Cats usually tend to be deficient maintenance animals. They do not require you to take care of them too much. Even if you plan to keep them as pets, they do not require much more than you have to feed them and clean their litter box. They are usually very well trained by nature to pee and poop in the litter. They do not take up much of your time throughout the day, and they are an excellent company to have around. However, there are some cases in which the cat will require more care from your side if you are keeping it inside your house, and that is during pregnancy.
How can I take care of my pregnant cat?
The very first step you may have to take is taking your cat to the vet. If you can tell by looking at your cat that she is pregnant, then you will have to take it to the proper doctor that might give it a check-up and explain to you the proper procedure that you should be following to make the cat feel as comfortable as physically possible. Cats need special care when they are in a condition like that.
Three or four weeks into the pregnancy, you will take the cat to the vet, and they will confirm whether or not your cat is pregnant. Once you are sure that she is, you will start to focus on her diet and such.
During this period of time, you may also be able to spay the cat and terminate the cat’s pregnancy. If you feel that the cat is quite weak, you can get rid of the fetus and make sure that your cats stay healthy.
Overpopulation is a huge issue with cats, and this may be a good idea if you already have plenty of cats inside your home.
Your vet may be able to advise you best with this depending on whether the cat is in the right condition to hold a baby in her little belly.
If you are advised against it, it may be better to terminate the baby to preserve your cat’s health.
However, if you are allowed to keep the baby, the best way to care for your specific cat may be explained to you by the vet in medical care.
It is also best to start looking for homes for the kittens that will be born around this time. You will not be able to keep all the kittens, and it is better to find safe homes for them beforehand so that when they are ready to leave the nest, they have reliable people waiting for them who will take responsibility for the cats and make sure that they are well taken care of.
When your cat is pregnant, it can be very harmful to you to get it vaccinated because there might be complications with the pregnancy, and apart from that, it may also have very harmful effects on the kittens that will be born. They might be stillborn or have some disease that will prevent them from surviving for too long. They might also have certain developmental problems that can cause the kittens not to live a normal life, making them prone to losing their life at the very beginning of their life. However, rabies vaccines are okay during this time period for the cat, if you know that it is the cat’s time to get vaccinated.
What should I be feeding my pregnant cat?
Your pregnant cat should be given the food that will help it support the growth of the babies in its belly; the food should be high quality and not some generic brand that may not even be good for the cat to feed on daily. During this time period, wet food is a healthier choice as the cat will find it easier to digest, and it will not affect the organs of the cat negatively by making them work harder. If you do go for dry food, make sure that the food is of the highest quality.
During this time period, you should not overfeed your cat. Overfeeding may put extra strain on the cat’s body. This may also make her very overweight and cause problems for the kittens when they are delivered. She definitely needs food in more portions, and she needs healthy foods to sustain the kittens and receive the nutrients that her body needs to stay healthy and not get weak very easily. Please do not increase the amount of food you are giving to her, instead of improving the food quality to make sure your cat is getting exactly what it needs to stay healthy during pregnancy.
Monitor her body during this time as well and take her to get checked up regularly. Your vet will explain best what exactly her body needs at what period of her pregnancy. They will make things easier for you.
Once your cat has reached the sixth week of her pregnancy, she may require more food. The best way to increase her intake is to give her smaller portions of food and give her this on more occasions in the day.
Your cat will choose where to give birth, and once she has done that, a line with soft materials for the cat to feel as comfortable as possible.
If a kitten remains in the birth canal for more than two minutes, it is essential to take the cat to the vet. Do not separate the cat and the mom for the first few days. The cat’s environment has to be safe and calm to make sure the cat feels at ease and can have a successful pregnancy.
Conclusion
Taking care of the cat during this time is very important to protect the cat and the babies that are to be born.