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Ask the Veterinarian/is my cat stopping herself and overdue??
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Question
ello, 7 weeks ago I found a stray at my patio door and since
then she is with us. problem is like 10 days later on her
belly started showing up....Mean time i got myself a kitten
who is really bothering the pregnant cat with and wanting to
play with her all the time. My question is, should I worry
about the cat holding herself and not giving birth because
of that??? I think she must be definitely due by now, I
figured if pregnancy starts showing at 5th week, she must be
in her 9th for sure. What should I do??? How do i now if she
isn't overdue and not stopping herself from giving birth
because she doesn't feel safe?? please answer me!!! thanks
It is pretty unlikely that she is keeping herself from giving birth. While I know horses and deer can do that, I have never even heard of a cat or dog being able to do that.
More than likely she just isn't due yet. She will let you know when she is due by looking for a place to have them. She will 'nest' and start hiding in closets etc.
Hopefully in the last 7 weeks she has been to the vets and tested for leukemia etc. If she has it, or your kitten has it, they will pass it on to the kittens or each other and it is fatal.
Once these kittens are born make sure she is eating a high quality kitten growth formula like Science Diet kitten growth so that she can nurse these babies and not starve. They take a lot of nutrition out of the mother's body. She should be eating it now while she is pregnant.
Make sure the kitten is vaccinated as well, so that there aren't a bunch of respiratory infections being passed around as well. Whole litters of kittens can die that way.
Take her temperature rectally and if it is 99 degrees for two days in a row then she is within 24 hours of having them. Normal temperature is 101.5.
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Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
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