This situation usually occurs in females that are not sterilized and normally occurs after 3 to 6 weeks of having gone through heat because it is at this time that the hormone that prepares them for pregnancy is produced: progesterone. In this OneHowTo article we are going to discover the symptoms of psychological pregnancy in cats so you can learn to detect if your pet is going through this situation.
Contents
Symptoms of psychological pregnancy in cats: Steps to follow
1 The reasons why a cat can have a psychological pregnancy They are hormonal. As we have already said in the introduction, all animals have a highly developed reproductive instinct and, in fact, they even generate a hormone (the progesterone) that is responsible for preparing the body of the animal to receive its young. The release of said hormone occurs a few weeks after heat, a period in which the cat is receptive to meeting the male; but, if during this time the animal has not been fertilized, then it is when this type of pregnancy can occur since the hormone can act by itself preparing the body to house offspring that, in reality, do not exist.
It is for this reason that, generically, psychological pregnancies usually occur in young females that have not been sterilized and that, therefore, their nature is prepared to have offspring.
At OneHowTo we tell you how to know if your dog has a psychological pregnancy.
2. We started talking about the symptoms of psychological pregnancy in cats. You should know that, depending on each animal, it may be that some experience them and others do not, in addition, their intensity will also depend on each animal in question, each one experiences the psychological pregnancy in a different way.
Next we will list the most common symptoms that cats usually experience with this situation:
milk in the breasts
Progesterone prepares your body for reproduction, and therefore milk may rise in your breasts. You will be able to verify this if you detect that they are more swollen or, even, that a little milk comes out of them. In this case it will be essential that you go to a veterinarian as it can be dangerous for your cat.
more appetite
It is also common for the cat to ask you to eat more times a day or you will see that her ration ends much faster. This also has to do with the predisposition of her body to house her young since the mother takes in more nutrients to allow them to be born strong and healthy.
swelling of the abdomen
Another of the symptoms of psychological pregnancy in cats it may be that the animal has a larger belly as if, in reality, its young were developing. It is an effect that is also related to the same hormone that changes the body to be able to welcome new life. This means that your pet may gain weight.
flow appearance
Some cats may secrete vaginal fluids as their reproductive organs prepare for childbirth. In the event that you detect this change, it is also recommended that you visit the doctor to treat the animal.
hides more often
This is also a common behavior of cats that are really pregnant and they do it to be able to look for the nest that they will use for childbirth and to take care of the young during the first days. Reserve in a safe place and away from any danger is something innate that these animals have and that they can also reproduce when the pregnancy is of a psychological nature.
Use objects as if they were babies
The maternal instinct of the cats that live in this situation can become so extreme that, finally, they end up taking an object from your house and treating it as if it were their offspring. You will notice that she does not separate from him, that she grooms him, pampers him and tries to breastfeed him.
3. What to do if your cat has a psychological pregnancy? It is important that as soon as you detect some of the signs that we have just mentioned, go to the vet for this professional to help you take better care of your pet. In addition, this situation can cause some problems, especially if the cat produces milk and, since it will not have pups that drink breast milk, it can harden and stay in the mammary glands, causing serious problems such as mastitis.
In order to prevent this situation, the best thing you can do is resort to sterilization. With this operation, this natural instinct of the animal is reduced, thus improving its quality of life within the home. Although, it should be noted that it is possible for a sterilized cat to have this type of pregnancy, although it is not common; this will occur in the case in which the female has been sterilized shortly after having gone through heat because, as we have already said, progesterone is released after weeks of this period and, therefore, it can continue its course.
In this other article we discover the benefits of sterilizing a cat.
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