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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Pregnant stray kitten

76 replies

00deed1988 · 25/12/2022 00:18

Hello all,

After some advice.

I have 2 indoor 1 year old male cats. Neutered and up to date with everything.

I have noticed a young cat in our garden the last week several times. Today she was ripping open bin bags and I put my hand out to her and she ran over when I noticed she was quite heavily pregnant. I would hazard a guess at her being around 6 months old based on the size my cats were. She seems young still.

I took some photos and put on local Facebook group with no luck. She appeared twice more (I smoke so go outside for that, she appeared each time I went out).

After some urging from the Facebook group I have taken her in and placed her in my secure utility room with bedding, cardboard box with sheets and towels and hot water bottle, food and drink (which she wolfed down), litter tray, some toys and a little night light. She is not trying to escape. She is very friendly which makes me question if she is a stray but with her being so young and pregnant I don't want to leave her out.

I am not sure I am doing thr right thing. She doesn't have to have any contact with my cats due to lay out of house. She is loving some strokes. My plan is to look after her till boxing day when I can get her to be scanned for a microchip but I am not hopeful baring in mind so young and pregnant and then hopefully a shelter. Some shelters have been tagged in my post so hopefully they may be in touch beforehand.

Any advice? Am I doing the right thing keeping her in? Anything I should be doing for her that I am not. I feel bad for her locked in a room with no company while my two spoilt boys are in the house.

OP posts:
verdantverdure · 26/12/2022 10:06

This is a lovely thread @00deed1988. I'm so glad she found you. It's basically a Christmas miracle.

"If in doubt help the cat" is my rule and you have embodied it.

If you end up keeping "Mary" and the rescue re homes the kittens for you that will be a fantastic result all round. Especially as your gorgeous boys don't seem to have any objections.

MissPiggysPinkDress · 26/12/2022 10:19

Congratulations on your new 3rd cat OP 😻 I would defo be keeping her if I was in your shoes!

EmmaC78 · 26/12/2022 10:27

This is a lovely thread and you are so kind OP. I hope you decide to keep her.

stevalnamechanger · 26/12/2022 10:31

What a lovely thread! Hope you can keep her

MrsMariaReynolds · 26/12/2022 10:49

Aweee, what a lovely thread ❤️ Enjoy your new friend!

Allergictoironing · 26/12/2022 11:34

From the look of the picture of her cuddling you, I think you have been Chosen. That is one possessive paw pinning you down!

Accept your fate, especially if DH is on board and the boys have been so accepting already.

I had very strong views on what I wanted when I was interviewed by cats at a rescue, with about 4 criteria. I was Chosen by cats who only fitted 2 of them!

EachandEveryone · 26/12/2022 11:46

Do you think you can’t start tentatively asking family members or very good friends if they would be interested in rehoming a kitten in the new year? That would even cut out the middle man😀

delilabell · 26/12/2022 11:47

00deed1988 · 26/12/2022 09:29

Our boys are very curious. She isn't too bothered. Wants nothing to do with them but also not stressed by them. Also a good sign. That's something else I was worried about!

This is my favourite photo. You're a lovely human

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/12/2022 12:40

Especially as your gorgeous boys don't seem to have any objections

Personal experience of living with a female black ex feral cat (and her brother) I'd wager the two boys will be under the thumb before long . She has taken over completely .

They look very What's occuring ? and she has the Mwa HaHa . forward pointed ears of someone who knows she's landed butterside up Grin

daschundthroughthesnow · 26/12/2022 12:46

Great photo of your two boys who look pleasantly curious rather than cross!

CatChant · 26/12/2022 16:12

She looks so content cuddled up to you, OP. And the expressions on your very handsome boys’ faces are amusingly quizzical. They are definitely thinking: “What on earth?”

You’ve made her Christmas a happy one. I hope your one is happy too because your kindness deserves it.

I think Merry is a nice name…

verdantverdure · 26/12/2022 17:49

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/12/2022 12:40

Especially as your gorgeous boys don't seem to have any objections

Personal experience of living with a female black ex feral cat (and her brother) I'd wager the two boys will be under the thumb before long . She has taken over completely .

They look very What's occuring ? and she has the Mwa HaHa . forward pointed ears of someone who knows she's landed butterside up Grin

Definitely some strong "I am your new Queen" energy from those ears there. Xmas Grin

The fact that the boys are not going "what is it? Must Kill" is all part of the Christmas miracle Xmas Grin

This thread is a complete joy

TwoMonthsOff · 26/12/2022 18:11

@00deed1988
she is going to grow into a stunning adult cat looking at those huge paws, and what a shiny coat she has for a stray - really OP Mary is such a gift, bless you for helping her ❤️

SantaBakula · 26/12/2022 21:20

Aww it is so good of you @00deed1988 to take this poor little waif in .
The photo of her on you sat on the sofa is so nice , you do know she owns you now dont you .
You say you are going away for a few days , can who ever is looking after your boys look after her too or perhaps the shelter ?

TheRosesAreInBloom · 26/12/2022 21:39

What a lovely story and reminds me of one of my own…I also took in a pregnant stray who was very young like your refugee, I named her Minnie she was so tiny. She had a litter of 4 late August and the little devil managed to get pregnant again whilst we were waiting for her kittens to be ready to have her spayed!! Long story short we had a further litter of six 15th December a few years ago… Joseph, Elf, Rudolf, Snow (a black girl with a white spot!), Merry and little Angel who was stillborn bless him). What fun we had all over again and they all went to lovely homes. Sadly mum went missing the next autumn, we were all heartbroken, she was such a lovely girl.

Original poster
00deed1988 · 26/12/2022 22:59

SantaBakula · 26/12/2022 21:20

Aww it is so good of you @00deed1988 to take this poor little waif in .
The photo of her on you sat on the sofa is so nice , you do know she owns you now dont you .
You say you are going away for a few days , can who ever is looking after your boys look after her too or perhaps the shelter ?

I have spoken to the cat sitter who comes twice a day and she is happy to look after her too and the kittens if she has had them by then, the lady from the shelter will come once a day and we are putting up a little camera that I have to keep an eye on her for any emergencies that may come up, so looks like we have it sorted. So we have a plan.

The lady from the shelter thinks the best thing for her would be to stay here until she has had the kittens as she is settled and comfortable. We have said we would like to keep her, which she agrees with as long as she doesn't have just one kitten. If she only has one, they tend to rehome mum with the baby. She said that is unlikely but not unheard of with a first litter. 1 extra cat is a push, we couldn't take on 2 but we will do whatever is best for them!

OP posts:
SantaBakula · 28/12/2022 20:24

I am so glad your cat sitter is happy to look after your new latest addition.

Ohh a hope you get to see her have her kittens now that the shelter has said she can stay with you until they are born.

How is she doing today ?

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/12/2022 13:37

The cat sitter was probably made up,

Whatafielddayfortheheat · 29/12/2022 14:22

@Fluffycloudland77 I thought you were saying OP had fabricated the cat sitter for a moment 😂yes I bet s/he is thrilled to have kittens to play with. What a heartwarming thread.

Stellaris22 · 29/12/2022 14:25

responsible owners neuter pets before letting them out.

Unfortunately I have a friend who thought it would be cute to let her cat have kittens.

booboo82 · 29/12/2022 14:30

Keep her !

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 29/12/2022 14:34

My DB and his ex SO many years ago ended up adopting a white cat, they thought she was maybe a year or say between 9-11 months old who was pregnant at the time. She gave birth to one litter of kittens (4 or 5 white, 1 tabby) and I think she was either already pregnant (double pregnancy?) or got pregnant very soon after giving birth (was then spayed after that) and then had 4 or 5 white kittens and one black with white bits who I rehomed, one white and the black one. NDN’s rehomed one white kitten. They both lived long and happy lives, white one to 13 and black one to 17.

The white mother cat was rehomed as DB already had a cat and dog, a vicar who had a couple of cats ended up rehoming her.

userxx · 29/12/2022 20:29

Stellaris22 · 29/12/2022 14:25

responsible owners neuter pets before letting them out.

Unfortunately I have a friend who thought it would be cute to let her cat have kittens.

What a twat. She certainly wouldn't be my friend after I told her what I thought of her.

SpentDandelion · 29/12/2022 20:41

She looks likes my young female black rescue cat, who is 5 months old and due to be spayed end of Jan,.too small at the moment. I have three neutered males and she is the boss, they are very tolerant of her.

SantaBakula · 04/01/2023 17:13

How is she doing @00deed1988 ?