Pregnancy in cats

Usually, the owners of domestic cats are sterilized in order to avoid possible pregnancies, not to bother with the distribution of kittens and to save the cat from the torment and diseases associated with the cat’s reproductive system.

But if you are sure that your pet has unique features of nature and breed and you really want striped hairy grandchildren, then it is better to approach the issue of cat pregnancy with all responsibility.

How long does pregnancy last for cats?

On average, pregnancy in cats lasts from 60 to 68 days. The minimum allowable threshold is 55 days, the maximum is 72 days.

How to determine pregnancy

Visually, the pregnancy of a cat can be suspected with an increase in the abdomen and appetite. It is imperative to see a doctor, because there are a number of pathologies that can also manifest themselves. And for further diagnosis, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity will be required (1). Pregnancy can also be seen on x-rays.

1 – 3 weeks of pregnancy in a cat

In the early stages, it is very difficult to determine it. Only at the beginning of 3 weeks is it possible to see something on an ultrasound scan, but the cat itself does not show any external signs of pregnancy. Therefore, a surprise awaits you by the middle of the term, when the cat shows obvious signs of motherhood.

4 – 6 weeks of pregnancy in a cat

Only at the beginning of this period, the color of the nipples begins to change in the cat, and they swell.

Also, some cat mothers have attacks of morning sickness during this period (just like people!).

Even during this period of pregnancy, the weight of the cat begins to increase, it becomes more affectionate and playful, and begins to demand more attention from the owners.

At week 5, the cat’s tummy increases and becomes denser.

7 – 9 weeks of pregnancy in a cat

At 7 weeks, you can feel the kittens moving if you lightly put your hand on the tummy.

Do not be afraid to touch and stroke a pregnant cat, because during such a period the cat really needs care and affection, and a person who can be trusted. And, of course, when kittens are already obvious in the stomach, your cat certainly cannot hide the pregnancy from you.

If you have a purebred cat and you really need to know about the onset of her pregnancy, the sooner the better, then already 2 weeks after the onset of the expected pregnancy, you can take your cat for an ultrasound scan and an ultrasound scan will show if there is a pregnancy.

Caring for a pregnant cat

Pregnancy in a cat requires increased attention and proper care. Here are a few points worth paying attention to.

How to feed a cat during pregnancy

During pregnancy, cats should be given special food for pregnant and lactating cats. It has all the necessary vitamins and minerals, designed for bearing offspring.

– Already in the first weeks of pregnancy, the cat becomes less active, and the appetite increases. At this time, it is better not to restrict the cat in food, just make sure that she does not gain excess weight. Play with her so that she moves more, – recommends felinologist Elena Vishneva.

When feeding an animal with industrial feed, you can additionally not introduce anything into the diet.

You should not change your diet drastically, you just need to change to the food of the same company that you fed, but special food for pregnant women or kittens, they are more enriched in composition than the usual daily diet.

A natural diet in itself is wonderful, but any owner should take the choice of such food very seriously: how and how much and what to give to your pet, the required amount for its weight, for this you need to calculate all the norms.

Therefore, during pregnancy, if all the norms of your natural nutrition are fully observed, then, as a rule, it is enough just to increase the volume of the diet and increase the frequency of receptions up to 4 times a day.

It is useful to add calcium to the diet, for example in the form of cottage cheese. Vitamin supplements must be administered with care based on your cat’s diet (complex vitamins from the pet store). For example, with an excess of vitamin A, mutations can occur in offspring. Additionally, the introduction of calcium in the form of drugs, with their abrupt cancellation in a nursing cat, can lead to eclampsia (lack of calcium, leading to convulsive phenomena). Hypercalcemia is fraught with a number of pathologies.

Is it possible to give medicine to a pregnant cat

There are a small number of drugs and preparations that can be used during pregnancy and only the doctor, not the owner himself, should decide what medicine your pet needs.

And, despite the fact that the manufacturer indicates in the instructions whether the drug can be used or not during pregnancy or not, only a doctor can decide whether to give medication to your pet.

How to prepare for the birth of a cat

A week before giving birth, the cat begins to secrete colostrum. It is noticeable by dried droplets around the nipples. The animal’s activity decreases, the cat sleeps more. It is necessary by this time to prepare a cozy nest for her, where she can hide and begin to prepare for childbirth.

“A day or two before giving birth, you need to spend more time with a pregnant cat: stroke them, massage their tummy,” Elena Vishneva advises.

What to do when giving birth to a cat

The first signs of an approaching birth are already visible when the kitty begins to fuss in her nest, her breathing quickens, she often licks herself, she trembles and her pulse accelerates. The cat feels our nervousness, so we need to calm her down with a gentle voice, stroke, massage her tummy. Remove bright light.

– If labor pains continue for more than 24 hours, it is better to seek help from a veterinarian. You may need a caesarean section, says Elena Vishneva.

A cat before childbirth can change behavior, “make a nest”, her nipples swell, before the birth itself, body temperature can drop to 37 ° C.

When a cat begins to give birth, the main thing is to provide her with comfortable, calm conditions, silence and not to disturb. Most animals give birth on their own without any complications. In case something does not go according to plan, it is necessary to have contacts of a veterinarian who can come to the house to help with childbirth.

Of the drugs, you can stock up on calcium gluconate and Oxytocin. Childbirth can take up to 24 hours maximum. The time between births of kittens can take up to several hours. During childbirth, you can stroke the cat on the stomach, if it does not cause discomfort to her.

If the kitten is stuck or does not come out head first, you need to help him out – you need to gently pull the baby holding not by the paws, but by the body or skin at the withers. It is better if you do this with sterile hands or sterile gloves.

If the cat did not rupture the amniotic sac itself, it is necessary to help her with this by carefully cutting, without damaging the kitten.

The cat should start the breathing process of the kitten by licking it. If she does not, you should force the kitten to breathe by stroking and rubbing it on the back. You may even need to shake him upside down if he is breathing strangely (he could inhale amniotic fluid).

– It is also important to carefully monitor how many kittens and afterbirths came out. And after giving birth, with the help of a veterinarian, make sure that there is nothing left inside, – says veterinarian Marina Mikheenko.

False pregnancy in cats

A false pregnancy is a pathological condition of an animal in which it considers itself pregnant, but is not. At the same time, all signs of pregnancy can appear: nipples swell, colostrum is secreted, behavior changes, the cat can begin to make a nest.

This happens under the influence of the production of sex hormones. In advanced cases, an increased amount of colostrum can affect, for example, the formation of mastitis.

Any such condition is stressful for the animal and can eventually lead to many pathologies. And if before that you did not want to sterilize your cat, the manifestations of a false pregnancy should make you think and take the cat for sterilization. After all, in the future you can get diseases such as pyometra, ovaritis, endometritis and breast cancer with the highest percentage.

Early spaying can prevent all of these pathologies if the cat never gives birth. Remember that every time a cat goes into heat, a cat experiences severe stress, which, in addition to producing hormones in vain, triggers other pathological processes.

In case of a false pregnancy, it is important to consult a veterinarian for advice – he will tell you what drugs should be given to reduce the production of colostrum, and prescribe additional treatment, if necessary. On your part, you need to limit the cat from stress, reduce fluid intake.

“It would be nice to try to distract the cat from her thoughts about pregnancy, for example, play with her more often,” advises veterinarian Marina Mikheenko.

By the way, there is an opinion among the people that a cat should be allowed to become pregnant and give birth once, so that it brings offspring and is immediately sterilized. In fact, mating a cat before sterilization cannot be contraindicated – this can affect both the health and the psyche of the animal. The most favorable age for spaying a cat is after puberty, which occurs at 1 months (10).

Popular questions and answers

Important questions about cat pregnancy we asked felinologist, owner of the Meikun cattery, Elena Vishneva, и veterinarian Marina Mikheenko.

Sources of

1. Filippova O.V., Sorokin V.I. Ultrasound imaging of the genital organs as a method for assessing the state of pregnancy in cats and bitches // Proceedings of the Orenburg State Agrarian University, 2008

   https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/ultrazvukovaya-vizualizatsiya-polovyh-organov-kak-metod-otsenki-sostoyaniya-beremennosti-u-koshek-i-suk

2. Soboleva A.A., Khokhlova S.N., Simanova N.G. Sterilization of cats // Innovative science, 2016

   https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/sterilizatsiya-koshek