There is a pregnant cat in DD's bedroom

[NotDarkGothicMama]

She's not ours and not chipped. The vet who saw her last night says she's about a week off giving birth. I emailed round all the local rescues last night to try to find someone with space to take her and will phone this morning.

She has wolfed down a few tins of kitten food and used the litter tray. She has biscuits, water, toys and a scratching post, as well as a variety of beds and boxes with blankets. DD is in tears about handing her over to a rescue and is insisting that YouTube has taught her everything she needs to know to safely deliver kittens.

Fingers crossed for this little cat finding a rescue place soon please!

Hope she finds somewhere and thank you for caring for her whilst she waits.

I think she has chosen you , even if it’s short term till kittens are here and a little older ❤️

She’s definitely picked you Op. Sorry but she’s your cat now 😂

Haha! I wish, but sadly I'm allergic to most cats. I'm on strong antihistamines and an inhaler for her stay.

I do suspect you may be stuck with her for a while I'm afraid.

How old is your DD and how did the cat find its way into her bedroom?

Don't deliver the kittens, just leve the cat to get on with the birth and let nature take its course.

I'm afraid you might be right. The local rescue FB pages are all full of posts saying they're straining at the seams with the number of kittens looking for homes. We're going on holiday in a few days but our neighbours have said they'll take her in temporarily if she has nowhere else to go.

DD is 12. Little cat has been living in a bush in the town centre. A family who were concerned for her asked if someone could take her to the vet, and muggins here volunteered thinking they'd do a chip check and all would be well. The vets gave me a list of rescues to call and I couldn't bring myself to just put her back on the street, so here she is...

You'll probably find once the kittens are born you'll stop being allergic!

My concern is not knowing enough to recognise the signs she needs help.

This. No need to get involved, at all. You can do much more harm than good. Also, it is much much better not to handle the kittens till they are around the 2 weeks mark, when their eyes open up. Some mother cats could reject the kitten if it has your scent on it. Particularly if this mamma is not very socialised or knows your family that well. And they are really fragile at this stage too.
You will love to have kittens! They are the best thing ever!

It's possible to develop a tolerance to allergens with sufficient exposure (fingers crossed). My cat allergy, to be fair only ever mild, has reduced significantly over the years of slavery to cats.

I don't really see how anyone can resist that face and that look, let alone a 12 year old girl! I get the feeling that whatever happens you're going to end up with at least one cat (mama cat) and maybe a kitten in the long run. Plenty of grooming and salmon oil in her decent quality food should much reduce the amount of dander in the air 😀

It's incredibly kind of you to take her in, particularly as you have a cat allergy.

I've never had a pregnant cat so can't give any advice I'm afraid - but plenty of people here have and I suspect there is good advice from the internet - and the vet you went to.
Good luck!

And also to add that you have acquired a very pretty (and clearly well mannered) cat 😻

Mumsnet finger crossing has worked it's magic - the RSPCA have found her a space. Phew! Although I can't pretend I'm not a little bit sad as well.

Thank you for being kind enough to take her in so the kittens can be born in a safe place.
A very exciting thing for your 12 yr old to be part of.
Hope a rescue can take her before long!

Salmon oil? What is this I ask?
You shouldn’t interfere and neither should your daughter in the birth. Cats know what to do. She will probably find a dark place when she knows the time is coming. Give her a nice big box with blankets or towels in it, water and good quality food . Put them all in a quiet area and leave them alone. Also don’t handle the kittens as PP said until their eyes open, and then only minimum handling. Mum needs rest and quiet. Could you find homes for the kittens once they are old enough and then maybe Mum could go to a rescue? Tonkinimise your allergy I would keep out of the room they are in if you can and don’t handle Mum or kittens. I’m sure your daughter will do a lot of the caring.

I had similar happen. Mamma cat left when her dc were old enough- she didn’t like them much! Then we rehomed them and were once more without a cat! DH was allergic, in our case.

I loved having kittens!

Ah sorry, just seen the update.

Spayed female cats give off far fewer allergens than entire females; if you can have her spayed at a suitable point after she's given birth (vet will advise on best time) you might find you can tolerate her from an allergy point of view, especially as you might have built some tolerance while she's been with you.

Best of luck to your little cat mummy, you and your DD - I hope everything works out for you all.

😭 OP thank you for caring for baby

Very glad it's worked out for you - (but secretly a bit disappointed we won't have kitten photos shortly 🤣)

Me too. DD isn't speaking to me and went to school in tears 🤦‍♀️

Little cat is safely settling into her new foster home. She jumped out and went round inspecting her new living quarters as soon as we opened her carrier, hid under the sofa for a while and was back out for head scratches 5 minutes after we left. Her foster family have promised to send photos of the kittens when they arrive, so kitten photos will still be coming :)

RSPCA - nooooo! Look at that face! I'm in tears, and I'm not even twelve or your daughter!

Are you sure you want to hand her over to someone else? She has just got settled. Surely the right thing to do is allow her to birth her kittens - it will be best thing ever. Then you can keep her and one of the kittens - they'll bring you joy!

Edit: your new post arrived while I was typing. But I stand by everything!! 😁

What a wonderful thing to do op xxxx