How to Tell If a Cat is Pregnant: All Signs You Need to Know When Your Cat Is Pregnant!

How to Tell If a Cat Is Pregnant Early Stages?

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Here are the most obvious signs that you will notice on how to tell if a cat is pregnant:

Morning Sickness

Pregnant cats may occasionally get sick and vomit. However, like humans, not all cats have morning sickness. Besides morning sickness, cats often lose their appetite due to nausea, but they usually regain appetite after the third week of pregnancy. If the cat vomits, be sure to pay attention to it. If vomiting occurs frequently, consult your veterinarian.

Swelling of Abdomen

With the kittens growing inside the mother cat, its tummy will start to swell. Avoid touching it so you don’t risk hurting the cat and its unborn kittens. Abdominal swelling can be caused by other conditions also, so it’s encouraged to monitor your cat for any other signs of illness.

Weight Gain

Pregnant cats increase their appetite in the later stages of pregnancy, which will help their weight gain. This is most noticeable on the cat's side, where fat deposits usually occur. During pregnancy, it will gain about one or two pounds per day.

The normal weight gain of a cat during pregnancy is 20% to 30% of the total weight of the cat. If your cat is below or above the threshold, go to the vet immediately. There is really nothing to worry about. Your cat may simply have a loss of appetite, is expected to have more litter than the average cat, or just overeating.

How to Tell If a Stray Cat Is Pregnant?

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The best way to verify if a stray cat is pregnant is to take her to a veterinarian because some cats show pregnant signs, but end up’s a false pregnancy as you can’t take control of them daily. But, if you can’t take them to a vet, there are also changes you can see to tell whether a stray cat is pregnant or not. Here are they:

Physical Changes

The cat's pregnancy is very fast (only nine weeks!), so the cat's body changes will soon be seen. After fifteen to eighteen days of pregnancy, the color of the cat's nipples becomes more obvious, swollen, and darker. This is called "cock-up".

About halfway through pregnancy, the mother's abdomen appears more round and drooping when standing. If you can get close enough to the cat, then you may still see the kitten moving in its abdomen, and you may even feel it moving.

Behavioral Changes

First. The most common behavior change of cats when having pregnancy is the increased appetite (later stages). If you are feeding a pregnant stray cat, you may find that it walks back and forth more frequently, eats more frequently or eats more food.

Second. When she is about to become pregnant, the female cat may exhibit nesting behavior. This usually occurs in the last two weeks before the kitten is born.

The mother is looking for a quiet, safe place to give birth and take care of her newborn kittens, so you may notice that she is hiding and lying low. The stray cat may recognize that you and your house represent safety, so she may be closer to your home more often than usual.

How to Tell If a Cat is Pregnant or Has Worms?

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Cat pregnancy usually occurs about 2 months (67 days). If you have the experience before, you can easily palpate the kitten from 5 weeks gestation.

Since it is very safe to repel pregnant cats, you can try the recommended insect repellent to eliminate the possibility of worms in the first place. If her abdomen becomes larger at the same time, it usually means pregnancy.

However, the best way to make sure they are pregnant or have worms is to go to a professional vet.