In May we announced on social media that our breeding cat Gaia was pregnant with breeding male Amadi (cattery African Savannah). Gaia would be due at the beginning of July and we would welcome her first litter of kittens. Very exciting of course!
Gaia's pregnancy went well, her nipples swelled and she started to gain a little weight, but as the due date came closer, the nipples became smaller again and her belly stopped growing. Ultimately it turned out that she had been falsely pregnant.
Since this would be the first litter from cattery SavVal, we had never experienced a false pregnancy before. That is why we share some more information about false pregnancy in cats in this blog. After reading this information, you will know when a false pregnancy can occur, what the symptoms are and what you can best do if you suspect that your cat is falsely pregnant.
Pretense
A pseudopregnancy can occur in queens after a successful, but unfertilized mating. Female cats that are apparently pregnant will behave as if they are pregnant. This makes it often difficult to find out whether the cat is indeed pregnant or not. If you want to be sure whether the cat is really pregnant, an ultrasound can be made from the fifth week of pregnancy.
Symptoms of pseudopregnancy:
Eating more/more often
Sleep more
Fat belly
Irritable
Affectionate
Less playful
Discharge from the nipples
Swollen mammary glands
Dragging objects
If you suspect a false pregnancy, it is important to contact the vet and indicate what symptoms the cat is showing. With a false pregnancy there is a risk of uterine infection. - Source: Phantom pregnancy in cats | Animal and Nature: Animals ( infonu.nl )
Fortunately, Gaia is healthy and does not suffer from a uterine infection. The next time she is in heat she can go back to the stud and we will start the adventure again.
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