is my cat pregnant??

Question
QUESTION: Dear doctor,
my cat is just 4.5 months old, but she had her first heat period about a week from now.......she's been out for long hours and has been calling to a male cat in our neighborhood....SHE IS AN EXTREMELY HYPER-ACTIVE cat.....but after her heat cycle,she has just been sleeping and has been having her normal appetite.....only her last two nipples have turned extremely pink and prominent.......can she be pregnant??
         thanks,Amafah

ANSWER: Indeed it is possible that your cat is pregnant.  Though 4.5 months old seems young they can come into season and become pregnant.  However I must advise that your cat is neither old enough to have kittens or probably prepared emotionally to rear kittens so you must keep a close eye on her to ensure that she does not have problems passing the kittens when she is due in around 6 weeks time and also be prepared to hand feed them if she either has no milk or does not want to stay with them.

Regards

Marcia

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dr Marcia,
         u don't know how thankful i am for ur answer....thank u aloott....Dr,,,,although i have another question too....to hand feed the kittens (if my cat is pregnant) will i need a dropper or some thing because these kinds ov things are rarely available here......and i have another cat too......he is about 2 to 3 months old....but he is verryyy insecure...he stays under our couch all day long and eats once in a day...if he is picked up without his will he scratches extremely brutally...is dere something i can do to make him feel more comfortable??
thanks

Amafah

Answer
I don't know what is available in your country but you need to get some baby cat milk powder so that you can mix up feeds.  The sort of things available in the UK are Lactol, Cimicat, Royal Canin, and KMR but if you are unable to get any of those then something like diluted evaporated milk or goats milk will be much better.  Don't use cow's milk.  I use a syringe with a rubber teat on the end to feed them.

Re your other cat, he probably needs time to trust you.  Try to feed him separately and give him some time with you on his own - perhaps sit and read so that he gets used to you being there and let him come to you, rather than you try to fetch him out and force him.  He will learn to trust you in time.  It might take a lot of time to get him to come out to you but eventually he will.  Just don't force him.  He needs to eat more than once a day too so make sure you put him food under the couch so he doesn't have to be too brave too soon.

Marcia