Instruction

In the first weeks of pregnancy, the cat's appetite decreases. She becomes less active than usual. In addition, the cat completely ceases to show interest in relation to cats. She may also be aggressive towards other pets living in your home.

Against the background of changes in the hormonal background, the cat may develop toxicosis. However, vomiting will not bother her for long, about 1 week.
The color of the nipples of the animal will change to bright coral. Especially such changes will be noticeable in a cat who has become pregnant for the first time.

The belly begins to grow in the animal at the 5th week of pregnancy. In addition, the cat will have an increased appetite. During this period, veterinarians recommend giving the animal food for kittens. The growth of babies in the mother's womb is quite fast, and already at 6-7 weeks the belly will be very large.

At the 7th week of pregnancy in a cat, you can feel the movement of babies if you lightly put your hand on the animal's abdomen. Do not feel the cat's belly to try to determine the number of kittens. Such actions can harm both the pregnant cat and her offspring.

2 weeks before the birth, the animal will begin to look for a secluded corner where it will be cozy and calm for future babies. If you do not want kittens to be born in your closet or on your bed, prepare roomy boxes with soft fabric for your pet in various places in the house. Let the cat choose the box in which she will give birth. Place such houses in secluded places, as your pet will seek a quiet refuge where no one will disturb newborn kittens.

A few days before the birth, the animal will literally follow you everywhere and meow loudly. The body temperature of the cat will noticeably decrease, and milk will be released from the nipples. Try placing your pet in a spacious box. In the event that she begins to resist, give her the right to choose.

Usually cats do well on their own, they do not need outside help during childbirth. If your pet was unwell during pregnancy, it is better to show it to the veterinarian before giving birth. Think in advance about where the kittens will live later. If you do not have the opportunity to keep them at home, think about who you can give the animals to.

Cats in early pregnancy are important for two reasons:

It is necessary to prepare for the birth of kittens in order to get healthy offspring. Having the right information, the breeder will adjust the diet and provide proper care for the cat in the early stages.
If the offspring is undesirable - time to sterilize the cat. The earlier pregnancy is detected, the less likely complications from the operation. At a later date, veterinarians rarely decide on such an intervention, since the risks to the life of the animal are great.

At home

It is impossible to determine the "interesting" position of the cat in the first days after mating at home. No external and (or) behavioral changes are observed. The first signs appear a week after a date with a cat. Consider ways to determine the pregnancy of an animal at different times.

Method 1

Starting from 1-3 weeks, you can observe the following changes with the animal:

manifestations of toxicosis. As a rule, nausea and vomiting are observed in the morning. The duration of this state is 1.5-2 weeks.
Swelling of the teats, especially in young animals.
Changing the shade of the nipples to a brighter one.
Sleepy state

Method 2

Starting from the fourth week, the following changes occur with the pet:

Significant improvement in appetite, weight gain.
An increase in the abdomen (this is not associated with overeating).
Change in the nature of the animal. An aggressive cat becomes calm, and vice versa.
Significant enlargement of the mammary glands.
Increase in activity. The cat moves a lot, likes to walk, but does not let cats.

Method 3

These signs are related to late pregnancy:

A period of calm. Most of the time the cat spends lying down.
Fruit movement is noticeable to the eye.
The animal is looking for a secluded place for childbirth. It is not at all a fact that it will be a familiar cat bed. Cats often strive to climb into a laundry box, a closet or a low mezzanine.
1-2 days before birth, the cat begins lactation. Heavy breathing and strong meowing are signs that labor has begun.

Sometimes the owners buy "human" tests at the pharmacy. The result obtained will be incorrect, since the secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin occurs in the body of a pregnant woman (which is fixed by the express test). Animals do not produce this hormone.

At the veterinary clinic

In a veterinary clinic, the range of methods for diagnosing pregnancy is much wider than at home:

External examination of the animal.
Palpation.
Laboratory research.
X-ray diagnostics.

Method 1

The doctor examines the animal. By the second month of pregnancy, signs appear that are noticeable even to the naked eye:

An increase in the size of the abdomen.
Fruit bumps.
Enlargement of the mammary glands, staining of the nipples in a more intense shade.
calm behavior of the animal. The cat does not show signs of excitement in the unfamiliar environment of a veterinary clinic. She is not nervous when a stranger (veterinarian) touches her.

Method 2

Palpation. The animal is palpated on an examination table. The direction of palpation is towards the lumbar vertebrae.

Careful probing reveals thickened uterine horns the size of a walnut or a little more (after 3 weeks of pregnancy). At a later date, the doctor clearly probes the fruits.

It is impossible to feel the cat on your own, without special skills. Any rough, hasty or careless movement can provoke a miscarriage or cause premature birth.

Method 3

Research conducted by veterinary laboratories. The doctor sends venous blood for analysis. During pregnancy, the cat's body undergoes a number of changes. Biochemical analysis provides information about the physiological state of the animal, including the presence of pregnancy.

As a result of laboratory studies, the following can be revealed:

During pregnancy, the cat’s body secretes the hormone relaxin (the placenta is “responsible” for this process). Special rapid tests can detect its presence. Relaxin analysis is recommended after 25 days from the expected date of fertilization. It is by this time that the placenta is formed and the secretion of the hormone begins.
The relaxin test allows you to distinguish between true and false pregnancies.

Express analysis results are ready in 10 minutes. However, there is a caveat: in the presence of an ovarian cyst, the result is unreliable, therefore, in addition to AK, an ultrasound examination is prescribed.

Urinalysis to determine pregnancy is not informative. Changes in the urine are often mistaken for various pathologies. In addition, the collection of urine by a catheter is associated with known difficulties.

Method 4

ultrasound. Another name for this technique is ultrasound sonography. This method is considered the most informative in determining feline pregnancy. Before conducting the study, the hair on the belly of the cat is cut out on both sides of the white line.

The information obtained from ultrasound depends on the power of the device:

Detection of fruits - 20 days after mating.
Assessment of motor reflexes, viability of fetuses, identification of possible malformations.

It is pointless to conduct an ultrasound before the 20-day period.

Method 5

X-ray diagnostics. With the advent of ultrasound diagnostics, this method is used exclusively for special indications, when ultrasound does not provide the necessary information. The reason is that x-rays are harmful to the health of the animal. X-ray diagnostics allows you to set the number of fetuses at a late stage of pregnancy, when the skeleton of the fetus is formed. In the early stages, the method is not informative.

When you need veterinary help

Any atypical condition of the cat should alert the owner and is a signal to show the pet to the veterinarian:

Protrusions between the nipples. In particular, this applies to swelling between the penultimate and last pairs.
Bloody discharge or clots from the genitals.
Restless behavior of the animal.
Lethargy, apathy, deterioration or lack of appetite.
Irregular shape of the abdomen by the end of pregnancy, red and swollen loop.
Absence or extreme weakness of training bouts. There is no uterine opening.
Sudden miscarriage, bleeding (as an option - rapid delivery).
There is an increase in the abdomen in the absence of other signs of pregnancy.

Be responsible for the animal, don't put it at unnecessary risk.

There are many different ways to tell if a cat is pregnant. This can be done both independently, knowing the main external signs of pregnancy, and with the help of veterinary specialists and laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods.

How to determine if a cat is pregnant?

How to understand that a cat is pregnant at home? Answer: by observing and analyzing external signs. These manifestations include:

cessation of estrus within a new day after mating (one of the first signs of a successful mating);
general calming of the cat;
increased affection;
increased appetite;
from 3-4 weeks rounding of the abdomen is noticed(the belly from excess weight grows with the body, the paws, neck increase in size, during pregnancy - one belly);
nipples- the moment the growth of the abdomen begins to swell, the nipples of the mammary glands become more red;
movements- from the 28th-30th day, undulating movements are felt in the stomach under the palms attached to it - confirmation of the presence of kittens by movements.

The listed signs (except for the stirring of the fetus) also have a false pregnancy. Therefore, if after detecting all the signs of a possible pregnancy, potential movements of the kittens were not noticed at the prescribed time, it is imperative to show the cat to the veterinarian!

When can a cat's pregnancy be determined?

If on your own, then not earlier than a month after fertilization (28-30 days), when the stomach begins to grow, and all the "pregnant" signs appear as clearly as possible - calmness, increased appetite, swelling and redness of the nipples.

The earliest time when pregnancy can be determined by a veterinarian - 20 days from the moment of possible fertilization. At this time, you can already do an ultrasound.
At 25 days you can do a blood test for relaxin (a unique hormone of pregnancy in dogs and cats), in 25-28 days by palpation to determine the presence of fetuses in the uterus. X-ray pregnancy will show no earlier than 40 days.

The earliest signs of pregnancy - what to look for?

Any specific pregnancy symptoms for up to 1 month no pregnancy. There are symptoms that allow the owner to suspect the appearance of kittens in the future (subject to successful coverage by the cat). You can tell if a cat is pregnant if she has:

a sharp change in active behavior to a more calm, complaisant one;
excessive affection;
increased appetite;
periodic vomiting, nausea (should not affect the general condition of the animal);
a change in the color of the nipples towards a more saturated one (especially characteristic of primiparous cats);
The cat sleeps almost all the time.

According to the listed signs, it can be suspected that the cat is in position. If, over time, the growth of the abdomen and the stirring of the fetuses are added here, there is no doubt that Murka will soon become a mother.

Is there a pregnancy test for cats?

In the format in which many owners imagine the very concept of “pregnancy test”, having heard this phrase, no. It is not possible to find out if a cat is pregnant in the early stages using a pregnancy test. The tests used by women for cats are not suitable for one simple reason - the same control human hormone hCG (chorionic gonadotropin), which is determined there, is not produced in the body of cats and dogs.

It just doesn't exist. But it is produced hormone relaxin. According to it, from the 25th day of pregnancy, the truth of the condition is determined. This is an express method for determining the placenta in the body by blood. Making time takes 10-20 minutes with the blood sampling process. This method is also used to separate a false pregnancy from a real one.

Why determine the pregnancy of a cat in the early stages?

Option two:

to have time to prepare for the process of the appearance of kittens in the family and
to timely terminate pregnancy by sterilization when offspring are undesirable.

If the pregnancy is desired, the owner surrounds the cat with care, changes the diet in a timely manner, provides proper care and conditions for existence in this state almost from the first weeks when the pregnancy is detected.

When the condition is undesirable or unexpected (sudden uncontrolled mating), the sooner this is detected, the safer the operation will be. In the later stages, it is rare that a doctor will undertake such an operation. This is risky for the life of the cat itself.

Methods for determining in a veterinary clinic

Of course, veterinarians have a wider range of ways to determine pregnancy, on which they rely on reliable results. These methods include:

external examination of the animal;
palpation (correct probing) of the abdomen;
laboratory analyzes of biological fluids;
x-ray.

External examination of the cat

The doctor conducts a detailed examination of a pregnant cat, notes those signs of pregnancy that become visible to the naked eye by the 2nd month. The inspection determines:

an increase in the abdomen, tremors inside the fruit;
swelling of the mammary glands, changing their color of the nipples to a more intense one;
calm, measured behavior of a cat, despite the fact that she is in a veterinary clinic, and a stranger (veterinarian) touches her.

Feeling the abdomen (palpation)

The cat is placed on the examination table on all fours, calmed down by stroking, affectionate conversation. Some squatting of the animal is allowed, but not allowed to lie down. The veterinarian applies both sides of the palm to the stomach, gently starting to probe along the line along the spine to the lumbar vertebrae. An experienced doctor can easily feel the horns of the uterus, which have the appearance of seals to the touch, a little larger than a walnut (after 21-25 days of the alleged pregnancy). If a cat was brought in at a deep stage of pregnancy, then the doctor clearly palpates individual fetuses.

It is forbidden to independently palpate without having the proper experience with skills! Any excessive pressure or unsuccessful pressing can lead to abortion, premature birth and death of kittens.

Laboratory tests

This method of research is carried out by veterinary laboratories. The veterinarian sends venous blood and urine collected through a catheter or brought by the owner. How to determine the gestational age in a cat by analysis?

A lot of different transformations take place in the body during pregnancy, which are informatively reflected in the indicators of urine and blood tests. Biochemical analysis will show the complete picture of the physiological state of the cat, including the "fertilized" position.

Cats do not produce the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) like women do. Such an analysis is not carried out in small animals.

The feline placenta produces the hormone relaxin, which is determined in the blood by special rapid tests.
This analysis is recommended to be carried out no earlier than 25 days after the alleged fertilization.
From this period, the placenta is laid, the hormone begins to be produced.
This test is also used to separate a false pregnancy from a true one (a false one proceeds without the production of a hormone in the blood).
The test result is usually ready within 10 minutes.
One caveat - an ovarian cyst can give a false result, so if doubts remain, it is better to add an ultrasound.

Laboratory studies of urine for the establishment of pregnancy are not carried out. Fluctuations in indicators are not specific and can be confused with indicators during the onset of any pathologies. Also, the analysis is associated with some difficulties in taking the material.

Ultrasound (ultrasound sonography)

It is considered one of the most informative methods by which you can determine the pregnancy of a cat. In places where there is potential contact with the ultrasonic transducer, hair should be cut off (on both sides of the white line of the abdomen).

Depending on the power of the device, you can see kittens inside, register their heartbeat. 20 days after the alleged mating, fruits can be detected, and after 28 - the presence of motor reflexes, possible malformations, their viability. Previously, ultrasound is meaningless.

x-ray

A rather harmful way to determine pregnancy in cats. Almost universally used before the advent of ultrasound. With the help of X-rays at the latest dates, you can see the exact number of kittens (counted by skulls). Pregnancy itself cannot be determined by X-ray.

Until day 40, when the kittens have a spine, the scan will only show an enlarged uterus, but not the cause of this increase. This means that it is impossible to distinguish uterine pathologies from normal pregnancies by x-ray before 1.5 months. Now this method of examination is used extremely rarely and only for special indications, when ultrasound does not provide the necessary information.

When to contact the veterinarian urgently

Any condition of the cat that attracts the attention of the owner and seems unusual should be a reason for consultation or a visit to the veterinarian. Especially when one of the following manifestations is noted:

The appearance of any unexplained protrusions between the nipples that were not there before. This is especially true of the place between the penultimate and last pair.
Isolation from the genitals of blood clots or just blood.
Excessive anxiety of the cat, when it seems that the animal does not find a place for itself: it will lie down, get up, try to lie down again, rise again.
The appetite disappears completely, the pet refuses to drink, there is apathy, weakness, lack of initiative in relation to what is happening around.
The abdomen towards the end of pregnancy acquires unusual, irregular shapes and outlines, becomes barrel-shaped hard, with a light tapping of the fingers on the abdominal wall, a dull sound is heard. The loop is edematous and strongly reddened.
There are either no training contractions, or they are very weak, and the uterus is unchanged, taking into account the fact that disclosure should already occur.
There was a miscarriage, rapid labor began, bleeding began.
Growth of the abdomen is noted without other signs of pregnancy and fetal movements.

The period of gentle flirting, persistent courtship and passionate seduction ended - the cat's wedding took place. Now the owners of fluffy "newlyweds" are waiting with trepidation for confirmation that charming babies will soon appear in the family. Meanwhile, the upcoming bearing of kittens is not only a touching and exciting process, but also a responsible one. First of all - for owners who love their pet. They should be aware of the main signs of pregnancy, what problems can complicate this condition, what the expectant mother can expect.

General information about pregnancy

The first signs of a cat's pregnancy

Some originals from felinology recommend using human tests to determine pregnancy in a cat. Since the biochemistry of the processes occurring in a woman's body is different, such express diagnostics will be useless.

At the earliest stage of pregnancy, it is possible to accurately state its onset only with the help of ultrasound, which, of course, is highly undesirable. Experienced breeders and owners with experience can almost accurately determine that a cat will become a mother, by indirect signs that begin to appear as early as a week after mating.

All signs of estrus disappear: passionate calls cease, the cat no longer seeks to escape from the house at the slightest opportunity and regains its former decent manners.
The pet becomes phlegmatic, somewhat detached, sleeps more than usual. An exception, however, may be young primogeniture cats, who retain their playfulness and agility almost until the last day of pregnancy.
But in primiparous cats, pinking is pronounced - this is the name for the change in color of the usually pale bodily nipples. They acquire a coral hue, become very noticeable. The discoloration may affect only 2 or 4 lower mammary glands. In cats that have already had offspring, this sign is weakly expressed.

Features in the early stages

Another symptom that deserves attention is changes in appetite: at first it decreases somewhat, but by the end of the 3rd week of pregnancy, the expectant mother begins to intensively replenish the energy lost during love dates and accumulate new resources for bearing kittens. During this period, the daily amount of food eaten can exceed by 1.5-2 times the norm that was sufficient for normal physiological status. It is possible that taste preferences will also change: instead of the always desired food or favorite treat, the pet will have a craving for some unusual food for her.

In the initial stage of pregnancy, some cats may experience toxicosis, manifested by morning sickness and vomiting, a slight increase in body temperature. This condition, unless aggravated by more severe symptoms, usually lasts no more than 10-14 days and does not require treatment.

The behavior of the cat also changes. Always sweet and affectionate, the pet becomes irritable, capricious, and in relation to other animals, and to its relatives, especially cats, it shows aggression. But pretty soon, in two or three weeks, the opposite picture will be observed: yesterday's evil fury asks for hands, seeks close contact with the owner, renews friendly relations with animal companions. An attentive owner, who knows almost all the habits and character traits of his kitty, will definitely notice the changes that happened to her soon after mating and, with a high degree of probability, can speak of a successful result of “wedding fun”.

Signs of a false pregnancy

False pregnancy (graviditas spuria) in cats is the result of mating remaining sterile when the eggs are not fertilized despite normal ovulation. This occurs either when there are problems with the quality of the seminal fluid of the cat, or when the cat has an excess of progesterone produced by the corpus luteum of the ovaries.

It is interesting! Infectious and systemic diseases, pathologies of the reproductive organs in a cat can also provoke graviditas spuria. False pregnancy sometimes occurs without mating. In this case, the causes are most often hormonal and endocrine disorders.

An imaginary pregnancy, like a normal one, is accompanied by the following symptoms:

pinking of the nipples;
an increase in the size of milk packages;
increased appetite;
rounded belly;
digestive disorders;
vomiting;
secretion of colostrum from the nipples.

At an early stage of imaginary sickness, the cat looks lethargic and passive, loses interest in games, sleeps a lot, and as the “approaching birth”:

becomes restless;
often takes a pose characteristic for feeding;
transfers “kittens” from place to place, the role of which is played by soft toys, slippers, hats;
begins to look for and equip a secluded place for himself.

The intensity of behavioral symptoms is individual and depends on the hormonal level, as well as the type of the pet's nervous system: some cats acutely tolerate the state of graviditas spuria, others almost do not respond to ongoing physiological changes.

But anyway false pregnancy, especially if it is periodically repeated, is dangerous as a source of severe complications:

mastitis ;
endometritis;
pyometra;
and can also initiate the development of tumor processes.

The issue of drug treatment is decided by the veterinarian: since therapy in such cases involves the appointment of not only stopping lactation, but also sedative, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, the general condition of the cat in each individual case should be taken into account.

Instruction

Normal term The period of carrying kittens is considered to be two calendar months. Errors of two or three days in one direction or another are permissible. Kittens born before term and are often not viable. But if the pregnancy has dragged on to 70 days, the cat may need urgent veterinary intervention. Usually, kittens from small litters are “delayed”, and multiple pregnancy proceeds faster.

Early term ah position cats hard to see with the naked eye. The presence of embryos can only be determined using ultrasound. However, veterinarians prefer not to take risks and prescribe such an examination no earlier than four weeks after fertilization.

Watch Behavior cats. In the first weeks pregnancy she sleeps more than usual, preferring secluded corners, sometimes refuses to eat, but begins to drink more. Some cats in the initial period often feel sick - this phenomenon resembles toxicosis in pregnant women.

After a couple of weeks, the animal wakes up appetite, and the urge to vomit stops. Change the feeding regime by transferring the pet to three to four meals a day. It is advisable to give your cat a balanced ready-to-cook food for pregnant women or a good kitten food enriched with calcium, phosphorus and protein.

In the third week pregnancy cats have swollen and pink nipples. This is especially noticeable in young animals awaiting their first litter.

Monthly pregnancy is easy to determine by a rounded belly cats. During this period, the animal becomes less active. The size of the fetus reaches 25-30 mm and all the vital organs are already developed by this moment.

After the seventh week, you can feel the movement of the kittens by placing your hand on your stomach. cats. On this term That is, your pet will become restless, start looking for a place for a future nest. Help her by offering a box lined with soft rags as a cozy bed.

In the last week before childbirth, anxiety cats intensifies. Her belly is getting bigger - the kittens have doubled in size in the last month. nipples cats swell strongly, a whitish liquid may come out of them. From now on, watch your pet especially carefully - childbirth may begin in the coming days.

note

Do not try to feel the kittens in the cat's belly, count them or determine the size. By inept actions, you can injure both the expectant mother and the cubs.

Sources:

how long are cats pregnant

Self-determine term pregnancy at cats up to a day is impossible. But if you observe the behavior of the animal, you can at least roughly calculate the date of the expected birth.

Instruction

Show your pet to the veterinarian. The specialist will determine most accurately by making an ultrasound of the animal. At the same time, consult with your doctor about how the expectant mother is - this is very important for the normal development of the offspring and maintaining health.

If you can't take your cat to a specialist, try to determine the approximate gestational age yourself. In the third week, the animal may experience mood changes and passive behavior. All these should disappear with time.

In the fourth week, you will notice other signs of pregnancy. At this time, the nipples will begin to increase and their color will change. If your pet is preparing to become a mother for the first time, then these phenomena will be most pronounced. In subsequent pregnancies, the nipples will also change, but not so much, since when feeding they become larger than they were before the first.

By about the sixth week of pregnancy, the cat's belly noticeably rounds, and already at 45-50 days you can feel how they are moving in the womb. Be careful when handling an animal.

From the seventh to the eighth week, the expectant mother begins to worry. The cat can run around the rooms and look for a suitable place for childbirth. But don't expect kittens to show up any day now. This will happen no earlier than the ninth week of pregnancy. A few days before the birth, the kitty will calm down, become thoughtful. If you notice these changes, then the cat can at any time. Monitor her condition, and if necessary, call a veterinarian.

note

Cats behave differently, so you may be wrong in your calculations. It all depends not only on the nature of the animal, but also on the number of offspring.

Sources:

what is the gestation period for cats

After the onset of puberty of a cat, many owners begin to think about her first mating and the appearance of offspring. However, due to inexperience in such matters, they are worried about the upcoming pregnancy of their pet and about its successful passage.

The course of pregnancy in a cat

On average it lasts nine weeks. You can recognize it, starting from the third week - by the nipples, which acquire a pronounced pink color. Also, the animal may feel sick, because hormonal changes begin to occur in its body. From the fifth week, the cat begins to significantly gain weight, and from the sixth week, it will rapidly increase, filling with milk. The expectant mother begins to sleep more and completely ignores if one of them is nearby.

Usually cats during pregnancy become more gentle, quiet and affectionate, if they used to go outside, then during this period they are closer to home conditions.

Every day he eats more and more, but after a few days his appetite noticeably decreases. Also, during pregnancy, intra-abdominal pressure increases in the animal's body, as a result of which urination and defecation become more frequent. Sometimes a cat can be observed that occurs during ovulation without fertilization. The cat shows all signs of pregnancy, which disappear in forty days, however, if they cause health complications, action should be taken. With a recurring false pregnancy, doctors often recommend removing the cat's ovaries.

Care during pregnancy

First of all, the cat must be provided with proper and nutritious nutrition, rich in proteins and calcium. In the second half of pregnancy, you need to feed the cat with food that contains a lot of protein. You should also exclude all medications, including drugs for fleas and worms. Since the large one makes it difficult for the animal to wash itself, it can be helped to clean the genitals with a damp, soft cloth.

They love solitude during the time, so if there are other cats in the house, it is better to partially isolate the pregnant woman from them.

In the last stages of pregnancy, the cat should not climb closets and other high places, because the weight of the uterus greatly shifts the center of gravity, and the animal may lose balance if she falls from a height. Shortly before the birth (about two weeks), the cat needs to make a nest - a box with newspapers or disposable baby diapers, stacked in several layers. When kittens are born, they should not be wiped with soft wipes, which can stick to and refuse to lick it. The box should be in a warm place - preferably where the cat liked to be during the entire period of pregnancy. Sometimes childbirth can last more than a day, so you should have everything you need on hand, including the phone number of the nearest veterinary clinic.

Advice 4: Why kittens move a lot in a pregnant cat

Cats are the most popular pets. In some families, the owners even keep several representatives of this family, even if they do not breed them. A planned or unplanned pregnancy of a pet is a matter of concern and excitement for the whole family, because this condition in cats and the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity is very similar.

On average, a pregnancy lasts 9 weeks and how soon a cat depends on the number of gestations. The more there are, the sooner the birth will take place. Usually everyone, even rare breeds, tolerate this condition quite normally and they do not need special veterinary supervision. Their belly becomes noticeable after 3-4 weeks, especially if the cat is smooth-haired.

2- before giving birth, you can feel how kittens began to move in her stomach. First, you can understand that there is movement in the stomach, you can only put your hand on it. The first movements - the hand will have to be held tightly pressed for several minutes before you feel them. A week later, the stomach is already moving constantly, and if the coat is short, this stirring can be seen without even putting a hand on the cat's stomach - he walks like that.

This activity is easy to explain. Firstly, a cat usually has several kittens, if one is sleeping, the second can toss and turn in its fetal bladder. Secondly, kittens, although they are born blind, compared to a child, are much more adapted to life - they begin to crawl immediately. Therefore, before giving birth, kittens ready to get out into the world move quite strongly.

Strongly massaging the walls of the uterus, the kittens stimulate the release of the hormone oxytocin from the pituitary gland, which triggers the biological mechanism of childbirth.

How do cats give birth

1-2 days before the birth, the behavior of the cat changes - sensing their approach, she begins to look for a dark, secluded and closed place where strangers cannot disturb her or the kittens. During this period, under the influence of hormones, the pelvis becomes more mobile, the abdominal muscles relax and it changes shape from round to pear-shaped.

A sign of close childbirth is colostrum released when squeezing the nipples.

A pregnant cat usually eats often and with pleasure, but before giving birth, she may completely refuse to eat, she may begin to vomit and frequent stools. But most often everything passes without such complications, and it will be possible to know about the approaching exciting moment only by the fact that her body temperature has dropped. In a normal state, body temperature is 38.5 ° C, immediately before childbirth it drops to 37.5-37.8 ° C.

Most cats are fine with giving birth to kittens on their own, even if for the first time. In this case, you can only sit nearby to insure. But just in case, it is better to read the literature to help if something does not go according to plan.

Human intervention, his breeding activity, of course, is reflected in the appearance of cats of different breeds, but pregnancy in all of them proceeds almost the same. There is no difference between the way a thoroughbred cat bears kittens and the one that was born in the yard.

Instruction

The only difference between purebred cats and ordinary domestic ones, as noted by veterinarians, is that they have less estrus, their frequency, in addition, depends on the breed to which the cat belongs. The duration of estrus averages 5 days and depends on the individual characteristics of the animal. Since it is in the power of the owner of a thoroughbred cat, which is protected from casual sexual intercourse, to control its mating, the first date with the cat should be planned for 2-3 estrus. At this age, the cat's body is already fully formed and she is physically quite ready to become a mother and bear healthy and viable offspring.

The average duration of pregnancy in pedigree cats of different ages is 65 days and is directly dependent on how many kittens she bears. If there are more than 4 of them, childbirth can begin 1-2 days earlier, if a cat bears 1-2 kittens, it can take up to 70 days. In the event that childbirth has not occurred even after this period, you should definitely contact a veterinarian - this is already a pathology.

As a rule, conception occurs 24-26 hours after mating, therefore, when calculating the gestational age, consider this. It is impossible to understand whether pregnancy has occurred in the first 2-3 weeks either by the behavior or by the appearance of the cat, her eating habits also do not change. In rare cases, 10-11 days after mating, when the embryos attach to the walls of the uterus, there may be a slight vomiting of foam and decreased appetite. Do not be alarmed - your cat has a common toxicosis.

After 3-4 weeks, young cats may experience pinking and swelling of the nipples, but older cats may not have these signs. By this time, the expectant mother has already developed an appetite, so the usual portion of food should be increased, but remember that it is not recommended to give fish during this period, since the substances contained in it destroy the B vitamins necessary for the formation of kittens. Include more dairy products in her diet, which are high in calcium.

The weight gain of the cat begins from the 5th week, when the kittens begin a period of intensive growth. From now on, the cat eats a lot and sleeps a lot, behaves calmly and peacefully. But by the end of the 9th week, she will begin to look for a place where she can safely give birth. This means that in a couple of days labor will begin. Take care of arranging such a place - a spacious box with sides 10-15 cm high or a special cat house will do. The most important thing is that the cat maternity hospital is not in a draft or on the aisle - it is best if it is a dark heated corner.

Cat Pregnancy

One of the most prolific breeds of cats are Siamese. Also, Siamese cats are slightly different from ordinary cats in terms of duration. If an ordinary cat needs a little more than nine weeks for a full pregnancy, namely 63-65 days, it copes with this task in a shorter period, 59-61 days. Of course, it cannot be argued that these terms are indisputable, but it is from them that one should start when determining the gestational age.

Pregnancy of a cat should be counted from the day of fertilization of the egg, but this is not always possible, and therefore the first calendar day of mating usually becomes the starting point.

External signs of a cat's pregnancy to determine the gestational age

From the first to the fourth week, the pregnancy of a cat is very difficult to visually notice. But you can pay attention to a slight increase in the weight of the cat, vomiting after eating and a slight lethargy in behavior are also sometimes possible, the cat becomes calm and unhurried. At the fifth week of pregnancy, you can visually note what begins, if you gently stroke the cat on the tummy, then small tubercles are felt, these are grown-up future ones. You can also find that the nipples have become denser, pinker and more visible among the fur. When the sixth pregnancy begins, you will realize that your cat has become noticeably larger in a very short time, literally in 1-2 days.

At the seventh week, it will be possible to visually and tactilely feel the movement of kittens in the cat's tummy. Also at this time, the cat will begin to study in detail the space surrounding her in order to determine the place where she wants to give birth. In the last weeks of pregnancy, the cat will become completely inactive, detached. If a little earlier you noticed that the cat's nipples were swollen and pink, now the enlargement of the mammary glands is clearly visible. A few days before the cat, you can notice small light or. A few hours before lambing, your cat will begin to lick her belly and genitals. You may also have diarrhea or vomiting. The cat will begin to purposefully look for a convenient place for childbirth. If at this moment you help her and offer a comfortable bed, most likely she will choose it.

It should be noted that privacy is not always preferred during childbirth. There are precedents when a cat is waiting for attention and support, the presence of the owner. Especially such tendencies can be manifested with the first litter.