Is Your Cat Pregnant? Here's How to Tell

Do you think your cat might be pregnant?

Of course, it's going to be very clear pretty shortly if her tummy gets bigger and you can see evidence of growing kittens, but you probably want to know whether or not she's pregnant earlier than you'll be able to tell simply by looking.

First, determine whether or not your cat has been in heat recently. If that's true, has she been around any unneutered male cats? If a female cat is over the age of four months, she can begin to have reproductive cycles that will put her in heat regularly.

Sometimes, cats can go into heat up to twice a month. When a cat is in heat, you can tell because her vocalizations will sound different, she'll show and lick her genital area more than usual, she'll do rhythmic movements with her back feet, and she may spray strongly scented liquid onto the walls.

If a female in heat is allowed to go out of the house, it's a very good chance for her to get pregnant. If you realize that your kitty was in heat, and you didn't keep her in the house, it's a very good bet, in other words, that she's pregnant.

Five Signs of Pregnancy in Cats

1. Once a kitty is pregnant, she'll have no more heat cycles. If you know her cycles and know how regular they are, you can probably guess that she's expecting kittens if she no longer goes into heat -- in fact, this will be one of the first signs.

2. Your cat's nipples will also change color. They'll become larger and pinker within the first few weeks.

3. Early in her pregnancy, she'll want more food. She'll be hungrier and she'll want to eat more frequently. She'll probably also become more affectionate, and will want significantly more attention from you.

4. Just as humans can, kitties can experience sickness in pregnancy, too. You may notice that your cat will vomit occasionally. If it happens very occasionally, that's not a problem, but if he becomes quite frequent, she may not be getting enough nutrition. If you see this happening, get her checked out by the veterinarian.

5. About a month into her pregnancy, her belly will become noticeably larger and begin to swell. She will begin to actually look pregnant.

Your cat's gestational period, or length of her pregnancy, will only be about two months long, from 60 to 67 days.

Because of this, it's important that you know as early as possible whether or not your cat is pregnant. In some cases, you can have the pregnancy aborted if it's early enough, and this is especially important if you don't want the kittens, or if the cat carrying the pregnancy is old or sick and may not survive the pregnancy.
Ask your vet what should be done. If an abortion is possible, the veterinarian will probably recommend that your cat be spayed at the same time as the abortion is done, so that pregnancy will no longer be possible.

If you decide to let your cat have and you want to keep the kittens, it's not really necessary to consult your veterinarian unless you want your cat's health checked out or you want to know when the kittens may be born.

As your cat gets nearer to giving birth, she will begin to "nest," whereby she will make herself a comfortable and safe place to have the kittens. Make sure this is accessible to you in case you need to help the kittens or your cat with any problems that occur.

That's how you tell whether or not your cat is pregnant, and the next step, should you choose to let your cat have them, is preparing for cute, mewling little bundles to arrive!