Cat Pregnancy: Cat Pregnancy Signs

Cat Pregnancy Signs

Oops, "Fluffy" escaped your backyard fence a couple of weeks ago, and now you're looking for symptoms of cat pregnancy. Or perhaps you're a novice cat breeder hoping several precious bundles of joy are growing inside the mama. Whatever it is that brings you here, you'll leave with the knowledge of typical cat pregnancy signs.

But first, a quick disclaimer:

Similar to expectant women, a professional diagnosis is required to confirm a cat's pregnancy early in gestation. Unlike humans, there are no home pregnancy tests for cats. (A humorous visual: imagine stalking your cat around the house, waiting for her to pop a squat in the litter box so you can immerse a diagnostic stick in her stream of urine!)

Cat Pregnancy: Owner Assesment

Though there are several cat pregnancy symptoms that you should keep an eye out for, many of them uncannily similar to pregnant women:

Swollen nipples - You might notice your cat's nipples "pinking", as breeders call it. This is when the nipples become rosy and swell.
She's got the munchies - If your cat is spending extra time at the Friskies bowl, she might be pregnant.
Morning sickness - She's leaving you presents around the house. Hey, at least it's a step up from dead rodents! Now if you could just train her to hug the toilet...
She's clingy - Most likely the Tom responsible for your cat's condition if she is pregnant won't be around to pet her, or listen to her whine and cry (don't count on child support either). If she's designated you for the job and you've noticed she's needed much more attention, she might be pregnant.
She's packing on the pounds - The phrase "I'm not fat, I'm just fluffy" won't apply if you've got a gestating kitty.

Judgement Day: Confirming Your Cat's Pregnancy With a Veterinarian

Once you've suspected pregnancy and if you've noticed some of the signs, it's time to take Fluffy to the vet for the final word. The vet will be able to confirm the pregnancy in one or two ways, or both:

Fondling your kitty - The vet will "palpate" your cat's abdomen and may be able to feel kittens as early as 17 days into the pregnancy.
A cat scan (ha!) - Your vet will probably want to use an ultrasound machine to scan your cat's insides, looking for kittens. The machine is not unlike those that will be familiar to women who have experienced pregnancy themselves.

Once a cat's pregnancy is confirmed, it's time for some extra special care and decision making.

Labels: cat pregnancy, cat pregnancy signs