How can I tell if my cat is pregnant?

[~Floella~]

How can you tell in the early stages if a cat is pregnant. shes only 5 months old but she's getting quite fat.
She's due to be spayed soon, and I heard they'll still do the operation but take the kittens (if there are any) and I don't like that idea.
I'd rather find out first if possible.

Thanks
Flo

[lankeela]

If she's at the stage where you can see she is pregnant, then its too late to take the kittens. You will have to let her have them and then get her spayed. If they take her in to spay her, and then find she is pregnant they may still do it, but only if in the early stages.

[~Floella~]

thanks Lankeela,
I thought it would only be in the early stages that they'd take the kittens but i still don't really like the idea.
My problem is the appointment to have her spayed is in 9 days time, and I don't think she'll be showing any obvious symptoms in that time.
What is the gestation period for a cat do you know?
Thanks
Flo

[stressed out]

When i worked in a vets i took my sisters cat along to be spayed, she was only a few months old herself. As they opened her they located 3/4 kittens in their little sacs! They asked me if i wanted to proceed so i said no, they stitched her back up and when it was time, she gave birth to a litter of healthy kittens.

If i were you i would wait until she gives birth and then have her spayed later as Lankeela suggested.

Good luck.

[lankeela]

Its 9 weeks, but you would not notice anything for probably the first six weeks.

[~Floella~]

Thanks Lankeela, and Stressed Out. I'll see if she shows any more signs other than being a bit fat in the next week. She might just be eating more, she stays out a lot more now so its possible she's getting fed somewhere else as well as home.