How long until cat gives birth

Behavior changes Your cat will begin to exhibit behavior changes. Now is the time for pacing, restlessness, and howling, meowing, or chirping from your cat. Close Font Resize. Keyboard navigation.

Readable Font. Choose color black white green blue red orange yellow navi. Underline links. Highlight Links. Clear cookies. Message us. Discover our range of cat food. Buy Now. Having kittens is a very exciting and emotional time for you and your cat.

Before you can welcome bundles of fur into your home, you need to know how to tell if your cat is pregnant, and what you can do to ensure her pregnancy is as happy as possible. Cat pregnancy Much like us, cats have periods of peak fertility when they can become pregnant - this is known as being in season or in heat. How long is a cat pregnant Cat pregnancy normally lasts between 63 to 67 days, but it can be tough to know exactly how long a cat is pregnant for.

Similar to morning sickness in humans, your pregnant queen may go through a stage of vomiting. If you notice that her sickness becomes frequent, or she is at all unwell in any other way, contact your vet. There can be other causes behind abdominal swelling, so monitor your cat closely for any signs of illness and consult your vet if you are worried.

A mum-to-be will gradually gain between kg depending on the number of kittens she is carrying - this is a strong sign that she is pregnant. Queens tend to have an increased appetite later in their pregnancy, which will also contribute towards her weight gain.

An increased appetite could also be a sign of worms or illness, so double check with your vet to confirm. Your pregnant cat may act more maternal, meaning that she purrs more and seeks extra fuss and attention from you. Some vet practices can diagnose cat pregnancy using ultrasound, sometimes as early as 15 days into her term.

The vet may also be able to give you an indication of how many kittens your cat is expecting by day 40 of her pregnancy. The birth is usually complete within six hours after the start of the second stage, but can last up to 12 hours.

The first stage of kittening lasts up to 36 hours and is usually shorter for queens that have had kittens before. The third stage of kittening involves the passage of the membranes and the dark flesh mass of the placenta or afterbirth. Most cats manage to deliver their litter of kittens without any help. So watching quietly and discreetly from a distance is the best approach. After birth - Topic.

Kitten care - Topic. Birth and kittening. How to help deliver kittens Is your cat due to give birth?

How to help your cat during birth Before your cat gives birth, talk to your vet to ask if your cat needs any specific support or treatments during pregnancy and birth. First stage of kittening The first stage of kittening lasts up to 36 hours and is usually shorter for queens that have had kittens before. What to expect: intermittent contractions, but no straining the queen will be restless and make repeated visits to the bed late in the first stage, the queen may scratch the bedding and pant vaginal discharge is rare.

Second stage of kittening The second stage of kittening lasts five to thirty minutes for each kitten. What to expect: stronger contractions foetal membranes water bag appears briefly at the vulva and bursts. Liquid is usually cleared up by the cat active straining starts and the kitten usually comes out head first once the head is out, one or two strains from the cat should push out the kitten the mother breaks the bag and chews through the cord and licks the kitten.