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Cats/cat in heat and pregnant?

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Expert: - 12/15/2009


Question
can a cat be in heat and be pregnant.. We took in an out door cat.. She was a stray.  We have had her in about a month now.. Have set up for spaying in January.. She is in heat right now.  But we have noticed her gaining weight.. I don't want to go take her to get her fixed if she is pregnant..  

So my question was can she be in heat and be pregnant too?

Answer
Jamie,

Unless she was just in heat and just got bred, she could still be in heat and just barely be pregnant.  However, if she has been in the house a month, no, she should not be able to be in heat and pregnant at the same time.  What can happen, is the cat can have been pregnant and reabsorbed the litter and then come into heat.

At any rate, your vet can tell you whether or not she is pregnant, so I would go ahead and schedule the spay operation with your vet contingent on the cat's not being pregnant.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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