Signs of Approaching Birth

Question
Neighborhood stray is pregnant.   She lets me pet her; just noticed her teats have swollen over past 3-4 days.   She is a very small cat, had a litter of 3 last August.  I figured she might be within two weeks of having them last week, but figured this might provide a more definitive estimate.  How far in advance of birthing are teats likely to swell?

Answer
Hi Papa :)
Well the teats w swell noticeably within the last week of pregnancy. Can yillou feel kitten movement easily or will she let you get that close to her sides? Usually in the last week the mom cats really look like they just could not get any bigger! From the top they look like a large football! They waddle when they walk and they are really sticking out on each side. With a second litter she may suddenly look smaller one day and almost look like she has had the kittens but what has really happened is that the kittens have just moved down into the birth canal getting ready for the big moment. This is called 'dropping' and can be quite noticeable in some animals. Do you have any plans to get this cat spayed?? I realize she is not yours but it is sure tough to think this little girl is raising her second litter of kittens and will continue doing this for years if left whole. These young moms never get enough time to grow up and keep some nutrition for themselves because they are always pregnant. Maybe this would be something to think about?? there are some wonderful low cost spay and neuter clinics available. You can check out this link !  Teresa    http://neuterspay.org/