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Overview:
The gestation
period for a cat is 63-65 days. This varies between cat though,
and anywhere between 60 to 70 days is normal.
What are the signs
of pregnancy in cats?
Unlike humans, it
is not possible to determine a pregnancy via a blood or urine
test in cats. However, there are often indicators that your cat
is pregnant, some signs include;
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By the third
week of pregnancy the cat's nipples will become enlarged &
pink. This is known as 'pinking up'.
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By the fourth
week of pregnancy she should have gained enough weight to make
her pregnancy visible.
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By 3-4 weeks
your veterinarian should be able to palpitate the abdomen &
feel the babies.
How does the
veterinarian confirm diagnosis?
An experienced
veterinarian will be able to palpitate the abdomen & feel the
kittens around 17 - 25 days. Do NOT attempt to do this at home
as you may cause miscarriage or damage to the developing
kittens. After 32 days the developing fetuses & fetal membranes
become difficult to distinguish.
The fetal bone
structure can be seen on x-rays around the 43rd day. X-ray
should be avoided in early pregnancy.
Pregnancy can also
be detected by ultrasound. By around day 26 the fetus &
heartbeats can be seen.
Related
articles:
Estrus in Cats,
Birth in Cats,
Raising
Orphaned Kittens,
Raising Premature Kittens
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