Symptoms of Feline Pregnancy
A cat may be discreet in showing symptoms of pregnancy, but you may notice some signs:
- Vomiting
- Swollen nipples
- Nipples change color and get larger
- Weight gain
- Extremely loving behavior
As soon as you notice any of these signs, you need to offer special care to your cat to maintain her health and to prevent any complications that may occur during the gestation period.
Preventing Infections
A pregnant cat is more susceptible to infections. You need to take care of her diet and keep her in a warm place. Make sure her hygiene is impeccable and that she has no contact with other infected cats.
The best diet for a pregnant cat should be rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. These will keep your cat health and promote fetus growth.
Talk to your vet about additional vitamins that will strengthen your cat's immune system. Offer omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements.
Calcium is essential to prevent eclampsia after birth, which occurs as a result of calcium deficit in lactating mothers.
Spontaneous Abortion
Cats may experience spontaneous abortion. This may occur in the final stages of pregnancy and be caused by:
- Low progesterone levels
- Uterine abnormalities
- Herpes
- Brucella infection, in rare cases
- Abnormal development of the fetus
Spontaneous abortion can be prevented if you visit your vet as soon as you see pregnancy symptoms. Your vet may get a radiography and some blood tests to make sure the pregnancy is normal and to determine whether progesterone supplements are needed.
Premature Birth
Premature birth is signaled by vaginal discharge of blood. The pregnancy lasts 57 to 69 days, so the kittens are born premature if they are delivered before day 57 of the gestation period.
In some cases, a cesarean section will be needed to safely remove the kittens from the mother's womb.
Vaginal Discharge
During the entire period of pregnancy, any vaginal discharge should be an alarming sign. If it is bleeding, this means that the kittens may be borne prematurely.
If you notice any type of vaginal discharge, take your cat to the vet to determine the cause and see if this will not affect the fetus and the mother.
After delivery, there will be brownish vaginal discharge and this is normal for 7 to 10 days after giving birth.
It is also important that your cat has a good overall health, so as to be able to carry the pregnancy till the end. If you notice that your cat is weak, you would be better off ending the pregnancy.
Also, make sure you consider your cat's age. Old and very young cats may give birth to stillborn kittens.