# How far along is my cat? Signs of labor??



## Tatianac21 (Jun 21, 2021)

Hi guys,
I believe to have a pregnant cat.
I projected her to be due next week, but I do not have the exact date of conception. Can anyone please look at these photos and tell me what you think? It’s so bizarre. She doesn’t “look” pregnant anymore.. but she is sleeping a lot, her nipples are enlarged and pink, and her behavior is very different.
She also stopped eatting her food besides a few treats (still drinking) and has had diarrhea a couple times, but seems to be on the up and up. Is she going into labor? She’s very mellow and calm, not meowing, and likes gentle pets but not super affectionate. There was also some clear liquid on the carpet where she was laying that did not have a smell.
I don’t see any rippling and haven’t felt any fetuses. I’m so confused. Let me know what you think please!


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## Kitty827 (Sep 3, 2020)

How long has it been since her nipples have been pink and enlargened? If she's pregnant, I'd peg her at about 3 weeks along. It could be a false pregnancy, though.


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## HappyFather (May 21, 2021)

I'm no expert. But my cat had babies last week so I'll dare to say something.
The belly seems too small for 8/9 weeks into the pregnancy, it doesn't look to me like "due next week".
There is more fur around the nipples than my Loreta had in the last days, too.
IF she is pregnant, I would bet more the liquid on the carpet to be vomiting (sickness) and that explains why she is not eating. Mine spent a day and a half without food (took her to the vet and she started eating all the vet's treats!!!). That would put her more on the 4th week. This is what I had on the 4th week text of my cat's pregnancy calendar:


> By week four, you may notice your cat occasionally vomiting in the mornings. This does not happen for every cat, but can happen for some. Just like people, some cats may develop morning sickness. This usually happens if they go for a long period of time without eating.
> Offering your cat frequent, small meals throughout the day can help decrease the vomiting and nausea.
> Some cats in this stage of pregnancy will also have a decreased appetite and may not eat as much as they usually do. If your cat is vomiting frequently or the vomiting does not subside within a week, you should have them examined by your veterinarian.


I hope all is well with your cat!


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## Tatianac21 (Jun 21, 2021)

Kitty827 said:


> How long has it been since her nipples have been pink and enlargened? If she's pregnant, I'd peg her at about 3 weeks along. It could be a false pregnancy, though.


So I projected her to be due next week. She has not been in heat and was more barrel shaped earlier


Kitty827 said:


> How long has it been since her nipples have been pink and enlargened? If she's pregnant, I'd peg her at about 3 weeks along. It could be a false pregnancy, though.


so when she got out when she was in heat, I calculated 67 days to be around the first week of July? But maybe she didn’t get pregnant then? I’m so confused, we thought for sure she was pregnant her belly was growing and nipples have been growing and getting pinker, however I just looked at her again and now they aren’t as pink?? She also doesn’t look as big? She hasnt been in heat for these past 50 days or so...


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## Tatianac21 (Jun 21, 2021)

HappyFather said:


> I'm no expert. But my cat had babies last week so I'll dare to say something.
> The belly seems too small for 8/9 weeks into the pregnancy, it doesn't look to me like "due next week".
> There is more fur around the nipples than my Loreta had in the last days, too.
> IF she is pregnant, I would bet more the liquid on the carpet to be vomiting (sickness) and that explains why she is not eating. Mine spent a day and a half without food (took her to the vet and she started eating all the vet's treats!!!). That would put her more on the 4th week. This is what I had on the 4th week text of my cat's pregnancy calendar:
> ...


Thank you for responding! Sooo now I just feel like I’m crazy.. her belly is not that big at all now, maybe she really isn’t pregnant?? I calculated 67 days to be around the first week of July from when she got out and was in heat. She hasn’t been in heat since then. The liquid on the carpet and no smell at all, I touch it with my finger and smelled it (dedicated I know) I feel like I definitely would have smelled vomit if it was. Also, her nipples aren’t as pink now as they were last night? She is still have diarrhea so I need to take her in. I will try to post another pic of her “standing up” and you can tell me what you think


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## Mosi (May 17, 2021)

Have you taken her to a vet?
If so, when?
What did the vet say?
If you have not taken her to a vet, then I strongly recommend you do so asap. It is the first thing to do if you even suspect that your cat is pregnant.


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## Tatianac21 (Jun 21, 2021)

I am on the waiting list today. Apparently we have a shortage of vets where we are and everyone is very booked out including urgent and 24 hour places.


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## HappyFather (May 21, 2021)

I also agree you should take your cat to a vet because of the contradictory signs. It doesn't look like she's so far into pregnancy but the lack of heat for so long, the eating and digestive issues...



Mosi said:


> If you have not taken her to a vet, then I strongly recommend you do so asap. It is the first thing to do if you even suspect that your cat is pregnant.


But I have to disagree with this sentence. Most important, my vet disagrees with this sentence. A cat shouldn't go to the vet just because we suspect she's pregnant. A cat should go to the vet if there is an issue. Being pregnant is not an issue. My vet discourages any visit that is not relevant. i.e. She discouraged me from doing x-rays or ultrasounds. The cat didn't need that, I was curious but the cat's well-being is best maintained avoiding the stress of vet visits unless really necessary.
I learned to always call my vet first, explain why I'm thinking a visit is necessary (or wonder if it should be needed) and then answer her questions and abide to her decision.
Mosi has more cat experience than I have and so probably his/her (sorry, don't know) opinion is worth more than mine. But I do believe sometimes we all exaggerate a bit because we love our pets and, as such, a different opinion should be considered.


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## Kitty827 (Sep 3, 2020)

Tatianac21 said:


> So I projected her to be due next week. She has not been in heat and was more barrel shaped earlier
> 
> so when she got out when she was in heat, I calculated 67 days to be around the first week of July? But maybe she didn’t get pregnant then? I’m so confused, we thought for sure she was pregnant her belly was growing and nipples have been growing and getting pinker, however I just looked at her again and now they aren’t as pink?? She also doesn’t look as big? She hasnt been in heat for these past 50 days or so...


Sounds like false pregnancy to me. Tell us what your vet says.


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## Tatianac21 (Jun 21, 2021)

Hi guys,
So I took her to the vet, she did get an ultrasound. She IS very pregnant  5 healthy kittens “that they could see” lol. They gave her some fluids because she was a little dehydrated and did blood work and said everything is ok! $400.00 I probably didn’t need to spend, but now I know how many are going to pop out! My projected due date was pretty close, the vet said within the next week or so  She said a back alley cat like Pepper should have no problem giving birth and taking care of her babies. I was so glad to hear it and my kids are so excited for her to “poop out kittens.” The vet and techs said I could bring kittens back later for possible homes to the people who work there! Wonderful news! I also have a few good friends who want a kitten. So everything is 👌
Thank you everyone for your help!


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## Mosi (May 17, 2021)

HappyFather said:


> I also agree you should take your cat to a vet because of the contradictory signs. It doesn't look like she's so far into pregnancy but the lack of heat for so long, the eating and digestive issues...
> 
> 
> But I have to disagree with this sentence. Most important, my vet disagrees with this sentence. A cat shouldn't go to the vet just because we suspect she's pregnant. A cat should go to the vet if there is an issue. Being pregnant is not an issue. My vet discourages any visit that is not relevant. i.e. She discouraged me from doing x-rays or ultrasounds. The cat didn't need that, I was curious but the cat's well-being is best maintained avoiding the stress of vet visits unless really necessary.
> ...


Well, you have a point there, Happy Father, in that many people take their animals to the vet at the drop of a hat and it's not necessary. When one of mine has something going on and it is clearly not an emergency, I tend to give it a day or two to see how things move along, and often it is something I can treat myself or that will mend on its own.

However, when an animal may be pregnant, (especially if the owner is not certain) I think it's very important to have a vet visit. You need to be making sure she is healthy and doesn't have a problem that means having the kittens could kill her (ir: a heart condition or poor kidney values that you may not have known about). I would always strongly recommend a CBC and an exam for this reason. You don't need an ultrasound, but you do need to know if the cat is healthy enough to have a litter. Same thing with dogs. It is also important to know for certain (if you are not able to tell on your own) whether or not she really is pregnant, because you then can make sure you are providing all the nutrition the mother needs for the best health of the babies.


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