Cat pregnancy symptoms can go unnoticed, but if you really want to understand if your cat is pregnant, you need to be able to observe some signs.
Cats are rather shy and reserved animals and sometimes it is difficult to understand if a cat is pregnant: many specimens even manage to keep the mystery around the pregnancy until they are practically ready to give birth!
Even if the cat tries to keep the secret, in reality it is essential to know how to recognize the symptoms and signs of pregnancy of the cat: a pregnant cat, in fact, needs some specific precautions such as a suitable diet that can keep in perfect health. both her and the puppies on the way.
So let’s find out what are the 6 unmistakable signs to understand if the cat is pregnant.
The unambiguous symptoms of pregnancy in cats
First you need to pay attention to the cycle: cats go into heat very often, about every 14 days. If the heat stops suddenly, it is a clear sign of a possible pregnancy of the cat: pay attention to some behaviors such as less desire to leave the house or a more calm and relaxed attitude than usual.
When a cat reaches three weeks of pregnancy, the first signs of physical changes begin to appear: the first thing you will notice is a change in the nipples, which become larger and more rosy. This is a somewhat difficult sign to notice, as cats’ fur is often quite thick in that area: but if yours is a short-haired cat or perhaps belongs to the hairless cat breeds you can easily notice it.
Pregnancy also involves character changes in the cat: Usually, a pregnant cat suddenly becomes much more loving and cuddly than usual due to differences in hormone levels.
Among the symptoms of pregnancy in the cat there is also seeing the cat persistently following the owner, meowing more than usual to claim attention.
A pregnant cat tends to have morning sickness exactly as it happens to pregnant women: for this reason, it is possible to notice some typical signs in the pregnant cat such as a certain decrease in appetite and the tendency to vomit often in the morning and later. general during the day. Loss of appetite in cats usually only lasts for the onset of pregnancy, then she will resume eating more often than usual!
After the first half of pregnancy, another of the most unequivocal symptoms appears: the belly begins to grow and the pregnant cat will have the classic “baby bump”! In addition to increasing in volume, the abdomen becomes firmer and the nipples grow even more in preparation for the lactation phase of the kittens.
Finally, when the date of delivery is near, the cat will start looking for the right place to “make the nest”, that is a den in which to give birth and breastfeed the little ones: the search for a place to give birth can end up in a closet, under the bed, in the laundry basket or we can facilitate the search by offering him a suitable refuge and putting soft towels or blankets at his disposal. But be careful: the mother cat will always make the final decision.
