How Long Are Cats Pregnant In Weeks

How Long Are Cats Meaning

A cat'southward gestation period is about 65 days, but it's not e'er easy to effigy out when a cat got meaning.

You'll want to consult with a veterinarian about how far forth your plumage-chasing queen is earlier beginning to count days—and, yes, a pregnant true cat is called a "queen."

Your veterinary can exercise an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy and estimate the number of kittens she's expecting. Later in pregnancy, radiographs can confirm the number of kittens and skeletal details. Simply an ultrasound can show the kittens' heartbeats, though.

How Tin You Tell If a Cat is Pregnant?

It can be hard to tell if your cat is pregnant because she won't typically starting time to show any physical signs until she's virtually a few weeks forth.

Almost queens do not prove signs of pregnancy until about five to vi weeks after breeding. Signs a cat is pregnant include weight gain, enlarged belly and increased appetite.

Heat cycles occur every ii to three weeks, usually from spring to fall. Cycle signs include increased vocalization, stretching and rolling on the basis and attempts to escape the house to brood.

If your cat has been cycling consistently and the cycles stop for more than four weeks, she may be pregnant. If you believe she may be pregnant, examine your feline for symptoms from point for pregnancy.

Symptoms

Rounded abdomen
Weight gain
Increased appetite
Enlarged and scarlet nipples (also known equally "pinking up") about a week prior to nascence

In the outset stages of pregnancy, she may want to exist closer during this time.

A veterinarian can give your cat an ultrasound to help determine how far along she is and how many kittens she'south expecting. You can too put your veterinary on alarm for any additional assistance you lot or the cat may need throughout this time.

What Should You lot Feed Pregnant Cats?

Your cat volition require a high-protein diet to keep her feeling her all-time during this time.

Increasing your true cat's food intake during the latter function of pregnancy (a few weeks prior to nascency) will ensure she'due south getting the nutrients and caloric intake needed to produce quality milk.

Like babies, kittens begin to learn almost flavors from their mothers' diet in utero and during nursing. They larn to prefer those familiar flavors over unfamiliar flavors, and this preference persists even after kittens are weaned on to solid foods.

Giving your queen a consummate and balanced and varied nutrition throughout pregnancy, nursing and weaning can help her kittens exist more adventurous eaters as adult cats.

Y'all'll want to brand sure she has enough of water throughout her pregnancy as well.

When your cat gets close to giving birth, she may start to reject nutrient or may crave small, frequent meals. Information technology'due south best to consult with a veterinarian to make sure you're non overfeeding or underfeeding your cat, making her pregnancy more challenging than needed.

Signs Your Cat is Going into Labor

When your cat is prepare to deliver, she may become more vocal or start bathing herself more oft. She may even act more irritated than usual or want more alone time.

When the time comes to welcome your cat's litter, you may notice milk leaking from her nipples. She will likely secrete a greenish-black vaginal belch. However, if information technology appears yellow, cream-colored or red this could be a sign of complications.

The kittens should commencement arriving soon after the discharge appears. Set up a space for your cat to give birth, outfitted with lots of clean towels or newspapers. A medium-sized plastic or wooden box with some privacy is a good place for some cats to give birth. Some cats may want to requite birth on your bed or on something comfortable and most yous.

Kittens should showtime to arrive within 24 hours of signs of labor (intestinal pushing and straining). Some cats may have "interrupted labor," however, where ane or 2 kittens are produced, and so straining and pushing stops.

Don't panic if this happens. More kittens should arrive in a few hours. About cats volition non need a "midwife" but if at that place is prolonged straining without production of a kitten or if the queen appears to be in distress, telephone call your veterinarian for advice.

Provide a heat source, such equally a hot water bottle, for the kittens when they stray from their mother subsequently nascency. Never use electrical heating blankets, and brand sure the kittens can get abroad from the heat if necessary. Kittens' body temperature, like puppies', is lower than adult cats.

Sit dorsum and permit nature take its course. If you observe she'southward straining for too long without yielding any kittens, then contact your veterinarian immediately.

Visit our Pet Expertise folio to meet more than from our experts almost what to expect when your cat is expecting.