# Advice on pregnant cat



## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

I've been told she's due any day and "ready to drop" but I'm not entirely sure what to expect.

Her birthing box is in a terrible state and I'm frankly more worried about her diet. (She's eating Whiskas adult wet and dry)

At the moment she's just had a long drink and is sprawled on the floor on her side.

I can't send pictures at the moment but how do you know when the kittens have dropped because I'm not too sure about when it would be okay to leave her or what I should watch out for.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

When kittens drop, she'll be lower around the bottom of her tummy and slimmer at the sides, and you'll feel kittens moving less


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

Rufus15 said:


> When kittens drop, she'll be lower around the bottom of her tummy and slimmer at the sides, and you'll feel kittens moving less


She's not my cat so I'm not actually sure how she looked before, I'm just cat sitting and this is the first time I've seen her.

I don't want to stress her out so I'm mostly just sat in the room with her and she'll occasionally walk over and lick me.

She was okay with me touching her belly briefly earlier but she's mostly laying on her side now so I can't tell much.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Some girls there isn’t much of a visual change, others look not pregnant at all when they’ve dropped.

My cats are short haired and it’s easy to see the kittens moving about, they’re very active about 24 hours before birth.
You may also see discharge prior to birth, the time varies greatly though and some girls clean quickly. 

What do you mean her birthing box is in a terrible state?


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

spotty cats said:


> My cats are short haired and it's easy to see the kittens moving about, they're very active about 24 hours before birth.


She's short hair as well and I thought I saw some movement earlier but at the moment she's alternating between drinking and sleeping - but then when I came in she had no water left.



spotty cats said:


> What do you mean her birthing box is in a terrible state?


She had a crisp box that had been topped over and has a small rough towel and a bin bag. I've set it upright and properly lain them across the bottom now.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Can you fold the towel and pop it in a pillow case? Little claws can get stuck in towels. I’d bin the bin bag.
Is the box big enough for her to stretch out in with room for kittens?


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

The towel would probably fit better in a pillowcase unfolded but I'm not sure where I'd find them, I might have to wait for the owner to call later today.

She's laying in the box now that it's up, she moved there after she got another drink.







I think it's big enough?


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Sнarкy said:


> but then when I came in she had no water left.


Do you mean to say she's been left alone, except for when you come in to feed and check on her? I'm no expert but even I know she really needs someone there all the time. Now, and especially after the kittens have been born.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

lorilu said:


> Do you mean to say she's been left alone, except for when you come in to feed and check on her? I'm no expert but even I know she really needs someone there all the time. Now, and especially after the kittens have been born.


I was told they were leaving Friday (yesterday) and to come round today, then everyday afterwards but she insinuated I could stay if I wanted.

She's a friend of my mother's so I didn't find out until very recently that she was actually due - I was just told she was pregnant.

My plan was originally to just come in to see her two to three times a day and stay a couple hours but I'd rather not leave her if she's this close - hence wanting to find out how close she is and what I need to do.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I hope you will move in now, for the duration.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

That seems to be the way it's going, I'll just have to pop out and grab some stuff.

They're back Thursday evening so thankfully not gone too long and I think this is the cats second litter so they should be able to answer all my questions.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Sнarкy said:


> That seems to be the way it's going, I'll just have to pop out and grab some stuff.
> 
> They're back Thursday evening so thankfully not gone too long and I think this is the cats second litter so they should be able to answer all my questions.


Poor kitty. I hope they spay her now.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Can you offer to have her at yours? They’re clearly extremely irresponsible and don’t care about her.

You could raise the kittens properly, keep them for the appropriate amount of time and have her spayed.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

spotty cats said:


> Can you offer to have her at yours? They're clearly extremely irresponsible and don't care about her.
> 
> You could raise the kittens properly, keep them for the appropriate amount of time and have her spayed.


Completely agree. They didn't even leave her enough water to get her through the night! Great idea Spotty Cats. I've actually done that. Not a pregnant cat, but was asked to cat sit a co-worker's cat. I was already appalled at what they were feeding her, appalled at the way they were (not) taking care of her and wasn't sure I wanted to get involved, since I was already so upset over it. But I said yes in the end. There was a storm expected the day after they left so I took her home, worried about being able to get out to care for her the next day. She settled in so well I kept her at mine and when they came home 10 days later, I said "I'd just as soon keep her if you don't mind, she's settled in so well with my boy". They didn't care. I didn't say anything about the way they were (not) caring for her, just said my cat and I had gotten attached.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

I hope they do get her spayed as soon as they can, apparently the last litter was really recent? I don't know too much about it but they'd offered to give me a kitten before but I'd declined and there were less kittens then they expected or something to that affect.

I have two kittens of my own at the moment and a dog in the house so I'm not sure if moving her so close would be okay stresswise.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

Sнarкy said:


> I have two kittens of my own at the moment and a dog in the house so I'm not sure if moving her so close would be okay stresswise.


She would need to be kept in a separate room anyway, so wouldn't come in contact with your kittens or dog


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

Rufus15 said:


> She would need to be kept in a separate room anyway, so wouldn't come in contact with your kittens or dog


I know she'd be separate but the dog has been trained to open doors and isn't exactly the most quiet. The room I could move her into is one that he doesn't tend to go in but if she's loud then he might try enter anyway?


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

Update on Bella: she's still eating and hasn't been drinking as much as she did yesterday so I'm guessing she was just really thirsty. Her food and water is directly outside the litterbox which I'm sure is a bad idea.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

Yes that's an awful idea. The contamination risk is huge  I'm really concerned for this cat, she looks young, it's her second pregnancy, and her owners have just left her with someone dropping in when you've no idea when she'll be ready to pop.

Can you install a lock on the door, so your pooch can't open it?


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

If I put something like the Hoover in front of the door then he's likely to avoid it, but there's still his barking. I think that's the only bedroom that hasn't had a lock before so would be the hardest to put one on.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

A simple sliding bolt would be fine I imagine, one on the inside and one on the outside so it can be locked from either side as needed. 

I don't think the barking would be an issue as she'll realise quite quickly the barking thing can't get to her.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

I'll have to see what I can do when I stop by later today, she seems pretty relaxed at the moment so that's something.


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm sorry to disagree and could well be wrong of course but I don't think it's a good idea to move a pregnant cat from its familiar environment, particularly into one with a dog who barks frequently.

I know the status quo isn't exactly ideal either unless she can be monitored closely every few hours.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

gskinner123 said:


> I'm sorry to disagree and could well be wrong of course but I don't think it's a good idea to move a pregnant cat from its familiar environment, particularly into one with a dog who barks frequently.
> 
> I know the status quo isn't exactly ideal either unless she can be monitored closely every few hours.


I wasn't too keen on the idea of moving her anyway but I think she has fleas as well. Certain flea treatment isn't safe for pregnant cats, is it?

She's been pretty loud the last couple of hours and trying more to get into her owners rooms or outside.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Sнarкy said:


> I wasn't too keen on the idea of moving her anyway but I think she has fleas as well. Certain flea treatment isn't safe for pregnant cats, is it?
> 
> She's been pretty loud the last couple of hours and trying more to get into her owners rooms or outside.


She probably has worms as well.  Advantage is safe for pregnant & lactating cats, it's a spot-on. Pregnant cats can be wormed with Panacur (fenbendazole) and will probably happily eat granules in wet food. I would worm her now, in 3 weeks, and in 6 weeks.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

She does have fleas, I managed to spot one when she was laying beside me - I was really hoping the flea dirt was old.



OrientalSlave said:


> Advantage is safe for pregnant & lactating cats, it's a spot-on. Pregnant cats can be wormed with Panacur (fenbendazole)


Do those have to be bought from the vet? I'm going to message the owner in a bit to update her.


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## Rufus15 (Dec 4, 2015)

Advantage can be bought online. 

I can understand your not wanting to move her, it's a tricky situation. 

How terrible that her owners have left her like this


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

The owner said she should be due any time up to the end of this week but she doesn't actually know.

I think I'd prefer she doesn't go into labour while I'm here, as long as that's safe for her, everyone involved would probably be more comfortable that way.


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## lillytheunicorn (Nov 17, 2012)

What about a web cam for when you can’t be there? It does mean you can check on her frequently, I used one albeit when my kittens were a week old to check on them.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Sнarкy said:


> She does have fleas, I managed to spot one when she was laying beside me - I was really hoping the flea dirt was old.
> 
> Do those have to be bought from the vet? I'm going to message the owner in a bit to update her.


Both Advantage & Panacur granules can be brought online without a prescription. You probably want the blue sachets of Panacur, which treat a 4kg cat,


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

lillytheunicorn said:


> What about a web cam for when you can't be there?


I was considering doing something like that, probably use my old laptop cause I can set that up in the kitchen where she is.

I have to wait till tomorrow to talk to the owner about it but hopefully there won't be any issue.

I asked about her last pregnancy but it just made me more worried.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

repeated myself


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Sнarкy said:


> I asked about her last pregnancy but it just made me more worried.


Was there a problem with the birth or kittens?

They've really left you in an awful position


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

spotty cats said:


> Was there a problem with the birth or kittens?


Apparently it was a litter of 4 with one still born and the other two dying shortly afterwards. I have to wait to find out the exact details but the jist of it was only one survived.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Sнarкy said:


> Apparently it was a litter of 4 with one still born and the other two dying shortly afterwards. I have to wait to find out the exact details but the jist of it was only one survived.


Very sadly this happens sometimes. Cats are very fecund, and that goes hand-in-hand with low survival rates when they are left to their own devices.

Remember you are improving her kitten's chances of surviving by fleaing & worming her, and general giving her a bit of care & attention.

And I hope you can get her spayed as soon as the vet will after delivery to avoid any more of this sort of stress. Unfortunately she can get pregnant again quite soon after delivery.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

She's giving birth now and her owners should be back in a couple hours, or they said they hoped they would. First born and I believe cleaned and breathing fine but I can't see if the placenta came out cause she kept walking in circles and I don't want to turn on the light and disturb her.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Turn the light on, you need to be able to see and monitor things. Retained placentas cause infection


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

spotty cats said:


> Turn the light on, you need to be able to see and monitor things. Retained placentas cause infection


Two kittens out and breathing, I usually get the emails so I didn't notice this yet but the light is on now


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

I've seen the placenta for the second kitten just now, I'll tell the owner when she arrives that I didn't see the first.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

3rd baby and the placenta are out, all squeaking and moving.


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## Sнarкy (Apr 12, 2019)

3 kittens born and the mum is relaxing, have been handed over to the owner who is going to spay her cat soon and keep the kittens 12 weeks.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Well done


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Sorry I have only just caught up with your thread @SHarky. Just wanted to say "well done" for stepping in the way you did and giving this poor cat the supervision and support she needed. I am astonished the owner could go away and leave their cat at such a crucial time!  But I guess it fits with an owner who can't be bothered to have their cat spayed and lets her keep getting pregnant.

Please advise the owner that she can get vouchers from Cats Protection to pay vet fees for neutering, if the cost is a problem. Suggest she phones her nearest branch of CP .


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

chillminx said:


> <snip>
> Please advise the owner that she can get vouchers from Cats Protection to pay vet fees for neutering, if the cost is a problem. Suggest she phones her nearest branch of CP .


They _may _help and it's means-tested. No guarantees.


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