please help, is my cat over due? I took her in as a stay.

[jullovescats]

About 6 weeks ago, I took in a stray barn cat, that kept comming to my door. Sweet calico cat. I would guess fairly young? I was kinda guessing she was pregnate at the time, because she was showing alitle. I wanted to get her healthy and loved for the big event. So, I did.

well, now six weeks later, she is huge, nipples enlarged, and i can compress liquid out of them for 3 days now. She is nesting some, and running to the litter box often to poop. But still no kittens? help... I am worried she is overdue. I can not afford to take her to the vet, because I have a dog and cat of my own that I have commited to having as my pets for some time (they are fixed, etc.)

I am willing to keep this little cat, and have her fixed later, but what about these kittens? Are they comming , or what? I have found homes for all of them also. Is there anything I can do to help start her labor?

[divegirl]

http://www.purina.co.uk/Home/All+About+Cats/Yo ur+New+Pet+Cat/Pregnancy+and+Birth+Cat/Is+Your +Cat+Pregnant.htm

Looks like she may have a while to go yet if you've only had her for 6 weeks.
You could try Cats Protection for help.

http://www.cats.org.uk/

Lisa x

[jullovescats]

Ok, today is the day, ya hoo. kitty's mucus plug let go, and she is dripping blood. How much longer befor I see a kitten. I'm so excited. She is purring up a storm, is that normal?

[showcatbenga]

If you still have no kittens by now then get her straight to the vet. She may have quite a lot of kittens if she was huge. But it may take her up to 24hrs to have them all. Check you have all the placentas after the kittens are born, usually one for each kitten. If after the last kitten her discharge does not dry up in a day or two at the most or the kittens are not getting enough milk then take her to the vet. My girl had 8 kittens in her first litter & I helped feed them every 4 hours to make sure each was getting enough & weighed each one daily - keeping a record. Each sould gain a little every day, if one does not gain then you can take special care to feed it & check it's gaining the day or two following.
The Cats Protection will gladly home the kittens once they are 12-13 weeks old. They will also help with their innoculations, homing & fixing mum too. They actually have a waiting list of prospective homes for kittens where I live. & almost everyone asks for at least �20 per kitten. Some for as much as �80 for an unusual colour.

[jullovescats]

last evening she gave birth to a black and white tuxedo, healthy, and doing great, feeding lots. The next was a orange stillborn. I'm sure there is more (well, I think), but nothing yet. Mom seems fine though, and is mothering the her kitten well.

[wolf63]

Best wishes to you, the proud new mother and her babies.