Second guessing my pregnant cat.

goldenkitty45

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Yep Lindsey. I don't think she's pregnant. If there are no kittens in the next 2-3 weeks, then she has a false pregnancy - its uncommon but does happen. Reason I'm thinking its a false one is that the nipples are not the normal way in a pregnant cat. Symptoms are there, but not really.

Only other way is to get her x-rayed to see if she really has any kittens.
 
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skewch

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That was my next option--going to the vet. I am gonna wait a few more days to see what develops, but its definitely an option. Because there isn't anything emergent about the situation, I didn't want to stress her out too much. I also kinda have to wait a few days because we're getting a foot of snow this weekend, and my vehicle isn't a 4x4...hubby's is LOL.
 

kluchetta

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I forget - what day did you think she got pregnant? That might help some. There have been several cats on the board here that had false pregnancies recently, it's amazing how realistic it is. She's getting high quality kitten food, I hope?
 
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skewch

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The date is approximate only because I know when she went out of heat, it was the day before we went to Jamaica...so Feb 28th she was finished her heat. I looked at the feline preg. calendar and it approximated birth at May 2nd.

Ugh, I still can't get her into a good position for a different picture. I am going to keep trying though. At any rate, if she doesn't get any bigger in the upcoming few days, I'll phone my vet and get an appt.
 
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skewch

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ok, here's a couple pictures I just got. Any better?




Better nipple picture, those back two closest to her hind legs feel full to me.
 

lindsey88

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She looks like Sophie did at that stage.
Here was Sophie about 7.5 weeks. Notice her light pink nipples and this was when she first started showing. She also had light pink nipples.
 
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skewch

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Thanks Lindsay! You know, I couldn't even tell you what color they normally are because I didn't really look. However, I CAN say that you couldn't see or feel them like you can now.

Our winter storm has started now, and I was thinking of calling the mobile vet to come and see her, but if I can't drive well during the storm(gonna last the next couple days), I can't imagine they will be able to either.

I am going to phone the vet tomorrow though and get verbal advice on what they think too, given her symptoms she is showing aren't as pronounced as some others' experiences.

Thanks again Lindsay!!
 

marianjela

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Does she have any other symptoms? Does she appear to be eating more? Is she hiding or looking for hiding spots? sleeping under the bed?

My initial opinion was that she did not look pregnant. But we dont have any before picture to compare her to. Her sides dont seem to be bulging like what I call saddlebags. But the fact that you can see her nipples leads me to second guess myself. On a non-pregnant cat, the nipples arent usually visible without digging through their fur.

Usually you can begin to feel kitten movement 2 weeks before delivery. With your estimated due date that is about now. Have you felt any flutters yet? In the beginning, kitten movement isnt obvious and is easily mistaken for gas
Feel for movement on her sides as opposed to in her belly area, as they carry their kittens in their horns, and they dont move into the belly area until closer to delivery. In the beginning, a kicking kitten is very faint and might take some patience to feel. But by next week, if she is pregnant, you should begin to SEE them move.

Good luck! and we're here if you have any more questions!
 

lindsey88

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Let us know what the vet says! It could very well be a false pregnancy. My dog Maggie went through two where she gained belly weight and got in milk. She was finally spayed and it turned out she had ovarian cysts. I have never experienced them in cats though.
 
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skewch

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Marian, she is eating alot. That was one of our first clues because she is such a light eater. Now, she just pigs out at every chance she gets. I am going to start her on kitten food tomorrow, as I have a bunch from the vets from when my baldies were littler.

I'm starting to sound like a pervert talking about nipples so much tonight LOL but that's one of the tell-tale signs. Her tummy does bulge on each side when you watch her walk. I don't have many pictures of her before she was pregnant except for some might not work because of her age in the picture. She has always been a very petite cat and always looked thin to me, but because my other siamese are little fatties, anything in comparison is smaller LOL

She doesn't let me rub her stomach too much, it's almost like it's irritating to her. I know it's not painful to her because if it was, she'd cry out. She just moves away like I'm annoying her LOL So suffice to say, I haven't felt much for movement, but she does feel firm in there.

She has hidden under my bed a few times, and has checked out my walk in closet. The box is being made as we speak
 
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skewch

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Ok this is an older picture of her, but she didn't change much in the weight department. She was always thin and petite.
 

marianjela

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In my opinion, the color of her nipples isnt as important as the hair that is receding away from her nipples. Our newest foster's nipples arent very pink at all... just slightly so, but she is due any day now no doubt.

You know your girl best. If she is acting different, eating more, more affectionate... she probably is "in the way".

And
at your perv comment! I dont know how many times I've thought that myself, from feeling nipples to looking at who-whos


Good idea to start her in kitten food, it is higher in calories and if she is carrying kittens can use all she can get. And it's especially important to keep this up after she delivers as nursing is even more taxing!

As for her not letting you feel her tummy... I think that is probably another indicator. A lot of preggo moms go through this stage of not wanting you NEAR her belly. My last foster I always had to trick her into letting me feel. I would pretend to just be holding her, while petting her head, but one of my hands would be strategically placed on her side to feel. But then they seem to move into a stage where they will flop over demanding a tummy rub! My most recent foster (I have two fosters right now, one with a 5 week old litter and one expecting any day now) does this now - flops over for affection.

From the one picture you show, she does seem to have a slight pooch, but really aside from her size, I think the receding fur is a tell-tale sign.


Some cats get REALLY big and have tiny litters and some barely show at all. Just as with people, it's all individual.

Hope you feel some movement soon.
 

lindsey88

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In this picture she just has that relaxed pregnant cat look. lol
 

goldenkitty45

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Would this be her first litter? If she's pregnant I don't think there is anymore then one or two kittens in there. My little rex was obviously pregnant even when she only had the one kitten (her last litter).

I think its a false pregnancy.

Here's a few articles about false pregnancy

http://www.cat-pregnancy-report.com/...y-in-cats.html

Look Here! FALSE PREGNANCIES Look Here!

The feline is very unique in it's reproductive system in that the female cats, called queens, are "induced ovulators". What this means is that the act of mating itself is what causes the female cat to ovulate (to release her eggs for fertilization). Because cats are induced ovulators, all breedings which would be considered 'sterile' (i.e., no live kittens are conceived) thus lead to what is commonly called "false" pregnancies. Also, the typical procedure of vaginal cytology may not, in the case of queens, be a reliable source for exploration or confirmation of reproductive function. One the positive side, the use of progesterone assays can in fact prove that the female cat has ovulated (thus confirming that a mating has taken place).

What happens during a "false pregnancy"? Certain actions of progesterone can cause very similar changes in the queen to those which occur in normal pregnancies. The act of mating causes the stimulation of progesterone and voila! We have what appears to be a pregnant queen. In a normal pregnancy, the eggs are fertilized in the oviduct and at about 4 to 5 days after mating, they arrive in the uterus. Implantation does not begin until about 14 days after mating. At about 20 days into the pregnancy, some experienced veterinarians can "palpate" the queen's abdomen and detect the fetuses which are by that time about the size of medium peas. The best time to try to palpate a queen though is at about 4 to 6 weeks into the pregnancy, at which time the fetuses are anywhere from the size of walnuts to small eggs. In a false pregnancy, the progesterone levels are about the same, and the queen will also go through the phenomena referred to as "pinking up" at about 3 to 4 weeks after the mating, when her teats show a marked reddening and an increase in size and swelling. The progesterone also causes fat deposits and water retention which can cause considerable enlargement of the abdomen, which also mimics a true pregnancy. Usually, a false pregnancy lasts from 3 to 7 weeks, and most often ends with the queen coming back in season and beginning to show the signs of being in heat, calling for a mate, etc. Most false pregnancies do not cause the queen to have milk production or secretion, and most queens can be bred again after they complete their false pregnancy. If the cause of the sterility is not yet known, it is probably wise to try breeding this queen to a different tom cat, to see if this makes a positive difference (hopefully it will) in the outcome of her mating and pregnancy.
 

marianjela

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In either case, if it is a false pregnancy, then she will be coming into heat soon. If she is pregnant, you should be able to feel movement soon.

Good luck - hope you figure it out soon! For your own sanity


Marian
 
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skewch

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Marian, I can feel hard lumps inside her belly, but she won't let me lay my hand there long enough to feel movement. However, I did feel this morning what is described as gas bubbles in there....maybe I'm imagining it LOL 15 seconds isn't long enough of a feel for me


I'll keep you all updated on what's going on.

Susan
 

marianjela

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Yay! I bet the hard lumps are the kittens! The foster I have now is really "lumpy". She is a petite cat, so feeling the babies is real easy. But her babes are lazy too
And I dont get to feel movement as much as the foster before her!

And the gas-like feeling you are feeling, could possibly be them moving. Imagine how tiny they are when they are born, and imagine they are only the size of a "pea" as GoldenKitty stated at 3 weeks... so between 3 weeks and 9 weeks... pea to kitty.... at 7 weeks they are just so tiny still... the movements are faint and if you dont know what your feeling for can easily be missed or mistaken for tummy gurgles. When I explain to my kids what they are feeling for, I take my index finger and gently trace their palm. It is so so small a feeling. I guess it's hard to explain. But just one week later they are definite kicks and you will actually see them moving inside like aliens!

Well, yay, for the hard lumps. At least you're one step closer to knowing you're not crazy
 

zoethor2

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Originally Posted by Marianjela

...you will actually see them moving inside like aliens!
Oh, yes, indeed. Ms Friskers really looked like she should be in a science fiction movie, the way these little guys were shoving around in there. It's like there wasn't enough room for the three of them, or something!
 
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