# Pregnant kitty!!



## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

Hello everyone
I was just looking for some advice, my partner and my self adopted a cat from our local shelter on the 31st march, she is a lovely DLH with a big bushy tail. We named her Lara and took her for her first vaccination and check up, the vet said she was a lovely healthy cat.
Three weeks later (yesterday) we took her for her second vaccination, we told the vet we had noticed Lara had put a bit of weight on and her nipples were getting quite large, the vet had a feel and told us she was pregnant!!!

Now Lara is strictly and indoor cat, so she must have got pregnant before going into the shelter, the shelter told us she came in on the 21st of march.

The vet said she could not feel the kittens but confirmed she was pregnant and healthy, is it normal not to be able to detect the kittens? Also, roughly, how far a long do you think Lara will be?

A nervous and excited cat momma!


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## RabbitMonster (Mar 20, 2012)

If her nipples are pinking up, she's at least three weeks gone.

Are you keeping the kittens? I know some people here have suggested in the past that you can still neuter her and abort the kittens. Is this something you're willing to do? Also, be aware that things can go wrong in pregnancy. I can't remember all the ins and outs, never having a had a pregnant cat, but there are loads of people that can give advice on the actual birth.

What will you be doing with the kittens once they're born?


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## Clairey1234 (Apr 3, 2012)

hiya and welcome to the forums 

just curious to know how and why the shelter hadn't spayed her before you got her? 
i never would have thought for a second they would rehome an animal without fixing them first? 

congratulations though and good luck


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

meg89 said:


> Hello everyone
> I was just looking for some advice, my partner and my self adopted a cat from our local shelter on the 31st march, she is a lovely DLH with a big bushy tail. We named her Lara and took her for her first vaccination and check up, the vet said she was a lovely healthy cat.
> Three weeks later (yesterday) we took her for her second vaccination, we told the vet we had noticed Lara had put a bit of weight on and her nipples were getting quite large, the vet had a feel and told us she was pregnant!!!
> 
> ...


http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-breeding/140588-reasons-spay-neuters-your-pets.html

http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-breeding/215985-cost-breeding.html


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

Clairey1234 said:


> hiya and welcome to the forums
> 
> just curious to know how and why the shelter hadn't spayed her before you got her?
> i never would have thought for a second they would rehome an animal without fixing them first?
> ...


^^^^ For what? Another moggie litter?


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

We are going to keep the kittens until they are ready to leave, we have already been in touch with a few cat rehoming groups in our area that would be happy to have them and find them loving homes, we will be keeping one, though we have no idea how many she is going to have.

In regards to spaying, the shelter, newcastle dog and cat shelter, as far as i am aware do not spay any of the animals, they do how ever give you a discount voucher to get it done cheaper at their reccomended vetinary practice, she will be getting spayed after she gives birth and as soon as it is safe to do so.


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

dougal22 said:


> ^^^^ For what? Another moggie litter?


There is no need for nastiness, moggies are just as beautiful as a "pedigree"


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

meg89 said:


> We are going to keep the kittens until they are ready to leave, we have already been in touch with a few cat rehoming groups in our area that would be happy to have them and find them loving homes, we will be keeping one, though we have no idea how many she is going to have.
> 
> In regards to spaying, the shelter, *newcastle dog and cat shelter, as far as i am aware do not spay any of the animals, *they do how ever give you a discount voucher to get it done cheaper at their reccomended vetinary practice, she will be getting spayed after she gives birth and as soon as it is safe to do so.


^^^^ Is that the name of the shelter? If so, will be contacting them about their policies re: spaying/neutering.


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## Clairey1234 (Apr 3, 2012)

meg89 said:


> We are going to keep the kittens until they are ready to leave, we have already been in touch with a few cat rehoming groups in our area that would be happy to have them and find them loving homes, we will be keeping one, though we have no idea how many she is going to have.
> 
> In regards to spaying, the shelter, newcastle dog and cat shelter, as far as i am aware do not spay any of the animals, they do how ever give you a discount voucher to get it done cheaper at their reccomended vetinary practice, she will be getting spayed after she gives birth and as soon as it is safe to do so.


don't the newcastle cat and dog shelter give you them vouchers on the basis of you having your pet spayed, during a certain time frame?
i'm sure there's a contract involved.
they do it in order to prevent pregnancies.

dougal - i'm basically saying congrats, because if her mind is set, then i can't say anything else


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

meg89 said:


> There is no need for nastiness, moggies are just as beautiful as a "pedigree"


It's not nastiness, it's honesty.

I didn't mention anything about beauty or pedigrees.


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## Clairey1234 (Apr 3, 2012)

dougal22 said:


> ^^^^ Is that the name of the shelter? If so, will be contacting them about their policies re: spaying/neutering.


yes that is the name.
i'm sure there is a contract involved


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

Clairey1234 said:


> don't the newcastle cat and dog shelter give you them vouchers on the basis of you having your pet spayed, during a certain time frame?
> i'm sure there's a contract involved.
> they do it in order to prevent pregnancies.
> 
> dougal - i'm basically saying congrats, because if her mind is set, then i can't say anything else


Yes they do, we had her first vaccination done in the first week, and under the vets advice we decided to wait until after her second vaccination to get her spayed and micro chipped, so she would have been getting the operation next week, but the vet did not detect the pregnancy on our first visit three weeks ago


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## Clairey1234 (Apr 3, 2012)

did they not advice you to spay her asap? as she is still early on in the pregnancy it can still be done?

i'm sorry, i'm just baffled a cat and dog shelter would allow that!


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

Clairey1234 said:


> yes that is the name.
> i'm sure there is a contract involved


Thank you


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

They said within 10 weeks on the contract, they also told me to wait until she had settled in first. It did come as quite a shock to find out she was pregnant, it must have just happened before the shelter took her in, but myslef and my partner both agreed we would not want to get her spayed whilst pregnant, but will after the littler is born.
A few people i know have also commented how unusual it is that the shelter does not spay all the animals before rehoming, especially with charging an £80 adoption fee, perhaps this is something i should get in contact with them about?


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

dougal22 said:


> Thank you


Here is their website if you still want to contact them in regards to the spaying issue Home


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## Clairey1234 (Apr 3, 2012)

meg89 said:


> They said within 10 weeks on the contract, they also told me to wait until she had settled in first. It did come as quite a shock to find out she was pregnant, it must have just happened before the shelter took her in, but myslef and my partner both agreed we would not want to get her spayed whilst pregnant, but will after the littler is born.
> A few people i know have also commented how unusual it is that the shelter does not spay all the animals before rehoming, especially with charging an £80 adoption fee, perhaps this is something i should get in contact with them about?


i think you should get in contact with them about your cat being pregnant.
with you dealing with the vets they recommended, if they find out that you allowed the pregnancy to go forward. you might be breaching the contract, which means they would have every right to take the cat back...that would be my worry anyway


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

Clairey1234 said:


> i think you should get in contact with them about your cat being pregnant.
> with you dealing with the vets they recommended, if they find out that you allowed the pregnancy to go forward. you might be breaching the contract, which means they would have every right to take the cat back...that would be my worry anyway


Sorry, i made that last part unclear, i meant contact them about the fact they don't spay cats before rehoming.

I have already been in contact with them in regards to Lara being pregnant, and they actually apologised to me and asked how they could help, they also said if i wanted to give her back to the shelter i could.

Just writing about it now is making me think that the shelter does really need to change their rehoming policies!


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## RabbitMonster (Mar 20, 2012)

Clairey1234 said:


> i think you should get in contact with them about your cat being pregnant.
> with you dealing with the vets they recommended, if they find out that you allowed the pregnancy to go forward. you might be breaching the contract, which means they would have every right to take the cat back...that would be my worry anyway


That's a good point.

Also, it's incredibly shocking that the shelter gave her away without spaying her first. Surely if they're giving out vouchers to get it cheaper, they should just include that in the £80 they're charging you.

What exactly are they charging £80 for?

Also, if I were you, I would make sure the shelter that gave you your cat do not receive any of her kittens, or the same thing that's happened to you will happen to someone else.


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## meg89 (Apr 29, 2012)

Rabbitmonkee said:


> That's a good point.
> 
> Also, it's incredibly shocking that the shelter gave her away without spaying her first. Surely if they're giving out vouchers to get it cheaper, they should just include that in the £80 they're charging you.
> 
> ...


They said the £80 was for the first two free vaccinations, a months free pet insurance with pet plan and the spaying discount.

I chose this shelter as my family adopted a dog from there as a child and i knew the place, though i agree i won't be sending the kittens their!

A little bit in shock now about this, a very stressfull weekend indeed!


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## Lumboo (Mar 31, 2011)

Sorry but I find it totally irresponsible for a shelter to rehome cats without ensuring they are spayed/neutered first, and after reading this even more annoyed, as through their actions they have just added to the kitten crisis of 2012.


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## Lel (Mar 21, 2012)

I'm also really surprised that they are allowing cats to be rehomed without first having their jabs and neutering carried out. My understanding was that most shelters ask for around £40 as a donation and that is considered to contribute towars the cost of jabs and neutering, so the £80 you paid sound really steep.

Im sure most rescues do a grand job but to me it was highly irresponsible for them to rehome an entire cat. And if I was getting a cat from a rescue centre I would expect it to have been assessed by a vet already, not to have to take it myself to get a clean bill of health and jabs! 

What sort of operation are they running here?!


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## Lel (Mar 21, 2012)

What they have charged you still sounds very steep. The pet plan cover would not cost them anything. Pet plan offer a free month trial to anyone, have a look at their website. I don't think it would have cost you this much for jabs and neutering if you'd gone to the vets with no discount vouchers...


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## dougal22 (Jun 18, 2010)

Lumboo said:


> Sorry but I find it totally irresponsible for a shelter to rehome cats without ensuring they are spayed/neutered first, and after reading this even more annoyed, as through their actions they have just added to the *kitten crisis of 2012*.


Not only have 'they' added to it, if the OP chooses to continue with the pregnancy, they will have added to it too as it is now their choice.

It also raises the question how many other cats are this 'shelter' rehoming in the early stages of pregnancy? Any shelter that doesn't spay/neuter should be shut down IMO. It's totally irresponsible.


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## RabbitMonster (Mar 20, 2012)

meg89 said:


> They said the £80 was for the first two free vaccinations, a months free pet insurance with pet plan and the spaying discount.
> 
> I chose this shelter as my family adopted a dog from there as a child and i knew the place, though i agree i won't be sending the kittens their!
> 
> A little bit in shock now about this, a very stressfull weekend indeed!


Personally I think they should include the spay in the £80, I think the CPL give vouchers for an op costing just £5 (so I've heard anyway).

Try not to get too stressed about it, what's done is done, unfortunately. At least you know not to send the kittens there.

I think your two next steps should be asking for advice from breeders on here about how cats give birth, what you can do, should do, and may need to do during labour, and what to do after, and taking her back to the vets in 1-2 weeks to get the vet to feel around for kittens.


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## Lel (Mar 21, 2012)

I don't think we should judge the OP regarding the decision to have the cat spayed while pregnant. Whilst it is the choice I would make, I can understand that many would struggle with the concept.

One doesn't expect to take a pregnant cat home from a shelter so the OP has found herself in a very difficult situation which isn't her fault.

The rescue centre clearly need educating.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

The OP has taken on a cat from a shelter and is not responsible for its pregnancy. It is ultimately her decision on whether or not to allow this pregnancy to continue - adding to the problem of moggy kittens aside, some people find abortion of any kind morally unacceptable.
However I would have serious concerns about a shelter which does not have cats neutered before leaving. And would question how this particular cat became pregnant depending on how long it had been at the shelter before being rehomed. I am assuming that the cat is around 3/4 weeks pregnant if the vet noticed pinking up during their second examination but not at the first.


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