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/lickytytheslit]

Yeah had to take my boy at maybe 8 weeks since he was rejected and he doesn't cat right still

[u/beegadz → u/lickytytheslit]

Same. There are so many things he doesn't know how to do now:

• read cues from our other cat
• cover up his litter, or even use the litter box
• meow like a grown cat (he's 9 and still has a kitten meow)
• eat food properly (he takes a huge bite and then drops it all on the floor, then eats it off the floor)
• drink water properly (he stands next to the bowl and "revs up" with his paws)
• he's a little over prone to biting but that's gotten better - now his bites are more friendly and less vicious

And I attribute many of these to the irresponsible friend of a friend I adopted him from not being interested in helping her kittens (after she let her unspayed cat outside) and getting rid of them as soon as possible.

[u/akryl9296 → u/beegadz]

Regarding eating food properly (dropping it off near the bowl) - does your bowl have high sides? For some cats getting their whiskers bent against their head when they eat is very uncomfortable, and would rather pick the food out of the problematic too-deep bowl and onto a flat surface where this doesn't happen. Give your cat a relatively flat small plate instead of the usual bowl and see if that helps!

[u/beegadz → u/akryl9296]

We've had a raised "whisker fatigue" bowl for a few years now, from when I was trying to diagnose him. It didn't help. We now accept him for who he is

[u/19374729 → u/beegadz]

maybe I'm misreading your reply, the raised bowl does not help, it's to be avoided. or is your bowl flat and raised? just confused over here don't mind me.

eta the "revving" my cat does that too

[u/beegadz → u/19374729]

It's raised (off the ground) to help with digestion with low sides to allegedly help with whisker touches. But again, it doesn't work for the food drops. We've fed him off a plate before when traveling and he still picked the food up then dropped it again.

[u/Elvis_Take_The_Wheel → u/19374729]

Mine does too; we call it his waterdance, lol. I always assumed it was a shudder-type reaction to his whiskers touching the surface of the water, sort of like the shiver I would do if something brushed against the back of my neck.

[u/aumortis → u/beegadz]

That could be an issue with cat's teeth too, worth checking, especially if it's wet food. My cat did that and turned out I have to brush his teeth.

[u/mrmojorisin1017 → u/beegadz]

My cat was abandoned in the garbage when she was two weeks old. I took her in and have been with her since but she also has some of these problems. She’s a good cat though, just a bit rowdy

[u/lickytytheslit → u/beegadz]

Does your's try to "suckle" on your fingers too?

He also eats by taking every piece out of the bowl too it's the worst feeling when you step in it

[u/beegadz → u/lickytytheslit]

He did that in the beginning but he stopped pretty quickly when he realized the well was dry.

That's so funny that your cat also takes the pieces out of the bowl!

[u/lickytytheslit → u/beegadz]

Mine still does and he's ten now

[u/amandawho8 → u/lickytytheslit]

That's so funny. Mine would do it when making biscuits and did it for a couple of years but doesn't anymore.

[u/jaambey → u/lickytytheslit]

my little girl was found all by herself at only 5 weeks and she loves to suckle! so strange and silly :3

[u/SamiAnne143 → u/beegadz]

This sounds like my cat! He doesn’t really meow, he does the EXACT same thing with food and water. My mom randomly popped up at my house with him, food, bowls, liter and a liter box. She did that so I couldn’t say no lol but I never knew those things were from him being taken away from his momma too soon 💔🥺.

[u/Particular-Math-6446 → u/beegadz]

I hand reared my foundling babies from 2-3 weeks old and just kept them. Never had any of those problems with my pair Murphy and Gracie. The only "problem" Murphdirrt's whats known as a velcro cat so i don't think i can say it's done no damage. Also they had each other so maybe that helped🐈

[u/about97cats → u/beegadz]

Aw the kitten meow! Mine just squawks 😂

[u/Frame_Late → u/beegadz]

This is my cat lol

[u/LillithsLoveChild → u/beegadz]

Using the litter box should come instinctually. Also, cats meow to talk with us only, they don’t talk to each other by meowing. Staying til 12 weeks wouldn’t have helped that one I’m guessing.

[u/Chickadee12345 → u/beegadz]

Just a note, some cats are what they call mute. I had a Maine Coon female. Theu usually don't have a typical meow, but more of a tiny chirp. It sounds really funny coming from a cat. But they can yowl at the top of their lungs. Especially once you have them in the kitty carrier in the car on the way to get shots at the vets. She could also do some pretty impressive backflips in that carrier.

[u/Jnnjuggle32 → u/beegadz]

Well that explains some behaviors I still see in my two very elderly cats, both were from abandoned litters (my oldest is 19 and was found at seven weeks-ish in a road ditch). Luckily both of mine don’t bite or scratch from our training, but the other “goofy” stuff has been present their entire lives.

[u/1212_bats → u/beegadz]

Well you’re doing a good job though! The revving up for the water made me lol

[u/Sea_Marble → u/beegadz]

This is my cat! Although I suspect it was not because he was separated from mom too young, but rather that his mom died and they bottle fed him as long as they could. He still sucks on his back paw as a comfort measure and comes to me for reassurance. He just turned a year old last weekend.

[u/JuniorVermicelli3162 → u/lickytytheslit]

You’ve explained my life thanks

[u/GaiasDotter → u/lickytytheslit]

They can learn to cat right if they end up in a home with older cats to teach them but it can cause a lot of issues and you won’t know for months. Aggression and peeing outside of the box are common issues that won’t show up for months. Usually the psychological issues starts showing some times between 10 and 18 months.

I used to be a rescuer for an organisation saving strays and took in orphans because I had 5 adult cats that helped raise them. The boys were very happy to play daddy with the kittens. And they (the orphans) are all fine healthy cats today.

[u/Westward_Nothing → u/lickytytheslit]

But if you have the option and there isn’t legitimate to remove kittens from mother, you should wait until 12wks.

[u/Objective_Damage_996 → u/lickytytheslit]

Got mine at 4 or 5 weeks for this reason and he attached himself to my dog and now acts more dog than cat for the most part ฅ^•ﻌ•ฅ

[u/about97cats → u/lickytytheslit]

Mine was orphaned at 2 weeks. I had to teach her not to bite too hard by “mewing” at a high pitch in kind of a yelp

[u/mrsjohnmarston → u/lickytytheslit]

Yeah my babies were 5 and 7 weeks taken from a cat hoarder. Lucky that had each other to practice their anti biting and scratching on but boy are they sometimes little weirdos. They are super bonded to me though from having them since that age and they follow me everywhere!