She had kittens 8 weeks ago and went into heat about a week ago so she has been separated from all the other cats. She

- I will do my best to offer advice on whether it might be best for your pet to be seen by a veterinarian urgently, if it may be able to wait until the next business day, or if we can try to manage things at home

- Please know that I cannot diagnose or prescribe medication on this platform, but am more than willing to discuss doses of medications you may have at home or can be purchased over the counter.

- I will try to the best of my ability to help you and your pet, and give you my professional advice based on the history and clinical signs you share. However, this does not replace a physical exam and if you are concerned about your pet's health, it is never wrong for them to visit their regular veterinarian.

Are the teats red, firm, and warm/hot to touch? Can you tell if she has a fever at all?

When did she finally stop nursing kittens?

So you're not exactly sure what the teats feel like then?

Okay, so are the teats red, firm, and warm/hot to touch?

When did she finally stop nursing?

Well without an exam of course it's hard to say but if it seems like the pain is coming from her swollen teat and she just stopping nursing that soon ago I would be concerned your cat is developing mastitis.

Unfortunately there's very little you can do over the counter. If she'd tolerate it the only thing you can do are cabbage leaf compresses. Cabbage just like we would eat, if you get the leaves a little wet and even pop them in the microwave for a quick second to get them warm/soften up and you can hold it on there for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a day.

Otherwise your cat will need pain medication and antibiotics which you can get over the counter

Yes, I've seen it happen in as little as 24 hours

Otherwise she could have an abscess or a seroma or a hematoma or even a hernia. Again, without an exam I have no idea.

Unfortunately there are no safe over the counter pain medications for cats - they are all very toxic (especially tylenol) so if she is really that painful I would recommend not letting her suffer and getting her seen sooner rather than later.

Again, without an exam it could be a lot of things. Beginning mastitis would be my first rule out but there are several other things this could be and for the other things I listed there's not really anything you can do over the counter.

So if your girl I'd that painful, I'd get her seen ASAP.

Good luck! Poor thing! Do you have any other questions or concerns for me?

From what you're describing I wouldn't think so, but again, without an exam I'm not sure what exactly it is. None of the possibilities I listed above are contagious but without examining your cat and figuring out what it is I can't guarantee you that it's not.

You are welcome

I wish you and your pet all the best! It was a pleasure chatting with you today and thank you for visiting JustAnswer. If you have any other questions or concerns for me - or need to clarify anything we've discussed - don't hesitate to message back. Also, please keep me posted about your baby!

Sounds good! You're welcome!