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Unintentional and unwanted pregnancy in pets is a common concern, and there are ways to perform a safe pregnancy termination if your cat has become pregnant. If you are considering ending a pregnancy in your cat, it is recommended that you first seek the advice and assistance of a medical professional, so that a full risk and side effects evaluation can be done.

Conversely, it is also important to note that cats can experience spontaneous abortions or miscarriages for a variety of medical reasons. Both situations will be covered here.

Symptoms and Types

If your cat has experienced a spontaneous abortion, the most common thing you may notice is abnormal vaginal bleeding; in some cases an expelled fetus may be found. The most common cause of a spontaneous abortion is fetal death due to a hormonal imbalance.

In the case of a planned abortion, bleeding is the most common symptom following the procedure. You will need to closely monitor your cat so that any side effects or health related issues can be responded to quickly.

Diagnosis 

If you suspect that your cat is pregnant, your veterinarian can perform an examination by ultrasound to confirm or rule it out. Confirmation of the presence of a fetus is usually necessary before many health care providers will agree to perform a medical abortion. Doppler-type instruments can also be used to hear a fetus' heartbeat if the pregnancy is far enough along.