Pregnancy in Cats
Pregnancy in Cats
A pregnant cat is called a queen. A queen's gestation period (the phase when the young are developing in the mother's uterus (pregnancy) normally lasts for 63-65 days with the size of a litter being hree to five kittens. The first litter is usually smaller than subsequent litters.
Diagnosis of pregnancy: The earliest possible time of diagnosis could be three or four weeks after breeding. This cannot be diagnosed by a blood or urine test. However, the veterinary doctor may be able to detect pregnancy by feeling the abdomen. This could be only 85% accurate diagnosis.
At six weeks of gestation, x-rays are 95% accurate when used to count the number of offspring. An ultrasound may detect foetuses as early as the second week of pregnancy, and heartbeats may be detected sometime after the third week. A queen's both physical and personality changes tends to become more evident around three weeks after breeding.
Physical changes: There are few noticeable changes during the first four or five weeks of pregnancy. Normally, weight gain and swelling of the belly become conspicuous after the fifth week and varies with the size of the litter. The mammary glands begin to enlarge between the fifth week and the seventh week. Milk is normally present a couple of days before delivery.
- Stopping of heat cycles: This is the first noticeable sign. If your female cat suddenly stops suffering from heat cycles, it is very likely she is pregnant
- Swelling of nipples: Nipples turn pink in colour, which is referred to as pinking.
- Increase in appetite: The queen shows an increased interest in food as she eats for several foetuses
- Possible vomiting: Some queens are subject to a few bouts of morning sickness, similar to human mothers-to-be. In case of severe or continuous vomiting. consult your veterinary doctor
- Abdominal enlargement: Sometime around the fifth week of pregnancy, the queen's abdomen starts to swell noticeably and continues to enlarge until the birth
Behavioural changes:
- Increased affection: The queen becomes more affectionate than normal, frequently seeking your attention
- Nesting activities: As the time for birth approaches, the queen prefers to be left alone. She may seek out quiet, private places for birth to take place
- Restlessness: During the last weeks of pregnancy, she has difficulty finding a comfortable position and appears restless
- Soiling: She may soil the house as the enlarged uterus compresses the bladder or colon
Nutrition: High-quality nutrition is essential to the health of the queen and the kittens. A queen requires three times more than the normal intake. Give her plenty of fresh, clean water. Feed small, frequent meals. Harmful feeding practices include feeding raw egg whites, raw fish and exclusive meat or fish diets. Veterinary doctors often prescribe a special diet or supplements.
From the initial stage until birth, the major activities of the foetus is development (the second trimester) and growth (the third trimester). The queen goes into labour after around 63-67 days. The first stage of labour lasts from 12 to 24 hours. This is when she prefers to be left alone.