Expert: Jessica - 4/30/2010

Question
Short version: If a cat gains weight during a false pregnancy, how quickly does it go away?  Is it rapid?

Long version:
A stray cat that I've been feeding seems to have either given birth two nights ago, or had a false pregnancy.  I want to catch her so that I can get her spayed and get her shots, but I'm afraid of taking her away from her kittens if she did indeed have them.

Over the past few weeks, she gained a lot of weight and definitely looked pregnant.  Two nights ago, she was cleaning her vagina a lot and it looked sort of red and swollen.  Then yesterday when I saw her again, she was noticeably thinner.

I can't pick her up to get a good look at her because she's feral, but it doesn't look like she's nursing.  Her nipples never got pink or anything.  She also doesn't seem to have any discharge and had she not been so huge before, she doesn't show any signs of having recently given birth other than the sudden change in size.

She used to come hang out on my patio throughout the day, but for the last 2 days she's only been coming by a couple times to eat and then leaving right away -- like maybe she's tending to a nest somewhere.

Answer
Hi Sarah.  I think it's probably most likely that she does have a litter somewhere.  False pregnancies are much less common in cats than in dogs, and while any weight gain associated with a false pregnancy does tend to come off relatively quickly, it doesn't come off overnight like you're describing.

Also unlike dogs, a cat's mammary area isn't usually very noticeable when she's nursing a litter, especially when the litter is young.  Bitches have very large mammaries with prominent teats and receding fur.  Queens have swollen mammaries that tend to be well-concealed by fur until the kittens have been nursing for a while and have suckled the area clean.  

Cats do have a bloody discharge for a few days after delivery, but they are often so meticulous about cleaning themselves that it may not be noticeable.

If there’s any way you can follow her from a distance and see if you can locate a nest, I would suggest doing so.  In just a matter of weeks, the kittens will be feral, as well.  It would be best to follow mom to the nest and collect the kittens so they can be socialized.  You can decide what to do from that point.  I always like to trap mom and set her up in a cage where she can be reunited with the kittens (you will need to bottle feed the babies until you trap mom).  I allow her to stay in the cage with them until she’s weaned them, and I handle the babies several times a day to ensure they become great pets.  Then mom can be spayed and released.  Some people prefer to spay mom right away and release her, and bottle raise the babies.

There is always a chance she may not have a litter, but I think chances are good judging by her appearance and her behavior that she does have babies somewhere.  Whatever you decide, best of luck!

Jessica