Bald sphinxes - one of the most extraordinary representatives of the feline world. They are distinguished by a nonstandard formidable appearance, combined with a surprisingly docile character. During the period of pregnancy and childbirth your pet requires a special relationship, the quality of care for the animals during this period largely determines the condition of the newly-made mother and the health of her young.
Signs of pregnancy
Knitting a cat and a cat does not always end with pregnancy, and the reasons for this can be very different - from the fear of a partner to the usual incompatibility. A cat may refuse to mate with a cat if it is hungry, agitated, or does not feel its own safety. But if the breeders are 100% sure that the “close acquaintance” did take place, then it will be quite easy for them to understand whether there is a pregnancy - the fact is that the cat in the position starts to behave quite differently than in the usual condition.
From the very first days, a pregnant sphinx asks for love and affection from the owner, and also begins to pick and choose in relation to the food offered. There are even cases when an animal completely changes its taste habits, often a short-term rejection of ready-made dry food occurs. You should not worry - sooner or later the female sphinx will return to its usual diet.
Usually, during this period, the cat begins to eat more and more often, because it has to feed its incipient offspring. A categorical refusal to eat food is extremely rare and should be a reason to contact a veterinarian.
At this point, the cat often shows aggression in relation to other pets and even in some cases to the owner. Do not worry, as soon as she gets used to her changed state, everything will return to normal.
In the third week, you can already recognize the pregnancy for sure - at this moment the animal's nipples begin to rise and acquire a milky hue.. The cat is recovering, and in the fourth week morning toxicosis is possible.
Weight gain looks already noticeable in the fifth week of pregnancy. On the sixth there is an increase in the mammary glands and filling them with milk. At this point, the cat is a complete loss of interest to the opposite sex, estrus is suspended, and the cat spends most of the time in a state of sleep.
How long does it take?
Sphynx cats bear kittens from 63 to 66 days, and if the animals walk 4-5 days longer - this is not considered to be outside the normal range. The following signs indicate the approach of labor in an animal:
- the appearance of whitish secretions;
- Sphynx becomes very apathetic and lethargic;
- nipples protrude, areas of wool thinning around them;
- mammary glands begin to increase.
Experts have noticed several patterns. The older the cat, the greater the number of kittens that it can bring, while the larger offspring shortens the duration of pregnancy. - therefore, you should keep a calendar with the age cat and record all changes occurring with it in order to roughly calculate the date of birth. Too large deviations lead to the most difficult pathologies of kittens and even their loss.
It should be borne in mind that puberty in animals of this species occurs at about 7 months, but if progesterone is not sufficiently developed, estrus can occur every 3 months, and if the cat mates these days, then any mating can lead to fertilization.
As a result, kittens are born of different ages - the very first will be healthy, but the subsequent ones are underdeveloped and in most cases unviable.
The duration of pregnancy in such a situation is calculated from the very first contact with the cat. And if during pregnancy the cat has experienced stress (the causes can be very different, from loud noises in the house to a short separation from the owner), then with a high degree of probability she will give birth much earlier.
Care features
It is best to feed a sphinx cat waiting for kittens with special foods containing all the vitamins necessary for maintaining the health of the cat and its babies, micro and macro elements. The diet should contain a lot of protein and calcium. It is not necessary to experiment with medical procedures and independently administer any medication to the animal, the administration of medicinal preparations must be coordinated with the veterinarian observing the animal.
During this period, you should not carry out antiparasitic therapy, get rid of worms and fleas - all this can have the most deplorable effect on the health of the mother and her cubs.
Cats during this period need their own home, where the animal can rest, feeling protected by a sovereign. It is best to purchase a suitable design in the store, but you can also build yourself from a regular box. Keep in mind that the dwelling should not be high - Sphynx female during pregnancy should be protected from high jumps and too sudden movements - they can harm her or lead to fetal injuries to kittens.
If possible, protect your pet from the rest of your pets, often animal dissatisfaction leads to fights that are not at all appropriate in its position.
It is very important at this moment to maintain the hygiene of the nursery, for this you need warm water and a clean soft cloth. In the early stages, you can walk the cat a couple of times, but in later periods it is better to exclude self-conviction for security reasons.
Just before giving birth, try not to leave the cat alone, make sure you have a veterinarian at the birth - You can ask for help from the doctor who goes to the house, and you can find the addresses of the nearest veterinary clinics, where, if necessary, the cat can provide full medical care for delivery.
Care after childbirth
Usually, sphinxes give birth rather quickly, but much depends on the health of the cat as a whole and on the number of kittens. Childbirth rarely lasts more than a day with long intervals, the smaller the interval between the appearance of newborn kittens into the world, the better for both the mother and the still unborn. Otherwise, it is best to turn to professionals..
When the very last kitten is born, the cats begin to actively pursue their own personal hygiene and licking their babies, after which the newly made mother finally relaxes and starts to purr. If the animal is too weak and unable to cope with licking itself, then the owner must pass the aid - for this you need to wipe the baby with a soft towel dipped in warm water and put it closer to the mother.
Immediately after the end of the lambing, it is necessary to change the litter to a clean one, after which the animal should be given a bowl of warm milk and put the kittens near the mother.
Be sure to check that each of them can find a nipple and start sucking milk. - it contains antigens important for the health of kittens. Try to minimize any noise - it can frighten the cat, then it can direct the aggression on the children or try to hide them, it is possible that during such “transportation” she injures the young inadvertently.
After giving birth within a week, discharge from the vagina of the cat, if they do not stop after 7 days, then the animal must be shown to the vet, especially if they are purulent or bloody.
On the features of care for a pregnant and nursing cat tells a specialist in the next video.
