Can A Cat Get Pregnant While Nursing? All You Need To Know
Has your cat just given birth to new kittens? If so, it’s going to be a hectic and enjoyable experience in your home. The mama cat will be busy taking care of her babies, but her body is still facing some hormonal fluctuations to get ready for her upcoming heat cycle.
That’s why most cat owners may think about how quickly a cat can become pregnant again, even after giving birth to babies. Can a cat get pregnant while nursing?
When it’s still mating time, your feline can become expected again after four weeks of giving birth to kittens. After nursing their babies, the majority of cats go through a fertile period, sometimes referred to as a heat cycle, that lasts for 4 weeks. She may still be feeding and be in ovulation simultaneously.
Cat owners who are concerned about their cat’s pregnancy should read this article. Here you’ll find details about the cat’s estrous period. It also includes details on the unusual mating behaviours of cats, regardless of whether they have periods or not. Moreover, how cats behave when they’re heated up, and much more! Let’s dig into these details:
Can a New Mother Cat Get Pregnant While Still Nursing Kittens?
A cat that is in heat can become pregnant at any time. If she finds a suitable mate, she’ll deliver an egg after breeding which boosts her likelihood of getting pregnant.
Once all kittens are born, she’ll continue feeding, grooming, and caring for her babies. But after giving birth, they’ll again get pregnant after 48 hours or within 2 weeks, depending on their fertility or natural cycle. So, that’s just a myth that a cat won’t get pregnant after giving birth; their fertility remains unaffected even after getting pregnant.
Also Read: Why Do Mother Cats Hate Their Kittens?
1. Getting Pregnant
It might be difficult for you to think about an adorable, young 6-months kitten expecting. However, female felines grow rapidly and can give birth to a lot of kittens when they’re just 4 months old. When a feline is in heat or during her sensitive reproductive cycle, she may become pregnant. She’ll mate with any male feline being by getting louder and friendlier with him.
2. After Pregnancy
After giving birth to kittens, let your feline do some rest and spend quality moments with her young. Give her enough food and drink. Leave them alone for a while and try not to disturb her kittens.
Must call your vet for your cat and her kitten’s checkup after 1 day. The veterinarian will provide you with all the assistance you need to breastfeed your cat.
Cats will do everything on their own, like cutting the umbilical cords, extracting the kitties from embryonic sacs, cleaning them, etc. But if the mother cannot help her while performing these actions due to some issue, you must step in.
Must clean the kitten’s nose with a neat rag after using a clean knife to carefully cut the embryonic sac. This encourages the baby to breathe by mimicking the mama cat’s tongue.
Find Out: Why Does My Cat Keep Moving Her Kittens?
3. Complications
It’s not good to get pregnant quickly after having a baby. Your cat’s well-being may suffer if you’ve to deal with the pressure and responsibilities of maternity and to care for a newborn kitty litter. She has to produce sufficient nourishing milk for her newborn kittens as well as adequate nutrition.
Moreover, if she gets pregnant again, she has to support her growing fetuses to guarantee optimal growth. In such a situation, her body may become tired, and she may not fully recover from the previous childbirth.
Check Out: Why Is My Nursing Cat Always Hungry? [Answered]
Can Cats Mate While Nursing?
Yes, cats can mate while they’re nursing their kitten. A female feline’s ability to reproduce won’t be prevented by lactation.
When the female cat breeding season starts, she comes in heat many times. Even if she gets pregnant and still nursing their young babies, she can mate. Because lactation or the nursing process doesn’t stop the heating cycle of female felines and they become heated up after 8 weeks of kittens birth.
So, if she found any suitable bobcat for mating, she’ll mate during nursing and gets pregnant again. Mating will help her to reduce their body heat but once she gets pregnant, she has to bear the pregnancy pain and much more complications again!
Also Read: Why Are Male Cats Around Pregnant Female Cats?
How to Tell If A Nursing Cat Is Pregnant Again?
It’s not difficult to determine whether your female cat is expecting, particularly if she is very close to giving birth. A trip to the veterinarian will easily resolve the enigma during the initial pregnancy stages.
Your veterinarian can detect pregnancy in cats using a variety of techniques, including
- Ultrasound machine
- X-ray
After 2 weeks, a hand examination can determine whether you’re pregnant, but the results could be inaccurate; however, an ultrasound can prove pregnancy. Here’s how you can detect pregnancy in cats via some traditional ways:
- Alteration in the Heat Cycle: The cat faces a heat cycle after every 2 weeks. In this case, your cat may meow loudly or crawl on the ground. But when she’s expecting, the heating cycle will end.
- More Hunger: Being a pregnant cat, she wants more food than usual as she isn’t only nourishing herself throughout this time.
- Swollen and Pink Nipples: Cat will get enlarged, “pink-up” nips. Moreover, if she has multiple litters, they may appear darker and completely plumped up.
- Vomiting: Just like women, cats also experience nausea. If she’s vomiting, she might be pregnant. However, if cats consistently do this after eating all of their meals, then it could be a symptom of more serious problems.
- Weight Gain: Your cat may gain a 2-4-pound weight after getting pregnant.
- Increased Sleeping Times: If your cat is pregnant, she may sleep for long intervals.
- Loving nature: Numerous pet owners claim to have noticed an improvement in loving behaviour. Your cat may start requesting your enhanced care.
- Nesting activity: Cats select peaceful, isolated areas to give birth as part of their nesting behaviour. Your cats may gather blankets or act aggressively around other pets over her territory.
- Puffy Abdomen: Your cat will start to exhibit visual symptoms of pregnancy halfway thru the pregnancy cycle.
How Soon Can A Nursing Cat Get Pregnant?
As you know that your cat can mate when she’s nursing, and she can quickly become pregnant very shortly. The fertile period is triggered between 1-2 days of intercourse. It requires the fertilized eggs approximately 10-12 days to attach to the uterine wall. According to this period, cats “officially” become expected 11–15 days after doing intercourse just before having a baby.
What Happens When A Cat Gets Pregnant Again While Nursing?
If a nursing cat becomes pregnant after some time, she can’t provide her growing offspring with the nourishment and support they need to thrive properly. It’s not ideal for getting pregnant immediately after having a baby.
Mama cats may suffer due to the combined stress and responsibilities of childbirth with the anxiety and needs of caring for a newborn kitten.
If she gets pregnant while nursing, she has to provide healthy milk for her babies along with sufficient food and care for her growing fetuses. In this case, her body might find it to be excessively stressful while it’s still healing from the previous pregnancy.
How Soon Can a Cat Get Spayed After Giving Birth?
It’s said that nursing cats should be spayed after their kitties stop feeding their milk. It typically takes 4 to 8 weeks after birth, and during this time, your cat will be healed from having a baby.
As you know that kittens are completely dependent on mama cats for food for the first four weeks following birth, they mustn’t be taken away from her.
Despite this, if you think that there’s a chance that your feline will become pregnant again and you want to spay her early. Then you can after 2-3 weeks of giving birth, as it doesn’t affect nursing.
But, to do this, you’ve to perform a flank spaying procedure. In this method, the ovaries are cut through an opening on the belly side instead of cutting closer to mammary tissue. In this manner, the mama cat can carry on feeding as she recovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get my queen spayed and my male cat neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies again?
When female cats reach the adult stage, the safest strategy to prevent them from unplanned pregnancies is to spay them. To prevent your female cats from neighbourhood male cats, it’s crucial to spay male cats as well.
What are some unprecedented cat behaviours cat parents should be ready for when their nursing kitty is pregnant again?
If your nursing cat becomes pregnant again, it’ll show the following symptoms:
1. Plumped and dark-coloured nipples
2. Large belly
3. Weight gain
4. Exhaustion
5. Nausea
6. Loss of appetite
7. No heating cycles
However, a few of these symptoms may not appear immediately. So, a vet checkup will confirm whether your nursing cat is pregnant or not.
Do Female Cats Have Periods?
In some way, “yes.” Although it’s known as the “estrous cycle” in felines, many humans may name it “cats are in heat.” Only unneutered female felines experience this cycle because they absorb their old uterine wall instead of releasing it just like Women do. So, there’s no bleeding when cats have periods.
How many times does a cat have to mate to get pregnant?
As we all know, female felines have triggered ovulation. So, mating triggers the discharge of eggs by the ovaries. However, many felines need to be mated 3-4 times within 24 hrs. for the release of an egg and to get pregnant.
Are There Birth Control Products for Cats?
Yes, there are birth control pills for cats, veterinarian advises people to use birth control pills, when there is less access to spaying or neutering female felines.
The most recommended contraceptive pill for female cats is Megestrol acetate which inhibits the heat cycle in them and prevents them from getting pregnant by acting as a contraceptive.
According to vets, unneutered cats can take 2.5 milligrams of MA orally 1 time per week. However, those cats who’re already facing a heat cycle must take a 5 mg dose per day for at least 3 continuous days. After 3 days, they should be given a 2.5 mg MA per week.
It is advised to feed MA to cats for no longer than 6 months. This drug can also be given in the form of injections. But it’s only a temporary treatment and won’t last long.
Final Words!
Cats are incredibly reproductive; isn’t that true? If your feline is the sole cat in your house but never leaves, you shouldn’t ever overlook the possibility of a female cat who hasn’t been neutered becoming pregnant.
Moreover, your feline can be pregnant within 48 hrs. or 2 weeks after having a baby. But if she becomes pregnant immediately after having new kittens, her body and babies will suffer greatly.
Thus, you must restrict your cat from interacting with male cats to prevent her from becoming expected after having a baby. So, if you don’t want tons of kitties every mating season, spaying is a really wise choice.
Related Posts:
- Do Cats Get Clingy When You Are Pregnant?
- How Many Times Can A Cat Get Pregnant In A Year?
- How To Tell If Cat Mating Was Successful?
- How To Tell If A Cat Is Pregnant
- Female Cat Behavior After Spaying: Expected Changes?
- How Much to Feed a Kitten? Ketten Feeding 101
- Can a Neutered Male Cat Still Get a Female Pregnant?
Who is Isabella?
My name is Isabella, and I am a dedicated and knowledgeable cat enthusiast. With years of experience caring for cats and a deep love for felines, I made a mission to help other cat lovers navigate the challenges of cat ownership.
