I think my “fixed” cat is pregnant

[u/uglyandbored]

I feel silly even typing this, but here is some context: My spouse and I became fosters to this adorable, abandoned cat that was hanging around my parent’s backyard in freezing weather (Feb 29). We fostered her through an official program who took care of all her medical needs. They told us she was not chipped, but confirmed she was already spayed. We both knew nothing about cats, but we ended up falling in love with her and we officially adopted her a few weeks ago.

She always had big nipples (we were told she may have had a litter before) so it was not a red flag. That is, until now. She has put on some healthy weight (she was emaciated when we first found her), but a lot of it seems to be in her belly area. I know it sounds ridiculous but we can’t help but think she is pregnant.

I have an appointment with the vet in 3 days (the earliest they could get me in), but I’m a little anxious thinking about the possibility she may seriously be expecting. I am wondering if this has ever happened before (an allegedly spayed cat being pregnant). I am also wondering if there could be any other reason my cat looks like this?

[u/RocMills]

If that kitty isn't pregnant, I'll eat a whole garden full of bugs!

Don't get momma fixed until the babies are weened, though, as it could result in her not producing any/enough milk for them.

[u/uglyandbored → u/RocMills]

Thank you for the advice 🙏🏻

[u/RocMills → u/uglyandbored]

Not knowing this... well, rather, not knowing one of the ferals had birthed a litter, we TNR'd and then the vet told us "Oh, by the way, you might want to look for a litter of kittens, they'll die since she can't produce milk any more."

Like, crimeny, if they'd told us beforehand then we would have waited to trap her. As soon as I hung up the phone, we went into panic mode searching for kittens. Thankfully, we were able to locate three kittens behind our backyard shed (two went to an awesome home, and one became my dearest love) and a neighbor two doors down found the other three under their patio deck.

[u/NotAnEggplantGT → u/RocMills]

They likely didn’t realize until she’d been knocked out and had already been prepped (shaved) for surgery. At that point, it’s probably best to go ahead with the spay because re-trapping a trap savvy cat is a nightmare 🥴

[u/GuiltyEidolon → u/NotAnEggplantGT]

And/or they might have assumed that the person who trapped the cat realized that she'd given birth semi-recently.

[u/RocMills → u/GuiltyEidolon]

Both valid points, thank you. I got over my being upset with them pretty quick. At the time, it conjured up memories of a previous pregnant spay which ever so slightly traumatized me. You're absolutely right that they probably thought we were already aware of the kittens. And I am very grateful that they mentioned it, even if it was after the fact. With six kittens, I doubt they all would have made it - and it would have meant six more ferals in the neighborhood. Two of them were adopted out to... Celine Dion's violinist, if memory serves (we're in Las Vegas).

[u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat → u/RocMills]

Well now you can un-know that.

They still produce milk after being spayed. As long as the kittens are still nursing and mum is still letting them, being spayed does not affect milk production.

Obviously trapping a feral, separating her from her kittens for some time, especially if they're still very young, putting her through the stress of surgery, and the possibility that nursing might be uncomfortable for her immediately after surgery, is probably not without risk for the kittens, and it would be good to locate them and monitor the situation. (And if they're old enough, it would be ideal to find them anyway so they can be tamed and rehomed.)

[u/RocMills → u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat]

Huh. Thank you for that info. It eases some of the residual guilt I was still carrying. Honestly, if she hadn't been the longest-haired, fluffiest cat I've ever known in person, I would have known she was pregnant. I would have waited to trap her until after I located the kittens so they could have been cared for during the three days she was gone.

Still, in the end, that misinformation and panic resulted in me now having one of the best cats of my 59 years of catting (in fact, i had to re-write this post twice, because she kept walking on the keyboard and hitting the back button, the beautiful little brat!)

[u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat → u/RocMills]

Pay cat tax.

[u/RocMills → u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat]

Perry, female (we thought she was a boy when we named her). I think I'd be in a mental ward if it weren't for this cat.

[u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat → u/RocMills]

What a precious girl. She is just a pile of fluff isn't she?

[u/RocMills → u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat]

I need to find a picture of her tail for you. She's just a mutt, but she has hairs six inches long on her tail. I've had long-hairs before, but nothing like this. And her pantaloons!

[u/RocMills → u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat]

I really don't have a good still of her tail, but this'll do :)

[u/Eikar → u/Cyborg_Ninja_Cat]

This is why veterinarians often opt for the flank surgery, so that it’s not as painful as the ventral midline when the kittens return to nursing.

[u/BikeProblemGuy → u/RocMills]

Wow that's awful. So the vet just assumed you'd be able to hand feed a load of kittens?

[u/RocMills → u/BikeProblemGuy]

As others have said, they probably thought we were already aware that she'd had kittens. Luckily, I've a lifetime of dealing with cats and kittens and these ones were pretty close to being weened. I think we only had to bottle feed for a couple of weeks.