What can be more adorable than a cute little cat? You might have read dozens of books when you were expecting your baby to come to the world. Ever thought about what happens when your adorable cat gets pregnant?
Cat’s pregnancy usually lasts for 62-67 days or nine weeks. After about 30 days from mating, your cat’s belly gets enlarged. Between these days, her nipples also get enlarged and pinked. A few weeks after that, her mammary glands will increase in size, and nesting behavior will come out. That’s when you should be prepared.
So, is that all you need to know about How long are Cats Pregnant for? No, you must be aware of pregnancy symptoms, behavior during pregnancy, and stages of pregnancy.
It’s essential to know about your cat’s pregnancy. Because you must be aware and fully prepared. As your cat will be bringing some more joy in your life. By knowing all these, you can make sure no harm will come to your cat during pregnancy.
First, let’s start by knowing the symptoms.
Cat Pregnancy Symptoms
Cats are smart pets. They know how to show symptoms and ask for attention. So. it’s pretty easy to determine if a cat is pregnant or not. But for clarity, let’s understand some of these symptoms.
1. Pinking up
After about 15-18 days, you can see the difference in your cat’s nipple. They will become reddish and enlarged than before. This term is generally called “Pinking Up.”
2. Feeling Unwell
This symptom is similar to humans. It may include morning sickness and vomiting. Your cat might go through several stages of vomiting. It is suggested to consult or take her to a vet at this stage. It will surely be very helpful in those circumstances.
3. Abdominal swelling
After some weeks, your cat’s belly might start to swell. But avoid touching it so that no harm comes to her or her babies. If possible, consult with the vet.
4. Weight gain
Depending on the number of kittens a cat is carrying, the weight can be raised up to 1-2 kilo, which is proof of her pregnancy. Later, her appetite gets increased. That can also be a cause of weight gain.
5. Attention seeking
During pregnancy, your cat will want more attention than ever before. It is also an indication that there is a chance of being pregnant.
6. Ultrasound technology
Some vets also diagnose cat pregnancy using ultrasound technology. A vet might also tell you how many kittens are in the womb by 15 to 20 days of the pregnancy.
These are some symptoms that will surely help you to find out if your cat is pregnant or not. Along with signs, you also need to know the stages that your cat has to go through. Now, let’s talk about it.
Cat Pregnancy Stages
Well, there are multiple stages that a cat needs to go through during pregnancy. But we can shorten and clarify these using only five stages.
1. Fertilization
To know about fertilization, we have to understand what age cats start to be matured for sex? The answer is, by the age of six months. With oriental breeds, the number is far less. They can mate two months early, and kittens can have more than one father. Isn’t it surprising!
2. premature stage
In this stage, we will see some sickness like vomiting and weight loss. As we discussed in our symptom part before. The weight loss happens because of nausea that later got resolved. This stage lasts for the first two weeks.
3. halfway Stage
This stage usually takes place in the third week. In this stage, nausea goes away. The cat starts to gain weight due to growth in appetite.
4. Pre labor
You might wonder when your cat will bring the little joy in the world. And the answer is one week before giving birth. In this stage, you can see the nipples visible and milk drops in them. Your cat might look for warm places for her kitten even before giving birth. Isn’t it amazing how wonderful a mother’s love can be!
You can offer her nesting boxes in the places she prefers. It is a great way to help her. By this, she can be calm and relieved for her newborn kittens. In the final week or two days before your cat will stop eating. It is pretty normal, and you don’t need to be tensed about it.
5. Delivery
In this stage, Your cat will start licking at her genitals. She may sound a bit anxious if it’s her first time. After one hour of labor, she should give birth to her first baby. To deliver all kittens, she may take 20 minutes. Generally, she will clean kittens after birth by licking. She’ll even lick placentas to give her extra nutrition. You should let her do it even if you think it’s gross.
You don’t need to become worried and take your cat to the vet. You just need to make sure the whole process of delivery should be natural. One important thing to keep in mind is that the kittens should be with her mother for about a minimum of 8 weeks to be weaned. But it’s suggested to keep kittens with their mother for 12 weeks.
You might face some difficulties during your cat’s pregnancy. To cope up with that, you should know about a cat’s behavior during pregnancy.
Pregnant Cat Behavior
During pregnancy, cats seek attention and become loving. But some might get angry, which is rare. You should keep your pregnant cat indoors all the time. To avoid injury and harm. You must monitor the cat’s behavior and appetite daily to prevent any types of complexity.
This how long are cats pregnant for. But as a cat parent, you should have a little knowledge of a cat’s pregnancy to ensure safe delivery and good health. Just remember, having a pregnant is a big responsibility, and you must take it seriously for your cat’s betterment. Happy petting!
Related:
How Long Are Cats Pregnant? – Everything About The Cat’s Pregnancy
Why Cats Purr? – Know The 6 Reasons for Cats Purring
