Pregnancy suspicions and change in behaviour

[Mollysmummy]

So this has developed from a general chat topic to a behaviour query! We got molly from a sanctuary 2 months ago. She was very nervous to start with but settled in well. She made friends with a Tom cat a few doors down but sadly he was run over 2 weeks ago and was put to sleep.

Since then molly has clearly been missing him, going out more and being very vocal. However she's never been interested in going out during the day, preferring to sleep in our bedroom window, but yesterday she was out 9am-6.30pm, then out all night when we went to bed and out again at 7 this morning.

Her belly is getting a bit round....we were assured by the sanctuary that she's been neutered but after emailing them they said this was done prior to her coming to them and there is no paperwork. So now I don't know what to think!

I don't think she's friendly enough to go somewhere else for food as she is scared of strangers, but it makes me sad that she's suddenly not wanting to spend any time inside. Also we need to know if she is pregnant and if she's constantly outside its hard to get her to the vet! Also she gets really stressed going to the vet. I don't know what to do!

[Sabertooth]

Usually you can tell if a cat is pregnant if she becomes more affectionate around you, may not always be the case though. Pregnancy tests for cats are available if you can’t get her to the vet.

How to tell if a cat is pregnant:

http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-a-Cat-is-Pregnant

[Mollysmummy]

Thanks. She's not a particularly affectionate cat unless she wants something; she didn't have any proper human contact as a kitten so she's wary of people and would rather sit and purr and roll on her back just out of reach. However she's definitely sat/laid closer to us in the last week or 2 and has even got up on the bed with me so by her standards I'd say she was more affectionate.

[Sabertooth]

When I took my cat Stella in as a stray and before we could get her neutered we were in the same situation and suspected that she was pregnant. We took her to the vet to find out but they assured me it was not the case and sent her home. I then did some more research and was convinced she was indeed pregnant so I thought since she needs neutering I will make another appointment with the vet to get her neutered, that way they will find out for themselves if she is pregnant and turned out she was! They then blamed me for leaving the termination late. I hope you have better luck with molly.

[Mollysmummy]

Thanks! Part of me thinks I'm being paranoid, but I feel like a mother with a poorly child! We would let her have the kittens if she were pregnant, I'm just worried at the amount of time she's wanting to spend outside if she is pregnant, and also would the cattery we've booked her into refuse to take her I wonder?!

[Kay]

you need a vet to check her before you contact them, as you'll need a delivery date if she is pregnant

[Sabertooth]

I’ve never used a cattery so can’t say. Sure you could just be paranoid but usually our instincts are right most of the time.

[bobbys girl]

going out more and being very vocal. However she's never been interested in going out during the day, preferring to sleep in our bedroom window, but yesterday she was out 9am-6.30pm, then out all night when we went to bed and out again at 7 this morning.

This is ringing alarm bells. Out all night and calling? I'd really get her checked!

[Diana]

When you got her and she started going out, how long was she out for? I mean if you have had her for a few months and she has been out for at least a couple weeks, she sure would be carrying if she was not neutered. It doesnt take long for a Tom to find her and it would happen almost instant. Its best for a vet to have a good look. It does sound as if she is, females make this weird howling noise when in heat. Have you heard this at all?

[Mollysmummy]

Yes, she's always been vocal but the last 2 weeks she's been much more so, not constantly but like a loud yowling that we couldn't figure out what she wants or didn't seem to want anything in particular, then went outside!

Neither myself or my husband have experience of a cat in heat so we didn't realise what we were seeing and now it may be too late! I'm going to keep a close eye on her and if she gains any more weight by next week I'm taking her to the vet. I'm trying to feel her nipples but she's doesn't appreciate her belly being touched. That's not a recent thing though.

[Diana]

I suggest keeping her indoor now, if she is carrying then you don't want to have the kittens anywhere, safer indoors.

[Mollysmummy]

We got the cat flap fitted about a month after getting her so she's been going out for about 4 weeks. Previously she would just go out for an hour or so and come back in but she's out all the time now.

I initially put her weight gain down to just getting more food as she was skinny when we got her. She doesn't seem to be getting wider particularly, although maybe around her bum. Her belly is dropping down more though. She had a saggy belly when we got her which I thought at 1 year old must be due to neutering, but maybe she's had a previous litter?

She came from a woman who had 9 cats in a flat and they were taken away from her, so now I know that the neutering was supposedly done before she came to the sanctuary it makes me dubious that this woman would have been able to afford to neuter all her cats? And I would presume the easiest way to end up with 9 cats is to keep any kittens born!

I hope I'm just being paranoid and it is just weight gain and missing her tomcat friend, but the numbers are definitely adding up!

[Skyquake87]

Hello I am new here *waves*

It sounds to me like you're cat is pregnant. She seems to exhibiting the same signs our mum Mysti did (she's actually a stray that followed us home from the pub one night and decided she liked living with us, with her not having a collar or a chip we kept her.). We noticed her yowling a lot getting rounder and around her tummy and back. She found sitting in some positions uncomfortable too. The vets did an ultrasound for us and confirmed she had babies.

[meriad]

to be honest, I'd get her to the vet sooner rather than later and cruel as it sounds - but given the current dire situations with rescues overrun with cats and kittens - if she is indeed pregnant and depending on how far she is I know that I would not continue with the pregnancy and have Molly spayed before the week is over.

sorry I know many won't agree with me but Molly won't know any different

[bobbys girl]

I agree with meriad. When we decided to keep Lily and get her spayed the vet confirmed that she was in the early stages of pregnancy. We asked if the kittens were viable and were told 'not yet'. It was not an easy decision, (I believe all life is precious) and if the pregnancy had been further along it might have been a different matter. But I'm sure we made the right decision.

Lily (and her hormones!) later went on to nurse Bobby. Without her care he may not have survived and she had her own kittens she would not have wanted him.

Get your little lady to the vets ASAP

[Crewella]

Regretfully, I agree with Ria as well, for the reasons outlined.

[Diana]

How is your cat? Have you been able to confirm your cat is indeed carrying?

If she is as hard as it is to say.....the others are right. Unless you can care for all kittens yourself, but that's up to you. If you know you can't then I will do as the others suggested because if you didn't then you have a whole other problem to deal with.

[Mollysmummy]

She hasn't put any more weight on and my husband says I'm being paranoid!! But we've spoken to the cattery and they're happy to take her, I can't get in the vets before we go away so it will be a case of seeing how she is while we're away.

If she was, my brother and sister in law are desperate for a kitten for their daughters, and we would keep the rest

[Diana]

Well that's good if you plan to keep them. If so, I suggest get them done when they are old enough.

[Mollysmummy]

My husband and I have only ever owned neutered cats, the sanctuary assured us it had been done but now they're saying it was done prior to her coming to them and there's no paperwork, I'm waiting to hear a definitive answer from them.

We'll see how she looks when we get home from holiday, if she's any bigger it will be straight to the vets.

[Meandmymunki]

Have you checked her nipples? If she is pregnant they get swollen and pink teats before the weight gain. A cat that isn't pregnant will have nipples the size of pin heads, if they have had litters in the past they will be a bit bigger than this tho, but if preg will be prominent and pink with a noticeable bald patch around each teat. Even if not up for touching you would see them when she lies down.