False pregnancy in cats: symptoms and treatment

Nowadays, a small proportion of women suffer from a severe psychophysical condition called false pregnancy. The characteristic features of this phenomenon are all the signs and symptoms of a real pregnancy. In a woman, her mood begins to change dramatically, menstruation disappears, her chest and abdomen increase, and in general her body weight increases. Sometimes some women even experience sensations as if a child is moving in her stomach. However, despite all these signs, there is no fetus in the stomach. Such a condition can be characteristic not only for people, but also for pets. For example, sometimes a false pregnancy occurs in cats.

It is also worth noting that false pregnancy occurs in other pets, dogs, and much more often than cats. This mechanism in animals is practically laid down by nature, since a female with a false pregnancy can feed someone else’s offspring, if necessary. Cats, in this regard, are not so affectionate and caring, some representatives of feline felons feed their babies with difficulty, and they don’t even take up strangers at all.

What is a false pregnancy in cats?

If we consider this phenomenon, in fact, it is a hormonal disorder in which the cat shows all signs of pregnancy, despite the fact that fertilization has not occurred. On average, a false pregnancy lasts from a month to a half. In general, a similar condition can occur in cats of any breed, however, orientals, Cornish rexes, and also sphinxes are the most susceptible.

Why does false pregnancy appear in cats?

For a cat to have a false pregnancy, she does not have to mate with a male. In female representatives, this condition may appear for the following reasons:

1. Mating occurred with a cat that had previously been neutered. From such a partner in a cat, fertilization simply cannot occur, but the animal feels itself differently.
2. Gynecological diseases in cats. These include uterine fibroids, endometritis, polycystic ovary.
3. Thyroid disorders, for example, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
4. Various pathologies of the endocrine system. Among them may be ovarian tumors, diabetes and other ailments.
5. Stressful situation. Sometimes a false pregnancy can cause severe stress, for example, if the owner does not pay attention to the animal, throws the cat alone and does not care about it. In addition, the death of a close friend can have an effect, it can be either a person or another pet. Sometimes severe stress in cats occurs due to a change of residence.
6. Sometimes a false pregnancy occurs due to the fact that the walls of the vagina of the animal were irritated artificially. For example, if this happened for medical purposes when taking a smear for analysis.
7. The presence of a cat in close proximity to females who are actually pregnant. In this case, the cat watches other animals and gradually begins to behave the same.

How does false pregnancy appear in cats?

It is almost impossible to independently distinguish a real pregnancy from a false one in a cat. This can only be done with a visit to the veterinarian. Cats, confident that they will soon receive their offspring, behave in full accordance with the behavior of pregnant females:

1. At the pet, frequent mood changes will be noticeable. In addition, it will be possible to note even some changes in the character warehouse. For example, an affectionate and calm cat can sharply become aggressive, but an evil cat, on the contrary, is very kind and peaceful.
2. The cat often begins to meow and on the heels of walking for its owner.
3. The pet starts to look for and prepare a place where she will give birth.
4. For a long time the animal is in a state of drowsiness, and indeed sleeps a lot.
5. Also, the cat may become too anxious or, conversely, completely indifferent to everything that happens around.

In addition to changes in the mood and behavior of the pet, the owner may note some changes in terms of physiology:

1. The cat's abdomen noticeably increases, as well as the mammary glands.
2. The pet begins to eat more, as is the case with pregnant cats, but over time, the appetite becomes less.
3. There are disturbances in the digestive tract, for example, diarrhea or vomiting may occur.
4. The appearance of colostrum.
5. A slight increase in body temperature.
6. Vaginal discharge of mucus that does not have an unpleasant odor.

In a cat with false pregnancy, certain signs from this list may appear. For example, a pet may not have any changes in mood, or the stomach will remain the same size. The hardest thing to understand is whether the cat is pregnant or not, it will be the owner, whose girl mated with the cat. In this case, it is simply impossible to determine independently whether fertilization was or not, and all the signs of a false pregnancy coincide with the real ones.

You can confirm the presence of pregnancy only in a veterinary clinic, where, using ultrasound, as well as by palpating, a specialist will be able to determine whether the cat has a fetus inside. You can go to the veterinarian a couple of weeks after mating with a cat, or after the owner has noticed unusual symptoms in his pet.

How to cure a false pregnancy?

Do not think that a false pregnancy will pass on its own, as soon as the animal realizes that there is no fetus. This condition is a serious violation of the psyche and the work of some internal organs. Lack of attention to false pregnancy can lead to rather serious consequences: tumors of the thyroid gland and reproductive organs, mastitis or inflammation in the uterus.

The false pregnancy therapy regimen includes the sequential implementation of the following steps:

1. Reducing the amount of fluid consumed by a cat.
2. Elimination of dairy products from the diet of a pet.
3. Reduce the amount of protein foods on the cat's menu. The amount of meat, fish and cereals should be reduced.
4. Introduction to the daily use of natural sedatives. Drops, sprays, tablets and even gels will do.
5. Use of drugs that stop lactation. You can use the tool Galastop. This drug is intended for the treatment of false pregnancy in dogs, however, it is also suitable for cats.
6. The use of antibacterial drugs, drugs for inflammation, a variety of decoctions, as well as massage therapy in case of mastitis. This step is fully prescribed only by a specialist.
7. Affectionate attitude to the animal on the part of the owner, care and support. It is important to understand that a false pregnancy is a serious obstacle for a cat, therefore, it will definitely need attention and caress of the owner.

Despite the fact that a false pregnancy is quite rare for a feline, it can occur quite often in some females. In this case, it is best to sterilize the cat so that it does not feel stress after each estrus.