Cat Pregnancy Length
The standard length of cat pregnancy is between 58 and
65 days or estimated to be nine weeks. The number of kittens that a pregnant cat can have ranges from one to eight kittens in one pregnancy. But the average number of kittens in most cats is between two to five kittens. Vets can help in determining how many kittens are in the womb of your cat through feeling the abdomen. Performing ultrasound can confirm the pregnancy and accurately count the number of kittens inside.
Cat Pregnancy Symptoms
If you are not a cat breeder, there is a big possibility that you won’t really know that you already have a pregnant cat at home until she is halfway through her pregnancy. The bulge in the abdomen will only be noticeable on the last two weeks of her gestation. Knowing the symptoms and signs of cat pregnancy will help in caring for your beloved cat.
The first obvious sign that you have a pregnant cat is on day 21 after mating when her nipples will start to enlarge. They will become pinkish in color and more soft to the touch. She will start to gain weight particularly in the mid-section of her body. The increase in food intake usually happens when she is a few days away from giving birth. There are instances that pregnant cat will become more affectionate than before. Morning sickness is also among the symptoms of cat pregnancy. The nesting activity in dark and quiet places will start to happen.
Care of Pregnant Cat
If you are already suspecting that your cat is pregnant, it is best to take her to the vet for some prenatal check-up. Exercises should still be continued during the cat pregnancy period to keep her muscle tone and avoid too much gain weight. Her diet should be high in nutrients and there should always be fresh and clean water to drink anytime.
About three weeks before delivery, you should start feeding your pregnant cat with premium kitten food in addition to her regular diet. Increase the amount of kitten food as each week passes by. Then on the final week of cat pregnancy, she should be eating only kitten food and continue this diet until the kittens are already weaned.
Small but frequent meals should be served to your pregnant cat about three to four meals per day. Let her eat as much food as she wants during the last week of cat pregnancy up to the third and fourth week of lactation. As long as your cat is not becoming obese, let her take more and more food according to her desire and just make sure that she is gaining weight in a healthy way during pregnancy.
