Pregnancy in cats

Recognise pregnancy cat

If your cat is not sterilised and goes outside a lot, your cat may become pregnant. It could take a while before you notice the pregnancy. Firstly, a pregnant cat will gain some weight. The nipples also become larger. These also change colour and become darker. After 3 to 4 weeks of gestation, it is possible to feel the kittens in the abdomen. However, if there are few kittens in the belly or the bladder is full, it might be difficult to feel anything. If you want to be sure that your cat is pregnant, you can have this confirmed with your vet. This can be done with ultrasound or with an X-ray. An ultrasound can be done from approximately 28 days of gestation. It is difficult to determine how many kittens your cat will have via an ultrasound. This is better determined with an X-ray. On an X-ray, you can see the skeletons of the kittens. An X-ray is possible from about 6 weeks of pregnancy.

Gestation time cat

Gestation is the time a kitten spends in the womb from conception to delivery. In cats, the gestation period is 63 days on average, which is about nine weeks. However, this can also be a few days longer or shorter.

You can calculate the day of delivery if you know when your cat has mated. If you don’t know when your cat has mated, a vet should be able to estimate the delivery date.

Care during pregnancy

You do not need to give your cat any other food during the first weeks of pregnancy. The cat’s appetite increases from week 6, as the kittens grow faster and demand a lot of energy from the mother cat. You can then switch to food that is suitable for kittens or pregnant cats, such as Royal Canin Mother & Babycat – Cat food or Veterinary HPM Cat – Baby Pre Neutered. These foods have a special composition and a high energy density that is ideal for pregnant cats and the growth of kittens. You can continue to give the food if the mother cat has given birth and she is giving milk. In the last weeks of the gestation period, the appetite may decrease because the space in the abdomen is taken up by the kittens. We recommend giving smaller portions spread over the day.

Preventing pregnancy in your cat

Not everyone is waiting for a litter of kittens. In this case, preventing pregnancy is best for your cat. The most efficient and definitive solution is sterilization. After this procedure, you no longer have to worry about your cat getting pregnant. One drawback is that it is irreversible. An alternative to sterilization is a contraceptive pill for cats. This is a temporary solution that prevents your cat from going into heat.

Do you have any more questions about the pregnancy of your cat or do you want to know more about the delivery and care of the kittens? Please contact us via veterinarian@vetsend.co.uk.