How Accurate are X-Rays for Determining Cat Pregnancy?

[hteft]

Hi,

I am new here and need a bit of help. I suspect my cat is between 7 and 9 weeks pregnant, so I took her to my vet. They didn't do any kind of palpitation on her belly or any kind of exam on her belly. They did x-rays and told me that they could not see any kittens on the x-ray. I told them we have been seeing and feeling movement on her belly. They basically told me it is my imagination and she is not pregnant.

However, from observing her I am 99.9% sure she IS pregnant. She has the rounded belly, very pink and huge nipples, nesting behavior. For the past few weeks her appetite has been voracious. She has also gained 2 pounds since the beginning of June. We see movement on her sides, you can see what looks like a little head sometimes on her side jutting out. And, we feel movement quite a bit. It actually feels like just one or two kittens. She loves having her tummy rubbed gently.

I was wondering how accurate are x-rays for determining cat pregnancy? Like I mentioned before, based on when she went into heat she would be between 7 and 9 weeks pregnant.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my post.

 

[jennyr]

Xrays certainly should be able to pick up the skeletons of any kittens at 7-9 weeks. But your description of her sounds like pregnancy! I do not know what to suggest, you can only wait and see! Gestation is around 65 days, so you do not have long to wait.

 

[hteft]

I thought that too so it is very preplexing to me that the x-ray would not pick up the kittens.
Is there anything that would cause them not to show on an x-ray?

 

[Sarthur2]

I suppose if the angle of the x-ray was not quite right there is a chance the kittens might not show up.

Did you request that the vet examine your cat for pregnancy while you were at the vet? It seems unusual that they would not, but from your description she does sound pregnant.

 

[StefanZ]

I thought that too so it is very preplexing to me that the x-ray would not pick up the kittens.
Is there anything that would cause them not to show on an x-ray?

If it is a false pregnancy, the kittens wont show.

Still, a little peculiar the didnt even pretended to do a manual palpitation.   Or could it be he did it so skillfully you didnt observed it?

I observed this at least once.  An apparently skilled vet, seemingly holding my cat calming in between his hands, apparently he did simultaneously palpitated him - although I barely understood it, I realized this really afterwards...     After this time, I have easier to recognize this.   

At least, the exam receipt showed on a thoroughly palpitation exam.  

 

[hteft]

Yes we did request that the vet examine her for pregnancy. I am not familiar with what a cat pregnancy palpation exam is, so I am going to describe what they did. Since you guys have been through cat pregnancy, you will know whether this is what is considered a cat pregnancy exam.

They stood her up by holding her under her arms. The vet looked at her tummy and noted that her tummy was rounded and her nipples and mammary glands were swollen. He noted that she had gained 2 pounds.

He then said it looked like yes she could be pregnant, but the only way to tell for sure is by an x-ray. At that point I asked about the palpation of her tummy for pregnancy and he said that he did not want to take a chance of hurting her kittens if she is pregnant and the best route is an x-ray.

We took my cat back to the technician for the x-ray and she just stood her up to do it. She did have to do the x-rays twice because the first one came out blurry. My vet showed me the x-ray and did say there was a mass in the area of her uterine horns (??) 

I asked him what the mass was and he said that is the cat, or it could be that she is pregnant but it is a very early pregnancy. I told him again we had been feeling and seeing movement on her sides and he told me it was my imagination, that if it were an early pregnancy we would not be feeling movement that soon. We do see movement though.

I did ask about a false pregnancy and he said no It isn't a false pregnancy.

It is funny to watch her, her "bump" moves from one side of her to the other.

 

[biancavd]

Are you sure about how long she's pregnant? Kitten bones calcify/harden around day 45. It's best to wait till AFTER day 50 until making an x-ray, so you can be sure the bones are hard enough to pop up clearly on the xray. 

The movement does sound like she's pregnant tho, but all the other signs don't have to be anything. She can be having a phantom pregnancy, and in that case she'll have all the signs but the movement. Though, movement is pretty obvious, so I doubt you'll be mistaken in that. 

 

[Sarthur2]

My cat's x-ray was taken about 2 weeks before she gave birth. I wanted to know because she was a pregnant stray I took in.

They x-rayed her on her sides, which clearly showed four kittens. She birthed four healthy kittens, all of whom I've kept and are now 5 months old.

It sure sounds like your cat is pregnant. Movement is usually seen beginning about three weeks before delivery.

I think your best bet at this point is to just wait and see what happens.

 

[hteft]

@Biancavd - It could be possible because my male was neutered on 6-25. But her heat cycle was in very early June.

If she is less pregnant would 2 pounds that early be normal?

@Sarthur2- they didn't do side x-rays. Just a full frontal.

 

[Sarthur2]

That may explain why no kittens showed on the x-ray.

She can easily gain 2 pounds from the pregnancy, eating more, and taking it easy. I don't find the weight gain that unusual at all.

 

[Sarthur2]

And if she's pregnant, and her heat cycle was early June, then she'll likely be due in the next week or two, depending on how early in June she mated.

 

[hteft]

I meant if she were only 6 weeks pregnant would 2 pounds be a lot for mid-pregnancy.

She has been hiding a lot today. Still eating good, but a bit less than the past week.  Just much more quieter than usual. She usually is very social and sits near wherever I am. Today I keep having to go find her.

She did the funniest thing a few days ago. She can open my kitchen cupboards. She opened the one where I store plastic bags from the grocery store. She had taken the bags and shredded them up and was sitting al cozy on top of the shredded bags.

I guess the best thing to do is just watch and wait then. As long as she is happy and content. Waiting is hard though when you aren't sure what is going on time-wise.

 

[Sarthur2]

How early in June was she in heat?

She's nesting quite a bit. This could well be her ninth week. She's definitely getting close.

 

[hteft]

Her heat cycle was between June 8th-12th.

My male was neutered on June 25th. So although she did not act in heat, June 25th would be the latest date she could have mated.

 

[Sarthur2]

She would have conceived during the week she was in heat. She probably has about 10 days to 2 weeks left.

 

[hteft]

That isn't long at all. Thankfully I read the posts on here about preparing for infant kittens. I have the scale, a special notebook and such all ready. And feeding her kitten chow.

I just checked on her a few minutes ago and I could feel kittens for sure. Felt like one little guy had the hiccups.  Another one moved when I rubbed her side belly in that area, but I could feel the head.  They feel to be about 4 or 5 inches long. I am feeling them just by petting and gently rubbing her belly the way she likes to be petted. You can see them moving just by sitting next to her and watching.

There is no way to imagine that. Still very perplexed as to why they didn't show up on the x-ray. But then again it was a frontal and not a side x-ray. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. It occurs to me it might, due to the fact that awhile back when I broke my foot the first x-rays didn't show the break and they told me it was due to the angle the first x-rays were taken.

 

[Sarthur2]

That was my first answer - that it was the angle. A cat's uterus has two horns, and the kittens grow in both horns, which are on either side of the body. A side x-ray would probably have been much more revealing. My vet x-rayed my cat's sides.

I find it perplexing as well, and would consider changing vets, due to the way you were treated.

Are you giving your cat wet food too? She needs it. Have you bought KMR in case you need it? And set up a nesting box? I'm glad you've done some reading so you know what to expect.

 

[StefanZ]

Her heat cycle was between June 8th-12th.

My male was neutered on June 25th. So although she did not act in heat, June 25th would be the latest date she could have mated.

Nay, they can do it at least one week more.  Theoretically even a full month, but practically there are quite a few examples of succesful matings during the week after neutering...

 

[StefanZ]

 
That isn't long at all. Thankfully I read the posts on here about preparing for infant kittens. I have the scale, a special notebook and such all ready. And feeding her kitten chow.

I just checked on her a few minutes ago and I could feel kittens for sure. Felt like one little guy had the hiccups.  Another one moved when I rubbed her side belly in that area, but I could feel the head.  They feel to be about 4 or 5 inches long. I am feeling them just by petting and gently rubbing her belly the way she likes to be petted. You can see them moving just by sitting next to her and watching.

There is no way to imagine that. Still very perplexed as to why they didn't show up on the x-ray. But then again it was a frontal and not a side x-ray. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. It occurs to me it might, due to the fact that awhile back when I broke my foot the first x-rays didn't show the break and they told me it was due to the angle the first x-rays were taken.

I suppose the X-ray wasnt for free - it often costs more than, for example, a standard spaying could cost...  If so, funny situation taking heavy payment for a wrong diagnosis.   If I were such an unlucky vet, I would repay the money - as the X-ray, top of the line exam, was worse than worthless in this case.

Tell the vet the outcome at last, when they are born, and see what he comments.

 

[hteft]

I remember you said that about the angle as well, and I think you are right. I am indeed considering changing vets. I felt a little brushed off when expressing my concerns and with trying to tell them of what we have observed.

I kind of had the impression they were disproving of the fact that my cat is probably pregnant and I didn't have her spayed. But perhaps they were having a rough or busy day. I do intend to have her spayed once her kittens are weaned. She would have been spayed sooner, but when she went into heat and mated, I just could not do that to unborn kittens. I plan to keep the kittens.

Yes she gets wet food as well. I have been mixing the kitten chow in with her wet food and giving her kitten chow to nibble on as well. I do have KMR powder in case I need it and bottles and droppers too.

I have 4 nesting box areas that she can choose from. I read about kitten claws getting caught in towels. I took a few yards of fleece fabric that I had and cut it down to size. It made 5 soft blankets that won't have pulls. Easy to change and wash as well. ./