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- What Causes Psychological Pregnancy in Cats?
- Symptoms of a Psychological Pregnancy in Cats
- What to do in case of a psychological pregnancy in cats
Despite the cases of psychological pregnancy in felines are very rare, they can occur. What happens is that the cat will show all the signs and symptoms of a pregnancy without actually being pregnant.
The breeding instinct is very strong. Female cats who cannot conceive and whose desires are unfulfilled, or female cats who have mated with infertile male cats, can fall into a phase of psychological pregnancy.
At PeritoAnimal we invite you to read this article about psychological pregnancy in cats, where we will talk about its causes, symptoms and the respective treatment.
What Causes Psychological Pregnancy in Cats?
This disorder is usually more common in females who have never had kittens and who are not spayed, but psychological pregnancy in neutered cats is also possible.
The reasons why a feline may have a false pregnancy are hormonal nature. When cats have heat, they ovulate and when they mate or not, the uterus produces a cyst called the corpus luteum. If fertilization does not occur, this cyst tends to disappear. What happens with psychological or false pregnancies is that instead of this occurring, the cyst remains and activates the pregnancy mechanism, in which among the symptoms is the progesterone production.
Cats, as well as other animals, together with humans, produce the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for preparing the body to carry, develop and maintain their offspring. This hormone is released in the weeks following heat, which is when the female cat is most receptive to the male cat's approach. During this phase, psychological pregnancies can happen if there is no mating, because the hormone is able to act on its own and deceive the animal's body and mind, which will not be able to distinguish between a real pregnancy and a fake pregnancy.
Symptoms of a Psychological Pregnancy in Cats
The deceptive nature, through the hormone progesterone, will make all the symptoms of a fake pregnancy practically the same as the symptoms of a real pregnancy, so it will be hard to tell just by looking the cat. At the first symptoms, it is best to take your cat to the veterinarian for an evaluation.
On a physical level, the symptoms of a pregnant cat will be as follows:
- Your cat will gain weight and have a swollen abdomen.
- Your nipples will also swell, turn pink and have larger mammary glands.
- Vomiting.
- The heat cycle will stop.
- It will produce milk and vulvar flow.
At a psycho-emotional level, the following symptoms will also accompany it:
- You will act too motherly and lovingly.
- Your appetite will be altered.
- Tiredness and lethargy.
- Behavior changes, you will be more nervous and insecure.
- The cat will try to make a kind of refuge or nest to prepare for the birth.
What to do in case of a psychological pregnancy in cats
Your cat will most likely believe she is pregnant, and this will be an important step for her, so you must provide her with a series of proper care. If you show symptoms of a psychological pregnancy, despite not having been fertilized, the first thing you should do is to treat it with love and as normal as possible. She will seek attention and you must give it to her. In addition, you should be very patient as these symptoms can last for several months.
Is important take her to the specialist as soon as you detect any of the symptoms mentioned. The veterinarian must assess the intensity of the psychological pregnancy and determine the best care. Be aware of this situation and do not let it pass, because if your cat produces milk and is not treated in time, it can harden and remain in the breasts, causing serious problems such as mastitis.
In milder cases, treatment can be based on the administration of homeopathic remedies. For anxiety and nervousness, valerian is usually a great solution. If the situation gets worse and the symptoms are more severe, the treatment will be with medications indicated by the veterinarian.
To prevent this type of psychological pregnancies from occurring, as well as the risk of future cysts and breast tumors, it is best to sterilize the cat. This procedure reduces the animal's instinct and improves its quality of life at home.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.