Conference misery::feline

    Deb,
    
    A kitten can go into her first heat as early as 6 months!  It is
    usually not healthy for them to be bred on the first cycle, as they are
    still developing themselves which can complicate the pregnancy (sort of
    like children having children!).  However, when you are dealing with a
    stray, you obviously have no control over their sex life, and can't
    plan the breeding!  I am sure there are plenty of female cats who have
    been bred during the first heat, had a healthy pregnancy, and delivered
    healthy kittens.
    
    I know the feeling of desparately wanting to help a cat in need who has
    so little faith in humans that it doesn't trust you.  Keep trying to
    gain her trust!  I once befriended a stray female that had a litter of
    kittens to feed (didn't know it at the time).  She would beg for food
    and I'd feed her on my deck.  After a time she realized her kittens
    needed nourishment and that this sucker lady could help provide it, so
    promptly began letting me pet her and eventually led me to her kittens. 
    It was so neat... I felt like grizzly adams!!  She led me into the back
    woods and we stood at the edge while she called to her babies.  They
    would all come running to eat the food I brought, but it did take some
    time for them to trust me as well.  Once when I went out and called to
    her babies on my own, I couldn't figure out what happened to Mom, cause
    she didn't show up at my house that day.  All of a sudden she ran out
    of the woods and dropped a dead mouse at my feet.  Yuck!!
    
    Anyway, that was a tangent!  Hope you can help this kitty!
    
    -Roberta
    

    Hi Roberta,
    
    Thanks for your story.  Maybe I'll be lucky like you and she'll show me
    where her babies are. Do you know how long the pregnancy is and about
    how many kittens?
    
    Thanks, Deb

    Rosie came in for some unwelcome attention from Jimmy at the age of
    about 3-4 months old. As Jim was 5 months old, the vet reluctantly
    agreed to do his operation early as an emergency.
    I was told at the time that Rosie may have gone into kitten heat. I
    know we had a terrible time trying to keep them separate until Jim had
    his operation. He was very persistant and Rosie didn't like it at all.
                                           

    I think gestation is 60-65 days?  Litters can be anywhere from 1-6
    kittens, sometimes more, though 3-5 seems to be about average.
    
    If you can somehow get ahold of "momcat", turn her over and see if her
    nipples are large and pink.  If so, that is a good indication she's
    nursing a litter, and has the kittens hidden somewhere.  Follow her
    when she leaves your home to determine where they are.
    
    Now I remember how I found the babies.  I was having dinner at my
    neighbor's house... we ordered subs from a local pizza shop.  Momcat
    came into Donna's house through her slider which was open, jumped on
    the table, grabbed a huge piece of her sub, and ran out the door with
    it.  We both jumped up and followed her to a large pile of rocks by the
    woods.  She called to her babies and 4 little kittens came out of
    hiding in the rocks to munch on the sub roll!  It was so cute.
    
    -Roberta