Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 4/3/2011

Question
A cat came onto our property a month ago.  A week and a half ago I notice her belly looked a little bigger than normal. So I was like, Hmmmmm Possible pregnancy?  Husband took her to the vet on 3/25 and it was confirmed she was indeed pregnant, VERY pregnant I may add.  I was like OF COURSE, WE GET THE PREGNANT ONE!  We decided to keep her, get her a rabies shot and she now has a tag.  I went on vacation on, 3/27 and prior to us leaving we tried to get her in the house but it has not worked so I figured she was outside this long, she should be ok.  Left her enough food to get her through the week. I came home on 4/2 and "Olivia" did not look pregnant anymore.  She may have had the kittens.  I do know however, when she is about to have them usually cats bite around the "teats"(sp?) to get them ready for nursing.  I can't see her teats and she looks a little puffier than she did when I first got home this past Saturday, so I can't tell if she had them or not and she won't let me feel around her belly.  How can I tell without feeling her if she had these babies or not?  I want to get her in the house if she didn't so she can be in a warm and safe environment to have the kittens.  I am a wreck!  Please help!!!!

Answer
Never heard of a cat biting their teats for nursing. They just nurse. She has probably had her kittens and they are tucked away somewhere safe and warm. She will bring them out when they are around 6 weeks old unless you find them before hand. I hope you do and get her spayed as she will come into heat and get pregnant again as soon as they are between 5-6 weeks old.

Just keep feeding her and she may lead you to them. She needs to be on a high quality kitten growth formula right now until they are weaned.
We prefer Science Diet Kitten Growth because it has the optimal nutrition that she will need for nursing these babies.

Once they are 5 weeks old you can just keep feeding them this and put her on an adult formula.

The fact that her teats are puffy is proof that she is nursing at this point. No need to feel her stomach. If she is thin at all she has had them.

Now it's your fun task to find them!!