Bringing home a new cat tomorrow. What should I know?

[Penguinsofty55]

A cat will have kittens on her own when it's time. Depending on how far along she is you might be able to abort them at the vets if it's early. It's sad. But so is unwanted kittens on the streets dieing. She looks like a short haired ragdoll. Her kittens, if they look like her, can be valuable. That cloud pattern on her back is rare. Just make sure she has a dark safe cozy place to have her little ones. Lots of clean water and good food. Cats have a 9 to 10 week pregnancy. They are close to birthing when the hair around the nipples falls out, they eat less, and start nesting. They will pace and cheap and change behavior when they get close to labor. My cat had kittens on my lap. Your see her pushing and contracting in the belly. Good luck. And I hope you are able to get her spayed. Cats live longer if you spay them and they don't pee on everything or go into heat.

 

[Faizan Ali]

Agreed it might have been an abortion. Such a shame to have this deception thrust on you. I've never had a cat have issues with birthing. They usually get on fine on their own.

She should be fixed once the kitten situation is sorted out. There are medical benefits for her. Eliminates the risk of reproductive-based medical issues entirely.

She absolutely needs to be locked\confined for at least the first week after moving home. Maybe longer depending on her temperament. Last year, we took in a feral (as in actual feral). It took a month before she was ready to be allowed free access to all areas of the house and she was not good going outside as she seemed to have a bit of ptsd from her feral days. We kept her in a fabric puppy play pen for the first 2 weeks in the livingroom so she could get used to us. She did end up a lovely friendly cat, but took months and patience before she even felt comfortable climbing into a lap.

She is very calm and trusting. She has attached herself to me already. I have her confined in a room upstairs. Will get her spayed.

 

[SheaLoner]

She has a lot of fur but I can still clearly see the nipples. She is eating less and moving around less. Took her to the vet, he says she should deliver by the end of the week give or take a few days.

If she trusts you and is bonding keep her company as much as she will tolerate. I have had multiple strays, almost all the females are preggo when I get them. They all have seemed to insit on me being present during the birth.

 

[Faizan Ali]

Took her to the vet today. He said it's not a fetus nor a placenta but also didn't tell me wht it was?? He said she's fine and should deliver by the end of the week give or take a few days if she doesn't then ultrasound will be needed.

 

[wolf-deer88]

A cat will have kittens on her own when it's time. Depending on how far along she is you might be able to abort them at the vets if it's early. It's sad. But so is unwanted kittens on the streets dieing. She looks like a short haired ragdoll. Her kittens, if they look like her, can be valuable. That cloud pattern on her back is rare. Just make sure she has a dark safe cozy place to have her little ones. Lots of clean water and good food. Cats have a 9 to 10 week pregnancy. They are close to birthing when the hair around the nipples falls out, they eat less, and start nesting. They will pace and cheap and change behavior when they get close to labor. My cat had kittens on my lap. Your see her pushing and contracting in the belly. Good luck. And I hope you are able to get her spayed. Cats live longer if you spay them and they don't pee on everything or go into heat.

She, nor her offspring are worth no large sum of money unless she has purebred papers.

 

[SheaLoner]

What do you all do about all the hair I brushed her for 30 minutes but still get covered in hair.

Its stress from the move and hormones. Brush regularly. A damp cloth glove will pick up a LOT. Or just keep petting and brushing.
Better for it to come off on you then her getting a hairball.

 

[NatJ]

Another question is I have a dog crate in which I kept a cat with panleukopenia in Feb 2022. It's somewhere stored I don't really know since we moved. I want to know if I can wash it thoroughly with bleach and water and use it for her?

Based on a google search, that would probably work.
I'm finding pages that say bleach is a suitable disinfectant.

I'm also finding pages that say the virus can survive for a year or more on surfaces, so you definitely should disinfect the crate before using it.

After disinfecting, I would probably let it dry in direct sunlight just for good measure.
(Sunlight kills some kinds of germs, viruses, bacteria, etc. So sunlight after the bleach will do no harm and might help.)

 

[SheaLoner]

I think the vet was right and she should be due within a week. She very well could be, in part, what we call an "Old world persian" here in the States. Its what persian cats looked like before someone decided smushed noses were "cute" and desireable. Ruined beautiful cats that did.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Faizan Ali - When in doubt about a serious medical issue, call the vet if you can. I had a cat with blood in her urine (not pregnant) and it was flamed up bladder but could've also been stones he said (luckily test on it came out negative).

In this case I cannot say that when we rescued that same cat when pregnant, that I ever saw blood in the urine then around that time. Our cats tend to "clean" after the litterbox so just continue to keep a close eye on her.

 

[Faizan Ali]

My goodness, couldn't that person think ahead?

First he arranges matings for the cat, then before she even has time to have the kittens he gets rid of her? A cat is only pregnant for about two months, so he sure changed his mind quickly!

(Sorry, OP, I know this doesn't actually answer any of your questions.)

I know right!? He told me that he did it because she was in heat and that he didn't want to get her spayed. He put our whole family under so much stress and pressure but everything is alright now. She is loved by everyone and rules the whole house now. She is literally the queen. She sleeps on the whole bed, while I sleep in the corner lol.