False pregnancy occurs in all mammals, including humans. It happens much more often in dogs, but cat owners can also encounter this. Not so long ago, no treatment was carried out in a similar situation - the owners simply limited the animal’s food and distracted it, not allowing it to “build a nest.” Now doctors prescribe hormonal and sedative drugs to neutralize the effects on physiological processes.
What is a false pregnancy in cats?
Many cat lovers think that this phenomenon in cats is a fairy tale, because it does not occur often. So do cats actually have false pregnancies? Indeed, cats encounter it less often than dogs, since dogs in nature live in a pack. If something happens to the mother, the puppies will be fed by another pseudo-pregnant female, who has not given birth to children, but milk production is quite real.
In cats, which usually do not care about other people's offspring, this occurs as a pathological process. In a psychoneurotic state, Murka thinks she is pregnant, but you can’t count on the appearance of offspring. If a false pregnancy is observed in a cat, the symptoms of which are clearly manifested, it is better to make an appointment with a specialist in order to stop the condition and minimize unpleasant consequences.
In general, pseudo-pregnancy looks like real pregnancy with kittens: the belly enlarges, the nipples swell, and the cat expects birth. But the kittens will not appear, and this will not have the best effect on the cat.
How long does it last
The usual condition lasts about three weeks, but sometimes it lasts up to several months. How everything will proceed depends on the individual characteristics of the animal: age, temperament, health, psychological state. The longer the cat is in the “position”, the worse and more dangerous the situation and the more serious medical assistance the pet requires.
How to distinguish from the real one
If a hormonal disorder occurs without the participation of a cat or with the participation of a recently castrated male, then it is not difficult to guess that the cat has a false pregnancy. What to do if it is not clear whether mating took place? How to determine whether a cat will give birth or not? A false positive pregnancy differs mainly from a psychological point of view in the first three weeks:
- A really pregnant pet often experiences sudden changes in mood: she can be affectionate, and a second later she can get angry and attack. This happens very rarely with pseudopregnancy.
- If the female really becomes pregnant, then she nests for childbirth a few days before the event, and otherwise she looks for a place from the onset of the first symptoms. She can rummage through closets all day long and arrange the most inaccessible corners of her home.
- The postpartum behavior of an animal before birth is a clear sign of the imagination of future motherhood. She can “adopt” a slipper or a soft toy and carry this thing in her teeth throughout the house.
At two weeks, pregnancy is already determined by ultrasound, and at three, by a relaxin test, which requires blood plasma. Therefore, if in doubt, take your cat for examination to a veterinarian - he will definitely tell you whether there will be kittens in your family.
Predisposition by breed
False pregnancy can occur in absolutely any cat, but there is also a breed predisposition. Statistics show that among sphinxes, rexes and oriental breeds, every seventh individual, or about 15% of females, suffers from this hormonal disorder. Moreover, this feature is hereditary. Often the breeder prefers to sterilize the animal and not use it for breeding if false pregnancy has occurred more than two times in a row. In this case, there is a high probability that the offspring will be weak and non-viable even with a successful mating.
False pregnancy - what is it?
Pseudopregnancy is a condition of a female in which all the signs of a normal pregnancy appear. It is primarily due to hormonal and/or mental disorders. Can be inherited.
False pregnancy usually occurs immediately after estrus, even if the cat does not go outside and does not come into contact with other animals. The behavior of a female cannot be truly distinguished from that of a pregnant woman, but the kittens will not appear, and the process itself will greatly harm the pet. The duration of the condition rarely lasts more than 1-1.5 months. It appears 6-12 weeks after the start of estrus. At particular risk are: Orientals, Sphynxes, Cornish Rexes.
Will sterilization help?
False pregnancy can also occur in sterilized cats. Moreover, if an imaginary pregnancy occurred only once, and in the future you plan for your cat to have kittens, then sterilization is definitely not necessary. You only need diagnostics a couple of times a year and that will be enough.
- If pseudopregnancy is a constant phenomenon, and you do not plan to have kittens, then it is still better to carry out sterilization.
- But it will be very important to re-examine after surgery to make sure that all ovarian tissue was removed.
- This is necessary to ensure that a false pregnancy does not recur.
Be attentive and affectionate to your pet during this period. It is important that she is not left alone. And with proper treatment, the problem will go away faster.
Causes
The occurrence of false pregnancy in cats is influenced by 2 factors:
- psychological;
- physiological.
Psychological reasons
- Mating with a neutered or sick cat
“Empty” mating causes the cat to release hormones - prolactin and estrogen, and the level of progesterone, on the contrary, decreases. The body adjusts to pregnancy, external and internal processes are activated, but fertilization does not occur.
- Mating at the end of the cycle (estrus)
In this case, the corpus luteum may remain, which will provoke all the symptoms of false pregnancy in the cat.
- Neighborhood with pregnant females
When there are cats in the house giving birth, another one can watch her and then repeat the behavior. Deviations begin in the psyche, which affects the general condition of the animal.
- Severe stress
The causes of stress can be: moving, long separation from the owner, previous operations, etc. The animal can compensate for all these situations with an imaginary pregnancy.
Physiological reasons
- Hormonal disbalance
It often happens in old cats, as well as due to diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, obesity, etc.).
- Congenital pathology of the reproductive organs
These include inflammatory processes of the uterus, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometritis, fibroids and other diseases of the reproductive system.
- Genetic predisposition
If an animal has inherited this pathology, it is recommended to carry out sterilization in the early stages.
- Thyroid diseases, etc.
Remember that only a veterinarian can accurately determine the cause and prescribe the correct treatment.
Is false pregnancy possible in cats after sterilization?
Neutering a cat is an operation to remove the ovaries. It makes life much easier for a cat whose pregnancy is not planned. Firstly, the risk of many reproductive and cancer diseases is eliminated.
Secondly, the female’s estrus stops, so a false pregnancy after sterilization in a cat is 100% excluded.
Other benefits include:
- change in character for the better - the animal becomes calmer, attacks of aggression disappear;
- the animal stops marking territory in the apartment;
- during the process of estrus she does not suffer if mating with her partner does not occur.
In order to completely protect your pet, it is better to sterilize it at 5-7 months, before the onset of puberty. In this case, the cat will undergo the operation more easily and the recovery period will pass quickly.
Signs
How can you tell if your cat is experiencing symptoms of a fake pregnancy? You can diagnose the pathology yourself using the following changes in behavior:
- sudden changes in mood (attacks of tenderness to aggression or vice versa);
- exacerbation of the maternal instinct (the female begins to arrange a separate corner for the future “offspring”, carries her toys in her teeth, licks them);
- swollen nipples;
- mucous discharge from the vulva;
- digestive problems (vomiting, stool disorders);
- temperature increase;
- brutal appetite (during normal pregnancy it worsens);
- severe bloating;
- general increase in body weight;
- drowsiness;
- apathy towards familiar games.
If you notice any of these signs in your pet, then immediately seek help from a specialist. The “Svoy Doctor” network of veterinary clinics will help to promptly identify signs of false pregnancy in cats and prescribe treatment.
SVK “Svoy Doctor” provides a wide range of services:
- sterilization (laparoscopic, chemical);
- cryodestruction (surgical removal of tumors with liquid nitrogen);
- reproductology;
- ultrasonography;
- observation of an animal in a hospital, etc.
The clinic is open 24 hours a day. To make an appointment, you can first send a request on the website - an operator will call you back to clarify the information. It is possible to call a doctor to your home to avoid the animal’s stress.
How to recognize a miscarriage
Recognizing a miscarriage is not always as easy as it seems at first glance. Indirect symptoms include:
- absence of signs of pregnancy in the first stages after mating;
- in the later stages before a miscarriage, the stomach takes on an asymmetrical shape;
- the pet experiences vomiting and diarrhea;
- sudden loss of body weight and appetite;
- lethargy and fatigue;
- the cat’s aggressiveness when the owner tries to touch the stomach;
- elevated body temperature.
Before the actual expulsion of the fetus from the uterus, the pet begins to experience discharge from the genital tract with various impurities. Owners notice a sharp and unpleasant odor from the cat.
Additional Information! If a miscarriage has already occurred, the pet can eat the remains of the placenta or fetus, or leave it in a visible place and not touch it.
Complications and possible consequences
Medical care is provided to the animal only in case of complications or other diseases. Their risk increases if the owner does not promptly contact the clinic for a complete examination of the cat. Females are especially at risk, as this is not the first time this pathology has appeared.
Possible consequences include:
- Malignant neoplasms
- Pyometra and endometritis
Pyometra is an inflammation of the uterus in females, accompanied by the accumulation of purulent, mucous contents mixed with blood inside the cavity. The radical and most reliable method of treatment is surgical – ovariohysterectomy (the ovaries and uterus are removed).
The most obvious symptom of open pyometra is foul-smelling vaginal discharge. They can be abundant or scanty, but almost always appear 1-1.5 months after the end of the last estrus.
The closed form is insidious in that there are no secretions. At the same time, the owner often does not notice that the animal has become less active, is eating poorly, and its belly is slightly sagging and enlarged.
Endometritis is an inflammation of the lining of the uterus. Most often diagnosed in older or unsterilized cats aged 1 to 7 years.
In the chronic form of the disease, the animal looks healthy outwardly, but licks itself more often in the vulva area, the level of activity and appetite decreases, and the temperature rises. In the early stages, it is possible to use conservative treatment with antibiotics and antimicrobials; in advanced stages, only sterilization, since worsening the situation will lead to the development of peritonitis.
- Mastitis
Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary glands. The lactation process starts, but the milk does not go anywhere. This leads to infectious-inflammatory, purulent formation. The nipples crack and hurt, unusual discharge appears, general health worsens and weight loss begins.
Serous mastitis at the initial stage can be easily treated with antibiotics, but abscess mastitis is much more difficult and longer and may require surgical intervention.
- Infertility
Such disturbances in cycles 2 and 3, as well as repeated cases of false pregnancy, can deprive the cat of the opportunity to bear offspring.
- Severe mental state and long-term depression
During actual pregnancy and after it, females can experience severe emotional stress. When kittens are born, they actively protect them and do not let humans get close. They may behave aggressively, hissing, biting or scratching.
When an animal imitates the process of motherhood, then various objects in the house, not just toys, turn out to be kittens. Females turn all their attention to them. Attempts to take away these objects or interfere with the “caring mother” can lead her into a state of deep depression. The cat will not be able to cope with this on its own.
In these cases, the veterinarian must rule out these diseases, frozen pregnancy, and return the general condition (physical and emotional) to normal.
Treatment of false pregnancy in cats
If the case is advanced and the symptoms of a false pregnancy in a cat are accompanied by other complications, then a full examination is required.
First you need to take all the tests (smears, blood tests for hormones) and do an ultrasound. Ultrasound diagnostics will help to exclude diseases of the reproductive system and other complications. Next, the doctor will prescribe a course of therapy depending on the pathologies found: surgery, chemotherapy, cryodisruption, etc.
Additionally:
- a course of antibiotics, sedatives or hormonal drugs is prescribed;
- special agents are introduced that stop lactation.
At an early stage of diagnosis, pathology can be eliminated by adjusting the animal’s behavior and nutrition. To do this, you need to perform the following algorithm of actions:
- Reduce caloric intake and reduce portions.
- Follow a diet, exclude fermented milk products (it is better to switch to dry food).
- Do not punish the animal for pranks, play more often and pay more attention to it.
- Remove soft toys that provoke maternal instinct.
- It is advisable to protect the cat from contact with others.
Remember that the appearance of signs of false pregnancy in cats requires a mandatory examination at a veterinary clinic. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances and do not hope that the symptoms will go away on their own. The process of treating an animal is strictly individual. Constant medical supervision and long-term therapy may be required.
Diagnostics
You will need to provide details about your dog's health and the occurrence and nature of symptoms. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam to evaluate all of your dog's body systems and overall health. Routine blood tests will include a complete blood count, biochemical profile, and urinalysis, which usually show normal results unless there is an underlying disease.
And imaging tests, such as abdominal x-rays and ultrasounds, are used to rule out uterine infection or a normal pregnancy.
Prevention
Special preventive measures will help prevent pseudopregnancy in cats in advance. These include the following rules:
- The most reliable way is mandatory sterilization at a young age.
- If the animal will give birth, it is recommended to carry out mating after the 3rd heat.
- If there are several cats in the apartment at once, then it is better to temporarily place the pregnant woman in a separate room.
- Mate only with healthy cats that have already given birth to healthy offspring.
- If your cat does not become pregnant after several matings, contact a reproductive specialist.
- Maintain proper diet;
- Relieve the animal from stress.
Carefully monitor your cat's health to avoid treating false pregnancy and protect it from complications.
