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Expert: - 4/8/2009


Question
my cat has large nipples and a swoolen tummy and it has happend in the past couple of days could she be pregnant

Answer
Diane,

Does your cat have access to unsterilized male cats? Has she been in season and had the opportunity to mate when she's been receptive? It's possible that she's pregnant, but normally the changes during pregnancy are more gradual and happen over a longer period of time than a couple of days. Your cat may have false pregnancy, the only way to confirm whether or not your cat is pregnant or if she has any other health problems is to have the vet perform a thorough examination which will likely include an ultrasound or x-rays.

There is a serious pet overpopulation problem affecting shelters and rescue organizations worldwide so it's best to have your cat spayed before she has the opportunity to get pregnant. If your cat is pregnant you can still have her spayed, but this raises some moral and ethical dilemmas which you would have to make decisions about on your own. There are good medical and behavioral reasons to have cats spayed/neutered besides the obvious benefit of population control. Cats who are sterilized are less likely to develop serious behavioral issues which can lead to euthanasia like house soiling, aggression, fights with other cats, wandering, caterwauling and howling to advertise their availability to mate. Medical reasons for surgically sterilizing your cat include preventing ovarian or uterine cancers in female cats as well as prostate or testicular cancers in tom cats. Spaying your female cat reduces her risk of breast cancer although the sooner you have the cat spayed in her life the more you reduce her risk of breast cancer. Female cats can also develop a potentially life threatening uterine infection called pyometra which causes the womb to fill with pus, if the uterus bursts and spreads infection throughout the abdomen the cat's chances for survival are slim. Many shelters and rescue groups are forced to euthanize healthy, adoptable cats and kittens because they run out of time, space and resources for them and the people caring for these unwanted cats just can't keep them around indefinitely while waiting for their forever family to come along and adopt them. Spaying and neutering cats doesn't negatively affect their personalities or activity level, it's a responsible, ethical choice to reduce the number of unwanted pets and their ultimate death by euthanasia simply because they're homeless.

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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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