[Raq]

Hello all! I’m new to this website.
I have a kitten who is about seven or eight months old. I am a minor, and my parents are making me keep her outside. Due to Covid, we are not able to get her spayed. A local shelter was supposed to contact us in mid- January, but we haven’t heard from them yet.
I hadn’t noticed her having any signs of being in heat yet, though.
Tonight, she was meowing outside of my bedroom window (I didn’t notice if it was different for her normal meow). I went outside and gave her a treat. She stopped meowing. I didn’t notice her being more affectionate than usual, although she was grooming herself a bit. Is she in heat?
It is 11:30 pm and I am so anxious. I don’t know what to do. My parents won’t let me bring her inside and she isn’t spayed. I am very well informed of what could happen if she got pregnant this young. Please help! I am so worried and I’m so close to tears. I just want my baby to be safe and healthy .😭 thank you in advance for reading this.

 

[MistWolf]

Call the shelter again and keep calling. If they can't help, call the different vets in your area. Keep notes and follow up. Your cat is old enough to start going into heat.

I don't know why your parents won't let the cat inside, but I suggest you research how to take care of your cat indoors, how to control litterbox smell, scratching and how to teach your cat good manners- and see if that's something you're willing to do. If so, come up with a plan and present it to your parents. Maybe they'll change their minds.

However, cat guardianship is a commitment. It's not very difficult, but you have to commit to caring for your cat.

Good luck and welcome to the forums.

PS- Post photos!

 

[Raq]

@MistWolf thank you so much for replying!
My mom has never liked cats or pet fur in the house, and we used to have a cat who lived outside her whole life, so I think they think it’s safe. To be fair, we live in a city with no predators and a street with very minimal traffic, but still. Nothing against them obviously, they’re just not entirely in tune to the world of cats, despite my efforts to convince them 😉
I will definitely keep calling the shelter. if not for Covid, she definitely would have been fixed by now.
I noticed her grooming herself more today (although she does groom herself regularly and I could be overreacting).
This might be premature, but if she does get pregnant, will her body be able to handle having kittens? (She weighs around six or seven pounds.) also, is it possible for her to be in heat but somehow not get pregnant? I know that’s probably a stretch, but I might as well ask.
thank you again so much for responding. Also, here are a few pictures of her:

 

[MistWolf]

You have a pretty cat. My cousins had one with similar coloring they named Pumpkin. When my uncle retired from the Navy in Hawaii, they moved back to the mainland. Pumpkin was in her early stage of pregnancy. They had to ship her to my grandparents weeks ahead of time, before the pregnancy showed because the shipping of pregnant pets wasn't allowed and they couldn't wait for her to have the kittens. I guess you could say, my cousins were cat smugglers!

I think your cat would be fine if she gets pregnant. It's as nature intended. However, I am not an expert. I suggest you talk this over with a vet.

If your cat has kittens, it will be more work for you, taking care of them and finding them homes. Getting your cat fixed is important.

There are some good science articles on the web that explain what happens when cats mate and reproduce. Look them up and do some reading.

Grooming isn't a sign of going into heat. Cats in heat have behavioral changes. They become restless and easily over stimulated by petting.

Do your homework. It will give you the knowledge you need to work out a plan with your parents for what's best for your darling cat- and you'll have a better idea of what to expect so you don't worry.

 

[Kitty827]

I am also a minor, and my parents won't let me keep my cats inside. In heat females will meow more often, and it'll sound different. She'll roll around on the grass, and be more affectionate. My female had kittens back in August of 2020. She weighs only five pounds! Her and the kittens would be fine. Just like with humans, after mating, she may or may not get pregnant.

She is so beautiful!

 

[Raq]

Thank you again @MistWolf! Yes, spaying her is most definitely a priority. I’m kind of surprised, honestly, that she hasn’t been in heat until now (assuming she is actually in heat now.) I will certainly do more research. Kittens definitely seem like a lot of work. ( but they’re so cute!!) Also, thank you for sharing about Pumpkin!
@Kitty827 thank you so much, it is really encouraging to see this message of somebody who sounds like they’re in a very similar situation as me! Your response is very much appreciated!

 

[Kitty827]

You're welcome! It's also encouraging to me to know that I'm not the only one who's parents won't allow cats, or any animal indoors.

Outdoor kittens aren't lot a of work at all! Puppies on the other hand are. I had an unspayed female cat who had a few litters of kittens outside, which seems dangerous, but she was a WONDERFUL mother. She did everything she could to ensure that they were healthy, and safe, (which they were.) I wouldn't worry about her having kittens (if she were to.)

 

[Raq]

Puppies are so much work. My mom swears that raising a puppy is harder than raising kids 😂 How sweet about your cat taking care of her kittens! We’ll have to see what happens. Thank you again 😊

 

[Raq]

So bad news.
My brother heard a weird sound coming from outside. I heard it too and so I went outside and an orange cat ran away. It sounded like a cat making a weird meow. I don’t know if willow was out there but she was quite possibly hiding in bushes. I’m guessing this most likely means the orange cat and her were mating, right? How long does it take until we can see if she’s pregnant?

 

[Kitty827]

If this is the first time the orange cat was here, they haven't mated yet. It takes a few nights for the female to allow the male to mate with her. But, yeah, the orange cat is a male coming to mate with her. Once they have mated it'll be 30 days before you can tell. You'll notice her stomach is bigger at the halfway mark. Feline pregnancy is 60 days. Keep us updated!

 

[Raq]

Thank you! He was outside meowing for most of the night. I’ll keep you updated 😉 thank you again

 

[Kitty827]

You're welcome!

 

[catloverami]

Cats can get pregnant with one mating. Check out this pregnancy chart. The first sign at 3 wks. is usually "pinking up" of the nipples which are showing some enlargement than normal. If the cat can't come in the house she should be confined outside in a sheltered area-----a large dog crate that can have a litter box and room for food and water dishes would be large enough. Have some old blankets or bedding in a cardboard box that is cut lower to the ground on one side for her to sleep in to give her protection from wind. All the best, and keep us up to date on her progress.
Check out this pregnancy calendar and growth of kittens:

Cat Pregnancy Calendar - Follow The Timeline Of Your Cat's Pregnancy

Your Cat Is Pregnancy, Now Follow Her Progress With This Cat Pregnancy Calendar. Most Cats Will Deliver Around 63-65 Days After Mating

emergencyvetsusa.com

 

[Raq]

@catloverami Thank you so much!!! That article was very helpful, as was your reply. Very much appreciated 🙏🏼😊

 

[Raq]

The Tom was not here last night, so I assume that they mated Saturday night.
Also, I did some research on what their kittens could look like, and it seems like she can have
-A red tabby female
- A white male with black spots on head, back, and a black tail
-A white female with ginger patches on head, back, and tail
-A black male with faint grey stripes
😊

 

[Kitty827]

Awesome work! Genetics are a bit difficult.

 

[Raq]

A cat is meowing outside right now, doing that howly meow. I thought I heard it last night, too, but I wasn’t sure. It’s too dark to see if it’s a Tom or if it’s Willow. It’s been a week since the Tom first came... Is it him? Would he still be coming around after a week?

 

[Kitty827]

If they didn't mate the first time, he will come back. Sometimes the female won't allow the tom to mate with her, so he'll keep coming back until she lets him. It could be a another tom.

 

[Raq]

I’m so sorry. Somehow it totally slipped my mind to tell you guys that my other outdoor cat, Eden, is not spayed, either. I’m so sorry that I forgot to say this. I Haven’t noticed her acting like she’s in heat, but this morning apparently she was with a black cat. I really need to call the shelter today and ask when we can get them in.

 

[Kitty827]

Wow, you got your hands full. LOL. What do you mean get them in the shelter? The black cat? What was she doing with the black cat?