Owning kittens is a very exciting time for you and your cat. Before you can welcome a bunch of fur into your home, you need to know how to tell if your cat is pregnant and what steps you can take to ensure your cat's pregnancy is as happy as possible.

How to Tell if Your Cat is Pregnant

It's important to remember that when planning to have kittens and your cat needs to be prepared to handle the kittens. To help you support your pet throughout the pregnancy and birthing process, an ultrasound can help you diagnose a cat's pregnancy.

Cat Pregnancy Just like us, cats have peak fertility periods during pregnancy - this is called a seasonal or hot spell. Cats can go in season as often as every three weeks, so there are plenty of opportunities for your pet to get pregnant!

If you want to avoid unexpected litters of kittens, we recommend neutering your cat before the first season, as female cats can easily get pregnant after this time. Raising a litter can be stressful for cats and expensive for you, so we recommend leaving breeding to the experts whenever possible.

Cat pregnancy usually lasts between 63 and 67 days, but it can be difficult to know exactly how long a cat is pregnant. A cat's gestation period can range from as short as 61 days to as long as 72 days.

Cats (queens) don't usually show any physical symptoms of pregnancy until a few weeks into the mother's term. If you think your cat is pregnant, take the mother to the vet to confirm.

If you're wondering how to tell if a cat is pregnant on its own, there are several signs you should be able to spot after two or three weeks have passed.

How to tell if a cat is pregnant with an ultrasound

After about 15-18 days of pregnancy, you may notice your pet's nipples getting larger and redder - this is called "pinking".

Similar to morning sickness in humans, your pregnant queen may go through a vomiting phase. If you notice your mother's condition happening frequently, or if she's otherwise feeling physically unwell, contact your vet.

The queen's belly will begin to swell, but avoid touching it so you don't risk harming the mom or her unborn kittens. A swollen abdomen can have other causes, so monitor your cat closely for any signs of illness and consult your vet if you're concerned.

An expectant mother will gradually gain 1-2 kg (depending on how many kittens she's carrying) - this is a strong sign that the mother is pregnant.

Queens tend to have an increased appetite late in pregnancy, which also contributes to the queen's weight gain. An increased appetite can also be a sign of worms or illness, so double-check with your veterinarian.

Pregnant cats may produce more damsel, which means the queen will purr more and seek extra fuss.

Some veterinary practices can diagnose a cat's pregnancy using ultrasound, sometimes even as early as 15 days into the queen's term. The vet may also be able to tell how many kittens a cat has at day 40 of pregnancy. Keep in mind that during a cat's pregnancy, one larger kitten can mask other smaller kittens in the uterus, so there could be more kittens than expected!

While cats should be able to handle labor on their own, make sure to be prepared as you get closer to the end of the term. If the queen is able to offer soothing words, be on hand and continue to offer assistance if complications arise.

There are several signs to watch for signs that kittens are on the way.

Cat Pregnancy

Signs of Imminent/Active Labor

Cat Pregnancy

If a cat is refusing food, being fussy and looking for a place to be quiet, it could be because the queen's labor is about to begin soon.

In the 12-24 hours before the mother cat's labor begins, the cat's body temperature will drop to around 37.8°C.

Prior to labor, the mom may become more vocal, appear restless, and want to be bathed frequently.

Labor should begin with strong abdominal contractions followed by some discharge from the vagina. If the discharge is heavy, black, or bloody, contact your veterinarian.

After the discharge, the kittens should be very fast!

Most cat labors go smoothly and should not be interfered with. However, there are some signs, such as discolored discharge and the mom straining not to produce kittens, which may indicate complications. If you notice any of these or have any other problems, contact your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis with animal ultrasound.