How to Tell if Your Cat is Pregnant

My female cat just had 3 adorable kittens 3 days ago. This was her second pregnancy, so I knew of things to look for this time I didn't catch the first time around.

Her abdomen getting bigger was not the first sign. It was the constant hunger. Any time I would get near the food bowl she would mew for more. She would ask for treats more and seem to just appear at the smell of food at the supper table.

Her weight was the second sign. Slowly her abdomen became bigger and bigger. It looked like she was holding a filled water balloon in her stomach. The rest of her body stayed the same, but the stomach was much noticeably larger.

Another sign was the pinkness of her nipples for breastfeeding. They were a much noticeable pink color. When petting her stomach the milk pouches could also be felt.

Mimi has always been a loving cat, but different to her personality she would go under the blankets at night. This is the nesting period starting for a soon to be mom. She would make sure that some part of her body would be touching mine also while laying under the covers.

I have read that when when a female is pregnant she wants nothing to do with males but not in Mimi's case. Each time the male entered the house she followed him and tried to cuddle with him. She would wait for him by the door until I let him in, and cry if it was time for him to come in and he hadn't yet. I don't know why this is but being pregnant didn't deter her from the male cat of house.

She slept often and more than usual and at times when I looked at her she seemed to sleeping with her eyes open. After about 2 months, (60-65 days being the gestational cycle for cats)she let out a loud cry. Labor had started.

I put her in a basket that I made up for her with a soft clothes underneath and stayed with her through her contractions until the first one came out. She went about the cleaning of her first born. Two more joined the first during the rest of the day. The babies and mom slept most of the day and the day after. She would get up to eat and drink and go to the bathroom and right back to the babies she headed.

The babies and mom are doing well, and no longer in the basket made for them. Mimi decided under my bed was better. It just goes to show that no matter how much others plan for the babies in the house, mommy knows best.