Cat pregnancy - How long does a cat pregnancy last?

Just like all animals, pregnancy in cats in a normal part of a cat's life that sometimes occurs if your cat has not been spayed.

The average length of cat pregnancy is 65 days. But a variation of four days either way is not unusual, so the whole cat gestation period may be as short as 61 days or as long as 69. For example, if your cat mated on may 5, the date of birth should be on July 10, but could be as early as July 6 or as late as July 15.

When a cat is pregnant, it’s pretty much the owner’s responsibility to help it maintain a proper level of nutrition and health. That requires the owner to actually know how to care for a pregnant cat and for the owner to know when the cat is pregnant to begin with. There are certain signs you can look for to determine whether your cat is pregnant. You will notice a significant weight gain in your cat, particularly in the abdominal area. Weight gain, however, typically doesn’t appear until the fifth week or so of the pregnancy. You’ll also notice your cat may experience morning sickness. This is quite similar to morning sickness in human women. Cats experience morning sickness because their bodies aren’t used to larger uterine organs. You’ll also notice that your cat’s nipples will begin to grow. This typically will happen by the sixth week of the pregnancy. Her nipples will become soft and pink, and they’ll fill with milk.

Further, you’ll notice your cat behaving a bit differently than you’re accustomed to. Pregnant cats are normally quieter and more loving than they are when they aren’t pregnant.Your pregnant cat will start eating a lot more and demanding a lot more food. After all, it's eating for more than just one! A pregnant cat likely won’t start eating more, however, until just a few days before delivery. So when this starts to happen, you can be assured that she’s about to give birth.

A proper diet and nutrition is vital for a pregnant cat, just like it is for a pregnant human being. Ask your vet about what kinds of commercial cat food you should be feeding your cat at this time, since nutrition is very important for both the queen and her kittens. Feed your cat several small meals throughout the day, rather than one or two large ones. Many veterinarians will recommend a vitamin mineral supplement in order to help give the cat the extra calcium that her bones will need. Just as with a human pregnancy, the babies are taking all of her strength and calcium that she needs. In order to keep her healthy, it is up to you as her owner to add it back into her diet or blood stream. This will prevent future tooth decay or bone deterioration.

When it comes down to it, you are the cat owner and it is your decision whether or not to allow your cat to get pregnant. You are the owner and you must make the judgment. If you do not want your cat to have the ability of pregnancy, it is highly recommended to have your cat spayed and to prevent unplanned pregnancies, have your male cats neutered.