# is my cat pregnant???? Help!!



## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

hey, im a bit new to this.. hope im on the ryt thread


Only recently has my cat started going out since we got her just before christmas.. My boyfriend had found her pinned to the floor by a male cat that had been hanging around for days.. my friend had said to me that is how male cats impregnanate female cats... is this true??? 

We have come aware that her nipples are more visable but i dunno if im jus aware of it a bit more because i was looking after my chat to my friend.. are cats nipples visable even when not pregnant.. 

sorry for all the questions but im really not sure..


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## wilsonkate30 (Apr 20, 2009)

Good day!

Your boyfriend is right!


More visible nipples of a cat is a sign that it is pregnant..


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

hey!!!

but are nipples normally visable on cats anyway??? x


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

or just when there pregnant???? x


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Normally a cats nippes are very small (like a 1/2 grain of rice) and almost white and you tend to search to find them. When a cat is pregnant they stand up more, become much more rounded, fuller and quite pink and quite easy to find. 

Males cats can be quite aggressive in mating - they stand over the female biting the back of her neck and pining them down. When did this boy cat get to your cat? Jst noticed she is still very young, how old exactly is she? She may have problems having a litter if she is still a baby herself! 

Did you want a pregnant cat?


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

thank u for ur info.. defo alot of help!!! i would say she was pregnant.. but i myt take her to the vets to check!! im not sure of her age she was given to me by a friend because her brother was beating her up.. so was certainly smaller than him because he wud fight her for food.. im trying to find out her age but she has to contact the person she got them off.. i got her a couple of weeks before xmas.. 

i didnt want her to get pregnant.. but i would have let her have a litter before i took her to the vets!! she has only just started going outside.. she didnt like going out before.. she still hasnt gone no further than the garden..


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## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

Hi,

How old is the cat? The vet maybe able to carry out a spay if she is too young to have a litter. It would be kinder to do this rather than risk having a litter and potentially losing your cat because she can't deliver her kittens. 

It does sound like she is pregnant.

Izzie


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

im not too sure trying to find out ryt now... what is the normal age then????


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

At least a year old - is a good age for a cat to get pregnant. Before that they are still kittens themsleves.


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

fingers crossed she is a year old then.. i was getting excited for her and was pretty tearfu l when peps said that it wud be best if she didnt have them.. i have phoned the vet and they have book lacey in for wednesday.. either way i should know then.. but thank u very much for ur advice.. i really didnt know half the stuff.. x


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

lacey is a year in july.. which makes her about 9months!!! :confused1::confused1::confused1::confused1::confused1:


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

she can have kittens at 9 months - she will just still be very young and possibly not know what to do or need a ceasarian, or everything might go swimingly you just take those risks when you decide to breed your cat.

If she is about 3 weeks now (nipples 'pink up' at 3 weeks) she will have them in 6 weeks. When did you see the tom with her?


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

i didnt decided to breed my cat.. its just something that has happened.. thats why i have come on here to find out a bit more and to see what i can do along the way.. my boyfriend said with in the last 2-3weeks was when he caught them... this cat hangs around outside the gate (waiting for her, its seems) he was even scaring another cat away from her today.. cud he be protecting her??? thanks for all ur help.. i still have alot to learn about cats.. :yesnod: x


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

When you don't spay a cat and then let it outside to be with males - you are effectively deciding to breed because they are bound to get pregnant. If the cat goes outside lots and gets male company you probably won't even realise they are in heat. 

It sounds like your cat is around 3 weeks pregnant and so will give birth in 6 more weeks. No idea about the male hanging around, normally they don't give a monkeys uncle and move on to the next girl asap. 

If she is 3 weeks ish the vet should be able to feel for little babies. Hope it goes well for you at the vets.


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## lauren001 (Jun 30, 2008)

> The vet maybe able to carry out a spay if she is too young to have a litter. It would be kinder to do this rather than risk having a litter and potentially losing your cat because she can't deliver her kittens.


I agree.
Is she a small cat?
If so and she is only 9 months old it may be kinder to just get her spayed now.
Forgive me, but you don't seem to know a lot about cats and having a litter from a very young queen, with the chances of complications may be just asking for trouble.


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

There are lots of people on this forum whose answer to every moggy litter is to spay the cat even though she is pregnant. Moggies are very well able to deliver litters at nine months, it happens all the time, and in any case she will be ten months when they are born. I think people here tend to be pedigree breeders and therefore go by the age at which you would breed a pedigree cat, especially one of a slow growing breed. There is absolutely no need to worry and frankly no need to visit the vet either.

Liz


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## lauren001 (Jun 30, 2008)

lizward said:


> I think people here tend to be pedigree breeders and therefore go by the age at which you would breed a pedigree cat, especially one of a slow growing breed.
> 
> Liz


You are probably right, I have no experience of moggie kittens.
I am just thinking with my pedigree hat on, I just thought that if had one of mine pregnant at 9 months I would just be very, very concerned if not actually scared, perhaps unnecessarily.


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2009)

OK

I foster rescue pregnant cats and their kittens, so I have no experience with pedigrees but i can give you some suggestions. I have to say my heart sinks when we get a heavily pregnant kitten brought in, they do come with many risks.

If she is very small, with being so young she has a higher risk for complications. These complications could result in losing your cat aswell as her kittens. Even if she gives birth without a problem, (with being a first litter and still a kitten herself) she may decide to abandon the kittens, leaving you with the very hard task of handrearing them. Handrearing isnt a guarentee, you may still lose the kittens.

If you are dead set against having her speyed now this is what i would do...

* Write down everything you know about when she lwas caught (dates, size of tom etc)

* write down when you first noticed her nipples were pinking up, then correspond the two dates to give you a rough idea on when to expect the kittens.

* make an appointment with the vets ASAP to organise a good worming and flea treatment, arrange another appointment for a check up about the week before you think she is due.

* KEEP HER INDOORS FROM NOW ON!

* Get her onto a quality kitten food NOW, she needs the extra nutrients to grow healthy kittens

* collect a couple of large cardboard boxes and line with newspaper and blankets, pop them into secluded quiet areas of the house, fingers crossed she will choose one to give birth in

* read as much as you can about parturition (giving birth) in cats, signs of complications etc.

* Book her in for her spey as soon as the kittens are weaned, to stop her going and repeating the whole thing! Cats in call are fantastic escape artists, so make sure you keep her inside until she is speyed!

Hope this helps!


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Brilliant advice!!!!!!!!!!! Green blobbed you !


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

lauren001 said:


> You are probably right, I have no experience of moggie kittens.
> I am just thinking with my pedigree hat on, I just thought that if had one of mine pregnant at 9 months I would just be very, very concerned if not actually scared, perhaps unnecessarily.


My first pedigree cat (Burmese) gave birth at nine months (no it was not deliberate!) to six lovely healthy kittens which she reared perfectly. Honestly I very much doubt if there will be a problem in this case.

Liz


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## Cat Lover Chris (Jan 11, 2009)

lizward said:


> There are lots of people on this forum whose answer to every moggy litter is to spay the cat even though she is pregnant. Moggies are very well able to deliver litters at nine months, it happens all the time, and in any case she will be ten months when they are born. I think people here tend to be pedigree breeders and therefore go by the age at which you would breed a pedigree cat, especially one of a slow growing breed. There is absolutely no need to worry and frankly no need to visit the vet either.
> 
> Liz


I would agree wholeheartedly with Liz. As one or two members may already be aware, we (not Liz and I; my wife might object!)spend some time in our flat in Southern Spain each year, where there are a growing number of "feral" cats. At least 50% seem to be female. They get pregnant when they are old enough to call (generally around 6 months from what we have seen). The queens seem to have 2-3 kittens at this age. And they cope. They may lose one or two fur babies occasionally, but that is nature. They prove how resourceful cats can be. We have recently seen a kitten that was born around September last year, now pregnant; around 6 weeks I reckon from the size of her belly. When we go back in July, I expect to see some 8 week old kittens of hers. She uses our outside area to sun herself on. She has realised we are cat lovers and will not harm her.


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

thank u for all ur help and advice.. i found some very hurting and some very helpful and reassuring.. 

i dont know a lot about cats but thats why i registered on this forum.. to find out some information.. and to help my little lacey!! i hope i can learn alot more and peps can help on here..

she is already wormed and fleed and she is a very healthy girl.. i still have her on kitten food but i will invest in getting a better brand.. any suggestions??? 

i have also spoke to my sister and her cat had kittens at a young age and she was perfectly fine and with my complications.. i have decided to let my Lacey have the kittens and support her 100% and help her with anything i can.. 

so i would kindly ask for good advice and help only!!!

and a big thank you to liz!!!! :thumbup1: x x


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## jenz1985 (Apr 20, 2009)

lauren001 said:


> I agree.
> Is she a small cat?
> If so and she is only 9 months old it may be kinder to just get her spayed now.
> Forgive me, but you don't seem to know a lot about cats and having a litter from a very young queen, with the chances of complications may be just asking for trouble.


 your ryt i dont my love thats why i come on here... so i would like some help and support please x


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## lauren001 (Jun 30, 2008)

I wasn't being nasty, not everyone knows a lot about cats. I can only go on the depth of your knowledge that you have shown on this thread.

Pregnancy, birth and looking after kittens can be quite a complicated subject,
even if everything is planned, things can go wrong.
Having a girl who is very young and small increases the risks of all these complications.
The help you need is not totally on some internet chat room it is experience and reading around the subject.
As I said I would be scared if one of my girls got pregnant at that age, scared for her and for her kittens.
It is, of course your decision.


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