I think a stray delivered an undeveloped kitten...

Question
QUESTION: Two nights ago, our beloved stray pregnant momma kitty who has adopted us with her nightly visits went into labor on our back porch. She for lack of not knowing how to put this, passed what appeared to be possibly an undeveloped baby?? Maybe it was a mucus plug - are those the size of a plum?? Anyway, after having done this - she settled into the box with the blanket we gave her and went to sleep. She was still asleep there the next morning - very unusual as she always takes off when we go to bed. Yesterday we got home and it was storming, she had huddled under the table against the wall on our back porch and my boyfriend let her in because we felt badly for her. She stayed in our guest bathroom all night without a sound, and waltzed right out the back door this morning and was still sitting on the railing when we left. I don't know what to do, and can't afford to take her to a vet - but we do love her and are concerned for her. Do cats have a mucus plug? Can they deliver a premature baby and then stop labor all together? How do I tell if there are more kittens still inside of her? Please help if you can. I'm considering trying to find a no-kill shelter if I can find one in our area.
ANSWER: Hi Valerie, Thank you for your question. A mucous plug is very small and that would not be what you saw. Does it look like a kitten? Even a premature kitten would have legs and paws etc that are easy to see. It could be an afterbirth which would look like a plum or a kidney and will be reddish in colour and quite firm. She would not have passed an afterbirth however unless she passed a kitten. It is possible she passed a dead kitten somewhere and then was on your porch when the afterbirth came out? Does she still appear to have kittens in her? can you feel movement? If you think there are still kittens in her then she should get a vet check up. If she seems calm and settled and is eating ok etc then she may have only had the one dead kitten and now she is finished. I do not understand why you are thinking of taking her to a shelter? did you not want her? They would need to take her to a vet for help anyways if she is having birthing problems and they are always short of funds for that type of thing.
This poor little cat would be better off if you would be responsible for her. If you get her to a vet ask the vet to spay her and you will have a lovely little pet.. rather than leaving her at a shelter with so many other cats and the possibility of diseases etc.
Teresa

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QUESTION: I don't think she ever left the porch that night, she arrived early in the evening right around the time we get home and go outside and she never left that we can recall. It is possible - as we didn't watch her constantly and she was outside. I think like you said - it might've been an afterbirth with an undeveloped kitten/fetus inside of it. It had broken open and somewhat looked like it could've been an afterbirth with a very tiny small thick yellowish/beige thing inside the middle of it. It was very thick, red and firm tissue, circular with that thing in the middle - it almost looked like snot or mucus in the middle of it. Anyway, we brought her inside our home last night and decided to let her stay for right now until we know she is going to be okay. We already have two cats, that we put in our master bedroom to protect them from each other (ours are declawed & have their shots - Lizzie is a stray with claws). However, our landlord only allows 2 pets per apartment where we live. That is why I am trying to find a no-kill private animal shelter in my area to take her to. She was snooping around the apartment last night in every nook she could find including the fireplace which we blocked off. She loves the box we made up for her, and even laid in it while I held it in my lap last night and let us both pet and love on her - she was even purring. She was starting to drip clear liquid last night, and again still this morning. If there aren't anymore kittens by tomorrow morning - I will take her into my vet and have her checked. Our funds are tight right now, and I'm doing the best I can for her. She doesn't appear to be in any discomfort, isn't bleeding, she is eating & drinking, and we think we felt at least 1 or 2 kittens still inside her last night and we think one moved when we touched it - Mama Cat did not like that at all. A neighbor told us, she used to live in our apartment - the previous tenants moved out & left her there. Her name is Lizzie, she responds to it - and I may talk with the Apartment Manager about the situation and see if they might just let us keep her. I would love to keep her, as she has stolen my heart - but I don't know if they will allow us to do that. Also, I don't know if we can afford to keep her... Its a one day at a time thing for right now I guess. If there is anyone out there reading this - that can help us find a home for Lizzie & her kittens - we live in Arlington, Texas.

Answer
Hi Valerie, Isn't it sad that Lizzie's owners just moved away and left her! It never ceases to amaze me how people treat their pets. Well I am glad she is with you now... for the time being. If Lizzie is eating and drinking and seems quite settled then I would just leave things for now. If she throws up, has diarrhea, stops eating or drinking then you really will have to get her some vet help. In the meantime, just take one day at a time.. and please keep me posted !
Teresa