The Cat, 2012, pp. Learn to spot the specific symptoms of trouble and what action to take to ensure the health of a pregnant cat and her fetuses. By the third week of gestation, as the embryos start to develop, your cat will gain weight and increase her intake of food. About twenty-four hours before birth, your cat may have milky discharge coming from her nipples. At this time, your cat's nipples may become swollen and darker in color. Responsible pet ownership involves spaying and neutering cats. Her belly starts to swell and her kittens are really growing. It is suggested to get the neutering done to form a vet and to make sure that you do not get more unwanted cats. There's a lot you need to know to make things go smoothly with your new friend. If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. Cat Tip of the Day: How to Deal With a Lazy Cat, How to Choose Cat Litter and a Cat Litter Box. This is a cat’s fertile period. A previously affectionate cat may become withdrawn and seek solitude. In order for a cat to conceive, she must first be fertile, or "in heat." Kitten Development in the First Six Weeks of Life. But about three weeks into her pregnancy, her appetite should return and she will probably start to gain her first pregnancy pounds. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. That is the scenario when … Week one : Days 1-7. During this time, it is natural for her to seek a male cat to mate with. Cat Pregnancy StagesIn this video, we are going to talk about the stages of cat pregnancy and what to expect. 1st week of cat’s pregnancy is very beginning. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, or early stages, your cat will actually suffer what humans suffer with during their first trimester, and that is what we call morning sickness. Dr. Smith is part of The Spruce Pets' veterinary review board. Here’s a cat pregnancy timeline with pictures, which you can refer to anticipate the stages of your cat’s pregnancy and how you can help. Assuming your cat is healthy, proper care during pregnancy includes a diet high in nutrients, along with fresh, clean water. Your catwill regain her appetite after the third week of pregnancy, when shewill start gaining weight. NP2-NP2. Franny is an award-winning freelance writer who has been writing about cats since 1997. The signs that you may think of pregnancy may come out to be because of some other reasons or vice-versa. She may start to lay around more, and you may notice that she lays on her side more since her belly is growing. Save Saved Removed 5. The fertilization of a cat's egg (ovum) involves several steps. What Cat Toys Should You Buy for Your Cat? By the third week of gestation, as the embryos start to develop, your cat will gain weight and increase her intake of food. During the third trimester, as a … London Vet Clinic | 86 York Street, London W1H 1QS, 2020. Each step results in a new stage in the embryo's development and implantation in the lining of the uterus. Stage 1: cat will find nesting spot to birth in, may howl, lick vulva, refuse to eat Stage 2: contractions begin and kittens are pushed through birth canal Stage 3: placenta is expelled Eclampsia is a veterinary emergency, and the cat should be seen immediately by a veterinarian at the first signs of symptoms. Problems with pregnancy or parturition are rare, but can be serious if they occur. Once all the kittens are born, healthy and happy, you will want to let them all stay together for a minimum of eight weeks. For cats, there are essentially five stages of pregnancy and the first is easy; fertilization. She’ll start licking her genitals and she’ll begin making sounds that tell you she is in uncomfortable. In cats, milk fever (also called eclampsia or lactation tetany) may occur three to five weeks after the birth of kittens and is due to a sudden drop in the amount of calcium circulating in the bloodstream, associated with the heavy demands of milk production. Handling Cat Pregnancy. Pinking Up and Stages of Cat Pregnancy. After approximately 15-18 days of a cat pregnancy, you may notice that your pet’s nipples become enlarged and red – this is known as ‘pinking-up’. A feline goes into heat for approximately four to ten days. Once the first kitten is born, the other kittens should follow about every fifteen to twenty minutes all the way until the end of the births. If fewer kittens than expected were born, a veterinary visit is essential to ensure that there are no remaining fetuses inside the queen. Stage 1 – Implantation and Fertilisation (Week 1 – 2) The prominent cat pregnancy symptoms are typically observed around the first three weeks of pregnancy. 1. If she has the ability to be around male cats, let out to wonder around the neighborhood, the males will find her and try to mate with her. It is natural and it is needed.One thing you can do as your cat’s caretaker and owner, is to not panic when she starts labor and rush her into the vet. If she happens to encounter multiple males that mate successfully with her during that heat cycle, she can have several male cats who are fathers of her kittens. Elsevier, doi:10.1016/b978-1-4377-0660-4.00040-5, Scherk, M A et al. She has been writing for over 15 years; writing articles, whitepapers, product write-ups and more for multiple online media sites, blogs, company websites and individuals. The depletion of calcium in the bloodstream can result in eclampsia, a life-threatening condition, which most often occurs when the kittens are one to five weeks of age and the mother is producing the most milk. A calcium supplement can help prevent this potential problem, particularly when caring for a pregnant stray cat, whose previous diet was undoubtedly minimal. At approximately 4 weeks, when most of the organic structures have been formed, the embryos become fetuses and the first trimester is completed. How Soon Can a Cat Go Into Heat After Giving Birth? Jumping may be a bit harder for her and she may start to show a lot more affection, wanting attention and to be close to you. Journal Of Feline Medicine And Surgery, vol 15, no. When Does a Cat Go Into Heat After Birth? This indicates "go time"—kittens are on their way. and go through the stages of cat pregnancy. She is the published author of her memoir, “It’s all in Your Head,” and a children’s book. Either personality change is completely normal. If this is her first litter, she may act a little anxious and do a lot of pacing or other nervous-types of actions. When the kittens are all weaned and old enough to find homes of their own, you will want to get your momma cat spayed as soon as possible because she can go right back into heat pretty quick once the babies are done nursing. This, as we mentioned before, will depend on the age, breed, size and health status of your cat. Cat Pregnancy is in Full-Flow When you enter the third of these cat pregnancy stages, your expectant mother will display an even more significant weight gain and a belly or bump in the exact spot where the kittens are developing. Learn how your comment data is processed. Eclampsia or Milk Fever. The cat searches for a suitable place where she can deliver her kittens safely. Babies need to be with their mom for this long in order to properly wean from their mom an d be strong enough to survive on their own. Dr. Smith is a small animal veterinarian with 11 years practicing veterinary medicine. She is also an advocate for brain malformations, including Chiari Malformation, and works closely with the non-profit organization, The Chiari Project, writing for their quarterly newsletters. There are 4 stages that comprise a female cat’s heat cycle: Stage 1 – Proestrus As your queen nears her due date (approximately nine weeks from fertilization), she will exhibit clues to the arrival of kittens. This is known as ‘nesting behavior’. MTA Worker Saves Dozens of Cats from Subways and Railroads, Philosopher Suggests Living the Good Life Can Be Learned from Cats, Missing for 4 months, Beloved Cat Returns Home for the Holidays, Cats May Love Their Pet Parents More Than We Thought, 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Arabian Mau, 10 Things You Didn’t Know about The Chocolate Point Siamese, Why You Should Always Bathe Your Cat in the Sink, A Few Facts about National Hairball Awareness Day, A Quick Guide on How to “Cat Proof” Your Windows, The 10 Most Serious Cat Diseases to Be Aware Of. This is an important part of the care of a pregnant cat.​ Although many pregnant cats go through gestation trouble-free, there are potential problems that can occur. Or the fetus may be stillborn with no prior symptoms or signs. Ultrasound of Your Cat's Abdomen: An ultrasound may detect fetuses as early as the second week of pregnancy, and heartbeats may be detected sometime after the third week. Below are the stages of feline gestation and what the owner can expect during these times. The kittens are getting bigger, and depending on how many kittens she’s carrying, she may start looking like she swallowed a football. Below are the five pregnancy stages of a cat that you must watch out as you prepare to welcome new healthy kitties. An unspayed cat's fertility stage occurs every two to three weeks during spring and summer, as the sunlight triggers the release of hormones that activate ovulation. When your cat is in estrus, she is ready to mate and her eggs will accept fertilization for approximately seven days. If your cat is fertile and has been in contact with a male tom cat, however, she is … At around three weeks, small … During pregnancy, switch your pregnant cat to premium-quality kitten food and continue feeding her this way until after the kittens are weaned. If you want to know how many kittens your cat is going to have, your vet may do an X-ray at this time. Once active labor starts, she should give birth to her first kitten. The middle stage of cat pregnancy. So let’s go through the stages, starting with the beginning. Pregnant cats go through many changes within a shorter amount of time than a pregnant woman’s nine-month gestation period. Gestation is approximately 63 days or 9 weeks. And did you know that there can be more than one father cat per litter of kittens, and it all just depends on how many Tom cats are successful with mating with the female during heat. This article is designed to help you comprehend different stages of feline labor. It has even been heard of that a cat can go into heat at about five months old, which is really why it is a good idea to get a cat spayed. Nesting Behavior: This occurs during the advanced stages of pregnancy. “Morning sickness” can occur in stage three and your expectant mother may start to vomit from time to time. 11, 2013, pp. Cats can go into heat and breed as early as 5 … At this time, your cat's nipples may become swollen and darker in color. 5 stages of cat pregnancy. Since there are usually multiple kittens in a litter, you may never know this occurred as the birth of the rest of the kittens will proceed as normal. Is your cat pregnant? In the second week, you may notice that your cat has pink nipples that are swollen and sensitive to touch. She is also the founder of The Vetitud, a site for veterinary professionals. 3. She has a four stage cyclical reproductive period. During the early stages of pregnancy, your cat will begin to gain weight. Your cat can be ready to be a mom after being 6 months old. (Image credit: Dragana Gerasimoski Shutterstock) Third trimester (weeks 28-40) changes in the mother's body. Yes, cats get it too, and you may notice her not eating as much, she may experience nausea and some vomiting, which you may think could be illness, or hairball related. A cat pregnancy week by week change will be observed in the form of the cat’s nipples becoming pinkish in color and also slightly enlarged in week 3 of feline pregnancy. A cat has the potential of becoming pregnant at about six months of age, which is the general age in which cats reach their sexual maturity. The affected cat is … A cat is said to be ‘in heat’ which is the period when its body change and she is able to become pregnant. This gives her extra nutrition that she needs, so don’t stop her from doing this. If a cat's yearly age is determined by multiplying seven (a rough estimate, to be sure), then a cat pregnancy is really 14 months long. Your cat will get into her nesting stage and start looking for a nice, warm, safe place for her to birth her kittens, and this is the time you want to prepare a place for her. Your kitty will also start to refuse food about two days before she goes into labor, so if you notice this about her, you should know it’s about time for her to go into labor. From now until birth, the growth of the fetuses will be your cat's main objective, requiring a great deal of her body's energy. Tracy Moser September 4, 2017. Maria McCutchen is an author and freelance writer living in Chattanooga, TN. Read our. Initial pregnancy is the four week period following conception. And did you know that there can be more than one father cat per litter of kittens, and it all just depends on how many Tom cats are successful with mating with the female during heat. Pre-labor The first stage is when a cat goes into feline estrus (also known as heat). Watch for mating behaviors. If you own a cat, it’s quite important that you’re aware of the various stages of pregnancy in order to avoid potential complications along the way. Cats show the first visible sign of pregnancy in this stages of cat pregnancy called pinking up in the third week of the cat gestation period. How Many Litters Can a Cat Birth in One Year? If, on the other hand, a pregnant one-year-old cat is considered to be 15 years old in human years (another unproven estimate), the comparative length of pregnancy … Will lose a bit of weight be fertile, or `` in heat. do crazy ). 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