Pregnant cats need higher amounts of calories and protein, both of which can be found in a high quality kitten food. Switching mum onto a kitten food will also help her litter, as they'll be able to copy her and try some of her solid food as they wean off her milk.
Kitten food is usually a good choice. Plan on increasing the amount of food provided as your pregnant cat nears her term. Shortly before her due date, provide your cat with a box or similar shelter where she can give birth to and care for her kittens. Line the box with soft blankets or towels.
Beyond some minor vet care and the nutritional changes, your pregnant cat should not have any special needs during most of her pregnancy. However, as she gets closer to queening (giving birth) she will start looking for a safe, quiet place to begin nesting. 2 This usually begins a day or two before birth.
keep the room she and her kittens are in warm. make sure their bedding is kept clean and dry. keep the room they are in quiet and don't allow family members to keep disturbing her. keep an eye on the kittens to make sure they are feeding but try to keep at a distance your cat is comfortable with.
Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they're healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact. The kitten's mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies.
Most cats would prefer to be left alone, and they definitely don't want to be pet or touched while they are giving birth. It's best to give your pregnant cat as much privacy as possible while also leaving yourself the ability to monitor the birthing process for any signs of issues or distress.
Whilst it's safe to stroke your pregnant cat, make sure that you avoid her tummy. This area will be very sensitive, and any touching there could cause her discomfort or hurt her unborn kittens. If you do have to pick your cat up, make sure to “scoop” her up from her bottom, rather than touch her stomach.
During her pregnancy, you will want to keep your cat relatively active in order to ensure she is fit for giving birth. Avoid any excessively rowdy activity towards the end of your cat's pregnancy, however. You will need to help her stay calm as she nears her due date, as anything too active could cause her stress.
You can keep, and continue to cuddle with, your friendly feline — just don't change your cat's litter box. An infection called toxoplasmosis can be spread through soiled litter boxes and can cause miscarriage and serious problems in a fetus, including seizures and severe eye and brain damage.
Pregnant cats may be nervous or even aggressive because of the changes in their hormones. They may also be very defensive as they try to protect themselves and their unborn kittens. All these factors may lead your cat to become stressed more easily while she's pregnant.
For the first few weeks, try to supervise her outside if you can and give her a quick check when she comes back inside to make sure she's not hurt. In the final two weeks of her pregnancy, it is best to keep her inside so she is safe when the kittens come.
Preparing your home for your cat to give birth
Ideally, your pregnant cat should be allowed to have a room or space to herself at the end of her pregnancy. Queens (female cats) can become aggressive in the final two weeks of their gestation, so isolate her and keep her away from children.
Pregnant women should, when possible, have someone else clean their cat's litter box. That's because cats can have an infection called toxoplasmosis (tok-so-plaz-MOE-sis).
On average, cat pregnancy lasts for 63 to 65 days. However, some cats can carry an average litter for more or less time. The typical range is between 60 to 70 days.
Licking, pacing, howling, and chirping
You might notice your cat licking her genitalia frequently – There is a discharge from the cat's vulva a few hours before birth starts. Your cat's water will break as well. Now is the time for pacing, restlessness, and howling, meowing, or chirping from your cat.
Taking your cat to the vet
It takes an average of 20 days before he or she can confirm a cat's gestation period by feeling the abdomen, taking X-rays or performing an ultrasound. The further along your cat is in its pregnancy, the more accurately the vet can determine how many kittens she is carrying.
Her "Nesting" Begins
Pregnant felines are notoriously particular about where they deliver their babies. She will want a spot that is fairly hidden and concealed, so you may notice her hanging out some pretty unusual spots in the house, such as inside of cabinets and dresser drawers or the top shelf of the closet.
Your cat's labour should go smoothly, but it's useful to have help on hand to keep her calm and in case she runs into any complications. Get hold of your vet's out-of-hours phone number prior to your cat giving birth, as delivery often happens during the night, or they might need an emergency helping hand.
In cats the average length of full parturition (delivery) is 16 hours, with a range of 4–42 hours (up to three days in some cases may be normal). It is important to consider this variability before intervening. The third stage is delivery of the fetal membranes.
The average litter size for cats is 4 to 6 kittens; however, adolescents, seniors, and first-timers typically have smaller-than-average litters. First-time moms usually only have 2 or 3 kittens. Purebred cats tend to have more kittens per litter than mixed breeds, though experts aren't sure why.
If possible, count the placentas as they are passed so you can inform your vet if one has been left behind (an infection risk). Both head first and tail first kittening is normal (tail first may take a little longer). Between each kitten, your cat should seem comfortable, lick and feed her newborn.