# 2 month old pregnant. ..how could this possibly happen?



## aandalon

Hey All,

Just joined this forum looking for a piece of advice/explanation on this.

First, some background:

I've got 5 cats at home. 4 females and a year old male. All females are spayed save for one: a 2-month old kitten that I found in a garbage bin nearby a month back (she was around 3 weeks then). I felt sorry for the poor thing and brought it back home. She had no issues getting along with the other cats, especially got along with Kika, a 5 year old female that looked down to Luna (the kitten) as though she were her mother. That made me so relieved and happy -thought no complications would lay for me ahead -at least not in a near future.

A week passed by normally at home and then I started noticing a strange -yet familiar- behaviour in Luna. I took her to the vet thinking it could be worms or some kind of parasites (because of all the rubbing up against me/furniture etc). Because of her age at that time (around 4/5 weeks, I remember I was still bottle-feeding her that week, for heavens' sake!), the vet didn't even bother to check any further and just started her on deworm medication. Needless to say, the strange behaviour didn't go away.. went back to the vet and this time he tried flea powder .. .2 more days and still nothing .. .the furry thing would do nothing but meow meow meow REALLY loud all the time and rub up against anything coming across her. Then, out of the blue, she calmed down as if nothing had ever happened.

Afterwards, she started to turn really lethargic, which is quite strange for a kitten. She would do nothing all day but sleep and eat. I grew concerned that she could have a serious health issue so I made an appointment, this time to another vet, and told him the whole story. He asked lots of questions, then checked her up carefully, ran some tests and asked me to be back in a couple hours. When I was back, he again started asking endless questions, one of them being if I was aware of any contact with a male cat. Then it hit me! I was like: 'wait a minute, you can't be saying. ..' I swear he had the most puzzled look on his face, then asked me if I was ready for the diagnosis: pregnancy. I was in denial: Never, ever would I have thought that a 2 month old kitten could get pregnant. Neither could the vet. I can tell by the look in his face.

He recommended to have Luna go through the pregnancy, as operating on a small kitten (she's 2 months and looks even less!) could be very dangerous: he said that even though going through the pregnancy is quite risky, at least this way she will have more time to grow 'till delivery. Upon learning this, I'm now feeding her 5 times a day to help her gain weight faster.

I spayed the rest of my girls starting at 3 months old, one of them had to wait till she was 6 months old because she was too skinny/tiny for the operation ...and now I have a 2-month old mommy to be. I feel like this can't really be happening.

Anyone been through the same or a similar situation? Whats the best thing to do? Should I get another vet's advice? how did you proceed?

Advice is really appreciated. Thank you!


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## colliemerles

hello and welcome to the forum, i must say i have never heard of a kitten so young getting pregnant, i dont understand how the vet didnt decide to spay her now, couldnt giving birth to kittens kill her as shes so young,???? .


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## Honeybunch

Hi there what a shock for you. I have known of cats going into heat as young as 4 months but never that young! I would've thought that having kittens at that young age when the cat is still a kitten itself would actually be more dangerous than getting her spayed now. A kitten giving birth at that young age could possibly die.Im not an expert but I have known of cats being spayed from as young as 8 weeks so if I was you I would perhaps ask the opinion of another vet. Whatever happens I hope Luna will be ok x


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## lizward

Sorry but I don't think this is even possible. Apart from anything else I don't see that an adult male could possible mate with anything that small.

Liz


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## Milly22

No I cannot see it either.

Are you sure of the age ? It's not possible. I have had kittens here at 16 weeks and they cannot do it.


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## billyboysmammy

i cant see that that is possible. If this is not some hoax troll... then this is my reply.

As for the advice on a spey.... it is possible and even common to early spey, obviously your vet doesnt have the expertise. I personally would have her speyed, but by a vet experienced in anaesthesia in neonates. 

The risks of a required c-section, uterine rupture etc would vastly outweigh the risks of the spey in this care. Each of her kittens would be far too big to fit down her immature birth canal.

Do you have any photos of your girl? has she had an ultrasound? can you post pics of the accompanying ultrasound?


A girl calling at 4-5 weeks, before weaning would indicate an endocrine, ovary or other tumour causing a homone imbalance.


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## lizward

It would certainly have to be a hormonal problem but I suspect this is a troll. I can't see any way my boy could physically mate with my 9 week old kittens, let alone anything younger!

Liz


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## Taylorbaby

Just echo said by lizward

Cant see it being possible, any vet woul say spay her surely? she would die if she gave birth???


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## The Twins

Is it possible that the kitten in question, could be older than 8 weeks old?? How do you know, OP, if the kitten is this age? If it was an abandoned kitten, then chances are it could be older than you think but look small due to undernourishment etc... 

BUT I suspect this isnt genuine... and am sure any vet would early neuter/spay - 8 weeks isnt too young, i have heard of vets that will do it at this age, and it def outweighs the risk of pregnancy in one so young. 

And also if all yours are fixed, how did the kitty get pregnant in the first place or was it before you found her? In which case she'd have had to have been even younger than 8 weeks at the time of conception which is impossible...


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## Alansw8

Reading into this post, they said they got the kitten around 3 weeks of age? and she is now around 8 weeks old? so they must have an entire boy around the house but i stil fail to see how a kitten a baby at that can be or able to fall pregnant!!!!!


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## becbec31

i agree think someone may be playing a trick on us all here. If i had an 8 week old kitten who the vet said was pregnant id ask to see another vet. I would be more concerned the swellings were cysts tumours or something. I cant see how any male old enough to have viable sperm could mate with something so teeny tiny and that her body would allow her to become pregnant.

Ummmmm.....................


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## Honeybunch

Im new on here so don't understand what you mean by a troll?! Is this all just someone trying to wind people up then? I didnt realise that happened on these forums.


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## aandalon

Sadly for all (all of you, me and especially the kitten) this isn't a hoax. Hard to believe? Surely. I also *still* cannot believe this, which is why I'm getting the advice from another vet shortly.

To *The Twins*: you got a point. I don't know exactly how old she really is, but she sure isn't 3 months yet. The vet's estimate is around 10 weeks, give or take, and it makes perfect sense 'cause when I got her she was TINY, so small she fit in my hand sitting down and I bottle-fed her that week.

I'm also not comfortable with the decision of letting the kitten give birth so I'll take an appointment to another vet on friday. When I called her explaining the problem, she said she would discard lots of thing first, like an hormonal imbalance or a tumour releasing hormones that's making the kitten behave like that. But, she also said that although pregnancies that early occurr once in millions, it can happen if she already has a metabolic alteration. So let's see what happens then. I really hope she is not pregnant, but the other possibilities don't sound much better either. Guess I'll just pray for Luna to have the best possible luck.


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## aandalon

Also, I said the females are spayed. The boy isn't. Before Luna, he was the most recent addition to the 'family' and with all of the girls already spayed, I didn't think it necessary to have him neutered.


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## Clare7435

It's nessisery to have him neuterd to stop any unwantd kittens outside the home unwated kittens are born every day from stray cats too.
I would guess that your cat is older but under nourished it isnt possible for an 8 week old cat to be pregnant at all.
clare xx


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## bluechip

you need to get your boy done as he will go looking for girls and right now i have three strays in my garden all have not had the op and all looking for girls but my girls don't go out so no chance of getting them.


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## Waterlily

Clare7435 said:


> It's nessisery to have him neuterd to stop any unwantd kittens outside the home unwated kittens are born every day from stray cats too.
> I would guess that your cat is older but under nourished it isnt possible for an 8 week old cat to be pregnant at all.
> clare xx


yeah he needs a neuter if he is allowed outside, or he will be impregnating every cat in the area 
I also suspect your kitten is older and maybe a runt and severely malnourished  I allso would be going to a vet that actually knows about cats


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## Clare7435

MoonShadow said:


> yeah he needs a neuter if he is allowed outside, or he will be impregnating every cat in the area
> I also suspect your kitten is older and maybe a runt and severely malnourished  I allso would be going to a vet that actually knows about cats


I'll second that.....your vet should have also prformed an ulrasound .......I would say that A....you have a cat who is a lot older than she looks who is pregnant or B ...a kitten who is full of worms and severely undernourished poss the runt of the litter......a GOOD vet should tell you which xx


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## Guest

how shocking i agree with all the advice given, allowing her to give birth seems a very dangerous thing to do in such a tiny little mite so im very pleased you're getting a second opinion on that, plus you really ought to get your boy done even if he is an indoor cat if he got out even for a short time he could mate all the cats in the neighbourhood.


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## lizward

How much does this kitten weigh?

Liz


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## billyboysmammy

hi....

as i asked before, do you have any pics and copy of the ultrasound - as there is no pregnancy test for cats i assume it was confirmed via scan?

her weight would also be good.

If she was 14-15 weeks it is possible she could be pregnant, i have heard of pregnancies in such young girls, but its a very remote possibility - especially considering the size and malnutrition your describing.

I would however be interested in seeing any notes, scans, pics etc you have.

If she had a cystic ovary or (much much more rarely) an adrenacortical tumour it is possible for her to be suffering hyperprogesteronism (too much progesterone) which would mimic the signs of pregnancy.


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## Milly22

Oh it's just so wrong. I still don't believe but I am highly cynical so that's normal for me but if it is remotely true she cannot have a litter, it's sick. I haven't looked up the human age for a cat this young yet but I am sure it will be horrid.


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## Taylorbaby

I think a 8 week old cat is a 2 or 4 year old child in human years? I tihnk that 9 months is 18years so its double? I cant rem!


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## sue100

my aunt had a femail kitten that she got from thr rspc that was the runt of the litter and at 5 months old looked about 8 weeks,she was very thin and had lots of health problems.
She lost the kitten to a fatal cat desease,it had no hope as she was so tiny.

it is very possible that she is older than you think. I hope you vet visit tomorrow has a better out come.


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## Honeybunch

I agree she could have been the runt of the litter and is actuallyolder. Either way I hope you get some answers tomorrow from the vet. keep us posted sending positive thoughts for Luna


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## rhian d

Hey I was just wondering how luna got on at the vets. I am hoping she is the runt of the litter so very tiny as the would be a sad outcome what ever happens if she is so young.


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## aandalon

Back from the vets now, with a major depression.

The bad news: It turns out that Luna is both a very young pregnant kitten and sick enough to pass as a 2 month old when she really is twice that age. We got both facts confirmed by the vet.

We're having her spayed this weekend and are very nervous 'cause we were told that because of her weight, the operation will carry an additional risk.

I'm just hoping for the best right now and am seriously depressed. I can't believe I screwed up so big, but really there was no chance I could have been able to tell Luna was more than 4 months old -to me this is still hard to believe because the size just doesn't look 'right' . ..I guess I just had never come across a kitten *this* malnourished. 

A piece of advice for anyone picking up a kitten from the streets: 1.- go to the vets and get not one, but two or three different oppinions in regards to the kitten's age, 2.- even when she looks too 'baby-like', don't take that for granted and think she can't get pregnant if you have a boy around. Spay her immediately and save her (and yourself) the suffering.

I'll keep you all posted on Luna's surgery. I'll pray for my baby to be ok.


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## lizward

Have you actually had an ultrasound done? I mean, the idea that a perfectly healthy four month old could be pregnant is strange enough, but a sick one? It is almost beyond belief. How much does she weigh?

Liz


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## Lumpy

Sending Luna lots of vibes for a successful op. What a worrying time for you. I really hope it all goes OK.

My friend rehomed a cat from a rescue centre last year. She looked like a kitten - very tiny and thin, but she was in fact a year old. She has grown and filled out a bit now but she will always be a very petite cat.

When I visited my Bridge bun at rescue the Manager had a tiny kitten in a run there he had hand reared. It looked like a 6 week old kitten but was in fact a few months old.

It's difficult to age rescue animals and I always take any new rescue to my vet to register them and see if the age I have been given is approximately correct, but I believe even vets can't always tell.


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## The Twins

aandalon said:


> Back from the vets now, with a major depression.
> 
> The bad news: It turns out that Luna is both a very young pregnant kitten and sick enough to pass as a 2 month old when she really is twice that age. We got both facts confirmed by the vet.
> 
> We're having her spayed this weekend and are very nervous 'cause we were told that because of her weight, the operation will carry an additional risk.
> 
> I'm just hoping for the best right now and am seriously depressed. I can't believe I screwed up so big, but really there was no chance I could have been able to tell Luna was more than 4 months old -to me this is still hard to believe because the size just doesn't look 'right' . ..I guess I just had never come across a kitten *this* malnourished.
> 
> A piece of advice for anyone picking up a kitten from the streets: 1.- go to the vets and get not one, but two or three different oppinions in regards to the kitten's age, 2.- even when she looks too 'baby-like', don't take that for granted and think she can't get pregnant if you have a boy around. Spay her immediately and save her (and yourself) the suffering.
> 
> I'll keep you all posted on Luna's surgery. I'll pray for my baby to be ok.


I hope it goes ok - i still think that a 4 month old wouldnt be able to get pregnant let alone a malnourished one, it just doesnt sound right... plus she must have been younger than that when she first got pregnant as you've had her some weeks now havent you? But i'd also add another point to your list - *3. get your boy neutered....?!* Fingers crossed she is ok and pulls through the spey.


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## billyboysmammy

this would never have happened if your boy was neutered.... time for a trip to the vets for him too 

Early neutering is common, however you need a vet who is specialised in the different anaesthetic techniques suitable for young animals. 

At 4mo its possible to GET pregnant, but i am assuming she is nearing 6 weeks pregnant now? WHY on earth are you waiting almost another week to have her speyed? senseless! That will be another week and a half from when you first posted! The kittens (if indeed there are any) will be more formed and the risks increasing as her blood levels and vessels increase to the uterous.


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## shortbackandsides

i have kittens here now that age and i just cant buy this


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## The Twins

billyboysmammy said:


> this would never have happened if your boy was neutered.... time for a trip to the vets for him too
> 
> Early neutering is common, however you need a vet who is specialised in the different anaesthetic techniques suitable for young animals.
> 
> At 4mo its possible to GET pregnant, but i am assuming she is nearing 6 weeks pregnant now? WHY on earth are you waiting almost another week to have her speyed? senseless! That will be another week and a half from when you first posted! The kittens (if indeed there are any) will be more formed and the risks increasing as her blood levels and vessels increase to the uterous.


I agree - please get your boy done too... there is no need for him not to be!

I still dont understand this at all - if she is 16 wks old now, she surely would have been around 10 weeks old when she got preggers...

Did the vets do a scan to confirm the pregnancy? Are they sure its not anything else - growth etc?


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## lizward

Either it is misdiagnosed or the age of the cat has been seriously underestimated - vets are not used to small cats, perhaps, but I thought the OP said this kitten had to be bottle fed at first, or did I get that wrong? No, I don't buy it either, I have ten week olds here and it would not be physically possible. 

Assuming she is pregnant, the risks of spaying at this stage are much higher and the cat will be well "aware" that she is pregnant, her hormones are already telling her to be a mother. My girl miscarried a couple of days ago at just four weeks and even then she wanted babies, she cleaned up the poor little foetus that was born. There is no way on earth I would subject any cat to a late spay unless I was absolutely sure it was the only way to save her life. If she has gone so far, it seems to me that she must be much older than either you or the vet think, I would let her go to term and then have a caesarean. Small cats generally do a lot better than you might think. But honestly, I really can't see it can possibly be pregnancy.

Liz


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## aandalon

Hi all,

Luna was out from the vet's yesterday. The general outcome was good -no complications- besides the fact that she is much more moody than usual (which is most probably because of the collar we had to get her since she kept licking the wound). My legs are a bloody mess since she's back home.

Right now she's sleeping on my bed (on top of my pillow, which is something I didn't allow her to do). I'm working from home today in case I need to take her to the vet. I hope she recovers soon.


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## Honeybunch

Glad all seems to have gone well with Luna. Wishing her a speedy recovery


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## The Twins

aandalon said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Luna was out from the vet's yesterday. The general outcome was good -no complications- besides the fact that she is much more moody than usual (which is most probably because of the collar we had to get her since she kept licking the wound). My legs are a bloody mess since she's back home.
> 
> Right now she's sleeping on my bed (on top of my pillow, which is something I didn't allow her to do). I'm working from home today in case I need to take her to the vet. I hope she recovers soon.


Did they confirm that is was a pregnancy and not a growth? Hope she recovers soon...


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## alisondalziel

I feel sorry for little Luna 
It's a sad shame that this has happened. If she was pregnant then PLEASE make sure your male is neutered! So many unwanted pregnancies occur because of careless people. 
Hopefully she will heal well and make a super recovery. 
I'd recommend feeding her on a high calorie food with a high meat content.
Best wishes xx


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