :D

[Hipus]

Hipus and babies have been to the vets this eve. Hipus looks in good health, shes a max of 12mth babies are 2.5-3 week old and are looking well. We have 1 Ginger male and 1 Tortasshell female just like her mum. Hipus didnt like the car ride to much she started panting and putting her paws out to touch us but not with her claws.
I will post pics as soon as i can find my cam, its still unpacked was hoping to find it tonight :(

[catwoman999]

Thank you for the update. Hipus is soooo young herself poor thing. You are doing a very good thing helping this wee family :D