Mary Allen
After a rendezvous with the cat, many cat owners ask themselves whether their kitty is pregnant. The tummy has only been really round in the last few weeks, but there are early signs of pregnancy.
This is how pregnancy happens in cats
It takes cats about 60 to 64 days from fertilization to birth, although the gestation period varies between 58 and 67 days.
After a successful mating act, the fertilized egg divides several times in the fallopian tube and reaches the uterus after migration of almost two weeks. The blastocyst, the multicellular stage of the egg, then implants itself in the wall of the uterus. However, nothing changes in body size during this time.
It is therefore not yet possible to determine whether the cat is pregnant from its body.
The first weeks of pregnancy
You can’t tell cats are pregnant at first. Typical signs that the cat is pregnant do not appear until the third week. The vet feels if there are small kittens in the uterus. At about three weeks, the embryos are about one centimeter long.
Even safer, however, is the ultrasound examination at the veterinarian. In theory, this can be done earlier, but from the third week, you can see the kittens much better. After around five to six weeks, the ultrasound image shows how many kittens your four-legged friend is expecting.
The behavior of the pregnant cat
In the first few weeks, it is less the physical changes than the behavioral changes that indicate pregnancy. Due to the bond with the cat, you can often notice before the vet that something is different. So keep a close eye on your cat if you suspect pregnancy.
Many cats are more tired than usual after coming into the heat. First-time mothers in particular also tend to carry objects around in preparation for their future roles. In the second and third weeks, in particular, pregnancy sickness often occurs and the cat vomits.
As pregnancy progresses, appetite increases. It is then important to provide the cat with high-quality food, because for the kittens in the womb a nutrient-rich diet is just as important as a balanced diet after birth.
This is how the body of the pregnant cat changes
If you’re wondering if your velvet paw is expecting babies, the best place to look is the teats. These provide fairly reliable signs of pregnancy. After about three weeks, the rear pair of teats usually turn pink. Then the other pairs of teats also step out a little. This is an indication that the cat is pregnant.
From the fifth week of pregnancy, the abdomen gradually bulges outwards. The cat then quickly gains up to two kilos in weight. In the last three weeks before birth, the kittens grow until they weigh around 100 grams.
Final sprint: From the eighth to ninth week, the cat increasingly seeks the closeness of its favorite human and is particularly cuddly. (We reveal here which breeds are generally big cuddlers: These cat breeds are particularly cuddly) She meows and then purrs a lot.
Sometimes the pregnant cat is restless and looks for a suitable place to give birth. If the mucus plug loosens and a viscous mass drips out of the cat’s vagina, it won’t be long. Soon the cat lies down and gives birth to her young. Then consult a veterinarian so that he can intervene in an emergency.
All the best to you and your darling!