Earlier this summer, we got a new kitten. Her name is Sheba and she is adorable! Well time passed and now she is about a year and a half. She is an outside cat and lately she has gotten very rounded, but at the back mostly of her stomach. Her nipples seem pinker then usual and bigger. I would usually not even question if she was pregnant or not, but she is so young and small, and I have not seen any male cats around.

I don't know what to do if she is, but we are keeping them if she has them. How do I know how far along she is? How do I tell when she should even have them? What do I do if I find out? We can't take her to the vet we just don't have the time. I need to know as soon as possible please!

Please don't post in green, very hard to read.

Every cat is different, same as anything else. If you have doubts about if she is or not, it is a waiting game, but you said she is an outside cat and you haven't seen any other cats around. Unfortunately, male cats come from far and wide as soon as they smell the scent of a female in heat.

It is big of you to say you are are keeping the kittens, but what if she has all female kittens. I would hate to think you would be over run with kittens forever because they actually do breed like rabbits until they are spayed.

Even spayed she can still be an outside cat, mine is, but she will not populate the neighbourhood with kittens.

If you want to be a responsible owner, then you really must have your pet spayed or neutered and reduce the pet population. You have no idea how many have to be put down because no homes can be found for them.

From your description, yes, she is pregnant, gone through her first heat and every male cat has found her.

Take her to the vet, find time, and think of having her spayed while you are there.

Tick

Sorry.
We just moved about 2 weeks ago, I didn't think that they could come that fast!
All of our other cats are "fixed" but because of the move, it was crazy and we forgot about it. My father says as soon as she has her kittens, she is going to get fixed, and all of the kittens as well. We have 1 inside cat and another outside cat and both are fixed.
So what do I do with the kittens? Any advice how to get ready for them?

If you can't see the above post just select it:):rolleyes:

She may have her kittens outdoors in a place you will never find. Is there a way to bring her inside until after the kittens have been born?

A cat pregnancy lasts for about two months.

I asked my mother if she could stay inside, but with one cat already in there, it would be way over the top. Mom says no way.
The problem is, she hunts mice all the time in the barn, and there is a little hole under the barn. Im afraid she will have them in there because she likes it there. I don't want her to do this because I want to check on her and the kittens when she has them. (obviously not too much:))

And I know it last about two months, but I have no idea when she could have gotten pregnant.

Cats have their kittens in quiet, hidden places, so that sounds like exactly where she will go. If you don't bring her indoors, you will have no control over the situation. Maybe try to set up a special comfortable corner for her now, so she might then use that as her birthing area when the time comes.

If you close off the hole to that dark place, she will outwit you and find another one.

Sheba loves the barn, I know she will have her kittens there. I can try to cover up the hole but still, she could find another way in on the other side.
Do I need to change her diet?

What is she eating now?

Hheath is our Cats expert. She will probably see this thread later today and give you better info than I can. She had rescued a stray who happened to be pregnant, so hheath has been there and done that. Photos are on another thread.

Diamond premium adult cat food.

Can you PM her and ask if she can answer this thread? I need to know soon.

I asked my mother if she could stay inside, but with one cat already in there, it would be way over the top. Mom says no way.
The problem is, she hunts mice all the time in the barn, and there is a little hole under the barn. Im afraid she will have them in there because she likes it there. I don't want her to do this because i want to check on her and the kittens when she has them. (obviously not too much:))

You don't have to worry about her haing the kittens. She will know what to do and how to handle everything. When they are weaned she will bring them out of hiding and you will be able to see them all.

The queen will not like anyone interfering if she is a bit feril.

Tick

That food sounds okay. She's eating it (plus mice)?

I PMed hheath. I'm not sure what she's up to today, Easter Sunday.

I know, but I want to see them.

Plus, I'm kind of paranoid.

We had this cat, she randomly followed me home one day, and we found out she was pregnant. She had her kittens and about 2 months later she died. Her fur was tangled and matted, but it hadn't been the day before. I don't know what happened to her to this day.

That's why I am scared. Sheba is so small and delicate, I'm afraid something will go wrong.

Yeah, but it looks nasty to me. Shouldn't she eat something that has vitamins or something so that she can have energy and produce milk and all?

Unless you make her a house cat, you won't see the kittens until she allows you to.

She doesn't need to make milk yet. Once the kittens have been born, switch her to canned kitten food.

Doesn't the can's label give a list of nutrients?

Dry Food
Active Cat

Diamond Naturals Active Cat Formula is formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of active adult cats. Also appropriate for kittens and pregnant or nursing adults, this high protein, high fat formula is high power nutrition in every situation.

Protein: 40% Fat: 20%
Calories: 4,000 kcal/kg (400 kcal/cup) Calculated ME
Sizes Available: 6 lb. and 18 lb.

Dang. That stinks.

How far along do you think she may be?

Kk, and I don't know because I am not where the food is right now.

How far along do you think she may be?

I have absolutely no idea, nor will anyone else.

Just out of curiosity, how old are you?

Hmm.
Guess time will tell.

I am a teen. Why

I was just curious about your age. It sounds like you live on farm, so I was wondering about other animals and vet care and so on.

Sure. Anyway, I help out at the vet sometimes, I'm not a baby.

But when it comes to kittens, I'm clueless.

I didn't ask if you help out at the vet's. I wondered about vet care if you are on a farm. Usually a vet for a farm knows mostly about large animals, so was wondering if your parents have a farm and a large-animal vet who also works with cats and dogs.

This is from hheath (her computer is not working right now) --

How far along is she? Cats are pregnant for about 9 weeks and start showing at about 3 weeks. Take when you first noticed and add 6 weeks, and you may get within a week or so. Anything more exact than that would require a vet visit that really isn't needed for her and the kittens to be healthy.

If you can't bring her inside, then there's not much you can do to control where she has the babies. You can try setting up a nesting area for her with her food and water nearby, but she may not use it.

As far as diet goes, it all depends what she eats now. Give her a high protein food, kitten food is good. Since she hunts, she'll take care of anything extra she feels she needs.

Since she's an outdoor cat, there's not much you can or need to do to get ready for the kittens. You do need to seriously think about getting her spayed, though. She'll go into a kitten heat anywhere from the day after to a few months after giving birth. If she gets pregnant before this litter is weaned, she'll reject them in favor of readying for the new litter. That will mean bottle feeding.

If at all possible, try to convince your mom to let her be strictly an indoor cat until she's fixed (from someone who has 5 indoor cats, 2 isn't much different than 1). You also need to think about getting the kittens fixed. Males can mature at around 5-6 months, which means they can get their mother pregnant if she's not fixed. Females can go into their first heat at around 6-8 months, and be pregnant before there's even any outward sign of a heat cycle.

Oh OK I misunderstood you.
Yes, we have a vet who works with both large and small animals.

Thanks Hhealth for helping and Wondergirl thanks for letting her! Big help!

I will do my best to let her go inside. Mom isn't thrilled that Dad wants to keep all the kittens. Since it's my father's cat he can try to fix all this stuff and get them all fixed.

Wow I had no idea whatsoever that a cat's own kittens could get them pregnant. I knew it was possible but I didn't think they would. (horses are very very different then cats and kittens;))

Yes,my father will get her spayed as soon as she can get off her kittens. Or, what would be the best time? Do we bring her even when she's feeding them with the kittens? I would go into desperate measures to make sure all these kittens live, I am a huge animal lover, and anyone in their right mind I would think would want to save some kittens. Anyway, I think they need their mother and it's probably not healthy for her to be pregnant that much in such a small about of time.

This is a very, very small cat. She is small boned, hasn't ever been fat, nothing like that. I am worried about her! I know that she may abandon the kittens if I handle them too much, but she herself wasn't handled and she was half wild when we got her, hard to catch and all. It took a while for her to settle down and realize that we cared for and about her. I don't want her kittens to grow up all crazy. We will have to catch them to make sure that they at least have their rabies shots! (Rats in the barn are dangerous, just a precaution we take here) What if there was a big tom or toms that the kittens belong to and the babies are big too and they get stuck? Cows die all the time because of big headed bulls.. Plus, I want to check up on her and make sure she doesn't die 3 months after she has her kittens like our other cat did. We never knew why she died. No scratches, nothing. Slightly paranoid..

We're not really a family who believes in vets, we have never done ultrasounds except 1 time to make sure that our horse was. We definitely won't go for a cat, but will be positive that her and the kittens get fixed so that our place doesn't go crazy wild with kittens.

It looks like she may have them around the 22nd, my birthday! Wouldn't that be a nice gift! Haha
I hope she doesn't get to hot

In my experience, toms will kill new kittens and then get the mother cat pregnant with his own babies. If she's that tiny, she may have problems giving birth, but if you don't let a vet check her, that may be out of your control, as are other things in this cat's life. And yes, once male babies grow into maturity, they don't care if the female in heat is a strange female, or their sister, grandmother, or mother.

:eek:
Eep! So once they are born I need to try to move them without touching them?

:eek:
eep! So once they are born i need to try to move them without touching them?
That's why an outdoor mom finds a safe, dark place in which to have her kittens. Cats are smarter than we are when it comes to having kittens. The less you interfere (if she stays outdoors), the better it will be.

This is hard then.

I know she will have them under the barn. But I have a bad feeling about her having trouble

This is hard then.

i know she will have them under the barn. But i have a bad feeling about her having trouble
She may be expecting only a couple of kittens. Don't make trouble when there is none.

In my experience, toms will kill new kittens and then get the mother cat pregnant with his own babies. If she's that

Where did you here this? A male cat won't go near a female until she is in heat. In my experience, queens will absolutely not let a male cat near the kittens. Don't forget, she will go without a food and water while she is nursing the first few days. This is natural, and does no harm to her, she knows what to do absolutely.

:eek:
eep! So once they are born i need to try to move them without touching them?

Queens and their kittens survive in the wild quite well. Under no circumstances go near the kittens, no matter where they are, when they are born. If she feels they are in danger she will move them one at a time to a new location. So if you interfere, because you know where she is, then if she moves you will never find them.

I have cats born in barns many times, and all turns out quite well when left well enough alone.

Tick

Ok
Thanks
Well I guess that's all

Since Im assuming she hasn't had kittens yet I would like to add:

My aunt has stray cats living at her house, only one is neutered and there is about 15 of them. The one is sort of friendly, she likes my aunt and I and that is it, she bites anyone else who tries to touch her, so yes she is a feral cat. A year ago she was pregnant she tracked down my aunt and gave birth on her lap, if my aunt tried to get up the cat would just follow her so my aunt just sat there till babies were born. Once they were she moved them into a kennel and placed mom in there and sat there for a little while to make sure mom was nursing and then left mom and babies alone. About an hour later the momma cat had moved her kittens and then we thought we would never see them again (there was skunks, raccoons, badgers, coyotes, other cats, etc). When I went out there about 3 weeks after the kittens were born (we assumed they were dead), I went outside and there was a kitten laying on the deck. I picked it up (since there was no other cat around and just a kitten laying there all wobbly), brought it inside and placed it on a warm towel. Well throughout the day kittens started showing up on the door step, 8 in total...

Turns out the kittens had survived and momma was just bringing them home. We waited for her to return with the last one and placed them inside a kennel again, they stayed in there, and now a year later the kittens are still living at my aunts.

So your cat may decide to hide her babies for awhile, but she will bring them back eventually (if they survive).

I've had cats for years. She is more than likely pregnant. When her nipples become distended (swollen) the delivery is very very soon. A female can come into season at a very young age. Bring her in as soon as you can. It is important to the babies that they are handled within the first two weeks of life. Get her into a quiet room. Do not disturb her often. She'll find a seemingly safe place to have her litter.

The reason that you handle the babies within two weeks of birth is to aid in them not becoming ferral! They are instilled with trust for human handling.I went through this process with a female that just showed up at my house. I moved her babies into a kennel, when she went in to feed them I took lock stock and barrel into an unused bedroom, gave her food and litter and let her get used to me and me her. I would go into the room close the door and open the kennel. I would sit quietly on the floor and speak softly. I never approached her. I let her come to me. She has become one of the most loving pets I have had. I still cannot pick her up but that isn't a priority to me. She trusts me. Her babies are very loving and have made excellent pets for the people that wanted them.

. It is important to the babies that they are handled within the first two weeks of life.

I hope you meant to say NOT HANDLED within the first 2 weeks.

More from hheath --

"It sounds like her diet is just fine. If you want, you can give her canned food once a day, but it's not absolutely needed. Cats that hunt often have a better diet than ones that don't.

You don't need to get her an ultasound. Frankly, it's a waste of money unless you have good reason to believe something is wrong. All pht would tell you is how many kittens and how far along.

Since she is partially feral, the chances of her letting you anywhere near the babies is almost nil. Her instincts will see you as a threat. She'll start to relax a bit when they start moving around at about 3-4 weeks. You can start getting them used to humans, then.

Yes, kittens will get family members pregnant. My boys got their mother pregnant days before i got them fixed. I got her fixed to prevent another litter. A few years ago i had two 'boys' from the same litter. We found out one was female when her brother got her pregnant (even the vet had sexed her as male). Most vets don't like to fix nursing mothers, since there's a higher chance of infection.

Since males don't mature until at least 5 months, you'll have time to get mom fixed. It's best if you get them all fixed by 6 months, to prevent inbreeding. If your mom is worried about more cats, just tell her that more cats mean fewer rats and mice."

Thanks Wondergirl!
And to everyone else, thanks too but I think the majority say not to handle them.

Feel free to add how many she might have please

And to everyone else, thanks too but i think the majority say not to handle them.

Feel free to add how many she might have please

As with most feral animals, (not saying your queen is, but maybe she is half, or undecided) once the scent of a human appears on a newborn, they disregard them and don't feed them, leave them to die.

Tick

Hey! Its been a while sorry. Anyway, about a week ago Sheba had 5 little kittens! They are adorable! Sheba is doing well. Thanks

Hey! Its been a while sorry. Anyway, about a week ago Sheba had 5 little kittens! They are adorable! Sheba is doing well. Thanks

Mistletoe, I am so very pleased you let us know the outcome. It is so very rare that we hear back.

I hope you are thinking about having her spayed now and find homes and emphasize spaying or neutering for the little ones when their time comes.

Tick

One of the kittens, the biggest one, is missing. It has been missing, where could it be? I can't find it, and Sheba hasn't done anything different. She isn't moving them I don't think because its been days since that one went missing.

It could have died or been sick so she disposed of it (eaten it most likely), a predator (raccoon, skunk, male cat) could have taken it and killed it. There are a lot of possibilities, and that's why we've all said to keep her inside... but..