# Might have a pregnant stray...



## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Seen a beautiful "new" kitty to this neighborhood (of dogs mostly)... she was sun bathing in my backyard yesterday. I was able to get fairly close to her (I think it's a female because she seems very small and dainty) and possibly pregnant. I put some food out for her and she ate it with much gusto...then had a long drink. Not 100% if she's a stray or not, but I'll keep a close watch to see if she's around alot. She's a beauty!! :heart


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Im glad you are feeding her and watching out for her.


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Here is a pic of her... I'm not 100% certain she is a she. She seems dainty, and to my eye's, pregnant....but again, not certain at all. She's has a darling face. I gave her a handful of treats, and after that she came onto the patio for a drink.... I watched her from my bedroom window.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

She is very pretty! I love the picture with her on 
the wheel barrow. Hopefully she isnt pregnant! Would 
you consider TNR with her?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

She does have a lovely face. You didn't think you'd be down to two cats for long, did you Janice?


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Jeanie said:


> She does have a lovely face. You didn't think you'd be down to two cats for long, did you Janice?


Actually, I have my own four...but I would take her in a heartbeat and foster her until she was adopted (my hubby's capped our owning limit to four :lol: ). 

This is exactly how I got started in fostering ferals... a beautiful tiny tortie appeared in my backyard one summer...I named her Miss Kitty. Took me 3 months to get near her...when I did, she was pregnant. We brought her inside because it was fall by then, and getting alot colder. She stayed in our basement rec-room and it was the first time I'd ever seen a cat give birth... I was just in awe....and then hooked!!! One of the babies was a runt and didn't make it...I stayed up all night trying to get the little one to feed....but it died in my hand at 4:00am in the morning...but the other three thrived and we were able to adopt everyone out...including Miss Kitty!!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Whoops! I knew you had more than two cats!

Miss Kitty really started something, didn't she?


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

What a beautiful kitty! Hopefully she's somebody's pet, and spayed. But if not, then I hope you can help her and any kittens she might have.  And kudos to you for all your rescue efforts! :thumb


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## Mr. Noodles (Apr 4, 2007)

She looks pretty healthy, she might belong to someone near by and just wandered off. You might want to check with the neighbors to make sure. :roll:


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Mr. Noodles said:


> She looks pretty healthy, she might belong to someone near by and just wandered off. You might want to check with the neighbors to make sure. :roll:


Most definitely...she's been around a little, but not alot. She is definitely an outdoor cat, her paws/pads are very dirty. Yesterday, I also had a huge orange tom cat come through the yard just after she was here...hmmm... and she still looks like she's pregnant. We'll have to wait and see... I'm certainly NOT going to trap her until I know for certain she is a stray.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Im ruthless. If a cat is outside and not fixed then I would nueter/spay it because the owners are being irresponsible. That is the only way to stop this epidemic of unwanted kittens. So many die cruel deaths.


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## Mr. Noodles (Apr 4, 2007)

Mitts & Tess said:


> Im ruthless. If a cat is outside and not fixed then I would nueter/spay it because the owners are being irresponsible. That is the only way to stop this epidemic of unwanted kittens. So many die cruel deaths.


True, and I agree with you, believe me when I tell you that I can appreciate your opinion, however, we must respect other people’s rights and do things within the confines of the law. It is possible that she might be lost and her owners are searching for her. Needless to mention the consequences if that is in fact the case.

If that’s not the case and we are certain of that, then we are obliged to do what is responsible, and that could very well be to T/N/R or adoption. The options are open, the main concern is the cat’s well being.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Merry, I think the world of you, but I agree with Mr. Noodles. Neutering or spaying someone else's cat is against the law, and there might be a family who loves it, and is looking everywhere, because their much loved pet got out. Or perhaps, they need education. When I was first married, I did not realize I was wrong when I allowed my cat to have kittens. I thought as long as I found good homes for the kittens, everything was all right. I soon learned better, and I am a big supporter of altering pets and keeping them inside.


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

The thing that bothers me about all this, is how hungry she is. I gave her a larger tin of food tody, and she ate the whole thing. Then had a good drink of water....I started to wonder as she walked away..."darn...does she already have the kittens somewhere?"....cause that would explain her disappearance for a few days at a time, she eats and runs and does not stick around....but I just can't tell anything until I get closer to her.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Have you gone to your neighbors or put up flyers to see if she belongs to anyone yet? Guess it should start there right away. 

We did a TNR of a mother and her kittens from a ranch here. It was such a sad sad situation. the mother kept having litter of kittens after litter of kittens without anyone bothering to spay her. She was barely out of kittenhood herself!

We spayed her only to find she was riddled with cancer, the vet thinks from chemicals from the ranch. 

Her kittens we took in were infested with ring worm and serious eye problems. One lost its eye sight. One ,we had to have the eye removed and sewn shut. the others had loose bowels and lots of health problems. It took our little group a lot of money to get them healthy and find homes. We still have one left waiting on a home.

So I guess Im willing to step over the line to spay a cat because of the suffering we encounter while doing TNR. Those kittens wouldn't have made it unless we intervened. This took funds that could have been used for more TNR. But how can you let a sweet kitten die needlessly. Its a double edged sword with this problem. Were damned if we do and damned if we dont.

Here is the last, now grown, kitten from this litter. Cinnamon Foot. Any takers! :wink: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=6620371


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

What a cutie! 

Merry, I understand how you feel. Some barn cats are taken care of, and have good care--including vet exams and vaccinations. However, I have heard horror stories also, much like the conditions you just wrote about. The condition of many of these barn cats is horrendous.


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

I have posted no notices, but I have also seen nothing posted about her description. There are 3 vet offices right in the vicinity and nothing is on their post boards. Also checked the paper... nothing. By the looks of her, I'm certain she is a stray. My org. is bringing me a trap today... when/if I can trap her, we'll check her first to see if she is pregnant, or has she already had the babies. If she's already had them, we will release her right away but I will try to follow her to see where the kits are. I'm suspicious of this big orange cat that seems to be around when she is.....the father perhaps??? If I can trap her, we will take her to our vets immediately to determine if she is pregnant or not, and have her checked for a microchip. Unfortunately I cannot foster her... we are leaving shortly on a trip, and I can't saddle the kids with my 4 cats, 2 fosters and a pregnant mother about to birth...The kids have had no experience with that at all...she would go into another foster home. Wish me luck!!


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## Mr. Noodles (Apr 4, 2007)

Hi Janice, I’m curious about the big orange cat - Tom cat - is he a stray also and does he feed with you? 

Well good luck with your trapping, hope everything works out well.


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

Jeanie said:


> Neutering or spaying someone else's cat is against the law, and there might be a family who loves it, and is looking everywhere, because their much loved pet got out.





Mitts & Tess said:


> Im ruthless. If a cat is outside and not fixed then I would nueter/spay it because the owners are being irresponsible. That is the only way to stop this epidemic of unwanted kittens. So many die cruel deaths.


I have to side with Mitts on this one. Many of my neighbors are just too lazy and irresponsible to fix their own cats. They will tell you they totally understand the urgency, definitely plan to spay Little Precious really soon, and are so grateful for the info on free spay/neuter. They really seem to mean it -- but then they don't follow through, and months later there are kittens. If their cat were to disappear for a week and then return magically fixed and otherwise unharmed, and they had no idea who was responsible, I suspect they would be overjoyed. (And if not, well, tough. :evil

In my county, any cat running around outside with no tags is a presumed stray, and it would not be illegal to have them fixed. The owner is breaking the law* by allowing them out without a leash at all, much less tagless. I'm not sure how typical this law is, however.

Janice, good luck to you in catching the kitty and finding a foster home for her!  I hope she hasn't had the kittens yet, so you don't have to send her back out.

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* Almost never enforced in actual practice unless there's a complaint.


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Well, she has not been here in nearly a week. I have seen her around the neighborhood, so I shall assume by her absence, that she or he IS someone's pet. As to whether she is pregnant or not... I still don't know that conclusively.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Jet, it is not against the law in Pennsylvania for cats to run free. I would not allow it, because of the dangers. However, if I were to find a stray which had not been neutered, I would try to find the owner, not have invasive surgery performed without the owner's permission. Cats are considered property in most states. 

That sounds cold, and in a court of law it is a cold description, in my opinion. However, the owner is responsible for her "property," and it is unlawful for another person to seize that property and have procedures done without the owner's permission. 

I do understand your frustration, however. It is a relatively new practice, in the course of history in the US--- for cats to be kept indoors, and when I was a young married girl (20), my vet never suggested spaying or neutering. We are learning and growing!  

Janice, I hope that cat has a home. It breaks my heart to think of the strays and ferals with no warm home, heart, or food.


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Jeanie said:


> Janice, I hope that cat has a home. It breaks my heart to think of the strays and ferals with no warm home, heart, or food.


I'll keep an eye open for her Jeanie...if I see anything that's worrisome, I have the trap here.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

You're an angel, Janice! Perhaps the owners will post something, or the police have been notified of a lost cat--or even the vets in your area. I always ask the children in the area. They are good sources for that sort of knowledge! (They know more than nosy neighbors...when it comes to animals.  )


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