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Cats/Cat Pregnancy

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Expert: - 3/24/2009


Question

Cazic's belly
Hi,
My cat got out around the 20th of January, and I suspect her due date to be around the 26th or 27th of March. She was never a very big cat, infact many people have commented on how small she is for a 5 year old.
Her back 2 nipples started to swell, she put on weight, although not a whole lot, she was never a very affectionate cat, and suddenly she is the most loving cat i've ever seen.
Today is March 24th and last night she started to act like she was in heat. She presented her self to our fixed male cat, she did her normal "in heat" chirping noise.  I've read many articles that say this can be normal during to early part of labor. But How long can this last?

Today I have not seen her present her self to the other cat, but she is still doing her chirping, She has been laying on this towel at the top of the stairs all week, I think it's the spot she has chosen for nesting. She is very restless. (and ignoring the nesting box i created for her)
But she never did get big belly, I've never seen the babies move, I layed with her today, and she finally let me put my hand on her belly for 15 mins, and i didn't feel the babies move. Should I have in that amount of time?

It's possible this is a false pregnancy. But if this is labor i'm not sure how long all the "indicators" can last... worst case senario's. How many days Could I be seeing this kind of behavior?
Thank you for your opinion, she is a very shy cat, and if she is pregnant i don't want to stress her out by bringing her to a vet if I don't have to.

And the picture was taken today.
Kelley

Answer
Kelley,

The average gestation period for cats is roughly 60-68 days. There's no way to confirm whether your cat is actually pregnant or showing signs of false pregnancy without taking her to the vet. If you have any reason to suspect that your cat is pregnant it would be in her best interests to have the vet confirm the pregnancy by taking x-rays or performing an ultrasound. Once pregnancy is confirmed your vet can possibly offer an educated guess as to when the kittens are due. Since your cat is slightly older than most cats for a first time mom there is a higher risk of complications with the labor and delivery. It's quite possible that your cat will do just fine delivering kittens on her own, however if a kitten is too large or in the wrong position for a vaginal delivery your cat will require medical intervention in the form of a caesarian, if your vet does have to perform a caesarian it's a good idea to have the cat spayed at the same time to prevent any further pregnancies.

It would be odd for your cat to start showing signs of coming into season if she's actually pregnant. Normally signs of labor include pacing, anxiety, panting, trying to nest and there's often vaginal discharge once delivery is imminent. In the event that your cat isn't pregnant I would recommend that you have her spayed ASAP to help her have the healthiest life possible. The medical benefits to spaying your cat include reducing her risk of breast cancer, preventing ovarian and uterine cancers and mastitis. Intact female cats can commonly suffer from a uterine infection called pyometra which causes the uterus to fill with pus. If left untreated pyometra can cause the womb to rupture spreading infection throughout the abdomen or this serious infection can cause death by simply overwhelming the cat's system. Pyometra is more common as intact female cats get older.

Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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