We have a stray cat outside our house that we've been feeding. She's a fairly tiny cat, but she has a potbelly. You can clearly see her nipples, but they aren't swollen or anything. I've heard that cats can get a potbelly from having worms. But this cat always seems to be hungry. How can I tell how long she's been pregnant, or if she actually is without taking her to the vet or humane society?
2007-06-04 05:06:59 · 15 answers · asked by paige_dart 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
You can't really tell for sure. I had one alley cat that I thought was pregnant. Turned out she had some sort of infection and needed an operation and antibiotics. Vet said she would have died.
Stray cats can easily pick up worms, parasites, and illnesses. You can probably find a vet who will give you a reduced rate. Ask your local SPCA for a referral. They'll need a stool sample, but don't worry about it if you can't get one. They have ways of getting samples.
If it turns out she is pregnant, get her some sort of flea control, and start feeding her kitten food twice a day. Maybe you can provide her with a "home" by installing a dog house or some other form of shelter. I used a leanto type contraption for one of the strays in my neighborhood. I placed some old clothes inside for padding. He loves to sleep there.
2007-06-04 05:17:33 · answer #1 · answered by J F 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the cat is female and over 4 months, most likely she is pregnant. A big belly is a good indicator. If you can pick her up, feel her stomach and you will be able to feel the kittens. Gestation in a cat last 63 days and a few days before she gives birth, her milk will drop and her nipples will become swollen.
You can still take her to the vet and get her spayed. Call around, some vets give discounts for rescue pets. If you are feeding her and want to keep her, even as an outside cat, having her fixed is the best for all concerned. If you do not want to keep her, contact local rescue groups in your area and see if someone has room to take her in. Go to www.petfinder.com and click on "Shelters and Rescues" at the top of the page. The kittens could be born outside and not be socialized, become feral and before long you will end up with a whole colony of wild cats on your hands. Female cats go into "heat" every two weeks (year round) until fixed or bred, so they can have up to 4 litters a year.
Spaying can be expensive and if you want to keep her but can't afford to have her fixed, call your local humane society or shelter and ask about a low cost spay/neuter program, most cities have them and you can p/u a certificate for a reduced cost spay. Taking her to the local shelter could mean a death sentence for her and the kittens. Most shelters and so called Humane Societies are kill shelters and euthanized when overcrowded. This time of year, they are all crowded. Also, kittens born there rarely survive due to the unsanitary environment and being in a room with so many other cats.
If you care enough to feed her, please do something to help her. Call around until you get help or assistance that will help both you and the cat.
(She is most likely pregnant, if she has worms, most cats do unless they are de-wormed, you can get that done at the Vet for a very small charge. Some vets will let you pick up the medication and give it to them at home, which is cheaper. If the cat is pregnant, you will have to wait to worm her until after she gives birth and is finished nursing, the meds could harm the kittens.)
Hope this helps.
2007-06-04 05:37:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can't take her in and don't know if she belongs to one of your neighbors, the best thing to do might be to call the humane society tomorrow. I hate to say that because I know they have their hands full with homeless cats and kittens. If it's winter and cold where you are, I'd be worried about them surviving. Just try to make sure the humane society or animal shelter you call isn't a high kill one. I have taken in stray cats and kittens and found homes for them, but I understand you might not be able to do that in a townhouse. The last time I took in a pregnant cat, I ended up keeping her and 2 of her kittens. = ) It might be a good idea to ask around the neighborhood whether anyone owns the cat before calling, but likely no one will. It's a shame some people don't take care of their pets or abandon them.
2016-05-21 01:28:43 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she is pregnant and you take her to get spayed, keep in mind the babies will die. What is probably best is catch her and take her to a shelter so she can safely have the babies, then they will spay her. If you want to keep her, then you need to get her used to humans. Strays are sometimes very wary of humans, so get her used to you by feeding her then staying near the bowl while she eats, and try to get her to eat out of your hand. After that try to pet her. If you decide to call your local animal control, please first make sure they take animals to a NO-KILL shelter. Other wise, if she is not adopted after a certain amount of time they will put her down. If you feed her she will be healthier and so will her babies. Also, if she's visibly fat I would say she's due in a few weeks. You don't need to know an exact date unless you plan to take the babies . Otherwise, she will go away to have them, and in a few weeks will bring them with her to eat. If she's not pregnant, all the better for her. Most strays to tend to have a few litters each year though, so I would be almost positive that this is the reason for her large belly. Good Luck!
2007-06-04 05:15:21 · answer #4 · answered by lildi_32 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a little visitor hanging around the house huh. In this case, it might be one of the two things : Worms or Pregnacy. Pregnancy is actually easy to tell ( her nipples would be swollen if shes allready nursing or is ready to give birth soon, if she is pregnant and is mid pregnancy the nipples would remain the normal size). I would recomend taking her to a vet so they can look her over and see whats going on with the kitty. It's hard to diagnose and animal that you haven't seen. I do hope that everything works out! The Best of Luck to you!
2007-06-04 05:20:47 · answer #5 · answered by VeRcE 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gestation for a cat is about 60 days, it's hard to pin a due date on a cat unless you happen to know the day she got pregnant. Offer her some shelter around your house or take her to the humane society near you... they can find the kittens good homes once they are born.
2007-06-04 05:12:36 · answer #6 · answered by CleverAct 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
From what you said pot belll visible nipples, eating like she starving, she pregnant.Her nipples won't swell until she is either ready to give brith( day before) or after. My nighboor had the same thing happen small cat but big tummy, 3 weeks later we found 5
kittens. But if you really want to know how far along she is you need to take her to the
vet.
2007-06-04 05:19:46 · answer #7 · answered by Poe B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually, hunger is a clear sign of worms. you can still take her to the humane society... let them know shes a stray, but, you would like to adopt her... they will give her a full check-up and spay her, for a very reasonable price.
2007-06-04 05:12:49 · answer #8 · answered by mighty_mom 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
this site has clues. being always hungry and a big belly can also mean worms. especially since you say she's small otherwise. be careful it doesn't spread to others. (vets don't spay pregnant animals.)
2007-06-04 05:12:10 · answer #9 · answered by wendy_da_goodlil_witch 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hm... how is she acting?
Is she in a dark place where no one goes?
If so, she''s probably is looking for a place to give birth- so that means she's pregnant. If shes eating or sleepibng more then I guess she is. And if her nipples are pink and large... sheis preganant
2007-06-04 05:12:39 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋