Common symptoms of cat pregnancy are eating a little bit more than usually, gaining weight (particularly around the mid-section), nipples increase in size, their color is changed into more vibrant pink in order to prepare to feed newborn kittens, the nesting activity begins. Morning sickness may also occur. At around 3 to 4 weeks the vet can confirm cat pregnancy by physical examination. Cat gestation period or cat pregnancy commonly lasts between 57 and 70 days (approximately nine weeks) and during that period some extra care and attention is required in order to keep a cat healthy.
It is necessary to take a cat to the vet for a prenatal check up and the vet would probably advice the cat owners to switch to some high quality cat food. Particularly in late pregnancy and during the lactation period cat needs food rich in vitamins and calcium. Usually, owners mix their cat’s normal food with gradually increased ratio of kitten food. At some point, nearly the end of the pregnancy the cat usually gets 100% kitten food and it stays so during the lactation period. The vet usually helps cat owners to choose the best feeding plan for their pregnant cat. Vaccinating the pregnant cat is not recommended.
Play time and exercise is very important during the cat’s gestation period, because even though she will naturally gain weight, she should not become obese. Outdoor cats should be kept indoors, in particular during the last 20 days of pregnancy. If the cat is scratching a lot, it is important to use only a flea medication prescribed by the vet.
And the last, but not the least part, pregnant cats want to feel loved and comfortable. They need owner’s attention and to feel more secure.