Purina Cat Chow: Cat Care Center: Physical

Physical. Emotional. Complete.® - That's the Purina® Cat Chow® Way of Life®

Subjects in this section include: the different stages of cat growth, feline dental care, spaying and neutering, vet visits, physical changes in aging cats, and more.



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Vet, naturalist, and passionate advocate for pet adoption Specialty: Physical



		How can you tell when a female cat is pregnant? Should I be able to "feel" the babies? And would the cat if pregnant, want to be held, or be friendly/tolerant of other cats/people?

The gestation period in cats is approximately 63 – 66 days. The most common method of diagnosing pregnancy in cats is by feeling their abdomen. Veterinarians can feel discrete, firm round structures, representing developing fetuses, as early as day 17 of gestation. They are easily felt up to day 25. From day 25 on, you don’t usually feel discrete little structures, but rather, just a big enlarged uterus. It is unlikely that you’ll be able to feel the individual fetal kittens, as this requires some training and experience. For early pregnancy diagnosis, ultrasound is the most sensitive and reliable tool. Developing fetuses can be seen as early as 11 to 14 days into gestation, and the heart can be seen beating by day 22 – 24. X-rays can diagnose pregnancy, but only after the fetal skeletons have calcified. This happens as early as day 38, but results are more consistent by day 43. Most pregnant cats act the way they always do; if she always liked to be held and petted, she should remain that way. Just make sure that a nice warm dry secluded area, with good nesting materials (like shredded disposable baby diapers) is available for her as the queening date approaches. Then… GET HER SPAYED! There are enough kittens in the shelters that desperately need homes. We don’t need to bring anymore into the world.