You are here:

Cats/heat cycle of cat

Advertisement

Expert: - 3/15/2010


Question
I have a female cat who moved in on us and has had a litter 12 days ago. Yesterday she started acting like she's in heat. Is that possible while nursing kittens and if so can she get pregnant while nursing?

Answer
Kim,

It's quite possible that your queen is in heat, in fact some momma cats can get pregnant as early as 24 hours after giving birth and unlike human moms lactation doesn't hinder the cat's ability to become pregnant. I'd strongly suggest that you keep mom indoors, away from any intact male cats until she weans her kittens which should happen within 8-9 weeks or so without human intervention. Once mom's milk supply dries up, which usually happens 2 weeks or so after she stops nursing then she should be spayed ASAP to prevent her from becoming pregnant again and contributing to the already serious pet overpopulation issue. Millions of perfectly healthy and adoptable cats, kittens and other pets are euthanized in shelters every week of the year throughout North America simply because the number of people willing to offer a safe, stable forever home for these pets simply isn't high enough to meet each homeless pet's need for loving people to care for them. Spaying your queen will also offer health and behavioral benefits in the long and short term and I'd be happy to go over that information with you if you're interested in learning more about the advantages of spaying and neutering our much loved pets.

It's important for the kittens to stay with mom and their littermates for at least 12 weeks so that they can learn the basic skills they need in order to be happy, healthy and well balanced cats that behave appropriately throughout their lives (all things being equal). If you'd like I can offer you advice and information about the developmental stages of the kittens, providing mom with an adequate amount of a high quality species appropriate diet most cat foods on the market have fairly large amounts of cheap fillers and less than adequate quality protein sources which doesn't do any cat any favors, especially a nursing queen and her rapidly growing babies. I'll be happy to answer any questions or address any cat related concerns that you might have, so please don't hesitate to contact me again and I will do my absolute best to help you and your feline companion(s) out in any way that I can.

Cats

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

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.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.