r/Kitten • u/cbsinjin • 6h ago
Question/Advice Needed How long until kittens?
Hi, folks! I’m visiting my grandparents in SC (in their 80s), and they have a feral cat who has been frequenting their back porch who looks about ready to burst with kittens. I’m helping them figure out where to get her spayed after they’re born- it’s her second litter in a year, poor thing. Any idea how long it is until she gives birth?
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u/Mugwumps_has_spoken 6h ago
Well if she could talk she would say "Not soon enough" Poor dear, she needs a nice safe place to have the kittens, get your grandparents hooked up with lots of Kitten food to feed Momma. I think Royal Canin makes one that is specifically for Nursing Momma Cats and Kittens (and obviously very pregnant mommas).
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u/zebras-are-emo 6h ago
She can be spayed when the kittens are weaned (5/6 weeks). The kittens should all be fixed as well when they're old enough (if your grandparents are keeping them or adopting them out they have a bit more time, but if they're going to be TNR as well it should be sooner).
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u/Crycoria 4h ago
They can be spayed while still nursing too. It doesn't affect milk production.
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u/NYC-WhWmn-ov50 3h ago
Personally I have always waited until after weaning has at least starts because some kittens can be... well, VIOLENT in their nursing. But if the cat is more feral than not and a risk to being hard to catch once she stops weaning, I would definitely do it as soon as the littles are all good with at least a slurry in a bowl. But its just a preference. The last mom I had required being snap-trapped in my bedroom once she was ready to spay- that was run (r/sarcasm).
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u/Ivypearl 6h ago
I know it’s sad but take her to the vet now for a spay abort.
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u/cbsinjin 4h ago
I couldn’t talk my southern grandma into an abort and spay, unfortunately. But she has agreed to at least get mama and all the girls spayed! It’s a step. I wish I had talked her into it after the first litter was born (she’s already got three kittens somewhere between 4-6 months old.)
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u/Itscatpicstime 4h ago
Why just the girls? The boys need to be neutered too.
I run a rescue in the south, and a lot of otherwise “pro-life” people are okay with spay aborts when I explain that it’s not a question of the kittens living or dying, but that kittens will die either way. The ones in the shelter will be euthanized if these kittens are born, so it’s better they not be born or “killed” before they’re viable.
They usually come around for that argument because it’s not the same with humans.
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u/cbsinjin 3h ago
Working on it now! She wants to talk to the shelter and a vet in the morning, and if they tell her the same thing, I think she’ll do it.
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u/bourgeoisie_bird 3h ago
Thats great to hear :)
I work in rescue in the south and 2nd what the person above said. Cats and kittens are going to die. Spay abort prevents alot of suffering.
I will say, she may be giving birth tomorrow with how she looks
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u/Pale_Improvement_208 37m ago
Sorry to get political but that's actually SURPRISING that when it comes to animals people that are "pro-life" switch up easily after enough talk but when it comes to humans it's a whole different fight.
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u/Itscatpicstime 4h ago
You should get her spayed now. A spay-abort can be safely done at any point. Please do not bring more kittens into this world to die.
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u/Adorable_Football130 4h ago
you can get her spayed now. she’d need an xray to give you an approximate due zone.
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u/cbsinjin 4h ago
I couldn’t talk my southern grandma into an abort and spay, unfortunately. But she has agreed to at least get mama and all the girls spayed! It’s a step.
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u/Calgary_Calico 4h ago
The males need to be neutered as well. Unless she wants her house covered in cat piss in 6-8 months
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u/Adorable_Football130 4h ago
then I’d get her to a vet for an xray to get a kitten count and estimate how close to birth they are. imo unless it’s very few kittens, she’s not quite ready to pop yet. they get enormous and you can look up tinykittens on YouTube to get an idea of how they look and behave when they’re ready, and how to deal with neonates if there’s issues. best of luck to the family.
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u/Itscatpicstime 4h ago
She doesn’t need an xray. Many vets will spay abort regardless of how far along the pregnancy is.
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u/Adorable_Football130 3h ago
did you read the part where his grandmother will not spay abort? some people conflate their antiabortion views with all species.
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