# how can I tell if my cat is pregnant?



## Dannie2324 (Jan 20, 2011)

Im going to take her to the vet before the month is over to make sure, but in the mean time I am all excited and its killing me to know if she is or isn't!!! Her last heat cycle was the begning of December. She has put on weight in her mid section. I do not know if her nipples are bigger, but the area around the nipples has turned a dark pink. When I feel her belly it is very hard but I have not really felt any balls in her belly yet, minus one time she was laying on her side and there was a ball type mass pushing her ribs out and once she readjusted the ball went away. here is a picture of her belly from Facebook Login | Facebook


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

Well, the obvious question would be, has she had access to any intact males recently? Namely, during her last heat cycle? If so, it's highly likely. My understanding is cats breed very easily when the opportunity is there.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

But I should add that a vet checkup is in order regardless, since a hard stomach and possible masses could indicate pregnancy _or_ a health issue. So it's good that you're taking her to the vet!

Also, if she is pregnant, I hope you have potential homes for these kittens?


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## Dannie2324 (Jan 20, 2011)

That was my first thought with how big she has gotten, but she doesn't seem to be in pain or anything but hopfully The Cat Doctor can shed some light on the situation hehe. If she is pregnant I do have home for one kitten but it is very hard to find the others homes till I at least know how many to expect or even know for sure she is pregnant. If she is pregnant, I do have another female cat..do you have any idea how I would go about having kittens in a house with another cat other then the mother? I do not know If I need to keep mama kitty and kittens in a large dog crate or if I could just leave them in the nesting box.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

At 3 weeks you can tell if a cat is pregnant as that is the time the nipples "pink up", turn from white to pink. As the pregnancy progresses, the especially in a female that has not had kittens before, the nipples enlarge to twice their size. Occasionally cats do this even with a "false pregnancy", when they look pregnant, but aren't. It's fairly uncommon, but does happen.


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## saitenyo (Nov 28, 2010)

Dannie2324 said:


> If she is pregnant I do have home for one kitten but it is very hard to find the others homes till I at least know how many to expect or even know for sure she is pregnant.


Ah. :/
May I ask why she's not spayed? There are already _so_ many kittens that need homes. I noticed in another thread you talked about how your grandfather took in all these cats but didn't spay and neuter them and didn't have homes for all the resulting kittens, and how this inspired you to want to start a cat shelter some day. I would hope you would be more aware of the consequences of leaving a pet cat unspayed/unneutered then.

If it turns out she is pregnant, well, you'll have to deal with the consequences of making sure all the kittens get homes, and after that, _please_ spay her. If it turns out she is not pregnant now, then I recommend spaying her asap to avoid this happening in the future.


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