Onset and duration of pregnancy
A pet can become pregnant immediately after the onset of the first heat - at 7-8 months. At this age, the body is formed for fertilization, but is not yet ready for safe bearing of offspring. Because of this, mating is carried out only on the third heat.
Formally, ovulation occurs 24-30 hours after mating. For convenience, breeders calculate the total cycle length as the difference between the day of birth and the day of mating. On average, gestation of kittens lasts 62-68 days. The longest period is typical for the Siamese-Oriental group. These cats have offspring only 71 days after mating.
What do nipples look like in the third trimester of pregnancy?
A pregnant cat's nipples become even larger in size during the third trimester.
In the last three weeks of gestation, the cat's nipples increase in size even more and take on an oblong oval shape.
It is important for cat owners to remember that their pregnant pet's nipples are especially sensitive , so you should be very careful when picking up or bathing your cat so as not to hurt it.
Colostrum
Colostrum a few days before birth
, a milk-like substance, may be released from the nipples a few days before giving birth Colostrum should be clear, white or slightly yellowish in color.
In the last days of pregnancy, the cat's breasts swell slightly and the nipples become a rich red color. Such symptoms should not be a cause for concern; this means that the cat’s body is fully preparing itself for childbirth.
Attention! If redness appears in the nipple area, the skin begins to peel, or pus is released from the nipples, this is already a cause for concern and only a qualified doctor can help in this case.
How to spot pregnancy symptoms in a cat
Behavioral and physiological signs that a cat is pregnant appear soon after mating. Despite this, examination at a veterinary clinic is considered the most accurate diagnosis.
Early on
The first symptoms are increased drowsiness and decreased appetite. Active pets become lethargic and refuse to eat due to nausea. It is also possible for an early cessation of estrus and a change in pigmentation of the nipples to a more intense shade.
All these changes do not give a 100% guarantee and manifest themselves individually. If your pet does not eat for more than a day due to frequent bouts of vomiting, consult a doctor. This condition is not typical for a pregnant animal and indicates the presence of a disease.
At the veterinary clinic
If you know how to determine a cat’s pregnancy in the early stages, then do not be guided only by your own conclusions. In addition to the small guarantee of the symptoms seen, there remains the possibility of false pregnancy, which threatens the health of the animal. To confirm or refute this diagnosis, you must contact your veterinarian.
Make an appointment at the veterinary clinic for 20-25 days after mating. By this time, the placenta releases relaxin into the blood - a hormone that confirms the successful fertilization of the egg and is an analogue of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG hormone). With cystic formations in the ovaries, the result may be false positive.
In addition to taking tests, the veterinarian performs an external examination and palpation of the animal. An ultrasound is performed to detect the fetuses, and an x-ray is used to determine their exact number and position. An X-ray is recognized as the most accurate diagnostic method, but is carried out no earlier than 50 days after mating.
At home
You can determine if a cat is pregnant at home by both behavioral and physiological signs. Unlike symptoms, which appear early, signs are a group of factors characteristic of a particular condition. That is, the appearance of certain symptoms is not always associated with successful conception and may indicate a disease.
The first signs of pregnancy in a cat appear on the 28th day after mating. The expectant mother's belly becomes rounder, her nipples swell, and her weight increases. The kittens begin to move inside the rounded belly. They can be felt by palpation, but veterinarians recommend avoiding this diagnostic method. Applying too much pressure can cause miscarriage, so leave palpation to an experienced veterinarian.
Sterilization of a pregnant cat
Some owners ask whether it is possible to sterilize a cat during pregnancy.
As a rule, it is not advisable to sterilize a cat during pregnancy. The decision to sterilize a cat during pregnancy is made by a veterinarian, taking into account possible complications: sterilization of a pregnant cat can cause the death of the animal. As a rule, veterinarians are hesitant to sterilize a pregnant cat. A positive decision to sterilize a cat during pregnancy is made only when the cat’s life is in danger. Sterilization of a cat during pregnancy involves the removal of the uterus along with the fetuses.
It is still better to sterilize a cat 2 weeks before estrus or 2 weeks after estrus, when the cat has not become pregnant.
Accurate signs of cat pregnancy
An unsuccessful mating requires a repeat mating, and a successful conception requires careful monitoring of the expectant mother, helping to prevent the development of pathologies. Both situations require the owner to understand the exact signs that appear in a pregnant animal.
Termination of heat
Sometimes breeders charge for each mating with their pet. Knowing how to understand that a cat is pregnant after mating, you eliminate unnecessary repeated meetings with her partner and save money.
The premature end of estrus is accompanied by the disappearance of discharge and the return to the usual state of the genitals. The loop loses its intense color and swelling.
Abdominal rounding
Growing fruits stretch the uterus, increasing its size. Along with the internal organs, the stomach also increases. A month after conception, kittens begin to move in it.
Swelling of the nipples
The changes occurring in the mammary glands are difficult to miss. The nipples change color to a more intense one and gradually swell. A week before giving birth, they turn bright pink and begin to secrete colostrum, a special liquid rich in proteins and fats.
Behavioral signs
Changes in hormonal levels are accompanied by a loss of activity and interest in games. This change is difficult to track if the pet has always liked to sleep alone. The opposite situation is also acceptable, when a phlegmatic and unsociable person becomes playful and affectionate. In rare cases, aggression may occur. This behavior is typical for hairless breeds.
Animals suffer from toxicosis just like people. Because of this, a pregnant pet's taste preferences may change. In this case, she will refuse her favorite treats in favor of her least favorite foods.
The most striking sign appears shortly before birth. The pet begins to look for a convenient place and set up a “nest”. Veterinarians recommend helping her with this to avoid choosing an inappropriate location.
What do nipples look like in the first two trimesters of a cat's pregnancy?
Nipple of a pregnant cat in the first trimester
During the first three weeks of pregnancy, a cat's nipples begin to change. They increase slightly in size, acquire a soft pink color, and the areola around the nipples becomes slightly convex.
What is noteworthy is that the pink color of the nipples is characteristic mainly of those cats that became pregnant for the first time. In a pet that has carried offspring many times, the nipples may remain the same color or become slightly lighter.
There should be no discharge from the nipples in the first and second trimester .
Yellow discharge from the nipples - run to the vet!
If the owner notices clear, pinkish or yellowish-streaked discharge from the pet's nipples, he should immediately contact a veterinarian.
First pregnancy
Young animals are bred at approximately 1.5 years. This reduces the risk of miscarriages and the birth of kittens with serious pathologies. If your furry pet becomes pregnant for the first time, then all the symptoms are more pronounced.
The safety of mating decreases after 6 years. At this age, breeding animals are sterilized. If you do not plan to breed the breed, sterilize your pet immediately after reaching maturity. This will reduce the risk of developing cancer to 0.5%.
Cat birth: course and assistance
You can deliver a cat yourself without the help of a veterinarian. In rare cases, difficult births may occur; pathologies are even less common. To avoid unnecessary hassle, you need to prepare the items needed for childbirth . To do this, you will need a heating pad with hot water, a towel and sterilized scissors.
When born, kittens are surrounded by amniotic sac and connected by an umbilical cord and placenta. The umbilical cord is chewed by the cat, she also eats the afterbirth and licks them with her tongue to clean newborns of mucus. The interval between the birth of kittens is 30-50 minutes, however, temporary changes are possible depending on the physiological structure of the animal and the number of offspring. The longest labor can last over 20 hours. It is recommended to call a veterinarian if prolonged and strong contractions are observed, but labor does not occur; or there was a delay in time between the birth of kittens.
There are several signs that indicate that the birth process may be difficult. This may be bleeding before labor begins. In this case, it is better to consult a doctor to avoid possible complications. The cat may be restless and refuse its maternal duties after the end of labor (cessation of contractions). In this case, one of the kittens could remain in the pet's stomach. Timely assistance from a specialist will help avoid an unfortunate outcome.
How to help a cat give birth
If a person has even a slight understanding of veterinary medicine, he can ease the birth pangs of an animal.
- For example, in a situation where the intensity of contractions decreases, you should give the cat a massage in the abdomen and back.
- In a situation where the cat has not chewed the umbilical cord, you should tie the canal connecting mother and child with thread at a distance of 1 cm from the kitten’s body, then cut the umbilical cord, stepping back from the tied place by a centimeter.
- If the kitten is stuck in the birth canal and is only half visible, you can wrap it in a towel or thick cloth and try to pull it out. This manipulation should be carried out with extreme care and caution.
- After removing the baby from the womb, it is necessary to get rid of the amniotic sac, clean the mouth and stimulate the process of breathing and blood circulation by rubbing.
- When the contractions end, labor will also end. To be completely sure that labor is over, the owner must feel the cat’s belly and make sure that there are no more kittens in the womb.
- After giving birth, the cat can be given the required dose of oxytocin. This remedy will eliminate the possibility of adverse consequences, including inflammatory processes.
After the birth of kittens, the owner may be puzzled by the question of how to find out the gender of the kittens . The answer can be obtained during the examination of the babies. At birth, kittens are deaf and blind. After approximately 1.5 weeks, the eyes begin to open, and over the next seven days it becomes possible to see normally. The rumor appears a little earlier.
From birth, kittens have senses of smell and touch. This is what helps them find their mother and navigate space. The mother cat communicates with her babies through her voice. The kittens move by crawling on their stomachs, pushing off with their paws. The cat is separated from the kittens only when natural needs arise.
Behavior of a new mother
Immediately after the birth, the cat collects the kittens under her tummy and feeds them. In the first few days after birth, it is not milk that is released from the mother cat's nipples, but colostrum , as in all mammals. It differs from milk in composition, contains immunoglobulins and antitoxins that protect the newborn, and also normalizes the activity of the digestive tract. It is very important that babies eat well and receive enough colostrum in the first days after birth.
As soon as the kittens have eaten, the cat begins to tidy up the nest and herself. You can help her with this and re-lay the bedding. The cat warms the kittens with her warmth; she gathers the kittens under her tummy and head, so that everyone is warm. In the first days, it is also advisable to control that the new mother does not accidentally run over anyone. In the first days after birth, the cat practically does not leave the kittens; she constantly feeds them and warms them, leaving only in cases of extreme necessity, when the babies have eaten and released their nipples.
It often happens that a few days after giving birth, a cat decides to change the nest and looks for a more comfortable place for the kittens, so at night she can bring the kittens to the owners under the blanket to help protect the babies.
This is an instinctive feature left over from wild ancestors who changed the nest: after all, the smell of blood and amniotic fluid can give the nest away to predators. In this case, you can change the bedding to clean ones, change the configuration of the nest, make it more like a mink, with a small entrance, cramped and dark, or even re-equip the nest in a new place. It is not advisable to make a nest at a height, on your bed, because at 3 weeks the kittens will begin to crawl out of it and may fall from a height.
Too much nervousness and fussiness in a cat may indicate eclampsia , so pay close attention to the cat’s behavior. If remodeling the nest doesn't help and your cat is fussing too much, consult your veterinarian.
While the kittens feed only on milk, the mother cat licks them thoroughly, thereby stimulating the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and excretory organs. Once the cubs begin to eat solid food, be it meat or special cat food, they can be trained to go to the litter box. Mom will wash them only to maintain cleanliness.
False pregnancy
Pseudopregnancy is a phenomenon accompanied by precise signs of conception without actual fertilization of the egg. This condition occurs due to hormonal imbalances and severe stress, and is also inherited. The risk group includes Orientals, Sphynxes, Devon and Cornish Rex cats.
Felinologists suggest that this phenomenon is natural and was obtained during evolution. Thanks to pseudopregnancy, nulliparous individuals fed the offspring of the dead animal. One of the reasons for the appearance of false conception is the proximity of a pregnant four-legged neighbor.
How to distinguish a false pregnancy from a real one
As a rule, the only way to find out whether your cat has a false pregnancy is to consult a veterinarian. Self-diagnosis is not informative due to the abundance of characteristic external signs.
In case of false pregnancy, the blood test for relaxin will be negative. The diagnosis will be confirmed if there are no fetuses on x-ray and ultrasound.
If you do not rush for an examination, you may notice the disappearance of symptoms without a trace after some time. Veterinarians do not recommend ignoring diagnosis in a veterinary clinic, since false pregnancy is not always safe.
What is the danger of false pregnancy?
Frequent false pregnancies have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the pet, increasing the likelihood of developing oncology, endometritis, mastitis, pyometra and other diseases. If hormonal treatment is ineffective, the animal is sterilized.
Castration
If you are not purchasing an animal for breeding, the best option would be to castrate males and sterilize females. This will help avoid not only problems with estrus, but will also be more beneficial for the pet’s health; veterinarians have long proven that such animals are much less likely to develop cancer and many other diseases. An Oriental cat should be castrated no earlier than six months, but many breeders recommend waiting until 9 months, since not all animals reach puberty at the same time.
Caring for the expectant mother
Bearing offspring takes a lot of energy, so the pet needs help from its owner. Pay attention to nutrition and living conditions, and don’t forget to build a safe “nest” for the upcoming birth.
Diet and vitamins
In the first days of the appearance of increased appetite, the usual feeding rates are increased by 10%. In addition to the quantity of food, it is important to take care of its quality. To give birth to healthy offspring, your pet will need more vitamins and minerals. They can be obtained from super-premium and holistic-grade dry foods designed specifically for pregnant animals.
To change your eating habits you will need:
- Switch to easily digestible meals or special food. In the first case, the addition of vitamin and mineral supplements is mandatory, and in the second, it is discussed individually. Ask your veterinarian for exact dosages and brands.
- Increase the frequency of feedings. Do not try to feed an increased amount of food in 2 meals. Have 5-6 feedings per day. With the beginning of the second trimester, the amount of food should be increased by 2 times compared to the original.
- Change the water regularly. Do not forget to monitor the cleanliness and amount of liquid. Its deficiency or contamination with bacteria can lead to miscarriages.
Do not try to buy vitamins on the advice of friends and acquaintances. This is fraught with hypo- or vitamin deficiency.
Setting up a place for childbirth
When choosing a place for a “nest” on their own, animals often huddle under the sofa, preventing the owner from helping during difficult childbirth. Eliminate such a turn by applying your own strength. Find a safe place on a horizontal and low surface and place there:
- a large box that can accommodate not only the expectant mother, but also her kittens;
- soft bedding and a disposable diaper to protect against leaks;
- tray, bowls for food and water.
Accustom your pet to the constructed “nest” from the first days of confirming its position. Soon she will start carrying soft toys there and spending most of her time there.
Other nuances
Protect your pet from drafts and overheating. Ventilate the room regularly. In later stages, help her with genital hygiene. Licking will be difficult due to the enlarged belly.
Prevent jumping onto high objects. Any injury can harm the health of kittens, so it is better to replace high play sets with floor-mounted scratching posts.
Features of pregnancy and childbirth in different breeds
Felinologists have noted a certain tendency during pregnancy in different breeds of cats:
- Representatives of cats with long hair reach maturity later than their short-haired counterparts, and their pregnancy lasts longer.
- Scottish Folds and British Folds give birth to fairly large kittens and often require veterinary care. And also the gestation period for their kittens is longer - up to 72 days, which leads to an increase in the size of the future offspring.
- With frequent pregnancies, the cat's body quickly depletes. This is a very important factor to consider when breeding animals.
- The duration of multiple pregnancies is most often reduced. Since this triggers natural protective mechanisms that prevent excessive exhaustion of the mother. The size of the kittens will also be slightly smaller compared to their counterparts born from a normal pregnancy. But this is compensated for, and they catch up with their peers in weight and development very quickly.
- Cats older than 7 years often give birth to pets with congenital anomalies or weakened ones. Therefore, upon reaching this age, it is recommended to stop mating. Such signs indicate the weakened health of the mother herself, which means there is no need to undermine it even more.
Is it possible to terminate a pregnancy?
Abortion has a negative impact on the reproductive function and health of the animal. Veterinarians recommend avoiding it. The least consequences are typical for surgical abortion with sterilization. It is carried out in the first 6 weeks after conception, but it is safer to do it in the first 2-3 weeks. During the operation, the animal's uterus and ovaries are removed.
Prescribing abortifacients on your own is dangerous, so always seek help from a veterinarian. In the presence of serious pathology, a natural abortion occurs, that is, the fetuses die on their own inside the womb. In this case, the veterinarian must ensure that all kittens have left the uterus.
How to tell if your cat is about to give birth
As birth approaches, the cat becomes more and more lethargic. She eats less and licks her genitals more often. In the week before giving birth, the animal follows its owner more often and also begins to look for a convenient place to give birth. Cats usually try to find a protected space, so it makes sense to set it up personally to prevent the cat from giving birth somewhere under the bathtub.
This is due not only to unsanitary conditions, but also to the fact that it is cold there and it will be very difficult to clean after childbirth. In addition, you cannot be sure that kittens will not inhale the cleaning products that are often stored there.
The best options would be either the bottom drawer of the chest of drawers or a cardboard box of a fairly large size with high sides. For example, a box of bananas, which you can ask for at any grocery store, will do. At the bottom of future nurseries it is worth laying soft bedding, such as towels or cut-up sheets.
Be prepared for the fact that you will have to throw away this litter later, as it will be covered in blood and amniotic fluid. After arranging this shelter, the cat will carefully examine it, dig around and, most likely, settle down there.
Just before giving birth, the cat will lie down on its side in a location of its choosing. She will breathe through her mouth, quite often. In rare cases, these animals give birth while sitting, with their legs spread apart, but this is the exception rather than the rule.
Important! If you have no experience in childbirth and you are scared, then it is best to call a veterinarian at home or bring your cat to a veterinary clinic. It is advisable to think through possible options in advance, where to turn and what to do in case of surprises.
Veterinarian about cat pregnancy:
Behavior of a cat during childbirth and signs of complications
During the entire birth, the cat must remain in the nest. If the pet is worried and tries to leave, it must be picked up and calmed down. While struggling, the cat may feel the urge to defecate and go to the litter box. You shouldn’t interfere, but watch carefully what happens next.
With this development of events, especially during the first birth, immediately after defecation, a bladder containing the first kitten emerges from the cat’s birth canal. If this happens, there is no need to panic, just pick up the cat and carefully carry it to the nest. The anus and fur under the tail can be gently cleaned using wet wipes.
Postpartum eclampsia is a common, insidious and very dangerous complication for which you need to prepare in advance. In rare cases, a cat experiencing eclampsia may kill or even eat its own kittens. Such a sight is difficult to endure even for an experienced animal owner, but you will have to pull yourself together to save the life of your pet.
All kittens that are born after this must be picked up immediately, mucus removed from the respiratory tract independently and placed in a separate nest with a heating pad. To save the cat, she needs to start taking calcium supplements and carry out maintenance therapy!
Important! Call your veterinarian immediately if your cat tries to strangle your newborn kitten.
In very rare cases, a cat may kill her kittens if they are not viable. For example, with premature birth, premature kittens most often do not survive. However, for a healthy cat that does not suffer from a disorder of the central nervous system, it is more common to refuse to feed the offspring and completely ignore the kittens.
