pregnant cat being in heat

Question

Blu my cat   QUESTION: Hi, I've adopted a female Bengal cat from a breeder 3 weeks
ago and after having her for a week I noticed she was very
big around the tummy and had pink swollen nipples. I
suspected strait away that she was pregnant, I spoke to the
person that sold her to me and she said that she was not,
but could not be sure as she had male cats to. Well in these
3 weeks she has grown very big around the tummy area and
started to produce milk, as I have a 12 week old kitty and
she has been suckling on her as if she was her mother, so I
suspect that she is definitely pregnant. 4 days ago she
started calling around the house and it looks like she is in
heat, she will go up to my male cat that is only 5 months
old( and to young) and rub on him and purr. It goes on all
through the day and all night. please can you help me, is
she really pregnant? Could she be in heat and pregnant at
the same time? Could I do something to stop her being in
heat? I am sending you a photo so you can see how big she
is.

ANSWER: Dear Aurora

You do not say how old this cat is.  She looks very young to me and I would suggest that you stop your 12 week old suckling from her  until you have established if she is pregnant.  

It is possible for a cat to have a break through call at around 3/5 weeks after mating so having a small heat is not sufficient to say she is not pregnant, though of course this may be so.  Is she showing any other symptoms of being in heat other than rubbing and purring to your boy?  I have to say that if she is pregnant then you are not able to give her anything to quieten her down.

I would suggest that you get her scanned by a vet to be sure if she is or isn't pregnant and if she isn't then you need to make sure that her milk is dried up sooner rather than later.  If she is pregnant then you need to stop the young kitten suckling from her as she needs to be putting her energies into the forming kittens instead of feeding the kitten.

Regards

Marcia

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

QUESTION: Hi, my female cat is 3 years old, and about your question
about the other symptoms that she is showing she could be in
heat. She calls all throughout the day and night, meowing
all the time like cats in heat do. She has not done this
before, only started this behaviour about 4 days ago. when
she goes out into the garden I get male cats running in my
garden as soon as she starts calling. i am making an appointment at the vets tomorrow.  

Answer
She is definitely of an age when she should be having kittens.  Has she had any before?  If so you need to ask her ex owner if this was her pattern last time.  All cats are individual and have their own patterns.

It is possible that she may not be pregnant and is in heat.  Is she displaying by treading with her back feet and putting her bottom in the air.  This is a full heat, any less could be a break through.

I think you are wise to have her checked out at the vets as from what you say, she is producing milk far too early for her own litter and I really feel the younger kitten should be removed for now if she is pregnant.

Marcia