Psychological pregnancy in cats – Symptoms, causes and treatment

Although the cases of psychological pregnancy in cats They are very rare, of course it could happen. What happens is that the cat will present all the signs and symptoms of a pregnancy without being really pregnant.

The instinct of reproduction is very great. Cats that can not conceive and that their desires remain unsatisfied, or cats that have mated with male infertile cats, may fall into a phase of psychological pregnancy.

In we invite you to read this article about the 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 that occurs in females that have never given birth and are not sterilized but psychological pregnancy in castrated cats is also possible ..

The reasons why a pussycat may have a false pregnancy are from hormonal nature. The cats, having the ovulan ovulation and thus have been crossed or not the uterus produces a cyst called corpus luteum. If fertilization does not occur, this cyst tends to disappear. What happens with psychological or false pregnancies is that instead of this happening, the cyst is maintained and activates the mechanism of pregnancy, whose symptoms include Progesterone production.

Cats, as well as other animals, together with humans, produce the hormone progesterone that is responsible for preparing the body to carry, develop and maintain the offspring. This hormone is released in the weeks following heat, which is when the cat is more receptive to the approach of the male cat. During this phase, psychological pregnancies may occur so mating has not occurred, because the hormone is capable of acting on its own and deceive the animal’s body and mind that will not be able to distinguish between a real pregnancy and a false pregnancy.

Symptoms of a psychological pregnancy in cats

The deceptive nature, through the hormone progesterone, will make all the symptoms of a false pregnancy practically the same symptoms of a real pregnancy, therefore, It will be difficult to distinguish at a glance. A sample of the first symptoms, it is best to take your cat to the veterinarian to perform the corresponding evaluation.

At a physical level, the following will be the symptoms of a pregnant cat:

• Your cat will gain weight and her abdomen will swell.
• Your nipples will also swell, turn pink and present larger mammary glands.
• Vomiting
• The heat cycle will stop
• It will produce milk and vulvar flow.

At a psycho-emotional level, the symptoms will also accompany it:

• Acting too motherly and loving.
• Your appetite will be altered.
• Tiredness and lethargy.
• Changes in behavior, will be more nervous and insecure.
• The cat will seek to make a kind of shelter or nest to prepare for the birth.

What to do in case of a psychological pregnancy in cats

Your cat will certainly believe that she is pregnant, and this will be an important stage for her so you must provide her with a series of appropriate care. If you show symptoms of a psychological pregnancy, despite not having been fertilized, the first thing to do is treat it with love and as normal as possible. She will seek attention and you should give it to her. The second, will be to arm yourself with patience because these symptoms can last several months.

It is important take her to the specialist as soon as you detect any of the symptoms mentioned. The doctor should assess the intensity of the psychological pregnancy and determine the best care. Be attentive to this situation and do not let it happen because if your cat gets to produce 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 may be based on the administration of homeopathic remedies. For anxiety and nervousness, valerian is usually a great solution. If the situation worsens and the symptoms are more severe, the treatment will be with drugs determined by the veterinarian.

To prevent this type of psychological pregnancy from occurring, as well as risks of future cysts and tumors in the breast, it is best to sterilize the cat. This procedure reduces the instinct of the animal and improves its quality of life in the home.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Psychological pregnancy in cats – Symptoms, causes and treatment, we recommend you to enter in our section of Pregnancy problems.