Our expert guide examines the fascinating journey of feline pregnancy – from conception to birth.
How do these famously independent animals prepare for birth, and what do you need to know if you think your cat is pregnant?
Sarah Elliott, Central Veterinary Officer for Cats Protection shares her top facts and tips about pregnant cats – and busts some myths around breeding cats.
How long are cats pregnant?
Female cats are pregnant for around 63 days (2 months) before giving birth to a litter, which could contain as many as nine kittens.
How many litters can a cat have a year?
When it comes to producing offspring, cats are one of the most prolific species. In fact, just one female cat could have around three litters – perhaps as many as 18 kittens – every year.
What is the youngest a cat can get pregnant?
What’s more, cats can start breeding from around four months old, so it’s not uncommon for female cats to be mothers themselves before their first birthday.
Should you neuter cats?
That all may sound like one of nature’s success stories, but when it comes to cat welfare, the overpopulation of cats can be a big problem. It can lead to large stray and feral populations, or situations where household pets have multiplied out of control, leaving them vulnerable to disease and behavioural issues.
That’s why it’s so important that cats are neutered, to prevent unwanted cats adding to the problem.
What do you call a pregnant cat?
Female cats that are capable of breeding are referred to as queens – which may seem fitting for these rather majestic creatures.
Their young are known as a litter, while a group of kittens which are unrelated to each other is called a kindle.
An unneutered male cat may also be known as a tom or tom cat.
Who’s the daddy? Why kittens in the same litter may have different fathers
Unneutered females come into heat every couple of weeks from around January to autumn. They remain in heat for about a week and this cycle repeats up to 20 times a year – which gives them a lot of chances to conceive.
Thanks to their extraordinary sense of smell, unneutered male cats can pick up the scent of a female in heat from several miles away and will go to great lengths to reach her.
This means the queen can easily attract – and mate – with more than one male during her heat cycle. If she’s already pregnant, she could conceive again during this time, with kittens from different fathers all being born in one litter.
Unfortunately, these breeding instincts can prove dangerous – or fatal – to unneutered cats. Tom cats may become lost or killed on a road in an unfamiliar area while following the scent of a queen, or from being involved in a fight with a rival male. Both sexes can also pick up infectious diseases through mating.
More cat advice
- Why do cats knead?
- How long do cats live?
- Do cats have nine lives? Can cats see ghosts? Six cat myths debunked
Do cats need to have kittens before being neutered?
There’s a persistent old wives’ tale that female cats should have one litter before they are neutered. However, there’s absolutely no evidence to support this and on the contrary, cats lead happier, healthier lives when they’re neutered. Females should be neutered from around four months of age.
Do cats have periods?
Cats don’t have periods in the same way humans do. In women, the womb lining is shed approximately every 28 days through the menstrual cycle, whereas female cats reabsorb this lining during each heat cycle. It is unusual for cats to bleed during their heat cycle or pregnancy, so contact your vet if you do notice any blood or spotting near your cat’s vulva.
Some animals though do have periods like humans.
How do I know if my cat is in heat?
If you’ve got an unneutered female cat, it is normally quite easy to tell when she’s in heat. She’s likely to become restless, start rubbing and presenting her rear in an attempt to attract a male, and will call or wail loudly.
During this time, she’ll be very attractive to unneutered tom cats so she will need to be kept indoors and away from any unneutered male cats in the household. It’s important to remember that cats will mate with any other cat – even those they are closely related to.
How to tell if your cat is pregnant
If you have an unneutered female cat and she’s suddenly stopped calling and showing signs she’s in heat, she may well be pregnant. Other signs she has conceived include weight gain, increased appetite, vomiting and swollen nipples.
If you suspect your cat is pregnant, book an appointment with a vet who can confirm pregnancy and give her a health check. Pregnancy and giving birth can cause a lot of strain on a female cat – especially when they are still young and growing themselves. A vet will be able to make sure they are given any treatment necessary to keep mum and kittens safe and will also talk to you about what to expect when your cat gives birth.
What should I do if my cat is pregnant?
A vet is the best person to confirm if your cat is pregnant and advise on how to care for them. But there’s plenty you can do at home to help keep your cat happy and healthy as their pregnancy progresses. Your vet will be able to estimate roughly when kittens are due, and you may well notice behaviour changes in your cat in the last week of pregnancy.
They will most likely begin to search for a safe place to give birth, and you can help by providing a warm, clean and quiet space – away from other pets and household hustle and bustle – where your cat can feel secure as she prepares for birth.
Pregnant cats will need to increase their food intake, especially in the last three or four weeks when she’ll need around 25% more than usual.
What happens after a cat gives birth?
Kittens need to stay with their mum until they are at least eight weeks old, and your vet will be able to give you advice about routine treatment they’ll need.
Remember, female cats can breed again very soon after giving birth, so it’s advisable to have them neutered once the kittens reach eight weeks old. More information about caring for kittens can be found here: After birth | Advice on cat birthing and kittens | Cats Protection
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Cats Protection is the UK’s largest cat welfare charity and have experts in all aspects of feline welfare. They help around 200,000 cats and kittens every year thanks in no small part to their network of over 230 volunteer-run branches and over 30 centres.