If your cat recently went into heat and came into contact with an intact (unneutered) male cat, there is a chance that she is pregnant. A pregnant queen will begin to exhibit physical and psychological changes about three weeks after breeding.
The gestation cycle for cats lasts 64 to 66 days. An average gestation would last nine weeks, or 63 days.
Body Changes in a Pregnant Cat
Look for these physical signs of pregnancy in your cat:
- The termination of heat cycles could be a cat’s first pregnancy sign. If a cat has been going through heat cycles every 10 to 2 weeks and then stops, she is likely pregnant.
- Breeders call this “pinking-up,” and it may be the first visible sign of pregnancy in a cat. Nipples expand and get rosier in color.
- An increase in appetite is a sign that a cat is pregnant. After all, in addition to herself, a pregnant cat also needs to feed the other fetuses.
- Weight gain: The majority of expectant queens put on 2 to 4 pounds of body weight.
- Vomiting: Pregnant queens may endure a few episodes of “morning sickness,” much like human expectant mothers do. Even while this isn’t always a cause for alarm, consult your veterinarian if the vomiting continues or starts to happen frequently.
- belly enlargement: Around the fifth week of pregnancy, the abdomen of a pregnant cat will start to bulge noticeably. Up until the point of giving birth, it will continue to expand.
Personality Changes in a Pregnant Cat
Pregnancy can also cause personality and mood changes:
- Increased affection: Your cat may exhibit substantially greater affection for you than usual. Give it to her, please!
- Pregnancy causes many queens to sleep more than they did before they became pregnant.
Cats’ Clinical Pregnancy Diagnosis
If your queen has received regular medical care and the prenatal signs are obvious, getting an official diagnosis from a veterinarian may not be necessary. To ensure that your cat is healthy, you should have her examined by your doctor.
- By palpating and gently pressing on your pregnant cat’s abdomen, your veterinarian might be able to feel the fetuses inside. Between the 17th and the 25th day of pregnancy, this typically happens.
- Abdominal Ultrasound of Your Cat: After the third week of pregnancy, heartbeats can be seen, and fetuses can be spotted as early as the second.
- Your cat’s veterinarian can do an abdominal X-ray when she is farther along in her pregnancy to discover how many kids your cat is carrying. This minuscule amount of radiation won’t harm the mother or kittens. The spines and skulls of the kittens begin to appear on x-rays about day 42 of pregnancy.
If your resident or rescued cat is truly pregnant, you’ll need to decide fast on some crucial matters. If you decide to spay her in order to end the pregnancy, you need to act quickly. If not, be prepared to help take care of the kittens’ needs and locate loving homes for them all.
Symptoms of a cat’s impending pregnancy
Once your cat enters active labor, try to refrain from meddling with her. Keep an eye on her from a safe distance to make sure she doesn’t get upset. If these things take place, kittens will emerge soon:
- Nesting Activities: Your pregnant cat may start looking for quiet, hidden places to give birth as the due date draws near. This often begins one to two days prior to labor, however it may begin much earlier.
- The pregnant queen may have anxiety or restlessness 24 to 48 hours before giving birth. She might enter and leave her nesting place in a pacing-like manner.
- Vocalization: In addition to her pacing and restless behavior, the pregnant queen may meow and scream more frequently than usual.
- Within 12 to 36 hours of labor, your cat’s body temperature will drop to below 100 degrees Fahrenheit (normal temperature is usually between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Loss of Appetite: Your pregnant queen may have had a ravenous appetite the entire time she was pregnant. As labor draws near, she will see a marked drop in appetite.
- As labor draws near, your cat will begin licking her vulva to clean a slight discharge. You probably won’t observe this discharge because she’ll want to keep the place immaculate.
READ NEXT: Learn What to Expect When Your Cat Is in Heat
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CAT HEALTH & WELLNESS
If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your family pet, know the pet’s health history, and may make the best recommendations for your pet.
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