Cat pregnancy

Contents:

• How to determine if a cat is pregnant
• Signs of pregnancy in a cat
• How long does a cat pregnancy last?
• First cat pregnancy
• Pregnancy of a cat by week
• Cat pregnancy and childbirth
• False pregnancy in a cat
• Spaying a pregnant cat
• Do cats sense pregnancy?
• How to terminate a pregnancy in a cat
• Is it possible to do an ultrasound on a cat during pregnancy?
• When does a cat get a belly during pregnancy?
• How to calculate the due date when a cat is pregnant?

Cat pregnancy is a physiological state that begins at the moment of fertilization and ends with the birth of kittens.

Photo: pregnant cat Photo: flickr.com

How to determine if a cat is pregnant

Many owners are wondering how to determine the pregnancy of a cat at home.

It is difficult to determine the pregnancy of a cat in the early stages with the naked eye. Only ultrasound can show the presence of embryos. But veterinarians are hesitant to order an ultrasound before the 4th week after fertilization.

With the help of X-rays, it is possible to determine whether a cat is pregnant on the 45th day after fertilization.

How to know if a cat is pregnant? Watch her behavior. The first weeks of a cat’s pregnancy are characterized by the fact that she sleeps more, prefers secluded corners, sometimes refuses to eat, but drinks more. Sometimes in the early stages of pregnancy, the cat will feel sick.

A couple of weeks after fertilization, the cat’s appetite increases, and nausea stops. At this time, it is worth transferring the cat to 3-4 meals a day.

Pregnancy of a cat in the 3rd week is characterized by pinking and swelling of the nipples. This is especially true for the first pregnancy of a cat.

A month later, you can determine the pregnancy of a cat by the way her belly is rounded. The cat becomes less active.

You can determine the cat’s pregnancy at the 7th week by the way the kittens move, if you put your palm on the cat’s stomach. The behavior changes again: the cat is worried and looking for a place to nest.

You can determine the pregnancy of a cat in the last week before giving birth by the fact that she is even more worried, her stomach has greatly increased, her nipples are swollen, and liquid (whitish) comes out of them.

Signs of pregnancy in a cat

It is important for the owner to know the signs of pregnancy in a cat. However, it should be borne in mind that the first signs of pregnancy in a cat appear only 3 weeks after fertilization.

Symptoms of pregnancy in a cat include:

• Decreased cat activity level.
• Swelling nipples.
• Drowsiness.
• First, a decrease, then an increase in appetite.
• Changes in taste preferences.
• Rarely – vomiting.
• Mood swings: Affection is replaced by aggression for no apparent reason.
• Abdominal enlargement (from the 6th week).

As a rule, with the naked eye, signs of pregnancy in a cat can be determined 35 to 40 days after fertilization.

How long does a cat pregnancy last?

An important question for the owner is how long the cat’s pregnancy lasts. The average duration of a cat’s pregnancy is 59 days. However, the gestational age of a cat largely depends on the age of the expectant mother, breed, and individual characteristics. The duration of a cat’s pregnancy can be 55 – 62 days.

First cat pregnancy

The cat is ready to conceive as soon as it reaches puberty (6 – 18 months depending on the breed). However, it is better if the first pregnancy of a cat does not occur earlier than at the age of 12 – 14 months.

Be aware that after 6 years of age, a cat’s ability to conceive decreases, and late pregnancy is fraught with complications. So many breeders spay cats when they reach 6 years of age.

Pregnancy of a cat by week

If we consider the pregnancy of a cat by weeks, the following patterns can be noted:

Cat pregnancy and childbirth

The cat’s pregnancy ends in childbirth.

It is better if the cat gives birth at home, where she feels safe. In the presence of strangers, the cat is nervous, as a result, childbirth may be delayed.

The place for giving birth to a cat is equipped in a calm, quiet, dry, warm and dark place. You can provide the cat with a box measuring 60x50x50 cm.

Many owners ask when a cat can become pregnant after giving birth. As a rule, the cat again comes into the hunt after 1 – 2 months after birth. And some cats are ready to become pregnant immediately after giving birth. However, an experienced breeder will provide the cat with a rehabilitation period so that the animal can regain strength and get stronger, as well as calmly raise kittens. And even if a cat after pregnancy starts asking for a cat again, it is worth taking measures so that a new pregnancy does not occur.

In this case, in no case should you give a cat that feeds kittens hormonal drugs to reduce sexual desire. Hormones during this period can cause cancer in cats.

How often can a cat get pregnant without damage to health? Maximum – 1 time per year. Moreover, mating cats older than 6 years is highly undesirable.

False pregnancy in a cat

Some owners believe that a false pregnancy in a cat cannot occur. But this is a mistake. False pregnancy in cats is quite real, although it is less common than in dogs.

Causes of a false pregnancy in a cat

1. After mating with a sterile, unhealthy or neutered cat.
2. Reproductive dysfunction in cats.
3. Hormonal disorders in a cat – in this case, a false pregnancy in a cat occurs without mating.

Signs of a false pregnancy in a cat

• Drowsiness, apathy, at times nervousness.
• Unwillingness to communicate or, conversely, an excessive demand for attention.
• Nest building.
• Treating toys or socks and other items of your clothing like kittens.
• Slight discharge from the vulva 6 to 8 weeks after estrus, the cat licks more often.
• Increased abdomen.
• Swelling nipples.
• The secretion of milk from the nipples.
• First, an increase, then a decrease in appetite.
• Digestive disorders.
• Slight rise in temperature.

If you notice signs of a false pregnancy in your cat, contact your veterinarian. This condition can signal the presence of serious diseases in a cat.

Spaying a pregnant cat

Some owners ask if a cat can be spayed while pregnant.

As a rule, spaying a cat during pregnancy is undesirable. The decision to spay a cat during pregnancy is made by a veterinarian, taking into account possible complications: spaying a pregnant cat can cause the death of the animal. As a rule, veterinarians are hesitant to neuter a pregnant cat. A positive decision to sterilize a cat during pregnancy is made only when the cat’s life is in danger. Sterilization of a cat during pregnancy involves the extraction of the uterus along with the fetuses.

Still, it is better to sterilize a cat 2 weeks before estrus or 2 weeks after estrus, when the cat has not become pregnant.

Do cats sense pregnancy?

Yes, cats feel pregnancy. Even the behavior of a cat during pregnancy changes: they become more sleepy and calm.

How to terminate a pregnancy in a cat

Sometimes owners ask how to terminate a cat’s pregnancy. In no case should you terminate a pregnancy in a cat on your own: it is dangerous. Only a veterinarian can decide whether a cat’s pregnancy can be terminated on a case-by-case basis.

Is it possible to do an ultrasound on a cat during pregnancy?

The answer to the question of whether it is possible to do an ultrasound scan on a cat during pregnancy is ambiguous. Although the negative impact of ultrasound on the health of a pregnant cat has not been proven, it is still not worth abusing it. The heartbeat of kittens is detected by ultrasound on the 24th day of the cat’s pregnancy.

When does a cat get a belly during pregnancy?

Owners ask when a cat gets a belly while pregnant. The belly of a cat begins to increase in the 5th week of pregnancy.

How to calculate the due date when a cat is pregnant?

You can calculate the date of birth during a cat’s pregnancy using the approximate cat pregnancy calendar.

Find the day the cat was mated, and in the next column you will find the expected date of the cat’s birth.