A cat in the house ... Immediately before my eyes there is a touching picture: a cat playing with children, a bunch of medals and cups from the exhibition where your favorite visited, the admiration of friends, girlfriends and neighbors. But not everything is as easy and fun as it seems. The cat must be looked after: bathe, comb it, etc. You just won’t go to exhibitions either: paperwork, carrying, again bathing, combing, etc. But this is all nonsense, a matter of one week or even a day. I repeat, all this is nothing compared with the pregnancy of your pet.
Novice cat owners immediately ask a question such as "how to find out that the cat is pregnant." Many newcomers, when the "doomsday" comes, are lost and sometimes their cats simply do not survive during childbirth due to the carelessness and carelessness of their owners. Only some especially caring owners who take their pet every two weeks to a veterinarian who can easily determine a cat’s pregnancy ask for help from a specialist. But this does not mean that to determine pregnancy you need to take her to the veterinarian all the time.
You can find out if a cat is pregnant by analyzing its behavior and looking closely - after all, pregnancy is visible from the first days. Although, having said “from the first days”, I probably exaggerated. The minimum through which pregnancy can be detected after fertilization is on the 20th day. But this can only be done by an experienced veterinarian. And we, mere mortals who do not have a veterinary education, can see a cat’s pregnancy 10 days later. But you can wait a bit, right? But often, when we type on the Internet the query "how to find out that the cat is pregnant", the search engine gives out something that cannot be at all. And beginners have to ask advice from veterinarians or from life- laden catnipers. And for those who want to find out how a cat is pregnant, and how to determine that a baleen-striped "is in an interesting position," I’ll try to outline the main signs here, especially for beginners in feline business. There are a lot of these signs, but, in my opinion, only six are the most noticeable.
How to find out that the cat is pregnant?
The first sign of pregnancy is the absence of the next estrus period. The cat behaves calmly, does not howl, does not roll on the floor, does not crawl after the owner. In general, it behaves as usual at the time when it should do the above.
The second sign is a sharp decrease, and then a gradual increase in appetite. By the end of pregnancy, the cat will eat a lot.
The third symptom is swelling of the nipples. Swipe the cat's skin just below the ribs and under the fingers you will feel two rows of small tubercles. Over time, they become larger and turn pink. If you notice this, it means that the cat is already in its third or fourth week of pregnancy.
From the fifth week, the cat’s stomach begins to grow, especially if she wears from three kittens. This is already hard not to notice. But if you lose sight of this moment, then the next sign should dispel your doubts.
The fourth symptom is vomiting in the morning. This is due to hormonal changes and uterine distension. This is not at all scary, by the end of pregnancy everything will pass.
The fifth symptom is increased drowsiness. The cat will sleep most of the day. Even if you let the pet go outside, during pregnancy it will become a homebody.
The sixth sign - the cat begins to look for and bridge its nest. Here you can help her. Put the big box in a dark and quiet place, lay the cloth and paper there, put the cat in the box and move away from there. If she likes the nest you made, she will shift everything in her own way. If you don’t like it, don’t worry when the cat “wants” to give birth (you will find out about it by its anxious behavior and continuous walking after you), you can always transfer it to this box. In the meantime, just in case, close all the cabinets, pack the empty drawers and leave your box in sight.
In addition to fussing with the nest, you need to take care of the nutrition of the cat. Therefore, the owners often ask veterinarians not only about how to find out that the cat is pregnant, but also about what the diet of the future tailed mother should be. Products in different sources are indicated different, but the meaning is the same - you need to feed the cat high-calorie food. If you prefer ready-made feeds, then give her kitten food rich in calories. If the cat eats natural food, it is recommended to feed it with liver, fresh fish, you can give it meat of fatty herring, mackerel, sardines, salmon or trout. Feed or natural food you need to feed the cat three to four times a day.
And do not forget to morally support the cat - during pregnancy, it, like people, has a hard time. During childbirth, your moral support will also become physical. But more about that another time.