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How To Know That Your Cat Is Pregnant

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In the recent article, I mention of things you may not know about cat mating which briefly described signs of cat’s pregnancy.

Somehow it’s not clear enough for this period. Some may be confused about what we, the queens’ owners, should know and reaction at that important moment. Some are worry of the owner’s ignorance and clumsiness that should let the cat miscarry.

Don’t panic. Cats have been having kittens since, well, forever. There is a lot of information out there to sort through, so I’ve made it easy for you with our list of important things you need to know to keep your cat healthy and comfy during her pregnancy.

Let’s me help you to put cat’s guideline in your hands!

Recognizing Signs of Fertility

Before your cat is pregnancy, it has time for them to fertilize and mate with male cats. Therefore, you need to determine whether your cat is fertile. If your cat is fertile and has recently been in heat, it’s possible that she may be pregnant.

Female domestic cats become sexually active as the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, typically between spring and fall.

A female cat may start her estrus cycle (go into heat) once the weather becomes warmer and she has reached about 80% of her adult weight. This means a cat may go into heat as early as four months of age in unusual cases.

When a cat goes into heat, she displays clear behavioral changes meant to attract a mate that will last about four to six days. A cat about to go into heat will initially display signs of restlessness, become more affectionate, begin making low calls, and have increased appetite.

When she enters into heat, she will begin “calling”–meowing or mewling frequently and insistently–and may lose her appetite. A cat in heat will become much more affectionate towards people, will roll around, and will prop her hind quarters up in the air while treading her back paws and holding her tail to the side.

You may concern the information of cat’s tail language. Just read and detect your cute cat’s sign.

After being in heat, a female cat will enter into a “quiet phase” lasting about 8-10 days, during which her behavior will calm down. Following the quiet phase, however, your cat will go into heat again and continue to go into heat through the period between April and September.

To prevent your cat from going into heat and/or inadvertently getting pregnant, have her spayed as soon as it’s safe to do so.

However, that sign may be unclear due to cat’s illness or emotion. The best way to find out is to make an appointment with your vet. He can confirm that kittens are on the way, and get an idea of how many, by feeling a cat’s belly early on, doing an ultrasound in mid-pregnancy, or doing an X-ray in late pregnancy.


Noticing Signs of Pregnancy

There is some clues that you may notice of her pregnancy and can check it by yourself.

  • Enlarged nipples: About 15-18 days into the pregnancy, a queen’s nipples will “pink up,” or become red and enlarged. Her breasts may enlarge, and she may express a milky fluid. Enlarged nipples are also signs of being in heat, so bear in mind that growing nipples are not exclusively indicative of pregnancy.
  • Characteristic “burro” shape: From the side, pregnant cats frequently look somewhat swaybacked, with a slightly round and bulging abdomen. Many female cats assume this burro shape later in pregnancy. If your cat is merely overweight and her belly gets big around 30 days after she mates, she’ll be heavier all over, including her neck and legs, and not just in her abdomen.
  • Nesting behaviors: A few days before she’ll give birth, your cat will begin showing nesting behaviors as she prepares for the arrival of her litter. Your cat may go to a quiet place like a closet and start arranging blankets, towels, or other fabric to create a place to give birth to her kittens. If you notice nesting behavior and you hadn’t previously realized your cat was pregnant, take your cat to the vet as soon as possible for a prenatal checkup.

Caring for your queen

The pregnancy happens anyway after cat mating. As a good and caring owner, we should care and prepare something for her.

It’s rare, but in the earliest stages of pregnancy, your cat may have “morning sickness” that might show up as a lack of appetite or vomiting. If that keeps happening, take her to the vet.

With the surge of hormones and changes to her uterus, she may show signs of fatigue. This phase will eventually fade after those first few weeks pass.

Just like many other females in the animal kingdom carrying a bun in the oven (or in this case, about 2-5 buns per litter), your cat may need extra food and calories while she’s expecting.

She’ll eat about 1.5 times her normal diet as her pregnancy draws to a close, so make sure she has constant access to her normal fare.

Your vet will probably recommend that you add kitten food or chow for pregnant cats to your pet’s meals before birth and during lactation. Remembering that you should feed your cat a growth (kitten) formula diet to provide sufficient calories because the kittens are developing rapidly during the last third of pregnancy,

Viruses can spread to kittens before they’re born, so keep up with your cat’s vaccination schedule. If your pregnant cat is due for her regular vaccination and deworming/flea treatment or needs medication, check with your vet first to make sure the treatment is safe for her.

It is best to vaccinate prior to breeding, as most vaccines are not safe to give during pregnancy.


Tips and advice

When you decide to help a female cat in her pregnancy, it will come to the feeling of expecting the newborn kittens. It’s best if you prepare a nest or whelping box for her inside the house.

Place a box in a warm, dry, quiet place in the house and line it with newspaper or an old towel or blanket.

Moreover, set your cat’s food, water, and litter box nearby and encourage her to sleep in the box in the days leading up to the birth. To the kind owner, I’m sure that the preparation will make you feel fun and very happy like you are welcoming a new family member.

After your queen giving the birth of some cute kittens, you may feel the next step is quite interesting to explore.

You know, that is called the happiness of the life with a lovely pet. If you have any concerns, ask the question to let me know and help you as usual!

 

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