| Dog
and cat articles - on Pets.ca Pregnancy
signs in cats - cat is pregnant
Expecting
kittens - Dr. Bruce Fogle DVM
- Early on, there are
few outward signs of pregnancy.
- The cat may adopt
a more serene disposition.
- Sensible nesting
activity begins.
Pregnancy in cats lasts
about nine weeks, but during the first half of that time a typical
expectant cat gives few clues that she is pregnant. She hunts,
rests, and generally behaves normally.
Under the influence of progesterone, the hormone of pregnancy, and with an
ever increasing weight in her abdomen, she soon moderates her behavior, gradually
reducing her activity level and resting more. Is my cat pregnant?
If you think your cat might be pregnant, the first check her nipples. These
become more prominent and pinker by three weeks of gestation. By four to
five weeks after conception, your vet will be able to feel golf-ball sized
swellings in her abdomen. At this time the developing fetuses are usually
quite easy to count. Shortly afterward, her belly becomes a visibly enlarged. Multiple fathers
Unplanned breeding of pedigree females by both pedigree and non-pedigree males,
producing litters of both purebred and crossbred kittens, confirmed what
breeders had long expected: a litter may be sired by several males. This
could have a survival potential for the offspring. In large cats, such
as the lion, when a new male takes over a pride, it is not uncommon
for him to kill all cubs sired by the previous dominant male.
The frequency of infanticide in domestic cats is unknown, but at least one
highly respected world authority, zoologist David MacDonald of Oxford University,
England, has observed a strange male cat enter a communal nest among bales
of hay and kill six kittens belonging to three mothers before the cries of
the survivors brought the mothers running back. Risks during pregnancy
The greatest risk to unborn kittens occurs during the first three weeks of
development in the womb. Both drugs and infections might seriously impair
healthy development. If, for example, the mother is exposed to feline infectious
enteritis (FIE, or panleukopenia) at this time, the surviving kittens will
be born with severe brain damage. Even exposure to live panleukopenia vaccine
is dangerous. Cats should be vaccinated before they are pregnant, to increase
the amount of passive protection they pass in the first milk to their kittens.
Never vaccinate pregnant cats to increase the level of inherited
protection. Never vaccinate other cats in the household of a pregnant
cat. Live vaccine
virus can be shed by vaccinated cats and affect the pregnant cat’s
fetuses. Pregnancy and hormones
During pregnancy, the production of progesterone rapidly increases, peaking
at around the 35th day after conception. This induces the more serene disposition
of pregnancy. At the same time, the belly starts becoming visibly more
rotund. Pregnancy can be as
short as 57 days or as long as 70 days, but a few days before
birth the female becomes restless and searches out her chosen
shelter.
She rearranges her bedding material and spends increasing amounts of time in
her chosen nest. This impregnates the region with her own scent, something
that will eventually help her kittens orient themselves toward home.
As birth approaches, the mother loses her appetite and restlessly paces in
the nest until contractions begin. Pregnancy checklist
1. Do not even think of breeding from your cat unless you know you can find
homes for the resulting litter.
2. Do not breed from your cat until she is emotionally as well as physically
mature.
3. Ensure that your cat is well nourished during pregnancy, and especially
after, during her period of milk production.
4. Test your cat and the proposed father, to ensure they are not carriers of
viral diseases such as FIV or FeLV.
5. Do not let your cat "follow nature’s course" and breed
with a feral tom. Feral toms are excellent breeders. They are also the
most likely
source of life-threatening infections such as FIV, FeLV, and feline infectious
peritonitis (FIP) Cats do not become visibly
pregnant until after about five weeks. Shortly before this time,
your vet will be able to tell you how large the litter will be. A few days before
birth, a pregnant cat will begin looking for a good nest,
which she will scent-mark. This will help her newborns recognize
home.
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2003
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