Cat Pregnancy

Heat cycles

A cat can go into heat about two to five times a year. Their first heat usually occurs at five to six months of age, but may not happen until they are a year old. There is no mating season. Domestication has obliterated the natural breeding cycle, so cats can go into heat any time of year.

Cats can go into heat during pregnancy and carry two litters at the same time. Cats should be kept indoors during pregnancy for their safety and to prevent additional pregnancies.

How to detect pregnancy

Cat pregnancy is impossible to detect with the naked eye for the first three weeks. Three weeks after conception her nipples will turn pink. The kittens will be born six weeks after this occurs. Her belly will not start to show visible enlargement until the fifth week. Most of her growth will be during the last two weeks of pregnancy.

Your vet can detect cat pregnancy as early as two weeks after conception.

Behavior During Cat Pregnancy

Pregnant cats may act more loving and affectionate toward people. Toward the end of pregnancy they tend to have a hard time getting comfortable and may act restless. Some incontinence may occur due to pressure from the kittens on the bladder and colon.

She may not get along with other cats during pregnancy, even her friends.

Care During Cat Pregnancy

The gestation period, or length of pregnancy, for cats is 61 to 69 days, with most cats having kittens on the 65th day.

Exercise

Normal cat pregnancy does not mean bed rest. Cats should get normal exercise during pregnancy to maintain muscle tone and good health and make the birth safer and easier.

Nutrition

Providing proper nutrition is the most important thing you can do for your cat and her kittens. Feed her the highest quality food, but be careful about supplements. Supplements can throw nutrition out of balance and hurt more than they help, so only use supplements under veterinary supervision.

About four weeks into pregnancy you should start increasing her food. Many people recommend mixing kitten food into her normal food at this point and through nursing. As the kittens grow and take up space inside her body she will eat smaller meals, but more often. Free feeding works well, and if you cannot free feed, she will need the opportunity to eat several times a day. During the last week of pregnancy she will eat every three to four hours. A day or two before she gives birth she may stop eating completely.

During the last 3-4 weeks of cat pregnancy and while nursing she should eat about two to four times her normal amount of food.

Medical Care

Talk to your regular vet and find out if you can contact her if you have an emergency. If not be sure to keep emergency vet information handy in case you need it.

Avoid medications. Avoid de-worming if possible. Worms during pregnancy can be harmful to the mother and kittens and can be passed to the kittens. There are some remedies for worms that are safe during pregnancy, but most are not. Talk to your vet if you suspect you cat has worms.

Preparing for Birth

At least two weeks before her due date, set up a box for birthing. A box filled with newspaper works well. It is good to have several around the house in quiet locations and let her choose the one she prefers.

Do not use clumping litter as your cat nears her due date. Some cats will not use the birthing boxes you have set up and use the litter box instead. Clumping litter will stick to the kittens, and she may not clean them off after birth if it does. Cleaning the kittens immediately after they are born, clears the air passageways and stimulates breathing. It is necessary for their survival.

Do not let her outside close to due date or she may have the kittens outside in a hidden and unsafe location.

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