A cat has adopted us...

... I mentioned her a couple of days ago. She is a calico: very young and very pregnant! She's a gobby little madam too - always yowling for attention. We let he in the house today to see how the rabbits reacted to her and vice versa (they were caged of course). She was disinterested, as were they, but it was siesta time so maybe we'll try again later today.

Anyway, the reason I mention her (apart from to show off her fab eyeliber :luv:) is that I worry. Has anyone had experience with pregnant cats before? I have been feeding her kitten biscuits as well as normal tinned catfood. I have given her a box with a towel to lie in but mr B says it's too small. I want to basically set up an area that she feels comfortable in so that she doesn't traipse off and have her babies in one of the storm drains or anything nasty. That way I will be on hand to help her deliver if she needs it, and rush any sickly babies to the vet.

Any suggestions? As soon as it is safe to I am going to get her neutered. Apparently it is only $50 (about 20 quid) so there's no reason not to.

As far as I can tell she doesn't belong to anyone. She's been hanging around for days (even before I started feeding her) plus the Bruneians all keep their cats in cages indoors so it's highly unlikely that she's a pet. Even if she is I am going to have her neutered when I can as there is no way she deserves to just be a baby-making machine for the rest of her life. If I could catch the big black tom with the massive danglies and whip them off I would as well

Any advice on making a pregnant cat more comfortable is welcomed

Here she is:

Aww she's quite lovely Cats do instinctively try and hide their litters, so she may wander off anyway, but if you put the box somewhere where she won't be disturbed, maybe underneath something, or tucked away behind something, she may drop there.

If she comes to you for food, then that's all you need to do. She will feed the kits, but you musn't touch them, or she may kill them. I've seen it happen a few times. If any need taking to the vets, it's probably not a good idea to put them back in the box.

Hope it all goes well

i was going to say what jay said. when i was a child my cat used to have her kittens under my chest of drawers or bed so they defo like to be under something and feel safe. she is really gorgeous by the way.

I was thinking about this cat the other day when you posted about her, I remember you saying cats were kept in cages, so I have been secretly hoping you would adopt her I hope she does have her babies near you as I know you will help them, it's a horrible thought to think of her having them somewhere in a ditch or something. Well done for looking out for her. Your ace
Sallyx

What a beautiful puss!

Well done for 'adopting' her. Fingers crossed that all goes well with the kittens and she doesn't have too many.

Oh she is gorgeous. Has she found anywhere to have her babies yet? Has she picked your house! Oooh kittens... sooo cute!

What a lovely kitty, sorry don't have any advise just hope everything goes well for her, maybe you could confine her to one quiet room until she has given birth?

Oooh and what have you called her?

no names yet. She is a sweety but she's SOOOO noisy. Like a child I suppose, unless she's eating or asleep it's a lot of yowling.

We have let her in the house again to have a little look around but are out to dinner so she's back outside until tomorrow. I don't trust her with the rabbits, despite her disinterest it's just not worth the risk. We have a couple of spare beds that I couldput a nice box under and some towels for her - I didn't realise they liked to be tucked away. I won't shut her in the house - only when I'm there so she can come and go but we're not officially adopting her. Just letting her in if we/she wants to.

Thanks for the advice ref: kittens Jay, I never knew that. I wasn't going to go in picking them all up etc but I certainly would have stroked them a bit once they were a few days older. I won't now, if I ever see them in fact.

She is a little sweetheart and doesn't appear to have ringowrm (unlike yours truly ), fleas or ear mites but as soon as I am able to I will take her to the vets.

I have no idea how long it will be before she drops but my amah said that their backs will drop to a 'U' shape before they give birth and hers hasn't yet. The babies are palpably bigger though, especially int he last few days, and have shifted position inside her :luv:

Honestly, babies and pregnancy everywhere - even the cats are knocked up

Name suggestions welcome and thanks for the advice everyone

Mabel?

She's lovely!

Mabel! my car was called Mabel (spelt Mable though as I can't spell )

I can't call her that, she's too young!

she is very cute,

she looks like a Mona to me

How about Calico or Cally - for her beautiful colour. She is such a pretty cat. Give her a stroke from me.

I also like Tabitha and Mia too.

PMSL @ Mona, will run that by Mr B... I like Cally but have a friend named Cally so maybe he'll pass on that. Tabitha is lovely too! and Mia.

Oh yikes. I will ask Mr B lol

ooooh Mildred!