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pregnancy in cats.

15:59:09

Question

Hazel
Hi, about a month in a half back, my cat started acting weird in the rare, crouching, and leaking out her back end, I looked some things up on the internent and it sounded clear that she was in heat.  Well she got loose outside and my neighbor found her, we were wondering if she was pregnant, so I did some more research, and it kind of answered my question, her stomach got bigger, she was eating a lot more, her nipples were showing, were pink, swollen, and looked like they are ready for feeding.  She has been back for about a month now, so she's probably about 4-6 weeks along.  But then just today, (1/7/08) she started acting up again.  Like the way she did when she was in heat.  Crouching in the rear end and leaking, I was wondering if this is a sign of pregnancy, if it is normal? Or if it is possible that she may have had a miscarriage? Please get back to me and let me know if you have any information on this sort of subject.  Another question, the way they sort of whine when they're in heat, are they really in pain the way they seem? Or is it, just a heat thing? Please get back to me if you have any idea, especially if there are any vets on this site who are experts in this sort of area.  I also heard that there's this "fake pregnancy thing," but if that is the case, I don't understand why she would actually look pregnant, is that just a part of it? Also, what can cause a miscarriage? Well, if you do respond back, please e-mail me if you can, I would prefer that as well as writing back on the site, but it would be better for me for an e-mail, but thank you anyone who has read this and please help me out! Thank you, Samantha.

Answer
Samantha,

Hazel may have reabsorbed her litter.  Checking with the vet will tell you whether she is still pregnant.  Although there are reports of cats that have false pregnancies, reabsorption is the more usual reason a cat appears pregnant and then is not.

When they call in season, they are not so much in pain as responding to raging hormones!

Best regards... Norm.