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Cats/MY CATS PREGNET!!!

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Expert: - 11/18/2008


Question
hi my names tia and im 15. my cat is pregnant and i never had a pregnant animal before. i have 3 cats and 2 dogs do you think the other animals would harm my pregnant cat or her kittens? also all of my animals are girls except for one of my dogs? i also wanted to know what cat weaning is? and if i should touch the kittens?

Answer
Tia,

I would suggest that you consider isolating your kitty by herself with a litter box, food, water, toys and a box for her to deliver and care for her babies in. I use old towels to line boxes for pregnant kitties so that the kittens can be warm and comfortable. It's important to handle the kittens from a fairly early age, however you don't want to over stimulate or handle them too much, they need their mother and human socialization so you have to strike a balance. The other cats may try to take your pregnant kitty's babies from her or even harm them so I would advise that you keep the other cats and the dog away from the kittens and the nursing mom once the babies are born. Weaning is the process by which the mother cat gets her kittens to eat solid food and nurse less until they are only eating solid foods and no longer breast feeding. Unlike dogs you don't have to wean the kittens, mom will take care of that around 6-9 weeks of age. I recommend that the kittens stay with their mother for a minimum of 10-12 weeks after birth so that mom can teach them how to be well mannered kittens and they are old enough to consistently use the litter box, eat, drink and play on their own and with each other. I have written many answers pertaining to raising and caring for nursing queens, newborn kittens and so on. Please check out these answers from my previous questions as I suspect that you will find them to be educational and useful.

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Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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