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Cats/My pregnant cats recent behavior

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Expert: - 4/1/2009


Question
My girls are due any day. Beautiful Bengal girls. They are on there 62nd day of pregnancy. One is extremely aggressive and has severely attacked me 3 times now, when she has always been loving and sweet before. And the other started having diarrhea today. This morning her stool was fine. By this afternoon it was runny. I keep them separate since they dont get along and one got into the other ones room somehow and they got  into a pretty bad fight today. Not sure if that has any barring but thought I would add. Thanks for you help.

Answer
Audra,

I would recommend that you check with your vet just to be sure that nothing serious is going on with your little girls. Since the girls are pregnant my concern is that they could become sick and pass their illness on to their kittens after birth and I'm sure you're aware that kittens don't have much resistance to disease when they're born. I wouldn't wait to have this little mom checked because you'll want to know how to look out for the best interests of mom and her litter. Mood swings can happen with cats during pregnancy, the only worry that I have is that labor has already started in the little girl who has gotten aggressive and there may be complications with the delivery. You know your cats best, you will be able to evaluate changes in their behavior, personality and mood better than the vet, if you think that there may be something going on with one or both of these moms to be it's a good idea to see about having a vet in to see them just to confirm that everything is still okay with moms and their babies. I'm not sure that the discussion the girls had today has anything to do with the loose stool, the girls probably are aware that they're about to become mothers within the next few days, possibly even tonight! If the cats aren't normally nasty with each other it's possible that one or both is in the early stages of labor and she's simply following her maternal instincts to protect her unborn babies.

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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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