Caring For Your Pregnant Queen
Itâs 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 them to the vet. With the surge of hormones and changes to their uterus, they 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 , your cat may need extra food and calories while they are expecting.
Theyâll eat about 1.5 times their normal diet as their pregnancy draws to a close, so make sure they have constant access to their normal fare. Your vet will probably recommend that you feed your pregnant cat kitten food or food that’s labeled for pregnant and lactating cats throughout their pregnancy and during the period they nurse their young one.
Viruses can spread to kittens before theyâre born, so keep up with your cat’s vaccination schedule. If your pregnant cat is due for their regular vaccination and deworming/flea treatment or needs medication, check with your vet first to make sure the treatment is safe for them. It is best to vaccinate prior to breeding, as most vaccines are not safe to give during pregnancy.
Keep The Area Private And Quiet
The mother and her kittens should be kept in a quiet, low-traffic area of the house. If there is too much commotion around her, she may become stressed and neglect her kittens.
As the kittens get older and more rambunctious, your cat will want more and more time to get away and sleep, groom, or socialize with members of the household. Give your cat space to get away from the kittens, but make sure that she is returning often to check on them.
The Beginning Of The First Stage
Day 1.
At the first stage, the mother cell is fertilized and divided, first into 2 copies , and then there is a constant division, as a result of which the number of cells becomes more and more.
Day 4.
On the fourth day, it is already a small ball of about 30 cells.
Day 6.
On the sixth day, they form a cavity of 60-80 cells, the outer ones will attach the embryo to the placenta.
Day 13.
On the 13th day of embryo formation, the nervous system of the future kitten begins to develop and an embryo with the first elements of the skeleton is formed.
Day 15.
Day 18.
At 18-19 days, the paws begin to form, it is already possible to determine the location of the eyes and ears, the size of the embryo reaches from 7 to 18 mm.
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When Do Signs Of Birth Appear In Cats
Signs of birth in cats begin to appear about two weeks before the date of your cat’s birth. You may notice that your cat behaves differently when it enters the nesting position, and to help it You can search your home for a good birthing place for her. Find a medium-sized crate and cover it with newspapers, old towels, and soft blankets to create a comfortable area for mom and her future kittens.
Create a safe place and let your cat give birth in it.
You should place the nesting box in a quiet corner of your home, and let the pregnant cat visit often before giving birth so that she is used to the area and feels comfortable. When you notice that your cat is in a nesting situation, take her to the vet for her last prenatal visit, where your vet can give you more information about how to prepare for your cat’s birth, check on the health of the mother and kittens, and what to do if there is an emergency during delivery.
There are two signs that your cat will give birth: Kittens stop eating 24 hours before birth. And its temperature drops to less than .
How Do You Know If Your Dog Is Pregnant
Unfortunately, your dog cant tell you that theyre feeling pregnant, and they cant just head to the local drug store to grab a pregnancy test to find out. But, there are some signs to look out for that might indicate that theyre pregnant.
- Increased appetite
While your dog is pregnant, she has some special needs and require additional considerations.
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How Long Is A Cat Pregnant
Cat pregnancy normally lasts between 63 to 67 days, but it can be tough to know exactly how long a cat is pregnant for. The cat gestation period can vary from as short as 61 days to as long as 72 days.
Your cat often wont show any physical symptoms of pregnancy until she is a few weeks into her term. If you think that your cat is pregnant, take her to the vets for confirmation.
If you would like to know how to tell if a cat is pregnant yourself, there are several physical signs that you should be able to spot after two or three weeks have passed.
Why To Use Feline Gestation Calculator
You can use cat due date calculator because it makes it easy for you to calculate the kitten date. Otherwise, you’ll need to perform manual calculations everytime. Manual calculations can be lengthy and generate a lot of errors. That is why it is recommended to use online calculator such as this cat gestation period calculator.
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How To Use The Cat Pregnancy Calculator
There’s nothing easier! Enter your cat’s estimated mating day and enjoy the results, including the exact day of the week of the delivery and the full range of possible delivery dates!
The cat pregnancy calculator is not enough for you? Would you like to discover something new? Try our other catty tools!
How Cats Give Birth
When cats give birth, it is called queening. The queening process looks very similar to birthing in humans.
Some cats, such as Persians or other flat faced breeds, are unable to deliver kittens naturally, and require a Cesarean section surgery to safely deliver kittens. This surgery is done under general anesthesia by a DVM.
Normal gestation lasts 63-65 days. Mother cats typically know what to do when it is time to deliver, and if you find them building or sleeping in a cozy nest, then know you are in the final week of pregnancy, and it is almost time for the birthing process to begin.
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What Do I Do When My Cat’s Giving Birth
Most of the time, cat owners should not interfere with a mother cat that is delivering because in most cases, mother cats instinctually know what to do. Provide a quiet, warm, safe place to deliver, and check on her at least once an hour. If you have a first time mother cat, however, then you should monitor her birthing process more closely, and watch for signs of dystocia, which means ‘difficult birth’.
If a mother cat goes longer than one hour between giving birth to kittens, or you notice her appearing weak or straining without delivering, or if she is ignoring her kittens that are already born, call your veterinarian.
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 hasbeen 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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How Long Are Cats Pregnant
Your cat will be pregnant for about 63-65 days on average.
You can also follow your cats progress with our cat pregnancy calendar to know what happens on a week-by-week basis.
Now that your feline is pregnant you will have to be more proactive with their feeding schedule.
Most people will leave food and water out for their cat. Cats are usually low maintenance pets and will take care of themselves.
Your job with having a pregnant cat is to make sure she is eating well. There will be a time she may want to eat more than what you are used to providing.
This is normal as your pregnant cat is now growing multiple babies inside.
Based on the calculation above, your cat will be delivering within 63-65 days.
Tips To Prepare For The Big Day
Make your home a comfortable place for the impending birth. If you normally let your cat go outside, stop that, to avoid them to go into labor during one of their walkabouts.
About 2 weeks before the due date, you may notice your cat is acting different as they get into nesting mode. To help out, you can scan your home for a good birthing spot for them. Find a medium-sized box with a low opening, and cover it with newspapers, old towels, and soft blankets to create a relaxing area for the mother and their future kittens.
You should place the nesting box in a quiet corner of your house. Let your pregnant cat visit it often, before the birth, so they get used to the area and feel comfortable.
Keep in mind that you can guide your cat as much as possible and set up the ultimate birthing spot, but they are going to do what they are going to do. If they want to give birth in a laundry basket, behind the garbage can, or in the back of your closet, they will.
When you notice that the cat is in nesting mode, take them to the vet for their final prenatal visit. The vet will give you more information about how to prepare for the delivery, check on the mother and kittiesâ health, and tell you want to do if thereâs an emergency during the birth.
Two clues that the big day is coming: Cats usually stop eating 24 hours before they give birth, and their temperature drops below 100 F. Youâll meet those kittens soon!
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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.
Mammary Glands Will Increase In Size
During the final week of pregnancy, the mammary glands of your cat will increase in size. Her mammary glands are arranged in 2 parallel rows running along the outside body wall that extends from the groin area up to the underside of her chest. Cats usually have 4 pairs of mammary glands. Approximately 2 days before your cat gives birth, shell start to produce milk.
You may notice some cream colored thick secretions coming out of her nipples. Your cat might lick it off or she could just let it dry up and youll notice that her nipples will have small whitish scabs on them. Its commonly believed that each nipple has its very own unique smell, which kittens use to attach themselves repeatedly to the same nipple.
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Preparing For Your Dogs Delivery Date
You want to be ready for the delivery date well before it arrives.
Being prepared can be the difference between life and death of your dog and her pups.
In most cases dogs will deliver without any problems and without the need for assistance.
Your job will be to provide food, water and a clean area for your dog to deliver her pups.
How Long Do Cats Live As A Pet
These days, cats live longer lives than ever. This is mainly because of all the improvements in veterinary medicine and feline nutrition such as therapeutic agents, vaccines, and so on. Cats live more than 15 years of age and if you take good care of your pet, he may reach up to 20 years of age and more!
The life expectancy of cats depends on several factors. One of the most important factors is whether your pet is an outdoor or an indoor cat. Cats who live indoors usually live between 12 and 18 years of age. A lot of them even reach their early 20s.
For outdoor cats, they tend to have a shorter lifespan because theyre more likely to get involved in injuries and traumas when they spend most of their time outside. Also, outdoor cats are more at risk for contracting viruses, infections, and diseases when they come into contact with other infected felines.
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How To Calculate My Cat’s Due Date
Here’s the equation that will allow you to write down your cat’s pregnancy week by week:
Cat due date = Mating date + 63 days
Remember that Mother Nature is not as accurate as math the healthy due date of your cat is actually a range and may be between 58-71 days after mating.
As you can see, calculating your cat’s due date is not tricky at all you may use our ready-to-go cat gestation calculator or compute it all by yourself.
Taking Care Of Your Pregnant Cat
During her pregnancy, you will want to keep your cat relatively active in order to ensure she is fit for giving birth. Avoid any excessively rowdy activity towards the end of your cats pregnancy, however. You will need to help her stay calm as she nears her due date, as anything too active could cause her stress. Throughout the pregnancy be sure to pay attention to her appetite and her comfort level. If your cat loses interest in her food or is visibly distressed or agitated, it could signal a problem with her pregnancy.
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How To Estimate When Your Cat Is Due
If you suspect your cat may have mated but you are not sure if they did or didnt some early signs of pregnancy you can watch out for include:
- Enlarged red nipples, this typically happens anywhere from 15-18 days.
- Regular vomiting.
- Increased maternal behaviour such as more purring.
- Gradual weight gain .
- Mild stomach swelling.
If youre still not sure if your cat is pregnant a vet could give them a scan to confirm or deny your suspicions from 15 days of pregnancy.
Signs Of Dystocia Can Include:
- Intense abdominal straining to deliver for 20 minutes or longer without producing a kitten
- Intense straining for 10 minutes and failing to deliver a kitten that has already crowned
- Bleeding from the vulva for 10 minutes or longer
- The mother cat is lethargic, feverish , or more than one hour has passed in between delivering kittens
Signs of dystocia indicate an emergency, and if any are noticed, call your local or emergency veterinarian immediately for advice. Otherwise, if everything proceeds normally, once all kittens have been born you can remove dirty bedding and replace it with clean bedding.
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Where Should I Put The Newborn Kittens
Warmth is essential for the newborn. Kittens cannot control their own body temperature for the first couple of weeks of life. In nature, kittens stay warm by direct body contact with their mother and littermates in the enclosed nest bed. A wet newborn kitten loses heat very rapidly, so it is very important to make sure it is dried off quickly. If the queen is ill or uncooperative, gently lay the kitten on a warm, towel-wrapped hot water bottle and conserve its body heat by covering it with a blanket. Great care must be taken not to inflict contact burns by having the bottle too hot.
Ideally the temperature in the box should be maintained at 85-90°F during the first four days of life. The temperature can be gradually reduced to 80°F by seven to ten days and to 72°F by the end of the first month. If you cannot maintain the room temperature this high, an acceptable alternative is a heat lamp suspended over the nest box. Disadvantages to a heat lamp are that many cats dislike the open bed required for its use, which may make both mother and kittens too hot, and lessen their normal close contact. The box should be large enough for the kittens to move away from the heat if they become too hot.
Take Your Cat For A Fecal Test
Its recommended that you have a fresh stool sample checked by your veterinarian, as intestinal parasites can be spread to the kittens both in utero , and during nursing.
Do NOT use over-the-counter dewormers on your pregnant or nursing cat, as some of these could be dangerous. Your veterinarian can prescribe the appropriate medication if her stool sample shows evidence of parasitic infection.
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