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Pregnancy In Cats

The Basics

A cats pregnancy is normally between 58 to 68 days, with an average of 63 to 65 days. The average litter size is 3.88 kittens. Larger cats tend to have more kittens in a litter. Older queens tend to have smaller litters.

Kittens born earlier than 58 days tend to be delivered dead or very weak. Kittens born later than 71 days are generally bigger than normal and may also be dead. Large kittens can cause birth difficulties.

Signs Of Pregnancy

If mating is successful the queen usually doesn't return to oestrus (estrus) - heat or calling. If the cat is not pregnant, oestrus (estrus) will occur in 2 to 3 weeks time.

Occasionally a pregnant queen will show some signs of oestrus (estrus) and mating behaviour on the 21st and 42nd days of pregnancy. These are times which would have corresponded to heat periods if mating had not occurred.

Points To Watch For

Reddening nipples - called "pinking up". This occurs about the 3rd week of pregnancy
Gradual weight gain of 1 to 2 kg (2 to 4 pounds) depending on litter size
Swelling abdomen - don't prod and poke the abdomen to feel the developing kittens because you could cause serious damage
Behavioural changes - the queen tends to become "maternal"

Abdominal ultrasound can detect kittens from 15 days of pregnancy. The foetal (fetal) heartbeat is detectable on ultrasound at 20 days. Abdominal X-rays show bone structure of the kittens at 43 days of pregnancy.

Predicting Birth Date

If you know the date of mating, estimate 9 weeks from then.

If you don't know the mating date, estimate 6 weeks after the first signs of "pinking up".

What To Do Before The Birth

Discuss the birth with your veterinarian.

Obtain safe worming drugs from your veterinarian and give them to the pregnant queen.

Provide the queen with a good well balanced diet.

In late pregnancy, the growing kittens in the queens uterus (womb) may cause constipation. If this occurs mix a few drops of liquid paraffin oil with the queens food.

Prepare a kittening box for the queen. This can be a wood or cardboard box open at the top and cut low on one side. Line the box with several sheets of newspaper or soft towels. Avoid loose bedding (like straw or wood chips) because they may be inhaled by the kittens and block their nostrils. Place the box in a dark or dimly lit, warm quiet spot. If the queen refuses to use the box and chooses her own place, put newspapers or towels down.

Queens should be kept indoors during at least the last two weeks of pregnancy. When the queen approaches the 59th day of pregnancy, confine her to the cage or room where you want her to deliver the kittens.

Birth

See the Birth page.

References

Carlson DG & Giffin JM, Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, New York: Howell Book House, 1995

Page S, The Complete Cat Owners Manual, Australia: Readers Digest, 1997

Taylor D, The Ultimate Cat Book, Great Britain: Dorling Kindersley, 1989

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