Pregnant cats found
What should I do?
"My cat is pregnant"
Cat glut, cat glut Cat glut …… Millions of cats live in households across Europe and beyond. The number of unneutered cats fighting for survival on farms, scrap yards or on the streets is increasing.
The animal shelters are overflowing: the bunks are full of abandoned cats from the streets, from people who have died or from people who can no longer or no longer want to keep their pet for whatever reason.
Gut Aiderbichl cat sanctuary - we want to prevent animal suffering
Kittens everywhere you look and the animal keepers at Gut Aiderbichl are always thinking about where we can accommodate abandoned, heavily pregnant mum cats.
Neutering helps to curb the overpopulation and suffering of stray cats. In 2024 alone, we were able to successfully neuter over 1,000 cats with the help of many Salzburg vets. The project got off to a successful start and the neutering project is now also part of our work in Upper Austria and Carinthia.
Every stray cat neutered is a preventative measure against animal suffering
People who think that neutering interferes with a cat’s nature may not be aware of the figures that statistically show the population growth of an unneutered stray cat.
Did you know that two unneutered cats can become 70,000 cats in seven years? In fact, each unspayed female cat can give birth to up to twelve cats a year. A cycle that means, especially for stray cats, that they have to search for food every day, that no one will help them if they fall ill, that they are run over by cars and that they have to cope with life in all weathers.
Birth control protects the cat
As a cat owner or prospective cat owner, you need to be aware that an un-neutered cat will have kittens two to three times a year and give birth to around 12 kittens.
If I have a male and female cat in the same household, or if my cat is an un-neutered outdoor cat, I should know that a female cat is usually sexually mature at the age of six to nine months.
When the abdominal girth increases, the teats become larger, darker and more pink in colour, the cat’s purring won’t stop and the cat looks for a quiet place to litter, one thing is clear: it is now too late for neutering.
The gestation period of the cat is 63 to 67 days
The pregnant cat now needs a quiet environment, high-quality food and fresh water. During pregnancy, the cat also needs to visit the vet to know that everything is OK with her and her kittens.
After the birth, the cat keeps the kittens warm and provides them with milk. Now begins a wonderful and stress-free time for the young cat family.
Except ... The cat family is abandoned
Exposed mums and their kittens now run the risk of not finding enough food, having to endure cold, wet or heat, being run over or falling ill and dying.
Dozens of abandoned cats live at Gut Aiderbichl and are waiting for animal-loving, responsible people to take them in to live with them.
In this case, the many “unwanted” cats would still have a chance to experience a protected and loving life.
The “cat neutering project” will be continued from October 2025. If you have any questions, please contact the Gut Aiderbichl Animal Emergency Centre at tiernotfall@gut-aiderbichl.com .
When a cat feels good, it can make an indescribable noise rolling in its throat. It is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world and is called purring.
– Elke Heidenreich
By: Gisela Pschenitschnig, Gut Aiderbichl
Photos: Fotocredits Tierhilfe FEliciTA (tierhilfe-felicita.com)
