How to Tell If Your Cat is Pregnant

By Chris Beazer
Expecting Kittens? As Bob Barker says, you should spay and neuter your pets. However, sometimes having a pregnant cat is unavoidable and sometimes the pregnancy is done intentionally for breeding purposes. Here are a few simple ways to tell if your cat is indeed pregnant or just fat and moody.

How to Tell If Your Cat is Pregnant

Step 1; Look for observable changes in behavior. A cat that is pregnant will often display a change in behavior. Most will become overtly affectionate instead of their typical anti-social behavior. They may also start "nesting". This means that your cat will start taking blankets, toys, or anything else it can get a hold of and begin making a warm, safe place for her kittens. 

Step 2; Check the underbelly. Most pregnant cat's nipples will start swelling and become more pink and prominent. This will happen especially towards the end of the pregnancy or after she births her litter. 

Step 3; Gently feel the belly. Do not poke or prod the belly because this can cause miscarriages and other complications and it can also cause your cat to rip you to shreds. Feel for small lumps about the size of a golf ball. Once again, make sure to gently stroke the stomach. Don't prod or try to grab the lumps. 

Step 4; Look at your cat's sides. If your cat is just fat, there will be fat all over. A pregnant cat will have a good amount of swelling on its belly and not in the rest of its body. You can usually tell when your cat has had its babies as well since there will be a dramatic change in appearance.

Tips & Warnings
Most cats do just fine with their pregnancy. If you are breeding your cat, you may still want to see your veterinarian just to be sure that the pregnancy goes as planned.
If your cat is pregnant, you may want to take extra precautions if you have small children. Too much rough housing with your cat can cause miscarriages or other serious complications that could quite possibly kill your cat and her kittens.