Advice on taking in a very pregnant cat

[KittenyChops]

It’s a young cat that lives locally to me. On its 3rd litter and is barely an adult. Clearly about to give birth any day now

she has owners but they’re an awful household. She’s not allowed indoors and they also own the father - an un-neutered male.

I called our local cat rescuers who are at capacity and they’ll come and capture the male, neuter him and return him but they cannot take the pregnant female

Called local rescues. All bursting at the seams right now.

I cannot have her in my house as I have a cat and she would not have a single bit of it. I do however have a warm and dry triple garage which is properly floored and is used as a gym / utility type room etc. I can section off a quarter of it, pop a large playpen in there with blankets and bedding etc and longer in there. The birth is imminent

but I’m far from an expert here and don’t want this to cost me money I just don’t have

so … do I

A leave it. Not my business and I can’t solve all these cat issues

b take her and make her comfortable and as soon as she’s given birth and kittens are here, get them sorted with a rescue

im leaning towards A I suppose as I’m not sure I’m adding any value here - she will just given birth in a bush or wherever they usually go

thoughts?

What a wonderful outcome!! I love this for Truffle. Thank you for taking care of her. 😻

Isn’t she so cute? She has a blanket to the side of her but choosing to stay there. I’ve got the door to living room open so she can come in here if she wants but I’ll leave her be now I think as she’s not in any distress

poor little thing!

I also keep thinking ‘ err I’ve literally stolen someone’s pet!!’ BUT then I think

not chipped
on her third litter and she’s literally about 18 months old or so
two bite marks on her head and neck

so, on balance, fuck them - they deserve to lose her tbh because all that will happen is she will be pregnant again very soon.

At least this way she will be guaranteed to give birth in safety, the kittens will be rehomed and so will she. She would make someone a lovely little companion as she’s not skittish and seems a nice gentle little mog

Is that a piece of cheese she’s ignoring?

Those bite marks are probably from when she was held down and impregnated. Cats mating isn’t pretty. 😿

Bless her, you and all of the babies.
Thank you for doing a wonderful thing for this sweet girl - you are a good citizen 🫶🏻 x

Fantastic news about the rescue. You’re wonderful, @KittenyChops.

My girl was also rescued when pregnant, though, & was delighted to see the last of her kittens!

Yay for the rescue!
But I’m silently weeping that there won’t be any kitten birth updates!! Recently I got lost in a Classics thread about a pregnant guinea pig and thought this was going to trump it!

Hopefully the rescue can share some photos of the kitties 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Overtheatlantic yes! It’s a cube of the finest m & s Cornish cove, the ungrateful wretch. Just a tiny treat - I know cats are lactose intolerant!

instead she had a bit of fresh salmon, some dreamies and a Blink pouch.

I took on a heavily pregnant cat in very similar circs. She belonged to the neighbour of a friend. Her owners were having their enormous house entirely re done and had gone abroad for the duration, SIX MONTHS, leaving their very young cat for their builders to feed. She got pregnant and the builders were worried she would go into a shed somewhere, and asked my friend for help.
She had the kittens about five days after arriving, I found homes for them and kept her.

@TY78910Id love a pregnant guinea pig thread to peruse! Off to look

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/5004597-shit-99-sure-guinea-pig-is-pregnant

this one!

@KittenyChops you have done a brilliant thing in getting this poor cat to safety and a better life , I’d ask for the post of where she’s going to be removed just in case her crappy owners or their friends are on here and spot her . If they want her back or even notice she’s gone let them do the leg work of finding her .

@Overtheatlanticthat makes sense. The placement of the bites could well be from a mating. She’s also attacked by other cats in the area sadly

@tinyspinythays a good point! Thank you. I’ll report it

This is hilarious! So we’ve gone from ‘make her comfortable in the garage’ to ‘she’s in the sitting and resident cat can get on with it.’ The thread that keeps on giving!

@Goldenpatchwork 🤣 wellllll… she has needs right now! And my cat is the most spoilt cat in the world so she can deal with one night on a comfortable sofa in the living room I’m sure.

this is how unimpressed she is ::: and yep, that’s a different cat

I live in hope the shelter will send OP newborn kitten pics that will be reshared here. x

@lljkk @KittenyChops

This is going to be fab. I’ve checked the tealeaves and can see DCat will deliver litter just as op is due to transfer to rescue. Of course op will be compelled to keep mum and litter because that’s where DC and litter are safest. 😉

@Goldenpatchwork get away with you now! She had better not give birth tonight!

I’ve left her in the kitchen because I’m soft and she’s tucked away still. Resident cat in living room and really super cross but it’s only for one night and she will get over herself

What news of sweet mama cat today, OP?

The expression on resident cat’s face is hilarious. She is seriously unimpressed!

Thank you for embarking on Operation Rescue Truffle. I hope it’s the start of a much brighter future for her and her kittens.

Oooft, I'd be checking in your shoes and behind the furniture...

Well, little Truffle has been dropped off at the mountain rescue place. They had a nice pen all sorted for her and the vet was there on a visit so the timing couldn’t have been better!

Pen much better than I imagined - it’s on two levels with lots of hiding places for her and cosy spots and blankets.

vet says she’s in good condition although a little thin. Due to give birth any moment. Definitely no chip - so although I’ve definitely stolen someone’s pet, they bloody deserved to lose her tbh. She would only be straight back out and pregnant again within a matter of weeks. Her sister is still around - she’s the one who gave birth the other week. No sign of kittens and she’s out and about again - and she is TINY. But she didn’t visit my house so catnapping her isn’t on the cards (for now!!)

so she’s all settled and when I left she was hiding in a blanket lined box in her pen so she just needs some compression time

they’ve said I can keep in touch and I’ll definitely pop and see her when the kittens are born. There’s sadly no chance of me taking either her or a kitten as my cat says a definitive NO. And I can’t upset her as she’s an older lady 🤣

Well done @KittenyChops You are a true cat saviour and Litter Tray heroine.

You have rescued Truffle from a life of neglect which would have ended when her poor little body was worn out from constant pregnancies. And countless kittens from brief and wretched lives. I do hope someone is looking out for her tortie sister too.

People like the feckless idiots who neglected Truffle shouldn’t be allowed to have pets.

I hope Madam Cat has forgiven you. Some abject grovelling might be required, I think.