# My stray cat's giving birth in the next couple of days... help me please!!!



## amyjenkins (Dec 27, 2010)

Hello all - you may remember me, I came on here when we adopted a stray on Christmas day who I thought was ill but turned out to be malnourished. 

Well, it turns out she's in the late stages of pregnancy now - too late to be spayed... nightmare! Still, my partner and I have decided to see her through it and have good homes lined up for the litter thank goodness. 

We could not afford a vets scan but from a looking over she appears to have 3 kittens and is in the very late stages of pregnancy... her tummy is very rotund and firm and her nipples are large and pink. Today she vomited (but apparently this isn't cause for concern) Also she is eating really well and seems okay. 

She has become very lethargic in the last 24 hours, wants to be with me all the time and prefers to lay out on hard surfaces rather than soft ones like normal... 

I'm not really sure what I'm asking for here but i've never had a pregnant cat before and i've been doing hours of research and calling the vet for every little issue (oops) but I guess i'm just a little worried because i'm not entirely sure what to expect so if anyone else is going through/been through the same or anyone has any tips and advice i'd be really grateful just to be able to talk to you through the process!  

Thanks for reading! Amy xxx


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## amyjenkins (Dec 27, 2010)

Also - her breathing has become very nasal tonight along with the lethargy... If I call the vet again I think he's going to shout at me haha! Any ideas? xx


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

I think it would be a good idea to at least get in contact with the vet, just in case anything goes wrong. Usually cats know what to do, but if she seems to be straining for a long amount of time with no results, or if she seems to be in a lot of distress you will want to have some place lined up that you can go at a moment's notice. Cat's can give birth at any time, even the middle of the night!

Have you set up a nesting box for her yet?


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## amyjenkins (Dec 27, 2010)

Am doing it as we speak! She has seen the vet but she couldn't tell us all that much as the scan was nearly £200 - had she have been having any signs that all wasn't well then we'd pay it but seeing as she was okay we decided against it - at least if she does have issues now we'll have money aside to get her seen by an emergency vet! 

I've got a box with news paper, towels, water and food and a litter tray and a box to one side for the kittens whilst she's birthing - some places say to keep the kittens aside whilst she's still in labour but some others say to leave them completely alone. I guess it's down to her behaviour during the birth? 

Would you advise anything specific to have handy for birthing - I have things like dental floss for incase she doesn't gnaw the umbilical cord etc...


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## amyjenkins (Dec 27, 2010)

Thanks i'll have a read! 

The issue that i'm having is that because she's stray I have no idea how far along she is - her behaviour has changed a lot in the last 24 hours - she's more lethargic, breathing heavier and eating like a horse! Also she was sick around 5.30pm (6 hours ago UK time!) 

We've had her for a month and her nipples were already large and pink (I remember thinking i'd seen nothing like them before on a cat!) But had no idea this was a sign of pregnancy at the time! 

In the last hour or so i've put a warm box lined with newspaper in the spare room - its nice and warm as the bathroom pipes lay under the floorboards in there and both our cats like to lay on them as it keeps their bellys warm! Along with food, water and her litter tray - and in another box i've got the towels and things that i've been told I should have to hand. As soon as I put her in there she layed in the box and seemed rested and we've shut our other cat downstairs - she normally sleeps down there anyway so not a problem! 

Just wondering if this is too soon... argh, really don't know what to do! Just wish I had some sort of time scale....


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

Ohh good luck with the babies - kitties are so darling!


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## amyjenkins (Dec 27, 2010)

thank you!!  I think Satin is the cutest name i've heard for a cat ever!! Apart from maybe "Lady Meowgret Thatcher!"


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I've never dealt with a pregnant cat, so I won't be of any help. I just wanted to wish you good luck! Keep us posted on how things go.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Most females start nesting behavior a few days to a week before delivering by looking for a place to have their kittens. She may decide she doesn't like the box you have, so you might get a couple more so she has a choice. Just line it with wad of newspaper which will absorb the fluids. Some females go off their food just before delivery, but not all do. Also there is a bubble that usually appears out of the vagina, and this is usually followed quickly by delivery of her first kitten. If she's a first time queen, she may be a little distressed and restless and go from one place to another. But if she's had kitties before, she knows what's coming and will get down to business. Good luck with your girl.


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