How long is the gestation period of a cat

"Is my cat pregnant?" It's a question concerned cat owners ask a surprising amount. When you haven't gotten your cat spayed and she's gone unsupervised for a time, chances are that your cat might be pregnant. But how does one know for sure? This is how to tell if a cat is pregnant. There are several key symptoms and features to look for during the short gestation period.

How Long Are Cats Pregnant?

Pregnancy in felines lasts about two months. A cat stays pregnant between 63 to 67 days, though it may be as long as 72 days. Often, a cat won't display signs of pregnancy until two or three weeks into the term. That gives a pet owner a little more than a month to plan and prepare.

Signs a Cat Is Pregnant

Here's how to tell if your cat is pregnant the old-fashioned way:

• Heat Cycle Change: Your cat will normally have a heat cycle every 10 days to two weeks. This is often accompanied by yowling or rolling on the floor. This will stop when she gets pregnant.
• Increased Appetite: Your pregnant "queen" will likely desire more food during this time (about 1.5 times her normal diet), as she's not only feeding herself.
• Darkened Nipples: The cat's nipples will swell and "pink up" in color. They might look darker and fully engorged, especially if she's had more than one litter. It might not be easy to tell under a layer of dark fur, however.
• Vomiting: Morning sickness is common for both humans and cats. Regular vomiting may be a sign that she's pregnant early on. On the other hand, if your cat is continuously doing this with all its food and there aren't other indications of pregnancy, it may be a sign of other severe issues.
• Weight Gain: Especially later on in the gestation period, owners will often notice a two- to four-pound weight gain.
• Longer Sleep Periods: Your cat will want to stay asleep for longer periods of time.
• Affectionate Behavior: Many pet owners say that they notice an increase in affectionate behavior. You may notice your pet seeking out your attention more frequently. This is due to hormonal and neurological changes.
• Nesting Behavior: Cats prepare for birth by finding secluded, quiet places to have their litter. Your cat may even start arranging blankets or being feisty with other animals about her space.
• Swollen Abdomen: Halfway through your cat's gestation period, she'll show physical signs of being pregnant. This distortion may be harder to see on overweight cats.

Of course, it's a combination of factors. For instance, hunger alone may be a sign of other issues, and weight gain is sometimes normal. Also, it can be hard to tell when an obese cat with dark fur is pregnant. An owner might want to visit the vet to know for sure.

How to Know If Your Cat Is Pregnant for Certain

Your trusted, local vet will be able to tell you for certain if your cat is pregnant by using one of these strategies:

• Palpation: An experienced veterinarian can gently press on the cat's abdomen and feel the cat's fetuses as early as the 20th day of pregnancy.
• X-Rays: X-rays will only show skeletons of kittens about 40 days into the pregnancy. It's the best way to show the number of kittens.
• Ultrasound: Ultrasounds can find kittens as early as 21 days of the pregnancy, but it can sometimes be difficult to count the number of kittens.

How Many Kittens Can a Cat Have in One Litter?

There are typically between one to 10 kittens in a litter. First-time queens tend to give birth to smaller litters of two or three kittens. Older queens tend to have smaller litters as well. It also may depend on the breed; Siamese cats tend to have big litters while Persian cats tend to have smaller litters. It's a smart idea to talk to your vet to find out how many kittens in the litter to expect, as sometimes a first-time mother will birth some but not all of its kittens, which can cause potentially life-threatening issues. Sometimes, pet owners are surprised by more kittens, as there is typically 10 minutes to an hour between them.

What Age Can a Cat Get Pregnant

A cat can get pregnant as soon as she's about four months old, which is why it's so important to get her spayed early on. Typically, a female cat may experience "heat" around that time. A cat doesn't experience menopause like a human does; it can keep getting pregnant until the last few years of its life. Therefore, a cat that hasn't been spayed can get pregnant both very young and very old.

If you have more questions about feline pregnancy that haven't been answered here, feel free to call us for more information. Consider coming in for a visit to make sure and get ready. There are many medical reasons to check up on your cat, especially if this is her first litter.

Research estimates that 63 to 67 days, or nine-weeks, is how long most cats are pregnant. As a foster parent for an animal shelter or rescue group, felines in your care may often have shorter cat pregnancy lengths due to unknown conception dates.

Which signs will tell if a cat is pregnant?

Fostering has many benefits for a cat, and for over-populated shelters and rescue groups. Caring for a pregnant cat ensures she is given a safe, stress-free and calm environment that can save her life and help her litter become healthy adoptable kittens.

If you find yourself fostering a cat, there are three types of signs that can help answer how to tell if a cat is pregnant. Not all cats show all these signs and the best way to confirm if you’re caring for a pregnant cat is to have her examined by the assigned foster care veterinarian team.

A check-in with the foster team and the veterinary partner could also determine whether a cat has additional health issues causing similar signs of pregnancy. Always follow the recommended advice from the foster home and their partners to ensure the safety of a pet’s well-being.

Week-by-week: Cat gestation timeline

Three weeks into gestation may be the first time that physical cat pregnancy symptoms become visible. Behavioral changes begin as early as two weeks into pregnancy.

As a cat foster parent, being prepared to support her for the remainder of the cat pregnancy length and helping to retain her body condition, weight, and energy level is a priority and requires careful monitoring as her gestation matures week-to-week.

• The first behavioral sign of pregnancy for a cat is that estrus, also known as a heat cycle, comes to an end.
• Cats are in heat for up to two weeks during breeding season.
• Without estrus, females stop attracting males through long, drawn-out cat calls at night.

• A veterinarian can safely perform an ultrasound or x-ray on your foster cat to check on the development of kittens.

• Three weeks into the cat gestation period, felines show the first visible symptoms of pregnancy called pinking up.
• At this time the cat’s nipples become dark pink, sometimes red, and more noticeable against her usual pale abdomen coloring.

1. Week 4: Morning sicknesses

• Some cats experience a similar morning sickness condition to the human version in week four of gestation.
• Nausea and vomiting may initiate food refusal during this time.
• “Morning sickness” occurs at any time during the day and is not limited to mornings.
• Should you observe an abnormally high frequency of vomiting, contact the shelter or rescue group’s veterinarian to have the cat examined, and follow recommendations.

• Cat’s swollen belly becomes more noticeable as she matures in gestation.
• Do not push on or touch her tummy as this may affect the growing kittens.
• If you don’t suspect the cat is pregnant and there is noticeable abdominal swelling, contact the shelter or rescue group veterinarian to have her examined.

• A pregnant feline’s appetite increases as her pregnancy progresses.
• She’ll gain up to 2 – 4 lbs. during pregnancy.
• Always ensure a cat has fresh water available, and set her feeding and drinking bowls on the ground for easier access as jumping up may be difficult for her and could hurt the kittens.

• A veterinarian can determine how many kittens a pregnant cat is carrying by performing a safe ultrasound/x-ray at day 40, or week 5.

1. Week 6: Affectionate, frequent purring

• Cats are known to become more affectionate.
• Pregnant cats purr more frequently during the final weeks.
• Felines can be aggressive or intolerant of other pets in the household.

• As a cat’s pregnancy nears delivery, she spends more time sleeping and resting.
• Her appetite will increase again during this time.
• The best food for pregnant foster cats is kitten food as it contains a high volume of calories.
• Always consult with a shelter or rescue group and the veterinarian before changing a cat’s regular diet.

• Two weeks before a feline delivers kittens she will begin nesting.
• A cat starts looking for quiet, warm, safe places to settle into for labor and the birth.
• To minimize her nesting choices, keep doors to rooms, closets and cupboards closed.
• Leave large, cleaned cardboard boxes lined with soft newspaper, paper towels or a washable blanket in a convenient, wind-free, pet-free, low-light areas in the house.

• A pregnant cat may refuse food as she enters the final stage of gestation in week nine.
• Kittens usually arrive between 63 and 67 days, or nine to nine-and-a-half weeks.
• Cats can deliver kittens without human interference. Do not help unless it’s an emergency.
• Always consult the shelter, rescue group and veterinarian about what to expect, steps to take in an emergency, and who to contact if help is required.

Which kitten food is best for pregnant cats?

Caring for a pregnant cat through a healthy, safe delivery and then onto a new home begins with a high-calorie diet that will keep her looking and feeling good, while also ensuring her kittens are given the best start in life. Before changing a pregnant cat’s diet, always consult with the rescue group or shelter first.

With the foster team’s approval, gradually transition a cat onto kitten food only, over 7 to 10 days, then continue to feed the same diet three weeks after the litter arrives. Dry kitten food is higher in calories than wet food and provides cat mothers with good quality nutrition that she passes onto her litter during weaning.

How to end cat homelessness: Spaying

There are 94.2 million cats living in homes in the United States. Overpopulation is cited as one of the biggest problems in shelters, and adoption, spaying or neutering considered the most effective way to minimize homelessness amongst cats.

Since cats can conceive as young as four months, the ASPCA recommends spaying or neutering by five months. As a foster pet parent caring for a pregnant cat, consult with your shelter and rescue group team about when to sterilize felines.

While some veterinarians prefer spaying after weaning in 6 to 8 weeks if she can be quarantined indoors during that time, every team will have a recommendation on a procedure to prevent further unwanted pregnancy.

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