How can I tell if my cat is pregnant?

Hello.... I think my cat is pregnant but I want to make sure if she is or not, without going to the vet to see if she is. She's doing what my other cat has done whenever she was pregnant; she's eating anything she can get to and she's bigger on her belly. One night she got out and that day she was in heat, I think, because she was in heat the day before.... but when she came back, she seemed like she was in heat but didn't stay like that for as long as she usually did. And if she is, she is not a normal size cat, she is extremely short, so would that effect anything on her?

Please help.

 

I'm guessing "wait and see" is out of the question? Is it a big problem if she is pregnant?

When my previous cats were pregnant I noticed the nipples becoming more pronounced and her not liking her belly being rubbed like she did before.

Here's what a google search turned up...

Pregnancy in cats lasts about nine weeks, but during the first half of that time a typical expectant cat gives few clues that she is pregnant. She hunts, rests, and generally behaves normally.

Under the influence of progesterone, the hormone of pregnancy, and with an ever increasing weight in her abdomen, she soon moderates her behavior, gradually reducing her activity level and resting more.

Is my cat pregnant?
If you think your cat might be pregnant, the first check her nipples. These become more prominent and pinker by three weeks of gestation. By four to five weeks after conception, your vet will be able to feel golf-ball sized swellings in her abdomen. At this time the developing fetuses are usually quite easy to count. Shortly afterward, her belly becomes a visibly enlarged.

 

It's not a bad thing, I just don't know what will happen since she's so small

 

why cant you just take her to the vet to get the pregnancy confirmed?

 

Hi. There is a sticky post by Nern here about low cost/free spay and neuter clinics that you may want to look into. You mentioned that you didn't want to go see a vet. If it's a financial reason, these clinics would be of great help to you. The best advice I could give you is to take your cats (not sure how many you have) to one of these clinics, have them check to see if any of them are pregnant and then spay/neuter the ones that are not. If your cat is pregnant you could let her have her litter, but then get her spayed. There are health benefits to getting your cats spayed/neutered.

 

Only one of my cats may be pregnant, a couple of months after my other cat had her litter, I had her spayed.

 

It may be a good idea to take the one that you think may be pregnant to the low cost/free clinic to see if she is or isn't. That way if she's not you can have her spayed. Otherwise if she isn't pregnant, she may get pregnant soon.

 

yeah... but is there anyway i can tell if she's pregnant without taking her to the clinic?

 

I'd just wait and see.

 

Yeah, I guess I'll wait and see.

 

I just remembered that my cat is about or is a year old, so.. will she have any problems having a litter if she is pregnant because she's a very small cat

 

hard to say if she'll have problems...guess you'll have to wait and see.

Large cats can have problems during pregnancies and giving birth, small cats may or may not. The last foster I had was very small and she had 13 kittens in 6 months!!!! Disguting isn't it...and then her owner left her in his apartment for a month when he got evicted. Didn't even take her - just walked away without looking back.

Hard to say if your cat will have any problems...only way to prevent it for sure is spaying her now.

 

alkaline can you please answer my question.... why cant you just take her to the vet???

 

well, accualy the cat is my sisters and she doesn't want to take it to the vet for some reason

 

That sounds odd. Unless it's a money issue...could it be that she's possibly hiding some signs of abuse or something? Sorry if I'm coming out of left field with that one, don't mean to be rude or anything.

 

Nah, I guess she's not the type of person that would want to go to the vet. My other cat never went to vet to see if she was pregnant

 

Plus I'm only 13 so I can't take the cat in myself.... and my sisters 16 but has no driving liscenes.

 

What is up with bashing this poor member??? Spay spay spay....like none of ya'll ever had accidental litters!

 

thats a. not abusive b. not a comment. it is a valid question and he answered it perfectly well. why dont you comment on this one by pilotkitten, who just like everyone else, is allowed to have a say... 'Unless it's a money issue...could it be that she's possibly hiding some signs of abuse or something?' also, if someone asks a question, it is our business. thats how the questions get ANSWERED. or should we just ignore all posts? think about it...

 

I was talking about several comments made, like the why hasnt she been spayed, take her to be spayed, why is wrong with you that you have an unspayed cat type comments.