Expert: Ali - 10/29/2008

Question
If the cat I think is pregnant and it's not my cat what do I look for to tell it's pregnant or the first sighs of pregnancy?

Answer
Tesa,

Given the lack of detail in your question I'm only able to offer some very basic and general information. If you suspect pregnancy based on a cat's appearance this may not be the cause of a bloated belly. Internal parasites, inappropriate diet, and some fairly serious health problems can cause bloating and a cat can look pregnant as a result. If you have handled this kitty and her belly seems quite hard it's possible that she is pregnant, but it's also quite conceivable that she could have any number of health problems happening which can range from extremely serious to relatively minor.

Unfortunately early pregnancy in a cat isn't really that easy to predict. If this kitty isn't sterilized and she was recently in season in an area where she had access to intact male cats it's fairly safe to assume that there is a good chance that this girl is pregnant. Unless you happen to have noticed when the cat was last receptive to mating and you know that she mated with an intact male cat there isn't really any way of knowing for certain if this kitty's pregnant. Around one month into the 60-68 day gestation period a vet can take an x-ray and confirm pregnancy most times. It's safe for pregnant cats to be x-rayed throughout their pregnancy and this is done fairly routinely in cases where pregnancy needs to be confirmed. Until a queen gives birth there isn't a specific method of determining how many kittens are in a given litter and how large they are, this is where the x-ray or ultrasound (usually a fairly pricey option) help determine accurately whether or not a cat is pregnant, how many babies are in utero, their positions within the womb and all of the other things that are routinely done in the case of human pregnancy. If this kitty trusts you and you are friendly with her, she may allow you to hold your hand over her belly for awhile to feel the kittens moving. If this kitty is okay with being touched in the tummy area you may be able to feel fetal movement as soon as a month or so into the pregnancy. Depending on the age and health of the cat you may see a much increased appetite and a kitty that becomes tired more quickly, it's also possible that you won't see much in the way of behavioral or physical changes in a cat until she begins to show and you can see fetal movement. Unless you are able to take this kitty to the vet for x-rays or an ultrasound there isn't much you will be able to see in terms of physical signs early in pregnancy. With the details that you've provided I was only able to give you very general information, if you would like more specific information I will be happy to provide it if you are able to provide me with more detailed information with regards to your situation.