If the owner who adopts a stray cat is the "soft-hearted god" this winter, then adopting a pregnant cat is the king of gods. After all, adopting a pregnant female cat requires more time and energy to take care of it, and you also have to consider how to deal with the soon-to-be-born kittens. This is also the reason why many people abandon female cats. Did you know that cats can also have false pregnancies? Correctly understanding the symptoms of cat pregnancy can also reduce the chance that some cats will be abandoned.

01

What are the symptoms of cat pregnancy

Female cats reach sexual maturity at about eight months and are already capable of pregnancy during this period. The gestation period is about 63-70 days, the average date is about 65 days, and the approximate number of fetuses per pregnancy is 3-4. If you know the specific mating date, the following symptoms will gradually become apparent in about three weeks, so please pay attention to identify them.

Love it first

Stop estrus

Adult female cats that have not been neutered will have estrus cycles due to the length of daylight. This estrus cycle may be fixed. If the female cat stops estrus, you can consider whether she is pregnant.

Nipple changes

About the third week, the nipples of pregnant female cats will become obviously red, and there will be some secretions in the later stages.

Changes in appetite

In the early stages of pregnancy, cats may have a reduced appetite or be picky eaters due to pregnancy reactions. In the later stages of pregnancy, cats will eat more food to supplement nutrients and store energy. The weight of cats during this period will increase by 1-2kg. This is also the reason why cats with pseudopregnancy can "fake the real thing" because it really eats fat.

Behavior changes

The behavior will become more aggressive and maternal than usual, and clingy kittens will become more dependent on their owners at this time.

Nesting Behavior

During late pregnancy, cats will look for a quiet, private place as their future delivery room.

The abdomen becomes enlarged

About the thirty-fifth day of pregnancy, the cat’s abdomen will be significantly swollen. There will be no obvious changes in the limbs of a pregnant female cat, and the abdomen will be more bulging to the touch, which is different from the original bag.

02

What is pseudopregnancy in cats?

If your cat has the above symptoms, please do not touch the cat’s abdomen too much, as it may cause damage to the fetus and stress to the mother cat. Professional veterinarians can perform palpation on cats around 20 days into pregnancy. Of course, the safest way is to take the cat to the hospital for B-ultrasound testing.

If the cat has the above obvious symptoms but no fetus is detected in the uterus, it is a pseudopregnancy in the cat. After mating, the ovaries of female cats will secrete progesterone to help conception, and the estrogen and hormones in the body will change, resulting in pseudopregnancy. False pregnancies usually end around sixty days.

03

How to take care of a pregnant cat?

01

Pregnant female cats need to support the fetus in their belly. It is recommended to increase the amount of food fed and add more nutritional paste, taurine, calcium tablets, etc. to the diet.

02

Take the cat to the hospital for a prenatal check-up to check the physical health of the female cat and the number and development of the fetuses.

03

Provide cats with a safe environment for giving birth. Pregnant female cats have different personalities. If necessary, isolate female cats from male cats.

04

Prepare the delivery room and birth supplies for the cat in advance, such as boxes, iodophors, changing pads, towels, etc.