How long are cats pregnant?
Usually 63 to 65 days, within a normal range of 60 to 67, which is about 9 weeks. Enter the mating date for her due dates and the checks along the way.
The short answer: about 9 weeks
VCA gives a cat's pregnancy as 60–67 days, most often 63–65. Unlike dogs, cats ovulate in response to mating: the act itself releases the eggs. The Merck Veterinary Manual counts birth at 64–66 days from the hormone surge that mating triggers. So a mating date is a fairly good starting point for a cat, which is why her window is narrower than a dog's.
A cat pregnancy calendar
| Days after mating | What happens |
|---|---|
| About 14 | The embryos attach to the uterus (Merck). |
| 21–30 | A vet can confirm the pregnancy by feeling the abdomen or with an ultrasound (Merck). |
| About 45 | The kittens' skeletons show on an X-ray, so a vet can count them (VCA). |
| Last week | She may look for a nest; keep her indoors where you can watch her (VCA). |
| Last 24 hours | She usually stops eating, and her temperature may drop below 100°F (VCA). |
| 60–67 | Kittens due, most often on days 63–65 (VCA). |
Feeding a pregnant cat
VCA says a pregnant cat's nutrient needs rise to about one and a half times her usual level, and may pass twice the usual level by the time the kittens are weaned. It suggests more meals a day and a food made for pregnant cats or kittens. The food calculator is for routine feeding only: for a pregnant or nursing cat, ask your vet how much to feed.
Getting ready
VCA suggests a cardboard box lined with newspaper, old sheets or towels: warm and private, but where you can see her. VCA also notes that it helps to have your vet count the kittens, from about day 45, so you know for certain when she has finished.
The stages of labor
- Stage 1. The cervix relaxes and contractions start, but you won't see straining. She may keep visiting the nest, scratch, make a bed, pant or want reassurance. VCA says this stage can last up to 36 hours with a first litter.
- Stage 2. Stronger contractions and visible straining. A kitten usually arrives 5–30 minutes after this stage begins, and the gaps between kittens are usually 10 minutes to an hour.
- Stage 3. The afterbirth follows each kitten, usually right away. The mother opens the membranes, cleans the kitten's face, bites through the cord and often eats the afterbirth.
A pause is not always a problem. VCA describes interrupted labor as normal in cats: she stops straining, rests, nurses and eats, then carries on after up to 24–36 hours.
When to call the vet
Dogs are different
Dogs carry for a similar 63 days on average, but a mating date can be a week or more away from conception, so their window is wider. See how long dogs are pregnant.
Questions owners ask
How long are cats pregnant in weeks?
About 9 weeks. VCA gives 60–67 days, averaging 63–65. The Merck Veterinary Manual puts birth at 64–66 days after the LH surge, which in cats is triggered by mating.
How can I tell if my cat is pregnant?
A vet can usually confirm it 21–30 days after mating by feeling the abdomen or with an ultrasound, which also shows the kittens are alive (Merck). From about day 45 the kittens' skeletons show on an X-ray (VCA).
How many kittens will she have?
An X-ray from about day 45 lets a vet count the skeletons (VCA). Knowing the number tells you when all the kittens have been born.
What are the signs labor is close?
In the final week she may look for a nest. VCA says a queen usually stops eating in the last 24 hours before labor and her temperature may drop below 100°F (37.8°C). In the first stage of labor she may visit the nest again and again, scratch, make a bed, pant or seek you out.
Is it normal for a cat to stop in the middle of giving birth?
It can be. VCA describes interrupted labor as common enough in cats to be normal: the queen stops straining, rests, nurses the kittens already born and eats, then starts again after up to 24–36 hours. If she is straining hard without a kitten, or seems unwell, call the vet.