by Kim

My cat was bred back in March. The breeder told me to mark May 17th as her approximate due date. Since I've brought her home, she has shown pregnancy signs such as her nipples pinking up, eating, sleeping more, and being more affectionate, but my cat hasn't gotten much bigger in the belly. She has gone 8 weeks with no signs of being in heat until a few days ago.

My question is, do some first time queen cats show signs of being in heat at the end of their pregnancy? The last two days she has only eaten small amounts then rolls around and whimpers, and backs up to the dog (she loves the dog...lol) like she's in heat, then sleeps for hours. She is my first queen cat and this kitty has me so confused.

Thanks,
Kim


Dear Kim,

It actually sounds as though your cat is not pregnant or may have had a false pregnancy. Just because your cat mated, doesn’t necessarily mean that your cat became pregnant. The fact that your cat hasn’t gained weight, especially in her belly, suggests that she is actually in heat, not pregnant. If your cat was pregnant, her nipples should be quite enlarged in addition to being pinker, and your kitty should be quite large and round in her belly, especially 2 days before she was due to give birth.

Kindest regards,
Dr. Neely