How long does cat pregnancy last: signs and timing of kitten gestation for different breeds

When is a cat ready to become a mother?

Puberty in felines occurs in 4-5 months, and can last up to almost a year - this is influenced by many factors. The female can become pregnant at the age of 5-9 months. If she is walking on her own or there are several animals in the house, it is better to think about this in advance. Mating is considered optimal at one and a half years, when the body is fully formed and ready for pregnancy and the birth of kittens.

A lot also depends on the time of year. As a rule, sexual heat in street animals (they go to the toilet outside, go for walks) begins in January and continues until November. The peak occurs in the warm season. Pets are ready to breed all year round.

Most often, cats become pregnant in the summer, but in general it can happen at any time of the year.

Features of diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women

Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonotic parasitic infection, characterized by polymorphism of clinical manifestations and significant variability in the course of the process: from healthy, asymptomatic carriage to severe, lethal forms of the disease.

Etiology. The causative agent of toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, belongs to the kingdom Protozoa, class Coccidia, order Eucoccidiorida, phylum Apicomplexa. T. gondii is a conditionally pathogenic intracellular parasite that infects any nuclear cells of the histeophagocytic system in the body of intermediate hosts, including humans.

Epidemiology. The prevalence or infection rate of the population of the Russian Federation with Toxoplasma is on average about 20.0%. Infection rates are higher in regions with warm climates; among persons of a number of professional groups: workers in meat processing plants and fur farms, livestock farmers, veterinary workers, etc. The infection rate in women is usually 2–3 times higher than in men.

The incidence of toxoplasmosis is many times lower than infection rates, but diagnostic difficulties, despite mandatory registration, do not allow us to judge the true level of infection.

Susceptibility to toxoplasmosis is almost universal. The spread of infection is widespread in the form of carriage and sporadic diseases. The main source of infection is wild and domestic cats.

The main factor in the transmission of Toxoplasma is raw or insufficiently cooked meat, meat products with Toxoplasma cysts in it. Additional factors for transmission of infection include poorly washed greens, vegetables, fruits (from the ground), dirty hands with pathogen oocysts on them.

Main routes of transmission:

• food - associated with eating thermally poorly processed meat containing parasite cysts;
• contact - associated with sick cats excreting toxoplasma in feces;
• transplacental - in which penetration of toxoplasma into the fetus becomes possible, with the subsequent development of congenital toxoplasmosis in the newborn;
• parenteral - in which transmission of infection to the recipient during blood transfusion, organ and tissue transplantation is not excluded.

A pregnant woman with toxoplasmosis does not pose an epidemiological danger either to others or to medical personnel, which makes it possible to treat these patients both on an outpatient basis and in any somatic hospital.

Pathogenesis. The pathogens released from cysts or oocysts penetrate into the epithelial cells of the small intestine, where they multiply, forming a primary affect and then penetrating into the regional lymph nodes, and from them with the lymph flow into the blood. Dissemination of the pathogen leads to damage to a wide variety of organs and tissues.

During pregnancy, in conditions of reduced immunity, along with primary infection with Toxoplasma, reactivation of the parasite (if infected before pregnancy) is also dangerous, which largely determines the course and outcome of pregnancy.

When Toxoplasma emerges from the cysts, dissemination of pathogens occurs. Their concentration in tissues is associated with the ability of Toxoplasma to penetrate transplacentally, which leads to the development of intrauterine pathology at any stage of pregnancy.

Infection of the fetus is observed in pregnant women with both primary infection with Toxoplasma and reactivation of the pathogen during pregnancy in seropositive women. Damage to the fetus can occur at any stage of gestation, but infection in the first and second trimesters poses a particular danger. When infected in the third trimester of pregnancy, asymptomatic forms of the disease predominate, and late clinical signs appear months and years later.

Infection in the early stages of embryogenesis ends in spontaneous miscarriage, stillbirth, and causes severe developmental disorders - anencephaly, anophthalmia, hydrocephalus, hepatosplenomegaly, etc. (Table).

The formation of immunity leads to the disappearance of the pathogen from the blood, and its reproduction in cells stops. True tissue cysts are formed, which can remain intact in the body for a long time, for decades (carriage of Toxoplasma).

Clinic. According to the nature of its course, acquired toxoplasmosis is divided into acute and chronic. In addition, depending on the duration of the disease and the severity of clinical symptoms, a subacute as well as inapparent (subclinical) course of the infection is possible, which is characterized by certain dynamics or a high level of specific antibodies in the blood, in the absence of clinical manifestations of the disease. Thus, the most convenient for practical healthcare, from our point of view, is the following classification of acquired toxoplasmosis: acute, subacute, chronic, inapparent and carriage.

Clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women do not have any significant differences from the already known clinical picture of the disease.

Laboratory diagnostics. For laboratory diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, serological methods are most often used: indirect immunofluorescence reaction (IRIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The diagnosis is confirmed by a significantly increasing dynamics of the indicators of these tests, their high level or the presence of IgM class antibodies. Of significant importance in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, especially in differentiating acute and chronic processes, is the determination of immunoglobulin classes, in particular IgM class antibodies. Toxoplasma infection can be reliably diagnosed only by comparing the results of serological reactions over time. Antibodies of all classes increase significantly by the end of the second - beginning of the third week from the moment of infection and reach a diagnostic level. The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, in the presence of an appropriate clinic, can be made with a positive serological conversion, when the second serum test becomes positive.

Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women includes the entire range of necessary clinical, paraclinical and special (immunobiological) studies that are used to diagnose toxoplasmosis in general.

A mandatory condition for examining a pregnant woman for toxoplasmosis should be a consultation with an infectious disease specialist to confirm or exclude a current infectious manifest or asymptomatic (inapparent) toxoplasma process.

Considering the exceptional importance of the results of immunological examination in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, it is necessary to correctly interpret the data obtained.

Option 1: the pregnant woman has no clinical manifestations; serological reactions are negative. Conclusion: there is no toxoplasmosis, there is no danger of infection of the fetus. Recommendations: the woman belongs to the “risk” group for congenital toxoplasmosis; dynamic serological examination for toxoplasmosis every trimester of pregnancy.

Option 2: there are no clinical manifestations of infection; serological reactions are positive in low and medium rates (RNIF 1:40, 1:80 ELISA IgG ≤ 40 U/ml; ELISA IgM - negative). When studying paired sera (after 3–4 weeks), there was no change in the level of specific antibodies. Conclusion: carriage; There is no danger of fetal infection. Recommendations: the woman belongs to the “calm group”; etiotropic therapy is not indicated; pregnancy continues.

Option 3: there are no clinical manifestations of infection; serological reactions are positive in low, medium, sometimes high titers (RNIF 1:640, IgG ELISA ≥ 200 U/ml; IgM ELISA - positive). When examining paired sera (after 3–4 weeks), a significant increase in the level of specific antibodies of the IgM class is recorded.

Conclusion: inapparent toxoplasmosis is a real threat of fetal infection.

Recommendations: the woman belongs to the “increased” risk group; Preventive etiotropic therapy is carried out (but not earlier than the second trimester); if infected in the first trimester, interruption for medical reasons is possible; the newborn should be examined for toxoplasmosis. If the diagnosis is confirmed, receives etiotropic treatment with dispensary observation; If the newborn has no clinical manifestations and immunological indicators are inconclusive, dispensary observation is established for him for 5 years.

Option 4: there are clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis; serological reactions are positive in low and medium (sometimes high) titers: RNIF 1:1280, ELISA IgG ≥ 200 U/ml; IgM ELISA - positive; when examining paired sera over time, a significant increase in the level of specific antibodies is recorded; specific antibodies of the IgM class are detected. Conclusion: acute toxoplasmosis.

Recommendations: emergency preventive etiotropic therapy (no earlier than from the second trimester of pregnancy); in the first trimester - consider terminating the pregnancy; Cordo- and amniocentesis are performed at 22–23 weeks of pregnancy; the newborn is examined for toxoplasmosis, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, etiotropic therapy is carried out (dispensary observation for 5 years).

Option 5: there are clinical manifestations of infection; serological reactions are positive in high or average rates; when studying paired sera over time, a decrease in the level of specific antibodies is recorded (RNIF ≤ 1:1280, IgG ELISA - 200 U/ml; IgM ELISA - positive). Conclusion: subacute toxoplasmosis. Recommendations: etiotropic therapy (not earlier than the second trimester); in the first trimester - the question of termination of pregnancy is raised; the newborn is examined for toxoplasmosis and, if the diagnosis is confirmed, etiotropic therapy is carried out (dispensary observation for 5 years).

Option 6: there are clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis; serological reactions are positive in low or medium levels (RNIF 1:640, IgG ELISA - 200 U/ml; IgM ELISA - negative); when studying paired sera (after 3–4 weeks), there is no dynamics in the level of antibodies; IgM antibodies are absent. Conclusion: chronic acquired toxoplasmosis. Recommendations: etiotropic therapy is not carried out; if necessary, specific therapy outside of pregnancy; termination of pregnancy is not indicated.

Treatment. Indications for etiotropic therapy in pregnant women are acute, subacute and inapparent toxoplasmosis. Treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis should be carried out strictly according to clinical indications either before or after pregnancy. In the absence of complaints and clinical indications, women who have had toxoplasmosis before pregnancy do not need treatment. These women are regarded as practically healthy individuals who do not require special medical supervision. Treatment of pregnant women should be carried out no earlier than 12–16 weeks of pregnancy (from the second trimester of pregnancy).

Drugs of the pyrimethamine group (Fansidar, Rovamycin) are prescribed.

Fansidar contains sulfadoxine 500 mg and pyrimethamine 25 mg. Etiotropic therapy consists of 2–3 cycles. Prescribed 1 tablet 1 time in 3 days No. 8 tablets per cycle. Considering the possibility of inhibition of hematopoiesis under the influence of etiotropic drugs, it is recommended to prescribe folic acid (in medium therapeutic doses), as well as conduct general blood and urine tests. In case of intolerance to drugs of the pyrimethamine group, Rovamycin is prescribed, 1 tablet of which contains 3 million IU of spiromycin. Prescribe 3 million IU 3 times a day with a seven-day break. Rovamycin is well tolerated by patients, lack of drug interactions, and high efficiency allow it to be prescribed for the treatment of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. If you are intolerant to pyrimethamine, you can replace it with antibiotics, for example, erythromycin.

Contraindications for the use of Fansidar and its analogues, as well as sulfonamide drugs and antibiotics are: disorders of erythropoiesis with anemia, kidney disease with impaired function, liver disease, cardiac decompensation.

Depending on the stage of pregnancy, it is advisable to carry out at least two full courses of etiotropic therapy with breaks between them of 1–1.5 months.

As practice has shown, in patients with inapparent acute toxoplasmosis, a good effect is achieved by the combined use of Fansidar with immunomodulators (Galovit, Polyoxidonium). Already after the first cycle of treatment, a significant decrease in IgM is observed.

Prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis. Prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis should take into account the fact that only primary infection of a woman during pregnancy can lead to infection of the fetus. Optimally, prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis should include screening women of childbearing age for toxoplasmosis before or, in extreme cases, during pregnancy. Non-immune pregnant women must be taken for clinical observation and examined for toxoplasmosis once every trimester.

Literature

1. On the detection and prevention of toxoplasmosis in Moscow. Methodological recommendations (No. 25). M., 2007.
2. Lysenko A. Ya. Clinical parasitology. Geneva, 2002.
3. Hill D., Dubey JP Toxoplasma gondii: transmission, diagnosis and prevention // Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 2002. No. 10.
4. Desmonts G., Couvreur J. Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy and its transmission to the fetus // Bull. NY Acad. Med. 1974. No. 2.

F. K. Dzutseva* G. Yu. Nikitina** Yu. V. Borisenko* L. P. Ivanova***, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor S. Kh. Zembatova***

*City Center for Toxoplasmosis, **GKB named after. S. P. Botkina, ***RMAPO, Moscow

Contact information for authors for correspondence

Signs of pregnancy in a pet

Noticing that your cat will soon become a mother is not always easy - animals will not tell us about their well-being. However, we can carefully observe our four-legged friend and identify changes. First of all, you need to understand whether the female and male had sexual intercourse. It only lasts a couple of seconds. This can be recognized by the cat’s behavior: it will move away from the cat or even show aggression, and also lick the genital area. Now we can talk about the signs of a cat’s pregnancy:

1. The heat stops. A female can become pregnant not at any time, but only during estrus. It happens several times a year, which is accompanied by special symptoms. For example, a family favorite becomes too affectionate, rolls on the floor or rubs against the owner’s legs, and meows invitingly loudly. After conception, all this comes to naught: the pet seems to become indifferent, and the cat begins to irritate the cat. She hisses at him and doesn’t let him near her, since she’s no longer interested in mating.
2. Behavior. At the beginning of pregnancy, the female often changes: she refuses food, shows excessive affection or aggression, looks lethargic, and may go to the toilet frequently. This is usually a short-term phenomenon and goes away in a few days. It's no wonder that many owners don't even have time to notice.
3. The mammary glands change. The cat's nipples become brighter in color and swell by the third week. At this moment, the fur around them seems to move apart, exposing them.

Pregnant cats' nipples become more noticeable.
How to determine that your pet has been pregnant for a long time? Gradually, her weight will begin to increase, but for some it changes slightly. Almost all females become calmer, refuse active games, and prefer to sleep more. In the later stages, they often begin to search for a secluded place for childbirth.

Important! You should not try to palpate the fetus, as this can cause serious harm to the animal.

A visit to the veterinarian and a diagnosis is the most reliable way to know that your cat will soon have adorable kittens. At the clinic, the doctor will suggest doing an ultrasound or conducting a blood test to determine the level of the hormone relaxin.

Ultrasound diagnostics is the most reliable way to find out a cat’s gestational age and the number of fetuses.

False pregnancy

It also happens that a cat ovulates, but conception fails. Sometimes this ends in a false pregnancy. The hormonal background changes as if the female is expecting offspring, but in reality there is none. This phenomenon can lead to changes in behavior, so consultation with a specialist is necessary in some cases.

How to tell if your cat is pregnant

It is extremely desirable for a cat owner to know that his pet has become pregnant. It is important to establish the moment of mating, because it is from this point that the countdown of a cat’s pregnancy begins. This is not difficult for owners who themselves determine the “wedding day,” but those whose kitties have arbitrarily decided to have offspring, left unattended, are often caught by surprise.

Ultrasound for a cat

The fact of early pregnancy of a cat can only be accurately confirmed by an ultrasound examination of its abdominal cavity. Already in the second week from the moment of conception, ultrasound equipment recognizes the amniotic sac, and in the third week it records the fetal heartbeat. Experienced veterinarians are also able to detect early pregnancy by palpation.

If you think your cat might become pregnant, keep an eye on her. The first suspicious signs appear around the tenth day after mating. You will notice that the kitty has become extremely affectionate and more demanding of your attention. Much less often, but it happens that the animal, on the contrary, tries to retire and avoids touching. The pet becomes drowsy, slow, in a word, its behavior changes noticeably.

The first signs of pregnancy also appear in changes in the taste preferences of the expectant mother. She may become interested in foods that she previously did not like. The animal's appetite is also an important indicator. At first it may decrease, morning sickness is possible, but then the cat begins to demand larger and larger portions of food.

Noticing that the cat's mammary glands have swollen and darkened nipples will confirm your suspicions. Such signs appear in the third week of pregnancy. There will be no doubt at all when, by the end of the fourth week, the cat’s tummy begins to noticeably round, then increasing day by day.

How long does pregnancy last

The answer to the main question, how long pregnancy lasts, is from 57 to 66 days from the moment of successful mating. It is not enough just to know the duration of an interesting situation. The owner needs to understand how each period goes and what to expect from the pet.

So, pregnancy in felines lasts approximately 2 months. It is difficult to set an exact deadline, since it depends on several things. Firstly, it is not always possible to find out exactly when the female and male had a successful mating. Secondly, the duration of pregnancy is influenced by the number of kittens in the litter. Thirdly, the cat breed plays a big role:

• Siamese - 66-68 days;
• oriental - 66 days;
• British - 63-64 days;
• korat - 62-63 days.

These are average values, but still worth taking into account. Especially when it comes to premature birth and the pet needs the help of a specialist.

About two months pass from conception to the birth of kittens.

Early labor

Felines also experience premature birth - this is the birth of kittens before the 57-60th day. It is necessary to immediately seek the help of a veterinarian, because premature birth threatens the lives of babies (they may not yet be able to suck milk or breathe on their own). It is better to call a veterinarian at home as soon as the female begins to give birth.

Labor can begin earlier even in multiple pregnancies. This often happens when a cat is carrying up to 5-7 kittens. Childbirth not quite on time (literally a few days earlier than expected, for example, 55-56) in this case is considered the norm.

Unfortunately, the death of a fetus in the womb is not uncommon - then the female gives birth to only one kitten (the dead one), and will continue to carry the rest according to their due date. However, partial labor is a reason to take your pet to the vet immediately. He must make sure that the rest of the babies and the expectant mother are not in danger.

Post-term pregnancy

Sometimes, when labor does not begin for a long time, owners are interested in something completely different: how long can you walk in position? Do not worry until 70-73 days - only from this period the pregnancy is considered post-term. It is not at all a fact that you have correctly determined the date of conception. It is also necessary to visit a specialist: x-rays and ultrasound will help you understand how soon the babies will be born. Diagnostics will allow you to determine the weight and size of the fetus as accurately as possible, and then, based on this, draw a conclusion about the cat’s gestational age.

Post-term pregnancy is not uncommon for cats. However, not every owner knows the exact date of conception.

Description by week

Why do you need to know how a cat’s pregnancy progresses week by week? Sometimes even minor changes in her condition indicate serious problems and require a visit to a specialist.

Fertilization occurs a day after sexual intercourse, but for this it is necessary that the eggs enter the fallopian tube (ovulation). In cats, ovulation occurs during the mating process. Having multiple sexual intercourse over a short period of time will increase the chance of pregnancy. For fertile caudates, one mating is enough.

At 1–3 weeks, the fetus is attached to the walls of the uterus, then the formation of the most important systems of the body begins. In the first weeks, the placenta forms. The size of the fruit is no more than 1 cm.

At 4–6 weeks you can already find out the exact number of embryos using ultrasound. The size of the offspring reaches 4–6 cm. At this time, they already have barely noticeable fur. As mentioned earlier, it is not advisable to palpate kittens. In addition, the uterus fills with fluid, and only a specialist can cope with this task. By the age of 4–5 weeks, tailed cats recover slightly, especially if they are carrying only two or three kittens.

Babies continue to grow actively - by 7–9 weeks their body length reaches 8 cm, and their weight reaches 100 g. Gradually they become more active, so movements can often be seen by wave-like fluctuations in the cat’s abdomen. At the end of pregnancy, the mammary glands of the expectant mother swell even more, and minor discharge is possible from the genital tract.

Cat gestation period

The minimum period allotted by nature for a cat to become pregnant is 55 days, the maximum is 72 days.
According to the observations of owners, the average gestation time for a cat baby is 60-68 days. The gestation period of animals of different breeds varies, although slightly. Long-haired cats bear their offspring slightly longer than short-haired cats. For example, furry beauties from the Maine Coon breed have to wait 66-68 days for a happy moment, and representatives of the Siamese-Oriental group – only 59-64 days. Felinologists have determined the average duration of pregnancy for cats of different breeds. So, for example, it amounts to

• British Shorthair – 63-69 days,
• Scottish fold – 62-69 days,
• Bengal – 61-70 days,
• sphinx – 63-66 days,
• Somali and Abyssinian – 63-65 days,
• Persian - 63-66 days.

In cats bearing 1-2 cubs, the gestation period often reaches 72 days, and future mothers with many children can expect the appearance of offspring as early as 58 days.

The duration of gestation of kittens is often influenced by stressful situations for pregnant animals - moving, renovation, guests staying for a long time, noisy events. In such cases, childbirth may occur earlier or later than the moment established by nature.

Caring for a future mother cat

If in dogs the nutritional needs during pregnancy change only by the second month, then in cats it changes immediately. They need more calories, nutrients, vitamins. Having noticed the first signs, it is advisable to increase the portion. The specific food is high in calories and contains a sufficient amount of fatty acids due to Omega-3 (they are required for the normal development of embryos). Biologically appropriate food SUPERPET is ideal for pregnant and lactating cats. During this period, you need to increase the daily norm by 100%.

Still, with a pregnant female you need to visit a specialist at least once. You should tell him about your diet, as well as the medications you give to your pet (for example, against parasites). Some of them lead to fetal malformations. Vaccination during this period is not the best idea, so vaccinations should be considered in advance.

While carrying kittens, the female should be calm and not stressed. If there are children in the house, you need to explain to them why you can’t cuddle your pet or play active games with her. Caring for a pregnant cat should not be too intrusive - the animal must be handled with extreme caution. Exhibitions, travel, and flights will clearly not benefit the tailed one.

You can’t squeeze a cat in a position; a miscarriage may occur.

Initial signs

It is difficult to find out if a cat is pregnant at first.

Symptoms that indicate that she is expecting offspring appear after 3-4 weeks:

• behavior becomes calm. The cat sleeps constantly;
• some feel weak, and occasionally you may notice that the animal is vomiting;
• appetite and food preferences change;
• becomes aggressive towards the opposite sex: hisses and arches his back;
• after 20 days the nipples turn pink;
• at four weeks, when stroking the cat, you can notice the cubs moving;
• at 5-6 weeks the belly becomes large;
• a cat's weight increases 1.5 times during pregnancy;
• 10-14 days before birth, the search for a place to build a nest begins.

At the veterinary clinic, ultrasounds are performed to determine how long the cat will bear kittens. The study is carried out two weeks after mating.

After 10 days, its presence can be determined by palpation. This procedure is carried out within a matter of days. Then it will be difficult to palpate the cubs due to the large amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus.

Childbirth is coming soon: signs and course

It is extremely important to know what precedes an early birth. This information will allow you to better understand the expectant mother and have time to prepare for the birth of babies. She may need first aid during this difficult process.

Signs

A harbinger of labor in a cat is considered to be an extremely calm state a couple of days before the onset. There is also a sharp decrease in appetite and a search for a secluded place. As a rule, it is difficult for the expectant mother to walk; most of the time she prefers to lie down. Perhaps he will fawn over the owner and follow on his heels, hinting at your help. The most striking signs can be seen 3–5 days before lambing.

You can reduce your pet's anxiety by creating a cozy nest for the birth of babies during pregnancy. Usually they use a large box or a ready-made house. It is important to cover it with a clean cloth and place it where there are no people. A cat always looks for a distant place to give birth so that no one will disturb her.

Animals during pregnancy may have different opinions on this matter - some choose a closet for lambing or hide under the bed. Ideally, you need to give the expectant mother a room where she will feel comfortable and safe. The constructed house should be prepared several weeks in advance so that the tailed animal has time to get used to it.

A cat needs a secluded area to give birth to kittens.

Course of labor

Having noticed the precursors of childbirth, it is recommended to examine the animal. The cat begins to have mucous discharge from the genital tract, which will facilitate the process. She will begin to actively lick the area under the tail - you will definitely not miss the beginning of birth. It is worth preparing for it in advance to help your pet survive the appearance of offspring. What you may need:

• surgical gloves (several pairs);
• clean scissors;
• dry cloth;
• small syringe;
• antiseptic (iodine, brilliant green, etc.).

It will be better if a specialist monitors the birth process. However, you can cope on your own, the most important thing is not to panic. Even during pregnancy, find a doctor who can advise you over the phone if necessary.

The first signs of labor are contractions. They can last up to 12 hours and are accompanied by bleeding. The expectant mother behaves restlessly: she rushes around the house, screams, and tries to stay closer to the person. You can gently massage the abdomen and speak in a gentle voice.

Kittens pass through the birth bladder head first. Next, the female must bite through the amniotic sac, gnaw the umbilical cord and lick the crumbs. Sometimes the owner has to help: cut the umbilical cord himself with clean scissors, clear the mouth and nose of mucus. It doesn't hurt to first make sure that the cat doesn't mind your help.

A cat can give birth on its own, but with the help of the owner and the veterinarian, the process will definitely be safe for her and the kittens.

The duration of labor usually does not exceed 7–8 hours (from the moment the abdominal cramps begin until the kitten is born), but the process sometimes drags on for up to a day. The fewer kids, the faster everything goes. If the expectant mother has no pathologies and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, everything will be easy. Still, be careful and, if necessary, immediately seek help from a veterinarian.

After birth, the mother quickly returns to normal, although spotting can last up to three weeks. In the absence of alarming symptoms (nausea and vomiting, weakness, fever), this is not a pathology.

In conclusion, let us recall that gestation in cats lasts on average 2 months (57–60 days). Some breeds have different gestation periods. Even during mating, it is worth observing the behavior of your pet in order to determine the date of conception as accurately as possible. It will not be superfluous to prepare in advance for the birth of furry babies by building the correct diet for the cat using the species-typical SUPERPET nutrition.

Author of the article

Yulia Antonovskaya

Lyricist

Rate this article

1. 5
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 1

0
votes, average:
0 out of 5

Possible problems

During pregnancy, a cat may experience health problems caused by genetic disorders, infectious diseases or external causes. In this case, the life and health of the pet depends on how quickly the owner contacts the veterinarian.

Premature birth

If labor begins earlier than 56 days after mating, it is considered premature. Premature kittens aged 50–55 days can still be released, but with those born even earlier there is very little chance of success.

If your cat goes into premature labor, you need to take her to a veterinary clinic as quickly as possible.

The main causes of premature birth are:

• developmental disorders in kittens;
• infectious diseases (mycoplasmosis and others);
• injuries and falls;
• severe stress;
• problems with the placenta.

Signs of the onset of premature labor:

• cat anxiety;
• vaginal discharge;
• heat;
• contractions.

It is necessary to take the cat to the doctor as quickly as possible, because he may have time to relieve the tone of the uterus with the help of special medications and give the pet a chance to bear kittens. If it is already too late, then the doctor has more opportunities to ensure the animal a successful outcome of premature birth.

Post-term pregnancy

If the kittens are not born before day 70, the pregnancy is considered post-term. Sometimes cubs born on days 70–75 turned out to be quite healthy, but this is rather an exception to the rule. Most often, failure to give birth on time means that the kittens died in the uterus from hypoxia. Then, to save the cat, the doctor performs a caesarean section or removes the entire uterus. The causes of post-term pregnancy can be:

• a large number of fruits;
• fruits are too large;
• body features of the animal (narrow pelvis);
• hormonal disorders.

Most often, the problem of post-term pregnancy is solved by caesarean section in a veterinary clinic.

Uterine bleeding or miscarriage

Sometimes after an injury, a cat will begin to bleed from the vagina. It is the cause or sign of an incipient miscarriage. It is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible, then the pregnancy may be able to be saved. Miscarriage is often caused by uterine torsion. This is the name for bending or twisting of the long horns of an organ that occurs due to injury. This leads to intrauterine death of kittens and removal of the uterus.

In case of miscarriage and uterine bleeding, only a veterinarian can help

In addition to uterine torsion, the causes of miscarriage may be:

• family ties between parents;
• breed characteristics;
• age of the cat;
• parasite infection;
• poisoning;
• obesity.

Signs of miscarriage:

• any vaginal discharge (except clear white in late pregnancy or bloody a day or two before birth), especially if it has an unpleasant odor;
• fever;
• weight loss and appetite;
• vomit;
• weakness;
• abdominal asymmetry;
• anxious cat behavior.

Ectopic pregnancy

A pathology in which the fetus develops outside the uterus is called an ectopic pregnancy. It can be primary (the fetus is attached outside the uterus from the very beginning) and secondary (the fetus leaves the uterus as a result of its rupture due to injury or pathology of the reproductive organs). In both cases, normal development of the embryo is impossible, it is doomed to death, and if it is not removed in a timely manner, the cat will also die. After all, as a result of an ectopic pregnancy, she develops sepsis, tissue necrosis or damage to internal organs. The most favorable outcome is when the embryo is removed from the cat’s body on its own, in the form of a miscarriage.

If any signs of pathological development of pregnancy appear, you should immediately contact a specialist.

An ectopic pregnancy is life-threatening for a cat; in such a situation, it is necessary to remove the embryo from the abdominal cavity as quickly as possible

Parallel pregnancy (superfecundation and superfetation)

In cats, there is such an interesting phenomenon as parallel pregnancy.

Superfecundation is the simultaneous fertilization of a cat's eggs with sperm from different cats. This happens when a cat mates with several males during one ovulation period. As a result, the eggs receive different genetic material, and the kittens of the same litter may be completely different and have different fathers. In principle, this option is not dangerous for the cat and is no different from standard pregnancy.

When a cat has superfecundation, in one litter there are kittens from different fathers that are completely different from each other

Superfetation is the simultaneous gestation of two litters of kittens at different stages of maturation. This can happen if an already pregnant female copulates with a male again (usually at 3 weeks from mating), resulting in a second, younger litter of cubs appearing in the womb. Thus, the two groups of kittens develop several weeks apart. This situation rarely ends well. Often during the birth of an early litter, the later one dies, as the uterus pushes out the premature younger kittens. It happens less often that the early litter is successfully born, while the later one remains in the uterus and develops normally there for several more weeks, after which a second birth follows.

In case of superfetation, you need to take the cat to the veterinary clinic for birth, this will increase the chances of survival of kittens of the younger litter

With superfetation, problems may arise due to the mother's insufficient teats for all kittens or insufficient milk supply. But these difficulties can be solved by the cat owner by taking upon himself the responsibility of feeding some of the babies.

Sometimes an owner has to literally feed his pet's kittens

How long does it take for a cat to go into labor?

When the expectant mother's water breaks, the owners have a question: in how many hours will the due date arrive? After this period, the time for complete dilation of the uterus begins. About 20 minutes later, the cat gives birth and the first child appears. But it’s impossible to say how long it will take for the second kitten to appear, because it depends on the physiology of the pet. Sometimes kittens appear one after another, and sometimes with an interval of several hours; most often, the difference between the first kitten and the last can be 4 hours.

Factors influencing gestation period

How long a pet's pregnancy will last depends on a number of factors. For example, the weight of the animal is important. If you are obese or underweight, it is more difficult for a female to bear offspring, so the timing may vary.

How many days does a cat walk: examples for the first time and how long in time

If fertilization occurs for the first time in a pet that is younger than 8 months, then it will be more difficult to bear healthy offspring. In such cases, pathologies of fetal development, as well as difficult childbirth, are often observed.

Important! Hormonal imbalances greatly affect the timing of gestation.

The presence of chronic infectious diseases leads to the fact that the due date may shift. During planning of mating, as well as pregnancy, it is necessary to carefully monitor the well-being of the pet in order to eliminate the risk of miscarriage.

Often times are even affected by weather conditions, changes in seasons or climate zones.