Signs That Your Pregnant Cat Is In Labour

If a cat is pregnant, there's something you're trying to do. Most pet parents do not expect their cat to become pregnant, so preparation will need to be done in a moment's notice. Examples of preparation include preparing new litter and paying extra attention to your cat if she's going to have kittens soon. 

A formulated cat food diet and nutrition regimen is also very relevant for pregnant cats. A pregnant cat requires adequate nutrition to be able to manage a healthy pregnancy, to provide nutrients to her infants before and after birth, and to be healthy enough to give birth.

How Long Is a Cat Pregnant?

So, how long do pet parents have to wait to see their new-born, adorable, fluffy kittens?

Feline pregnancy is usually between 63 and 65 days, about nine weeks, although it is not uncommon for kittens to be born within 58 days or 70 days of gestation.

Behavior in Pregnancy

Her activity is the most common symptom of a pregnant cat. For example, it can become more caring and affectionate or, on the contrary, more hostile. She will also begin to show signs of sudden enthusiasm. This action is known as "quickening" and is a vital stage in the pregnancy of a cat in which the fetus starts to shift. Like pregnant ladies, pregnant cats can undergo morning sickness.

The cat's belly will begin to swell slightly during the third to fourth week of pregnancy. The swelling of her pink nipples would also be more noticeable. The cat's appetite will also begin to expand. It is necessary to have a growth formula prescribed by an expert.

The cat's pregnancy would become evident in the sixth week. The signs of a pregnant cat will now include a variety of changes in her behavior. A pregnant cat is beginning to walk around with great care.

She's going to try to stop spinning and bending acts. If she normally ventures outside, she appears to prefer to stay indoors. The appetite of the cat will also begin to increase in the sixth week. Be mindful that, as her stomach expands, she will possibly require smaller and more regular meals; continue to feed her a diet that is specially designed for pregnant cats.

In addition to these actions, she can stretch, roll, and start searching for a safe place to give birth. It is also suggested to keep your cat indoors to ensure that it does not make its nest outdoors.

Pregnancy Stages

Step 1-Pre-implantation (from Days 0 to 12) Egg fertilization: this happens when the egg is fertilized in the uterine tube. It then travels down the oviduct and enters the uterus on about the sixth day of its development. The uterus is protected by special cells embedded in the wall of the uterus. Certain cells cluster together at one end of the embryo (the new kitten) while the other parts make up the placenta. The placenta is the bond between the mother and the kitten.

Step 2 – Vital period of embryogenesis (Day 12 – 24): this is when the nervous system, the heart, and the spine are formed. Then inside the embryo (kitten) and between the embryo and the placenta blood vessels appear. All this is going to happen in just two to three days. Then the liver, the digestive tract, the respiratory system, the limbs, the sense organs, the skull, and the bladder, etc., begin to form. At 15 days 

the measurement of kittens is 1/8th of an inch, 3/8ths of an inch at 21 days, and 5/8ths of an inch at 24 days. A vet (this should not be performed by someone inexperienced because harm may be caused) will feel the abdominal palpation of the kittens twenty days after conception. Around three weeks later, the queen's nipples begin to get pink and slightly bigger. The fur on the belly of the queen and around the nipples may become thinner.

Stage 3-Foetal Growth (Day 24 to Birth) Rapid Growth Time: Organs take their proper form, nerves develop, and hormonal glands begin to act and regulate processes. This continues to develop even after birth, for example; full eye development is not completed until five to six weeks after birth, and nerve cells in the brain begin to grow and develop for several months. Four weeks after conception, the kittens are just over an inch in height. The kittens are floating in fluid capsules by day 35 and can't be felt until day 49 when their heads are big enough to be felt as separate structures. This can only be performed by a vet because the damage or miscarriage could be easily induced. Later symptoms of pregnancy are a pear-shaped belly, foetal movements can also be detected in the last two weeks. Breasts may also be swollen and the milky fluid from the nipples will be expressed. Clear or blood-tinged discharge from the vulva can occur 12 to 24 hours before the queen is due to deliver.

 Read more about Cat Pregnancy