Is My Cat Pregnant? Signs of Pregnancy in Cats |
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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; - By the third week of pregnancy the cat's nipples will become enlarged & pink. This is known as 'pinking up'.
- By the fourth week of pregnancy she should have gained enough weight to make her pregnancy visible.
- 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. 
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