Expert: Marcia Owen - 7/8/2009

Question
hi. im some what confused about my cats due date, i know she was in heat in may but im unsure as to when( my husband let her escape whilst i was at work) shes an indoor cat and since i noticed her nipples were a bit prominent i asked my mother if she was pregnant and she said yes, that was on the 15th of june, she had a bit of a belly on her but not somthing that was too noticeable. Now her milk sacks have really filled up and i can see the shapes of the kittens sticking out. Shes still eating but very small amounts, she seems to drink more than anything. Do the back legs shudder or like pulse nearer to the anus? Like the muscle area? She hasent been looking for a nesting bed although ive set up 3 in my bedroom. Her nipple area hasent gone bald yet either and usaully shes always asleep but starting today shes not slept as much, she is still allowing me to touch her tummy and is more approving than other times to let me do this. Its driving me mad because a few nights ago i had a dream that i came home and she was giving birth but id missed the 2 shed already birthed and they had died. So im worried incase somthing goes wrong. I have everything prepared, im keeping a diary so that i can keep an eye out for unusual activity but she just seems to be..... So calm when im getting nervouse. Thanks, i know ive carried on a bit there lol

Answer
If the kittens are still moving inside her that is a good sign.   I don't know how soon you noticed her nipples being bigger but that usually happens approx 21 days after mating so if you saw them at the first point then then she may be around 6 weeks pregnant, but as I said, you may not have seen this sign straight away.  I don't know how long you have been able to feel the kittens moving but you can usually feel them for the first time at around 7 weeks of pregnancy which would then give you approximately 2 weeks left to go.

The milk glands filling up is often not an accurate sign as regards to time as some cats have milk from 10 days before kittening and some not until the day of kittening.

Keep a close eye on her as it seems you are not sure when they will be due unless you can get some idea from my comments above.

Marcia.