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Home Caring For a Pregnant Cat

Caring For a Pregnant Cat

Cat Pregnant

Questions

  • Caring For a Pregnant Cat
  • How to Tell if Your Cat is Pregnant
  • How Long Are Cats Pregnant For?
  • Signs Your Cat is in Labour
  • Caring For Your Cat After Their Labour
  • Top Veterinary Tips for Pregnant Cats
Caring for a pregnant cat can be a rewarding yet stressful task. Even though we’d generally recommend spaying your feline friend, accidents can happen and in the case of stray cats, they often wander in pregnant already.
If you find yourself looking after a pregnant cat, there are many factors to consider such as what signs of pregnancy do you need to watch out for? How long does pregnancy last? What do you need to do to care for a pregnant cat? What are the signs of labour in a cat? We’ll go through everything that you need to know now about taking the best care of your pregnant cat.

Caring For a Pregnant Cat

Now that you’re caring for a pregnant cat, you want to do everything possible to ensure that everything goes smoothly for both the mummy cat and her kittens. This includes having your pregnant cat on a high-quality cat food, especially for pregnant and feeding cats. You will also need to provide a nesting box for her closer to the time of labour. It should be in a quiet part of the house and away from all other pets and small children.
It’s important to schedule a veterinary check-up during her pregnancy to make sure that she’s healthy and that her pregnancy is going to plan. If she goes outdoors, it’s advised to keep her inside, if possible, particularly in the last few weeks of her pregnancy.

How to Tell if Your Cat is Pregnant

Maybe you’re not sure if your cat is pregnant. Cats as young as 4 months of age can become pregnant and there may be little signs of pregnancy at the beginning.
Signs of cat pregnancy include:

  1. Weight gain

  2. Swollen tummy

  3. Swollen mammary glands/nipples

  4. Increased appetite

  5. Sleeping more

  6. Not coming into season/heat

  7. Being more affectionate

Your vet will be able to perform an ultrasound scan to confirm pregnancy after a few weeks into the pregnancy.

Early Signs a Cat is Pregnant


If your cat has recently been in heat and has mated with another cat, there may not be obvious signs at the beginning. They may feel a bit nauseous in the first couple of weeks and you may notice swollen nipples (called ‘pinking-up’) in the second to third week along with some weight gain. 

How Long Are Cats Pregnant For?

Cats are usually pregnant between 63-65 days, but this can vary slightly from cat to cat. During this time, a cat’s body will change significantly with physical signs such as weight gain and swollen nipples to hormonal changes which will cause nesting behaviour and increased affection.

Signs Your Cat is in Labour

Most cats go into labour and deliver their kittens without any issues, but this isn’t always the case. It’s important to monitor your cat closely coming up to her due date and be on hand to help if there are any problems.
The first signs of labour include:

  1. Nesting behaviour – your cat will start to get comfortable and ready to give birth.

  2. Drop in temperature – her body temperature will drop to 37.8 C before labour starts.

  3. Refusing food – she may refuse food before she goes into labour.

Once the labour progresses, you may notice that your cat will vocalise and meow loudly and may be grooming herself a lot. She will experience strong abdominal contractions along with some vaginal discharge. The first kitten should arrive within 1 hour, followed by kittens every 15-20 minutes after that. Mummy cat will be busy looking after her kittens in between the deliveries. She’ll wash her kittens and may even eat the placenta. 
If she’s contracting but there’s no sign of kittens or if her vaginal discharge is black or red, contact your emergency veterinarian immediately.

Caring For Your Cat After Their Labour

Now that your cat has done all the hard work, they’ll likely be very tired for a couple of days. Ensure that mummy cat is able to eat and access her water and her litter tray without any major difficulty. Keep the nesting area clean, dry, and warm. Avoid any visitors or other pets as we don’t want to stress her out.
Watch the kittens from a distance and make sure that they’re all feeding well and active.
Arrange a veterinary check-up for your cat a couple of weeks after labour (unless she’s unwell).

Top Veterinary Tips for Pregnant Cats

  1. Feed your pregnant cat good quality food intended for pregnant cats

  2. Keep their environment as stress-free as possible

  3. Don’t forget to ensure that your cat is up to date on their vaccination and worming

  4. Keep up their veterinary visits during pregnancy and in the postnatal period

  5. Don’t hesitate to ring your vet if you think the pregnancy or labour isn’t going well

  6. Discuss neutering your cat with your vet after pregnancy

Pregnant cats require extra care, nutrition, and monitoring during their pregnancy. Know the signs of labour and when to ring a vet to avoid any complications. Once the labour is over, relax and enjoy looking after the cute little bundles of joy. Shop all the kitten and cat essentials you may need for your new arrivals, in-store and online.