Pregnant or not????

Question
QUESTION: My cat may be pregnant, she has gained weight and her nipples are sagging and floppy. Is this normal?

ANSWER: Hi Jessica.  Most cats don't have sagging, floppy nipples.  If your kitty isn't spayed and may have been exposed to an unneutered male recently, then pregnancy is certainly a possibility.  The first sign is often enlarged nipples that deepen in color.  This happens around 3-4 weeks into the pregnancy.

But the hormonal changes associated with the heat cycle can also cause enlarged nipples, so if your cat is showing signs of heat (extra affection, rolling around on the floor, raising her rear when petted, or meowing loudly and excessively), then this is likely the reason for her sagging nipples.

To be sure, you could have a vet do a pregnancy test on her.  The blood test is accurate about 30 days into the pregnancy, so you may want to wait another couple of weeks before having the vet check her out.  Some vets are also very experienced at determining whether or not a cat is pregnant just by feeling their bellies carefully.  And x-rays can confirm a pregnancy if the cat is past 5 weeks pregnant.

Best wishes to you both!

Jessica



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I talked to you a few weeks ago and told you that my cat may be pregnant. Well I thought she was until today. She has gained weight all the symptoms of pregnancy but she looks like that she is in heat. Can she go in heat or is she in labor? Please help. I am very confused!!!!

Answer
Hhmmmmm!  If your kitty is in labor, you should be noticing a heavy blood-tinged discharge very soon.  If she's raising her rear and rolling around on the floor, this is certainly heat and not labor.  

Almost always, when a cat is in heat, you can be assured she's not pregnant.  The operative word here is ALMOST.  It does happen in some cats that they go into heat while already pregnant.  As a matter of fact, cats can become pregnant AGAIN while already carrying one litter.  This is called superfetation.  In many cases, both litters are delivered at the same time, and the litter that was conceived later is born too prematurely to survive.  In some rare instances, only the full-term kittens are born, with the kittens that were conceived later remaining in the womb until they are full-term, and they are born a few weeks later.

So you should keep your kitty away from all unneutered males at any rate.  If she's not pregnant, you don't want her to become pregnant, and if she is pregnant, you certainly don't want her to become pregnant again!

Good luck with all!