All you need to know

Have you ever encountered a lost cat in your backyard or neighborhood? Seeing a cat who looks like they need help is hard enough, but if you notice they’re carrying an extra load around the middle, you might start to wonder…a pregnant stray cat – What do I do?!

If you’re a cat lover, like us here at Fluffy Kitty, you’ll probably want to give the expectant mother some help. but how? what or what should what are you doing should not be you are doing?

In this article, we’ll cover all the basic information you need to take care of a furry mum, including:

• How do you know if a cat is stray or stray?
• Signs of pregnancy in cats
• What do you feed a pregnant cat?
• How do you know when a stray cat is ready to give birth?
• Post-care for stray mother cats and her young

Let’s start with the most important question – Is this mother cat really in need of help?

It can be easy to spot a pregnant cat who is owned and cared for, but sometimes you can be a little unsure.

Distinguishing a neighboring cat from a stray or a stray can be difficult, as they can easily slip their safety collars these days.

On the other hand, a feral cat may accept food but does not want or need any help with its kittens. While the stray cat usually search help you.

Anyway – you wouldn’t want to make the mistake of dealing with them or stressing them unnecessarily if they don’t really need your help.

How do you know if a pregnant cat really needs help?

We took a deeper look at this on our blog: Should I Feed This Cat? A guide to feral, feral, and lively cats, so if you want to fully understand the nuances between each type of cat, give it a read!

For now, this handy table can help you identify a stray or stray cat versus a roving pet:

	outdoor pets	stray cat	stray cats
healthy weight	✔	X	✔ / o
good coat condition	✔	X	✔ / o
approachable	✔	✔ / o	X
prone to begging	X	✔	X
wandering during the day	✔	X	X
Wandering at night or dawn	X	✔	✔
Identification card	✔	X	X

If you’re sure you’ve encountered a stray cat who seems to need help, your next step is to distinguish If the cat In fact pregnant. So let’s take a look at how to tell when a stray or feral cat is ready to give birth.

Symptoms of pregnancy in stray cats:

physical

the two most popular signs are Flatulence and darkening of the nipples.

Cats have very fast pregnancies, so if you’ve seen a cat around before, you’ll notice a A drastic change in their body very quickly. This can help differentiate simple weight gain from a real pregnancy.

It will be the mother’s womb very roundwhile remaining slender the rest of the body, and will droop down when you stand.

If you can get close enough to the cat, you may also be able to see some a movement inside.

behaviorism

The soon-to-be mother cat may appear nesting behaviorsEspecially towards the end of her pregnancy. So she will be looking for a warm and quiet place to give birth – this may mean that she visits more frequently and seems more determined to get in.

Appetite will increase For a stray carrier, this may mean that she becomes more vocal and insistent and eats more food.

Just like humans, some pregnant cats suffer Morning sickness! So you may notice some vomiting – although it can be hard to discern unless you have a better sense of what is “normal” for this stray.

How to help a pregnant stray cat?

before delivery

So I fixed it yes This stray cat is pregnant – how do you help?

go slow

Avoid physical contact unless the cat appears willing to accept it, so as not to cause any excessive stress. This may mean that you need to spend some time befriending the mother and gaining her trust. This can take anywhere from a few days to a week, as pregnant kitties can be more cautious than usual.

Start with food and water

As you build confidence, the best thing you can do is provide food and water to help her stay healthy and hydrated. Put them in a safe and secure location. It may help her slowly acclimate to your presence, getting a little closer each time she visits.

What do you feed a pregnant stray cat?

Ideally, a mother cat needs high-quality kitten/growth/growth food in multiple small meals – especially if the food is new to her to avoid any stomach upset.

If you don’t have any food on hand, follow our guide for it What do you feed a stray cat without cat food?

feet nest

With childbirth approaching, a stray woman searches for a safe, secure and isolated place to give birth. This could be an opportunity to guide her indoors to a prepared location, such as a wardrobe or a secluded box with some towels. Make sure to keep her away from your other pets, too. If you don’t get in, you can make an outdoor nest using a tutorial like this.

veterinarian check up

If it’s possible, and you think it won’t cause excessive stress, see if you can take the mum for a wellness check-up with your vet. They will be able to give you some advice regarding childbirth, and whether the mother cat has an electronic chip. If not, a phone call with your vet can give you peace of mind about assisting with a safe delivery.

keep a distance

If you feel your mom is nervous around you, keep your distance, especially during childbirth. But keep an eye on her condition, perhaps by placing a webcam or baby monitor around the den area, and if you notice any of the following, it’s best to contact your vet:

• Stress for more than 40-60 minutes with no kitten arriving
• It looks like the cat is stuck
• The mother looks so sad
• She is too lazy
• She’s bleeding profusely

after birth

Once your mother cat and feral or feral kittens are well after birth – What’s Next?

back

As difficult as it is to ignore those little fluffy balls, don’t hold them for the first few days after birth. Unless, of course, it is absolutely necessary to take them to a vet because you are concerned about signs of illness. Maintaining a distance reduces the chance of a mother abandoning her young. Don’t worry, if she’s ready to introduce them to you you’ll know.

keep them together

If you are concerned about something and would like to see the vet, take the whole family together to reduce stress and the possibility of abandonment.

play area

If kittens are born in your household, and you are currently planning to take care of them, it may be a good idea to create a protective room for the kittens for them to grow up in. And as they grow, they’ll want to explore and play, so you’ll need a space where it’s safe to do so.

How do you take care of a kitten without a mother?

Sometimes it’s not the mother who walks into our lives, but her missing children. Here’s how to help a lost cat:

• Keep a distance, to begin with, in case the mother returns. Kittens have a much higher survival rate if they are with their mother, so be as patient as possible.
• If they are very young (eyes and ears closed) watch them for about two hours. If there is no sign of a mother, or the cat is clearly in severe distress, call a local vet, rescue line, or counseling and inform them that you are taking the cat. They can help you if you need emergency help or if you can breastfeed your cat yourself.
• Older cats may be left for about 4 hours, so wait a bit before proceeding with any rescue attempt.

What do you feed a newborn baby in an emergency?

If you find yourself needing to care for a kitten without supplies, try the following:

• Start by making sure they are warm With an old towel and heating pad or hot water bottle (be sure to supervise the use of any hot water bottles).
• Use some evaporated milk with warm water (50/50) or yogurt or goat’s milk with a syringe or dropper feed. The general rule is about 5 ml per day of age.
• Usually cats need to be fed Every 1 to 3 hours.
• As soon as you can, get some Alternative milk for cats.

Long term planning

You have already done an amazing job by opening your home to this mother and her children. Done well!

Your next steps are entirely up to you, but here are some recommendations to help mom and kittens lead happy, long lives.

the mother If you bring the mother cat into your home to terminate her pregnancy, you can choose to release her again or adopt her permanently. Either way, it’s a good idea to at least neutralize it before it gets on with its life.

This is a humane thing to do, as it prevents her from getting more litters that she might not be so lucky to take care of! Especially if you plan to release it again.

Neutering offers a lot of benefits to both the mother and the world around her, which you can read about here.

the cats – Ideally, kittens can stay with you until they are old enough to leave their mother at 10-12 weeks of age. They can also receive recommended vaccinations and get spayed or neutered as well, to help them avoid getting sick or ending up with fugue pregnant women in the future.

Post on social media, call your local shelter or hold a fundraiser to pay for treatment – feel free to get creative!

If possible, don’t simply shoot them outside. This is because cats that live outdoors are more susceptible to injuries, diseases, and fatal accidents.

Pregnant Prodigal Hero Kit

If you are concerned about what you can get to help an expectant mother and her babies, here is a handy list of everything you may need:

• cat trap – If you really think the mother cat needs veterinary care, you may have to catch her first. You can borrow traps from your vet or local shelter, or buy one. You can also make a DIY version like this is.
• Mother and kitten food – Something soft and easy to digest is a great choice. this is Royal Canin Mother and Baby Cat Ultra Soft Cream It’s formulated to support immune health and healthy digestion, plus it’s a lovely soft texture that helps wean cats.
• nesting box – In addition to the outdoor DIY version above, if you have an indoor stray, you can use a laundry basket, cardboard box, or purchase a closed cat pen, such as this To keep kittens.
• blankets – Cats need to be kept warm, so a few old towels that you don’t mind losing or an old blanket are a great addition to the cat. If you don’t have any blankets, this is comfortable ones It will work fine.
• low litter box If kittens are indoors, they need a low-sided litter box that is easy to use. You can use a disposable eco-friendly option like Nature’s Miracle (just pop a slot) or invest in a purpose-made litter box like this is.
• nanny cam – If you want to check in while working or keep your distance, nanny cam like Wyze Cam v3 Pet It can work fine. It is weatherproof and has night vision, so it can be used outdoors as well.

We hope that this guide to helping a pregnant stray cat will be helpful, especially if you happen to have a mom who needs it.

Have you ever helped a lost family? Do you have any other important tips for caring for newborns and their mothers? Let us know in the comments below 🙂