Do You Know How to
Care for a Pregnant Cat?

"Here's the basic information you need to know..."

Cat pregnancy is a very normal and natural phase of a healthy cat's life. It will be helpful for both your cat's health and you if you approach this phase in a relaxed and matter-of-fact way. If you feel anxious or nervous, your cat will pick up on it. If this is your cat's first pregnancy, she may already feel a little nervous and you don't want to add to it.

Try not to pamper your cat more than usual. You don't want her to become too dependent on you and think that you are going to take care of her kittens for her!

Very important: Veterinarians recommend that one of the ways to care for a pregnant cat and her kittens is that you do not try to feel the kittens in your cat's womb at any time during the pregnancy. Only a veterinarian should do this.

How to Care for a Pregnant Cat—Early Stages

During the early stages of cat pregnancy, pregnant cat care doesn't really require anything different than how you normally take care of your cat's health. If she is mostly an indoor cat, you can continue her normal playtime. Again, this is a normal process for your cat, although she may be a little nervous if it's her first pregnancy.

If your cat is used to going outside, you should start to keep her indoors at about the sixth week of feline pregnancy. This will prevent her from looking for an outdoor nest in which to give birth to her kittens. If the kittens are birthed outdoors, they are more susceptible to predators, among other dangers. Plus, you may not be able to enjoy watching the little guys!

How to Care for a Pregnant Cat—Later Stages

Digestion and Diet

According to The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Cats, Cat Breeds & Cat Care , a healthy pregnant cat should not need extra food until about the last third of her pregnancy. This is the seventh through ninth week mark. The Cat Encyclopedia recommends frequent small meals (up to four daily). And the total amount of the food should only be increased by about one-third.

It's important to serve top-quality, healthy and nourishing cat food that is low in bulk. The smaller meals are important at this time because the fetuses are growing and space is at a premium. You could also consider a cat pregnancy supplement to enhance and support your cat's reproductive system before, during and after pregnancy.

Your pregnant cat may also experience constipation during this time. She can be helped with this by occasionally giving her oily fish such as sardines or tuna or a mild herbal remedy designed to relieve feline constipation.

If possible, keep small children away from your cat and warn them not to pick her up and carry her around.

Exercise

It is important for your pregnant cat's health that she continue to get exercise during her pregnancy, even during the later stages. But you should tone it down if you usually play hard with your cat. Let her determine how long to play. Play gently and regularly.

Grooming During Cat Pregnancy

During the later stages of pregnancy, your cat might get tired during grooming and may not be able to clean all areas. She may also be too bulky to fully take care of her grooming needs. You can help her out with regular and gentle grooming and possibly by using a kitty wipe, if she seems to be having a lot of trouble.

As your kitty moves into her eighth week of pregnancy, you should check her anal area on a daily basis to help her keep clean. If she needs some help, you can use sponge with a mild soap and warm water or a kitty wipe. You can then dry the area with tissues.

More Information to Take Care of Your Pregnant Cat

See our Cat Pregnancy page for more information about felines and pregnancy, including symptoms and how to help your cat with the birthing process. You can also use the Google Search Box to search the Internet or My Healthy Cat for more information.

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