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I have a female - approximately 15 months old - whom I ...

Sent to Cat Experts October 30 2007 at 9:39 AM
   

I have a female - approximately 15 months old - whom I believe is pregnant. She got outside (I live in the country) for several days a month or more ago. She has the chubby tummy look going. I have not changed her food - she gets Iams - she has been passing an inordinate amount of gas lately. That's how we find her if she is under the furniture napping - by smell! Is this normal? Should I change her food?

 

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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October 30 2007 at 10:26 AM (47 minutes and 19 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Hi,

A cat's gestational period is an average of 63 days, so if you believe she got pregnant approximately 6(?) weeks ago, she might be ready to deliver in about 2 weeks or so, if she IS pregnant. In addition to her rounded belly, her nipples should be darker, more rosy in color, and there might be hairloss around them. Her appetite also should have increased.

The excess gas may be indicative of several conditions. She MAY be more gassy due to the pregnancy, if she's pregnant. She may have a uterine infection called pyometra, which can cause bloating of the abdomen, but she'd most likely also have a vaginal discharge and be acting quite sick. She could be experiencing a false pregnancy, and that's why her tummy looks more rounded; she may have a condition called FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), which is quite serious and also, she would most likely be acting sick, not wanting to eat, etc., or, she could have intestinal parasites, as these can cause gas and abdominal distension.   Here is some additional information on some of these conditions:

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/pyometra.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/fip.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/worms.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/coccidiosis.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/giardiasis.html
http://www.cat-pregnancy-report.com/cat-pregnancy-signs.html

She could have allergies to some ingredients in her food, if it contains corn, gluten and/or artificial preservatives.
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/allergies.html

If she's pregnant, she should be eating a quality KITTEN food for extra calories and nutrition, and some good brands are Wellness, Felidae, Innova, available in major pet supply stores.

A vet visit at this time, would be a good idea, to determine if she's pregnant and also make sure she's in good health.

I hope everything works out well, and if she does have a litter, don't let her outside at all, and have her spayed 10 days after the kittens are fully weaned, at about 8 weeks of age.

Cher


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