Pregnancy in a cat is a period that requires increased attention of the owner. At such times, the animal needs special care. The development and health of kittens largely depends on the lifestyle of the pet. It is necessary to timely determine and notice that the cat will soon become a mother. You also need to adjust its motor activity and nutrition. Each owner of the animal should know how the pregnancy goes on in cats, and what changes occur in its body and behavior. During this period, the animal must be under the supervision of a veterinarian. The specialist will give useful recommendations about the diet and lifestyle of the animal, as well as track the possible pathology in time.
How to recognize a cat’s pregnancy?
The most accurate results can only be obtained by ultrasound examination in a veterinary clinic. It should be done 2 weeks after mating. At this time, embryos that are just beginning to form will already be visible. At week 3, an ultrasound scan will determine the heart rate of the embryos. This suggests that future kittens are viable and develop correctly.
External signs of pregnancy in a cat during the first 2 weeks are impossible to notice. The behavior of the animal at an early stage remains the same. Some changes will be visible only after 3 weeks:
- The cat becomes sleepy. Most of the day it lies. Normally, the animal sleeps for 14 hours a day, during the period of gestation of kittens, sleep increases by about 4 hours.
- Appetite is reduced. At the same time, the pet is happy to drink, but does not want to eat solid food, especially dry food. This is an early sign of pregnancy in a cat, at a later date it begins to eat intensely.
- The animal feels nauseous, sometimes vomiting occurs. These symptoms are stronger in the morning and can occur up to 4 times a day.
- A cat's nipples become bright red, swollen, and hot during pregnancy. This is especially noticeable in the lower mammary glands. This symptom is more pronounced in animals that are the first time to bear cubs.
- If there are cats in the house, then the cat behaves irritably and aggressively with them.
- Starting from 3 weeks, with careful palpation of the abdomen, you can notice the movement of future kittens.
If the owner has found such signs in the animal a few weeks after mating, the veterinarian should be shown the pet. During this period, the cat should be under periodic medical supervision.
What happens at different times
The duration of pregnancy in a cat is from 59 to 73 days. This period can be divided into 6 stages:
- From the moment of conception to 18-20 days. The behavior of the animal remains virtually unchanged. You can notice only a slight increase in appetite. About 24 hours after mating, ovulation occurs, the egg is fertilized and moves to the uterus, where the embryo attaches to the wall.
- 20-30 days. Noticeable swelling and redness of the mammary glands, tension and a slight increase in the abdomen. Sometimes signs of toxicosis are noted - the pet has periodic vomiting.
- 5th week. The abdomen is noticeably enlarged. The pet sleeps and eats a lot. At this time, the veterinarian can determine pregnancy when probing the abdominal cavity and even recognize the number of embryos. You should not touch the cat’s belly on your own, as it can harm future cubs. In addition, careless palpation can lead to miscarriage.
- 6th week. A cat’s abdomen not only enlarges, but its sides swell.
- 42-50 days. Restless behavior appears, the animal may refuse to eat. Future kittens grow up to 5-8 cm, they have hair. The cat sleeps a lot and often visits the tray, as the uterus with embryos puts pressure on the bladder.
- From 50 days to delivery. Kittens are actively moving, their movements can be seen if you look closely at the belly of the pet. By the end of pregnancy, the cat’s stomach drops, mucous discharge leaves the genital tract. She begins to look for a suitable place for the birth of cubs. Kittens are born on days 50-72.
How to determine the term of pregnancy in a cat? With accuracy this can only be detected by a veterinarian. The owner of the animal can only count the number of weeks after mating and determine the approximate period by the above signs.
False pregnancy
There are times when a cat has some signs of pregnancy. However, the bearing of cubs is excluded, since there was no mating. This is a pretty rare occurrence. Its exact causes have not been established, but most often this condition occurs due to hormonal failure.
Symptoms of false pregnancy in cats are as follows:
- The animal's nipples swell and blush.
- The pet eats and sleeps a lot.
- The cat begins to move more carefully than usual.
Such manifestations are usually not dangerous to the health of the animal and pass on their own. You need to sound the alarm in cases where this condition is repeated too often, almost every estrus. The help of a veterinarian will be needed if the symptoms are too vivid: the cat’s belly is enlarged and milk is excreted, she looks for a place for kittens to appear, pretends to give birth, and then babysit toys, taking them for cubs.
In these cases, treatment is indicated aimed at normalizing the hormonal background. Sterilization is sometimes recommended.
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish false pregnancy from true pregnancy. Some sterilized cats retain mating ability. They continue to produce sex hormones by the pituitary and adrenal glands. False pregnancy often occurs after mating with a neutered or sterile male. In such cases, only a veterinarian can correctly diagnose a cat's condition.
Pathology of pregnancy
Not always the period of pregnancy in a cat goes well. The following symptoms in the pet should alert the careful owner:
- refusal of food;
- increase or decrease in temperature;
- dyspnea;
- the appearance of bloody or colored discharge from the genital tract.
These signs may be manifestations of pregnancy pathology. If during this period the cat suffered an infectious disease or had a hormonal failure, the fetuses do not develop and die. This phenomenon is called a frozen pregnancy.
If intrauterine death of all cubs occurs, then the veterinarians either wait for a natural miscarriage, or give the animal drugs to stimulate the birth so that all the dead embryos come out. This is necessary so that they do not decompose inside the mother's body.
If only a part of the embryos died, then pregnancy is maintained. When viable kittens are born, then the dead fruits come out with them. In this case, the cat needs to have an ultrasound immediately after birth. You need to make sure that nothing is left in the uterus.
Food
Pregnancy and childbirth in cats require high energy costs from animals. Therefore, it is important that the pet is fully fed. The amount of daily intake must be increased.
In the first 2 weeks, the cat can continue to be fed as usual, about 2 times a day. Starting from 3 weeks, the animal is given food three times a day. In this case, it is necessary to monitor body weight, the pet should gain weight, but not because of an increase in body fat.
Enhanced nutrition is required for periods later than 4-5 weeks. At this time, embryos grow rapidly. The pet needs to be fed at least 4-5 times a day.
If the animal eats ready-made feed, then you need to choose a product labeled "super-premium" or "holistic." If a cat eats natural food, the following foods will be beneficial for her:
- Meat. You need to choose lean types of beef or veal. The product must first be boiled. You can also give jelly. Meat products should occupy about half the daily diet.
- A fish. It is also pre-boiled. You need to choose marine species, they contain a lot of protein. It is better not to give the river fish to the animal in order to avoid infection with helminths.
- Dairy and dairy products. They should contain no more than 15% fat. You should also choose yogurts without additives.
- Boiled eggs. They are given no more than 2 times a week.
- Porridge. Useful dishes from buckwheat, rice and oatmeal.
During pregnancy, cats need more vitamins and minerals. Therefore, special complexes containing beneficial substances should be added to food. The veterinarian will tell you which nutritional supplements the animal needs.
It is useful to give the cat 1 teaspoon of decoction of raspberry leaves daily. This will help to avoid birth complications. Also, in late pregnancy, nettle leaves finely chopped and scalded with boiling water can be included in the animal's diet. They contribute to the production of milk.
If a pregnant cat often has stool delays, then you can give her boiled beets with vegetable oil.
Lifestyle
During pregnancy, a cat's motor activity usually decreases sharply. This is not bad, since the likelihood of accidental injuries during jumping is reduced. But on the other hand, excessive physical inactivity is also harmful. Low mobility contributes to obesity, and being overweight can make birth difficult. In the early and middle stages of pregnancy with a cat, you need to start quiet games and make her move a little. In this case, it is necessary to protect the animal from jumping from a great height. A pregnant cat has a heavier body, it becomes somewhat awkward and can be seriously injured in active games. It must be remembered that any injury to the expectant mother during this period can have an extremely negative effect on kittens.
In the later stages of pregnancy, you need to stop any games with the animal. The pet should lie and rest as much as possible. Most of the time the cat is useful to spend at rest. During this period, you need to take care of her dream. We must try not to create noise and loud noises in the room where the animal is sleeping. The body at this time is preparing for future births and it needs as much rest as possible. You need to equip a comfortable place to sleep in a bed or a house.
If the cat is used to taking daily walks, then in the later stages it is better not to let it out of the house. Otherwise, there is a danger that the birth of kittens will occur in street conditions, which often leads to infection of babies.
Can I get vaccinated?
During pregnancy in a cat, any vaccinations are prohibited. Of course, it is extremely undesirable for an animal to have infections while carrying kittens. However, vaccination must be carried out 60 days before mating. In this case, the cat will be able to pass immunity to the cubs.
If the owners did not vaccinate the pet before pregnancy, then the vaccination course can be carried out after childbirth. In this case, the cat is vaccinated with the kittens when they turn 1 month old.
Deworming
During pregnancy, the cat can not be anthelminthic. All anthelmintic drugs are toxic and can damage the fetus. It is necessary to take care of getting rid of internal parasites 7 days before mating.
If this procedure has not been carried out in advance, then deworming is done 1 month after delivery. Anthelmintic treatment with the mother and young are. A cat is given an anthelmintic drug that can be used during lactation, and kittens are given a special suspension.
The fight against skin parasites
Ticks, fleas and other parasites that live in the coat and on the skin are best removed before mating. These insects transmit infections that can cause miscarriage during pregnancy. It is quite difficult to carry out preventive measures while carrying kittens. Most parasite medications are toxic; their active components can cross the placenta. As a result, the cubs may die in utero or be born with malformations.
It is believed that during pregnancy it is possible to process wool only with the preparation "Stronghold". This is the most gentle means. However, it is still best to consult your veterinarian about this.
Is estrus possible during the gestation period of kittens?
Does a cat ask for a cat during pregnancy? Soon after conception, progesterone begins to be produced in animals. This hormone stops estrus. Therefore, in most cases, a pregnant cat does not ask for males.
However, progesterone may not be produced immediately, but only 3 days after mating. Until this moment, heat will continue.
Also, hormonal disorders occur in cats. A malfunction in the body occurs in pregnant animals between 3 and 6 weeks. Females with low progesterone levels are susceptible to this. With hormonal failure during this period, estrus occurs, despite pregnancy, and the cat again asks the male.
If mating occurs at this time, the pet may re-get pregnant. Veterinarians call this superfetation. This is a fairly rare occurrence, but it does occur. The animal will simultaneously bear cubs from both the first mating and the second. In this case, the total duration of pregnancy in the cat increases. Kittens from the first mating will be born on time, and after 3-6 weeks new babies will be born from the second mating. In this case, the cubs may have different fathers.
Superfetation is undesirable for the animal. This creates a large burden on the body. Often the younger brood is born weak or dies in utero. If all kittens are born viable, then the mother may not have enough milk for all the cubs. Therefore, you should not allow re-knitting with obvious symptoms of pregnancy.
If the birth of kittens is undesirable
If the conception and birth of kittens is undesirable, then the cat is better to sterilize before the first mating. All methods of abortion harm the body of the pet.
A pregnant cat tolerates sterilization much harder. Her hormonal background is sharply disturbed, and the animal has to recover for a long time after the intervention. In a non-pregnant cat, the operation is much easier, and her condition quickly normalizes.
There are other ways to terminate a pregnancy. In the early stages, the veterinarian may administer prostaglandins to the animal. These drugs cause a miscarriage. However, after this, the cat has to cut the ovaries. This carries the risk of a uterine infection. Therefore, subsequently, it may be necessary to remove the uterus. In fact, this method is pumped by sterilization.
In the later stages, the veterinarian administers glucocorticoid hormones. As a result, a cat gives birth before time to non-viable kittens. This is quite dangerous and can result in an urgent caesarean section.
As a contraceptive for cats, estrogen is sometimes used. Hormones are administered immediately after mating, this protects against pregnancy. But such a method is far from safe. A rather large dosage of the drug has to be used. This often leads to serious endocrine disorders, persistent infertility, genital infections, and hematopoiesis.
If the cat is not sterilized, then depriving her of access to males is also wrong. At the same time, the animal becomes nervous and irritable, as each time it experiences stress during estrus. Therefore, if the owner does not want the cat to breed, then the only right way out is sterilization until the first mating. This procedure is absolutely safe and harmless, it can be done to the animal, starting from the age of 8-12 months.