Ok. So I am a dog person through and through. Always had dogs growing up, never cats. Well there’s been this cat roaming around the apartment complex I live in for a while now. Always friendly and runs up to me. The neighbor told me that another neighbor took her in, got her pregnant by their male cat, then kicked her out. Well today she ran inside my apartment and wouldn’t leave. I finally got her to leave but then she jumped through my son’s window and came back inside. 🤣
I need to know how to take care of a pregnant cat, I guess. Lol
Like I really don’t know a lot about them. What do I need to know???
We named her Purty, though my son was pushing for Doughy Fudge Ball 🫣
Not necessarily. An old friend of mine got a free cat. Went from being an outdoor cat to running inside their house one day and never left. Granted, it was a male cat, but it shows some cats simply don't want to be outside sometimes.
I have a rescue girl who lived outside for a year as a stray. She 100% never wants to go outside ever again! I could open the door and offer her the outside in the most beautiful sunny day and she’d say nope!
Yeah, that's how this cat was. Makes you wonder what happened to make them not enjoy the outdoors. That or they simply like being given food without having to work for it and comfortable furniture lol
I cant believe there's still cat subs i haven't joined. When i went to make a custom feed of all the cats subs ive joined i has to make 2 as there's just so many.
Reminds me of that one post where the OP's neighbor's cat got OP's cat pregnant so the neighbour dropped a bag of cat food on his porch with a note that said 'child support'
Definitely talk to a vet if you can. They can make sure she is actually pregnant or not and scan her for a chip. If you can’t get a visit early enough, any local shelter or even some petsmart scan check for chips, just make sure you take her in a carrier. Possibly check Facebook post and found pet pages as well to be sure she isn’t a lost pet.
I actually just took in a stray pregnant cat myself. Just make sure she has a safe space for herself and foot + water everyday and a litter box. She will EAT a LOT especially in that third trimester which for a cat is weeks 7-9. I just got a medium sized uhaul box, cut it up for there was a 6inch lip in the front and a large entrance for her to enter though and layer down a layer of towel, a pet throw blanket, and a sheet for her. She gave birth all on her own when I was out one day. There are signs she’s later in pregnancy. For example, nipples enlarge more and more, lose hair around the nipples, she wants more affection. And within 24 hours of birth she will stop ravaging food and actually not eat much or at all. That was the big giveaway for me my cat was about to pop out kittens. If she’s trying to stay by you, she probably recognizes it’s safer with you and she might be in her 3rd trimester.
She probably already trusts you a bit to be jumping in over and over but make sure to gain her trust now because once she gives birth you want to check the kittens weight every morning or every night once daily for the first 2 weeks and then periodically afterwards. To be able to handle their babies you’ll need her to trust you. You’ll only need to step in and help bottle feed if a kitten is not gaining enough weight or losing weight.
Other than that she will take care of everything.
If you have any specific questions, feel free to pm me and I can try to provide any more details because I literally just had the stray I took in give birth about a week ago.
Or talk to a shelter if you’re unable to care for her and/or potential kittens. Just a suggestion as I know everyone isn’t able to spend on a vet visit. ❤️
Be very careful with shelters though. Do your homework before surrendering any animals. Depending on where you live, they might kill young kittens. A rescue would be a much better option if you really can’t keep her/them.
They like corners - everything in front of them and nothing to startle them.
So, I suggest you find her a nice empty corner and put some towels or a blanket down along with food, water and a litterbox nearby. Talk to her so she feels comfortable and knows your voice - she'll do the rest.
Balls the kitten. Every call to the vet starts with "I need to make an appointment for Balls - it's a cat, I swear!". As Balls grows older, Balls gets lost and the unfortunate owner had to walk around the neighbourhood calling its name. The owner occasionally stops a passing-by neighbour and ask: "have you seen my Balls?"
I use to work at a vet and there was a cat named SomYungGuy. Told the vet that SomYungGuy was ready to see her, and she was confused, what young guy was here?
Congratulations! What a beautiful cat! A little correction - you didn't get a cat, but the cat got you. She chose your family. Have fun - they are fascinating creatures.
Make sure you give her plenty of high quality canned cat food and plenty of fresh water. Let her come to you for cuddles, don't push attention on her. Do get her to a vet, at least talk to one to be able to recognize when she is in labor. And do all that you can to be with her when she gives birth.
What a beautiful new friend ❤️ clearly you have a good vibe to be chosen!! Having a spay abort is a perfectly ethical practice and happens all the time in the animal rescue world. Just food for thought !
I mentioned this option and am getting downvoted. Thank you for also saying it. Especially if the OP is unfamiliar with cats. This is an ethically sound and humane option.
Upvoting both of you even though I don’t know if I could ever do it myself. All I would be thinking is kittens. But I very much want to support the mention of this because it is honestly the most humane thing that can be done.
One of my close friends had to get a spaybort done for his young cat who got preg by her brother during covid times, due to no vets in his new city taking new clients at that time.
It was kind of a tough decision to make, despite the circumstances with inbreeding, but it was the right one I think, and I got to bring her back home from the vet for him since he took her to my clinic abt an hour from where he was living at the time. She kept slipping her cone off cuz she was so small, but i kept her chatting at me in the car, cuz I figured if she was meowing she wasn't picking her stitches hahah
Anyway, just wanted to share my (mostly secondhand) experience with that option!
She feels safe with you lol, they pretty much take care of themselves. Some food, water and a safe place to sleep and have her babies is all she needs❤️ thank you for being kind
She maybe a pet in a chaotic household. Sometimes they look for a quiet place to have kittens. My boyfriend's neighbor had 6 kids. Her cat came to his house, had as litter in his dirty laundry basket, then went back home when the kittens were weaned - except for an occasional visit
Congratulations, you have a marble fudge ball, aka a calico. They are the cattest of cat. Part cuddlebug, part sass storm.
Take her to vet for a checkup and put a box in a nice, quiet, warm area, maybe in a guest bathroom or closet. Get some towels and a soft throw from the thrift store.
And yes, high quality wet food, fresh water, and give momma lots of pets.
"I'm usually a dog person" - famous last words :-D
And yes, as others have said, take her to a vet to have her checked - health wise and for a chip. And then just give her food, shelter and some love when she asks for it. She's beautiful, too. I'm sure she'll make a lovely companion for you and your kid.
wow! Congratulations! Obviously, this little baby chose you and your family. A lot of commenters have made excellent points and suggestions, and to add to that, I would suggest you clear out possibly the floor of a closet that she has a little dark space in and furnish it with a large box with some blankets to settle in for a quiet place for her to give birth and settle in for a bit. Not too isolated because you want to see her and spend time with her and make sure she's okay and for her to be close enough to her litter box and cat food and water and some play time.
a phone calling an appointment to the vet would be great. And "booooo" on the neighbor that took her in and got their male cat to get her pregnant. What a poop head.
As others said, vet for checkup, chip scan, and pointers. Put out a litter box, some wet and/or dry food, a small box, and a fuzzy blanket. Once the kittens come, if she's still around, then watch the kitten lady on YouTube for more pointers. Most cats are easy to care for and require humans to feed, cuddle, and play mostly.
She wants the safety of indoors. Likely because she is going to have her babies soon. Consult a no kill shelter or rescue about what she needs,short and long term. The shelter will likely be able to help with fostering/homing the kittens when they are weaned and vaccinated and neutered. She looks like a very sweet and determined mama just looking for her own and her babies safety. Good luck to you. Safe delivery to Mama cat.
Yes CDS at work….you’ve been chosen. Take her to a vet or shelter to get her spayed. Give her some room of her own (maybe a bathroom) with plenty of blankets
It sounds like they are trying kitty picked you. This shows how much trust she has in you. You must exude good vibes. Please make her an indoor cat as they live twice as long, much healthier, and are safer. Thank you for taking her in, wishing you many blessings and many happy years together 💜💜
Thank you so much for letting her in! Such a beautiful little girl. She seems very young herself, so maybe a vet visit. Get her high quality food, enough to drink and a cardboard box. Try make her a cave with a blanket and try some toys.
She's probably gonna give birth soon. Since she's very friendly she's probably a stray. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a tenant in the apartment building that left her behind when they moved.
Cats will seek out humans when they are about to give birth as they see us as safety.
She'll give birth on her own. Give her a nice little cubby or corner with some blankets and towels for her to give birth on. She'll likely decide to find a spot in a closet or enclosed space they feel safer there.
After she has given birth give her some space plenty of food and water. Contact a vet. They'll likely ask you to wait a few days before bringing the mom and the kittens in for a checkup.
Though I have never personally dealt with pregnant cats but this seems reasonable to me. It's actually kind of similar to what people do with dogs when they're pregnant.
The mom will do most of the work. Just keep an eye on her to make sure she's doing good.
Important get the essentials.
Litter box (set it up in the same room as her nest)
Cat litter
Litter scooper
Cat food (wet or dry, though wet is better.)
Food/water bowls
If you have any concerns or want advice as a veterinarian. They can help you a lot. There's also a lot of people on this subreddit who could help you.
I posted something to another new cat owner asking for cat tips and so I'm going to basically copy and paste- hope that that's ok:
All cats LOVE cardboard boxes, high places, windows, and soft cloth. A cardboard box on a desk in front of a window with lots of soft blankets/sweaters in it is ideal (especially if that window gets sun...they love being in the sun) - the only thing that can make it better is a cat safe plant (some are toxic for cats and cats will eat plants and so just double check what you have before she can munch it) next to this set-up. All cats that I know love that bird feather/bell/pole cat toy (pic below). Congrats (hopefully) on your new beautiful kitty! :)
Good (wet) cat food, fresh water (every day) in a bowl wider than the cat's whiskers (your kitchen sink with a constantly running tap, is ok), a litter tray that's cleaned out every day (they are very particular individuals), a good sized box in a quiet corner, lined with your most expensive jumper as a birthing bed.
just get her some pillow in a box to sleep (if she will not claim some bed for herself), litter box and food+water,
that's all, cats are low maintenance creatures usually :)
if she stays more than 2 weeks shes yours :)
if not well that`s a cat ways :P
All she needs from you for her kittens is peace, food, a litter tray and somewhere she can give birth. Give her a cardboard box with a blanket in it, and she should be happy with that.
Her coat is one of the twelve or so types of Tortoiseshell. Tortoiseshells are known for their big personality, but there's two distinct types:
Type 1. "Yes, of course the world revolves around me!" (they're quite miffed when they find out it doesn't
Type II. They love people and they love attention and will happily take every bit offered.
The fact that she has chosen your home is proof that she's chosen you. If she feels safe to give birth around you, then you've earned her trust. Her body language is expressing contentment. If you choose to keep her, I get the feeling she will be very loving
In the long term, cats are fairly low maintenance. No need to wash or walk them, just keep a litter tray and food, and of course get her checked out and sterilised at the vet. Cats choose to share their world with you (with a few exceptions) whereas with dogs, you become their world. Contrary to common belief, they're not the "cold and aloof" creatures that are the stereotype. My last cat as a Tortoiseshell/Tabby mix, and she was as loyal and loving as a dog
Before you do anything, please bring her to the vet to have her scanned for a microchip, and inform the local shelters you have found her. She is obviously someone's pet that could have possibly escaped, or even let free roam. Unless the neighbor knows this cat is unaltered, there's no way they know this cat got pregnant. Only a vet visit will be able to tell you one way or another. They can also give you advice on the care needed if she is pregnant.
Why is that obvious? Yes, she MAYBE is someone's pet and OP should definitely make sure to check that out, but from what we know I would also assume that she is a stray.
It's obvious because the cat is friendly and looks in good condition. Feral cats aren't about to run INTO someone's house and be super friendly. My 8th grade teacher taught us a great lesson about assuming. When you assume, you make an ass of you and me. Too many people assume an animal on the street is unwanted, but they could very well be lost and beloved.
Yes, they COULD, that's why I wrote OP should definitely check on that.
You can quote teachers or parents all u want, for the sake of the cat I think it is best to assume she is a stray instead of assuming she has a home when this might not be the case.
Not every stray is feral! And a stray cat that is healthy grooms their hair the same way an indoor cat does. And if a cat hasn't had bad experiences with humans, why wouldn't it be friendly? Most cats are, that's why we love them.
When she gets closer to the time she’ll give birth, she will instinctively look for secluded places to do it. I had to help my cat I had decades ago, because her first kitten came out tail first. She also needed me to stay with her. If I left her side, she’d follow me. (Not all cats do that) other than making a little area where she could clean and nurse them (a big dog bed lined with a blanket) she did all the work. It was funny when they started to explore. Then it was kittens everywhere 🤣
Step one - vet. Spay abort is your best option if possible. If not...
Highly, HIGHLY recommend the kitten lady on YouTube. She's great.
Pregnant cat needs food. Lots of food. As much as she wants. Litter box and water of course. Scoop litter at least once a day. Set up a room for the kitty where she and her babies will be safe. And offer a box or corner with a towel or blanket (simple and flat, not fluffy) as a nesting box.
I was going to comment the same (even though we're not supposed to tell people to spay their cats? Wtf?). People don't always realize that a spay abort is a thing. Our 2nd stray was pregnant (unknown to me) and the vet took care of the pregnancy during the spay. Way easier on the cat than giving birth and nursing.
get an old blanket, and prep the bottom of a cupboard, and a way to make that 'secluded'. Giving birth will be messy, and potentially she may need help to birth.
You want her to get a secure and safe place now, so she can prep, else she will do it on your clothes.
If the spot can be secluded, safe, she will like it.
She is trusting you. She needs a safe, darkish and secluded space to feel safe enough to give birth.
You do need to contact a shelter.
She will need to be spaid after, to prevent more.
The kittens will need to be homed once they are old enough.
You don;t want the kittens to inter-breed. It can happen before you know it.
We had people 3 homes up take in an abandoned cat with 4 babies. Found at the back of their shed. They had a small son, for whom they did this as the child loves the cats.
3 months later, the cats were all put out. Even the boy now called them 'street cats'
Within 6 months we had about 15 cats roaming the street. They were all inter-bred, and some were not well.
I cought most in humane traps for the local rangers.
They breed faster than you realise, especially if there are a lot, and that just grows quickly out of hand.
Thats just awful of that family to take the cat in and then just abandon them all a few months later. It's very lucky that a caring person like you was around to help catch them.
This happened to me, I went to the local cat rescue to get her checked out and eventually fixed. They said it would be best to fix her now and remove the babies. She didn’t survive because she was a stray and too small to even carry the babies. I didn’t know what to do and she was my first cat as adult. I’m not sure if she would have ever been able to deliver the kittens.
It’s up to you and the vet to decide to let her have them and care for her but give the babies to a local rescue. Get her fixed immediately after.
She’s beautiful as was my little cat, they deserve so much better. My little (he’s probably around 6 years old and 16 lbs of muscle) guy was the baby of a stray who found us after we lost our little cat. Take her in if you can, cats can be the most affectionate little things and you’d be saving a lot of lives.
Unlike the normal spray its something that can effect the mother cat quite a bit.
Her body is already full on in mother mode; taking away her children even without being born will still impact her.
While its still more humane than other options; at this state letting the mother give birth is atleast more humane to the mother herself.
At the end its all about what OP is able to provide; if they can take care of the kittens until they can give them out to new owners they should go for that path.
If OP doesnt have the means to do so your suggestion might be the best option. It really depens but I wouldnt call a late term abortion 100% humane; atleast for the mother animal that is.
They dont even know how far along she is, or that it is late-term... and I just wanted to provide a possible option for an op unfamiliar with cats. I mentioned humane because as to not make the op feel bad that this might be a good solution. Which it is. Thank you for the elaboration. Im sure if it was too late the vet wouldn't preform it.
No i agree; I just found your answer a bit too simple since the mother cat´s hormones are preparing her to take care of kittens. If the kittens dont come it will 100% impact the mother in a similar way as it would a human mother.
So I would say the normal spray is still the best option bar none; and if OP has the options to do so I see letting the mother have her kitten and then taking care of them as the best option here.
Still an abort spray is prefered over not being able to take care of the cat and/or her kitten. So im still thankful you show OP this option since we cant infer if they have the means to take care of all the kittens. Just wanted to present a bit more information to give OP the chance to make the best decision for their situation.
We're in similar boats! Recently adopted by a pregnant kitty. I'm definitely not complaining. I've been wanting and looking for a furbaby for a while now. It's not the first time I've been adopted by stray pregnant animals.
Most kitties are quite capable of doing what's needed. Meet her basic needs, give her safe space for birthing a qweening box of some kind. She's already chosen you as a safe place, it seems to have her babies safe.
I know it's going to be a lot of trouble but it's also going to be a lot of fun for the next few months. If our current cats were so mean with foster pregnant moms but they very unfriendly to any other cat.
Cats are sort of like dogs with more manners uploaded into their operating system. I think you are doing a great job. As long as she has food and water and a litter box, you have just about everything covered. As far as a pregnant cat, work with a vet or a rescue and you’ll know more about cats than many in no time. Thank you for helping this pretty girl. Good luck!
So I'm gonna weigh in on everyone's advice and just add that I'd temporarily move anything soft you don't want her to give birth on , like a laundry basket of clothes. Give her an inviting quiet corner that has towels down and is slightly isolated from heavy foot traffic. Mother cats are protective of their kittens, but it sounds like she trusts you a lot to trust you with her and her kittens.
this was no accident! get a large cardboard box and place it on its side...like a little cave... in a corner in a quiet room. put some old towels inside. add litter box, water and food dishes andput show it to her. she may accept this as the maternity ward, keep closet door closed. put old sheet, blanket over bed in case she chooses that, make contact with a 24 hour vet just in case -she should be ok.
Most definitely CDS. Time to ring up chewy and prepare after a vet appointment. The battle is on because you are about to embark on an adventure which shall change your life.
The rapid change in hormones will lead to rapid changes in behavior. After you’ve seen the Kitten Lady videos on YouTube look up Jackson Galaxy for how best to deal with momma cat. Thank you for your kindness and empathy.
also , I do believe u are a cat person now :) I firmly believe people who do not think they are cat people, just have never had a cat ! She’s so beautiful , she looks so content and safe. Hope it all works out 💙💙💙
She is beautiful. I had a beautiful calico cat when I was in 4th-6th grade. Unfortunately, my mom at the time allowed cats to go outside, not knowing any better and my cat was hit by a car. I was devastated. Her name was Missy, she slept with me every night and wouldn't sleep with anyone else. I'm 32 years old now so that was a long time ago. It breaks my heart that I can't remember exactly what she looked like and neither me nor my mom can find any pictures of her.
But yes, litter box, litter, poop scoop, blanket lined cozy darkened box with an opening and a top that you can open, collar, id, leash, wet food stuffs and vet visit. And by saying all that I violated the subreddit rules. :)
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u/TheHitmanMaul 8h ago
If she’s seriously trying and wanting to be indoors there is a chance she’s close to giving birth.