Keep A Clean Litter Box
Be sure to keep a clean litter box for your expecting feline. It will help keep her happy and healthy during her pregnancy. Scoop waste out of the litter box daily and change the litter once or twice a month for optimal happiness and healthiness.
A great way to keep your litter box as sanitary as possible for your pregnant cat is to use a self-cleaning litter box like Litter-Robot, in tandem with Litter-Robot cleaning products. You wont have to worry about scooping and cleaning the box constantly, all while ensuring that your pet has a healthy environment to relieve herself.
You might also consider getting a for the litter box! This can help your pregnant cat enter and exit the litter box with ease.
Is It Ok To Pick Up My Pregnant Cat
While cats are pregnant, their bodies are very sensitive. This doesnt mean you cant pick up your cat just make sure to pull them up from the bottom so that their stomach is facing your chest. Taking this approach helps you avoid hurting your cat or its kitties. But if you really want to make your pregnant cat comfortable, give it lots of petting time and gentle belly rubs.
Limit Handling Them During The First Weeks
Although you may want to pet and hold the kittens constantly, do not intervene too much in the first week or two of their lives. During this time, kittens are very susceptible to disease, and it can be stressful to the mom and babies.
During the first few weeks after birth, the mother cat will stimulate her kittens to eliminate by cleaning their genital areas. She will also clean up after them, so there is no need to add a litter box specifically for the kittens during their early days.
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How Can I Prevent Cat Pregnancy
The only way to guarantee your cat will not get pregnant is to have her spayed. No matter how careful you are, it is possible for your cat to slip out a window or door that hasnt been latched properly. There are no guarantees that your intact female cat will not have an opportunity to come into contact with an intact male cat. If you have a purebred cat with a breeding contract, then you should discuss with your cats breeder and your veterinarian how best to protect your cat from an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy.
Many people feel like they cant afford to have their cat spayed, and it can be an expensive procedure. However, if you are unable to afford to have your cat spayed, then you need to seriously consider the probability that you are unable to afford proper care during and after pregnancy. There are many low-cost spay/neuter programs, and many animal shelters provide discount vouchers to area vets. Medical credit cards and regular credit cards may provide you with the opportunity to get your cat spayed with interest-free payments.
If you have an established relationship with your cats vet, then they may be willing to work with you on a payment plan. Remember that if your vet is able to work with you on payments or offers you a discount, it is a courtesy to you. They are not obligated to do this, and many vets dont offer these options for many reasons. It does not mean they dont care about your cats wellbeing.
Second Stage Of Labor: Birth
The second stage of labor in cats begins with stronger, more frequent uterine contractions that eventually lead to the birth of a kitten. Do NOT move or distract your cat during the birthing process because she may stop labor and begin again the next day if she feels stressed.
Depending on the individual queen, kittens are usually born every 30-60 minutes, with the entire litter being delivered in less than six hours. Pregnant cats can have four to six kittens in a litter. You can use a timer to keep track of the time between kittens to make sure there isnt a problem.
Watch for Complications
Dystocia means difficult birth and can occur for a variety of reasons.
If the mother is having strong contractions and been straining for more than 60 minutes without birthing a kitten, she should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
What Should You Do After a Kitten Is Born?
Kittens are born with a protective fetal membrane that is usually removed by the mother cat shortly after birth. Fetal membranes are usually reddish-yellow in color and surround the fetus thats floating in amniotic fluid.
If the mother cat fails to remove the fetal membrane within the first minute after birth, you will need to break the sac and wipe away any fluid from the kittens nose. Then open the mouth with the head facing down and clear any remaining membranes or fluid. You can then stimulate the kitten to breathe by firmly stroking their body with a towel.
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Weight Gain And Increased Hunger
One common early sign is rapid weight gain. In just the first few weeks of pregnancy, your cat can gain anywhere from 1 to 6 pounds in just a few weeks. They will also start eating a lot more and develop a large diet.
Where your cat carries their weight makes all the difference it is not enough to simply gain some weight. Some cats gain weight when they eat too much food, stop participating in play or exercise, or have a health condition that prompts weight gain. However, your cat may be pregnant if its lower belly starts to droop and grow.
Nesting Behavior Will Begin
Similar to humans, your cat may start nesting behavior You can help your cat at this time by putting the kittening or nesting box in a quiet, warm room that is free from drafts. Draft-free is very important since kittens arent able to regulate their body temperature. Make certain that the location of the box is off limits to any other pets you may have, as well as to children. Encourage your cat to sleep inside this box as soon as you notice any nesting behavior going on.
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At What Age Can Cats Have Kittens
Cats can start having kittens while they themselves are still kittens! Cats may first become fertile when they are only four months old, and when left unspayed, it’s possible for a cat to be in heat every two to three weeks, every year between spring and autumn.
A full pregnancy cycle for a cat takes only two months, meaning a cat can have a few litters per year and once those kittens reach sexual maturity, they can start having their own litters.
In other words, cats can start breeding when very young. With even a few kittens per litter, you can see how the cat population can quickly spiral out of control, leading to too many strays who face injury, illness, and starvation.
Is My Cats Mood Normal During Pregnancy
As the pregnancy progresses, your cats mood may change. She may be more affectionate, or less so. She may want to be left alone, or she may seek out your company. Your cat may be more or less playful than normal. In general, a pregnant cat should not have any significant mood changes during her pregnancy that would cause you concern about her health. If you notice that your cat is acting strangely, tell your veterinarian about it and let them know if the behavior persists for longer than a few days or seems to get worse over time.
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How To Maintain A Healthy Cat Weight
After checking your cat and realizing that they might be overweight the next step would be a vet consultation. There your cat will go through the proper examination that will determine whats causing their weight gain. And of course, youll know how much booty your kitty needs to lose.
Its not easy to measure how much fat a cat has, and body weight is usually used as a guide to determine whether a cats weight is above the ideal. For your kitty to be considered overweight and obese theyd have to be 10% and over 20% heavier than the ideal body weight accordingly.
Once you have all the information you need the important part is sticking to the plan of action! Its crucial that you dont push your cat, but you also shouldnt ignore your cats weight. Diabetes, osteoarthritis, raspatory issues, and heart disease are some of the diseases/illnesses caused by obesity.
Make gradual changes, with protein-rich cat food, preferably wet food that is high in protein, and should help maintain your cats muscle mass as they grow. In the journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Debra L. Zoran, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, states that cats are metabolically adapted to preferentially use protein and fat as energy sources.
Check For Other Physical Signs Of Pregnancy
Along with nipple changes, there will be other physical signs. Some cats experience morning sickness with physical symptoms, including vomiting. If your cat vomits but doesnt show serious signs of sickness, it might be a sign of pregnancy.
Most cats gain about 2-4 pounds throughout pregnancy. Your cats belly will be noticeably bigger around 5 weeks into the pregnancy, or just past the halfway point, and will continue to expand. Unlike normal weight gain, the growing belly shouldnt feel soft or flabby.
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Watch For Nesting Behaviours
You may notice that your cat starts to go to a quiet place – such as a closet or corner of a barn – and begins to arrange blankets, towels or straw to create a good place to give birth to her kittens. If you do notice this then help her and arrange a soft spot by lining a cardboard box with blankets or towels.
If you notice that your cat is exhibiting any of these signs, take her to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Please note, this article is for advice purposes only and shouldn’t be treated as a medical document.
Pregnancy Test With A Veterinarian
Even with these signs, the only way to tell when a cat is pregnant is by taking them to a to perform tests. Blood tests can confirm if your cat is pregnant, but it does not tell you how many kittens your cat is carrying.
Instead, if you want to double-check that your cat is safe and the kittens are okay, you should ask your vet for an X-ray. These are standard when pets are pregnant as vets use X-rays to find out if the kittens are safe and in the right position for birthing.
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How Do I Know If My Cat Is Pregnant
20th August, 2019
Whether youre a new parent to your fur baby or youve had your kitty cat for a few years, youll know just how precious they are. One thing is for sure though, if you have a female cat and shes yet to be spayed its important to be able to tell if she has become pregnant or not. You may be purposely breeding her or it might be a total accident but, either way, there are a few tell-tale signs to look out for.
If you do find that your little tabby is indeed expecting, then its handy to know just how to take care of a pregnant cat. Just be aware that very few cat insurance providers do not cover a pregnancy related illnesses, and may even cancel a cover if a cat has 2 or more pregnancies.
Did you know…
Did you know that a pregnant cat is called a queen? Its a moniker youll probably come to agree with once you experience her demands throughout pregnancy. Your little queen is likely to become more vocal or ask for affection to seek comfort or due to discomfort from her growing belly and potential false labour contractions.
Spaying Can Help Animal Rescue Groups
Animal rescue groups, humane societies, and TNR groups are overwhelmed in trying to control cat overpopulation, and “kitten season,” which extends for a long part of each year in many geographical areas, is met with dread by these groups. They know this year’s kitten crop will be responsible for the deaths of last year’s kittens or older cats at shelters. There simply isn’t enough space to house them all, and something must give. It’s a matter of supply and demand and young kittens are in the highest demand.
Spaying a rescued pregnant cat can help contain the overpopulation problem. There are simply too few homes for the huge number of homeless cats. Preventing an unplanned litter may also help prevent the deaths of living cats and kittens. Even when a pregnant female cat is adopted by the finder, and there are good homes waiting for her kittens, some people view each of those kittens as being indirectly responsible for the death of a shelter cat or kitten that might have been adopted into one of those homes.
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How Long Do Cats Stay Pregnant
A cats pregnancy lasts nine weeks or around 63 days. If you suspect your cat is pregnant, bring your cat in to see your veterinarian for confirmation.
Planned or unplanned, says Barrack, all pregnancies should be discussed with your veterinarian to make sure mom and babies are healthy and doing well.
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Discuss Medical Care With Your Veterinarian
You should also contact your veterinarian to ask when the kittens should first be examined.
They may want to see them right away to evaluate for cleft palates, umbilical hernias, and other health concerns, or they may advise you to wait until they are a bit older.
Many veterinarians recommend deworming at regular intervals, starting at 2 to 4 weeks of age, and vaccinating at 6 weeks of age.
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Signs A Cat Is Pregnant & What To Know
Is my cat pregnant? Its a question concerned cat owners ask a surprising amount. When you havent gotten your cat spayed and shes gone unsupervised for a time, chances are that your cat might be pregnant. But how does one know for sure? This is how to tell if a cat is pregnant. There are several key symptoms and features to look for during the short gestation period.
Start The Weaning Process At 3 To 4 Weeks
Once the kittens are 3 to 4 weeks old, you can begin the weaning process by giving them access to kitten food.
You can mix dry kibble with water or canned kitten food to make it easier for them to eat. They should still have constant access to the queen, who will continue to nurse them.
Over the next few weeks, they will rely more and more on kitten food rather than nursing. Most queens will wean their kittens by 5 to 6 weeks of age.
At this age, you also can put out a small litter pan with a thin layer of litter. Most kittens will naturally scratch in the litter and learn to relieve themselves in the litter box.
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2. Nelson RW, Couto CG. Small Animal Internal Medicine. 5th edition. St. Louis, Mo. Elsevier. 2014.
3. Reducing the risk of cancer. Special pet topics. Cancer and tumors. Merck Veterinary Manual.
4. Brooks Wendy. Giving birth to kittens. Veterinary Information Network.
5. Williams Krista. Pregnancy and parturition in cats. VCA Hospitals.
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Is My Cat Pregnant 8 Ways To Tell
There are a lot of reasons you may not know if your cat is pregnant, whether your cat went on a neighborhood jaunt for a few nights, you took in a stray, or you have an intact male and female in the home. Maybe you breed cats and are having trouble determining if your queen is pregnant. Unfortunately, cat pregnancies arent as noticeable and easily detected as human pregnancies, especially in the early stages of pregnancy. To properly plan, its important to know if your cat is pregnant, so here are the things you need to know about cat pregnancy.
Potential Cat Pregnancy Problems
As with humans, there can sometimes be problems with a cats pregnancy. You should be prepared with the knowledge to identify risks so you know what to do to help and when you should take your cat to an emergency vet.
You should call your vet if something happens differently to those events described above. Other reasons to call the vet are listed below.
Eclampsia is a very dangerous condition for a pregnant cat which can be identified through symptoms such as restlessness, pacing, panting, drooling, loss of balance, spasms in the muscles or seizures. This condition can cause the kittens to naturally abort, or miscarry. Also look for signs such as fever, bleeding, or changes in behavior. If this condition appears early in labor, it can be possible for the mother to absorb the dead fetuses back into its body.
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How Long Are Cats Pregnant
Cats have relatively short pregnancies. Your cat can give birth in about 2 months, give or take a few weeks. However, these quick pregnancies are not easy and can come with complications. The average litter of kittens is four, but a cat can have up to 12 cats during one pregnancy.
The average pregnancy time frame is 58 67 days . Cats can also get pregnant multiple times a year. Your cat can have up to five litters a year, but this is dangerous and not recommended.
Try to keep your cat inside during their heat if you do not want a large litter of kittens. As cute as kittens are, they are also a lot of work and can be expensive to take care of.