Frequently Asked Questions About Cat Pregnancy

Last Updated September 6, 2020

Life is always precious no matter the species. This makes birthing new life equally precious as it would welcome new life into our world. It even gets more precious if it is our fur-babies that are the ones who are birthing new life into this world! Adding another kitty in the family can seem like a daunting task, that is why we compiled all frequently asked questions about Cat Pregnancy here!

How to Know If A Cat is Pregnant?

Here are the following signs that you can try to see if your dog is pregnant:

• In the early stages of pregnancy, your cat may feel “morning sickness” - she may vomit as a sign of nausea.
• Around 2 weeks after your cat gets pregnant, her teats (cat nipple) may change in color and size.
• During this time, your cat might start to do some “nesting”. This involves your cat finding a safe, isolated place and bringing soft objects to that area such as blankets, and towels.
• Your cat might also act a bit more maternal by this point - she will purr more often and would be more affectionate towards you. On the other hand, she may have less patience with other people/other animals that she is not close with.
• Around a month, you should see a “baby-bump”. This may be harder to see with overweight cats.
• Her appetite should increase later in the pregnancy.
• Your cat will gradually gain around 1-2 kg. This depends on the number of kittens that she is carrying.
• Quick note - a vet can help you determine whether your cat is pregnant by ultrasound. This can be done as early as 17 days within the pregnancy. Around a month and a week of pregnancy, the ultrasound can officially count how many kittens your fur-baby is carrying.

How Many Months Is A Cat Pregnant?

The cat gestation period (pregnancy period) can vary from 2 months to 2 and a half months (as early as 60 days up to 74 days).

How To Know If My Cat Is Near Labor?

Here are the signs that your cat is about to give birth:

• Her breasts/teats/cat nipples are starting to enlarge even more. It should also appear more pink/red
• Your cat may start to dig/make a hole in her litter box.
• They will start being even more maternal to you and to other animals in their home (especially other cats). She will start licking/grooming them and treating them as if they are her babies.
• She will also start to groom herself even more.
• The kittens in her will also start moving even more, so if you could feel or see her tummy moving, then it's a sign that she is ready to give birth soon.
• Her temperature should drop a bit. Normal temperature should be at around 37.7°C to 39.1°C. If she is about to give birth soon, her temperature should drop to around 37.2°C to 37.5°C. You can take the temperature rectally or under her arm, whichever she is more comfortable with (getting the temperature under her arm may be a bit less accurate, but a temperature drop can still be recorded from there. This step can be skipped if you or your fur-baby is uncomfortable in taking temperatures.
• Your cat will also start meowing and make sounds randomly. This is probably because she is feeling some contractions and her r
• Clear white/yellow liquid should come out from her vaginal area and should soon be followed with a brown mucus. Once the brown mucus comes out and her water breaks, kittens should start arriving within 24 hours.
  

What To Do When My Cat Is In Labor?

Cats can typically give birth on their own, but that doesn’t mean we can still help. Here are things we can do to help:

• You can help in making a nest. You can either create the nest yourself or spread out materials your cat can use to make a nest. If you make her a nest, she might not use it so it might be better to provide her the raw materials instead.
• Make sure there is water around for your fur-baby to drink.

You should also watch out for any complications that might happen during labor. Below are some potential complications:

• If kittens do not appear after twenty minutes of intense labor, there might be a complication.
• If you notice a fluid-filled bubble in the birth canal.
• If your cat suddenly became lethargic or depressed.
• Fresh blood discharges from the birth canal and keeps on bleeding for more than 10 minutes
• If her body temperature exceeds 39.4°C.

If you spot any of these complications, it would be wise to contact your local vet.

What To Feed My Pregnant Cat?

Pregnant cats need all the nutrition they can get for both themselves and their kittens. The ideal cat food your cat should eat should be healthy cat food that meets and exceeds AAFCO standards for Growth and Reproduction. This ensures that your cat stays healthy during and after her pregnancy. The amount of food given should depend on the stage and weight of your pregnant cat - you can make use of our Cat Food Calculator!

Adding new kittens in the litter is definitely a blessing. As such, we must do our part in taking care of our fur-babies when they are about to become mommas, and staying informed is the first step!

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