Research overview: pseudopregnancy in felids

When a cat ovulates without conceiving, the resulting corpora lutea secrete progesterone and produce a pseudopregnancy, a non-fertile luteal phase shorter than true gestation. This overview surveys the hormonal basis and duration of feline pseudopregnancy and how it is distinguished from pregnancy using hormone profiles and imaging. It considers how sterile matings, hormonally induced ovulation, or spontaneous ovulation can trigger pseudopregnancy, and how this state affects subsequent cycling. The review notes the relevance for managing breeding, since a pseudopregnant female will not return to estrus until the luteal phase resolves. Understanding pseudopregnancy is important for interpreting hormone data, scheduling matings, and diagnosing apparent infertility in domestic and nondomestic cats.