My cat mated 5 weeks ago. Is her swollen belly and hiding nesting?

Yes, it is likely she is pregnant. The gestation time for cats is 58 days. Most cats have kittens without problems and nurse and raise them fine. Once she is done nursing you should have her spayed as she could get pregnant again right away. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Her belly and mammary glands do not look distended enough to be pregnant unless she is early pregnant (2-4 weeks). I think she might be in heat. I would try to keep her inside as it doesn't take cats very long to get the deed done! Cats are pregnant for 60 days, so if her belly and mammary glands continue to get larger then she is likely pregnant and you'd have kittens 4-6 weeks from now. Good luck!

Generally a cat is not visibly pregnant until 5-6weeks and would have kittens within 3-4weeks. A vet should be able to feel kittens in the belly at this stage and if negative further investigation may be recommended especially if there is any changes in appetite or thirst or she is lethargic.

Gestation period is 63 days for cats, so you can probably wait it out. Cats do not usually need help giving birth, just make sure she has a spot that she likes and where she can have her kittens. If you really need to know whether Lainie is pregnant, you should take her to your veterinarian for a pregnancy exam (x-rays or ultrasound, or even palpation). She may let the vet check her.

"Mama" is a very pretty girl! :) I agree that her abdomen definitely looks enlarged. It's possible that she could be pregnant, but the enlarged belly could also be caused by something else such as an abdominal tumor, heart or liver disease, or FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). Cats are only pregnant for 64 days on average, so if her belly has been swollen like this for more than a few weeks or so, I would be very concerned that something else is wrong. The best way to find out would be to take her to the vet for an exam - he/she can palpate her abdomen and may also recommend x-rays or ultrasound to help determine for sure what's going on.

Hello. It is very difficult to say if she is or is not pregnant from these pictures, because if she is only carrying 1 or 2 kittens, then she would not be as big as one carrying 4-6 kittens. And if she is truly 68 days into a pregnancy, she is overdue. If she does have kittens you should be able to rub on her abdomen & feel some substantial "bumps" at this point in time. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

While some people notice a change in the nipples when a cat is pregnant it is not a very accurate predictor. I think you should see a veterinarian to confirm the pregnancy and make sure the kittens are okay and not in distress. Occasionally cats will need help with labor either through medical management or a c-section and if she is 63 days today it would be a good idea to check for signs of fetal distress.