How long are cats pregnant for (or cat "gestation") lasts for about 65 days from the successful mating. Female cats preserve their eggs, only releasing them after mating, making them proficient breeders and so much so that a pregnant cat is almost guaranteed. Pregnant cat care is simple, and require little effort.
Pregnant Cat Care
Once a female becomes pregnant, she will immediately begin eating more. Additional dietary supplements should not be administered to the mother as these could prove harmful to the unborn kittens. A properly balanced diet and constant access to food and water is all that she will need.
How Long Are Cats Pregnant?
The cat gestation period is approximately 65 days. A veterinarian will be able to confirm a pregnancy 20 to 30 days after mating by feeling around her abdomen: This technique should not be attempted at home. Ultrasounds are also available to confirm pregnancy.
Week two or three the mother's nipples will turn rosy pink, and enlarge in the fourth. She may gain up to 3 lbs, and possibly enough to impair her activity.
How To Prepare
Outdoor cats should be inside during the last few weeks of pregnancy, ensuring that she does not give birth outdoors, exposing herself and her newborn kittens to the elements.
A nesting box should be prepared for the mother 10 to 14 days before the estimated date of delivery. The nesting box will provide her with a safe and comfortable place for birthing. Mother cats are often found having placed newborns inside hampers, and crawl spaces, therefore, access to any spaces where she may try to hide herself and/or her kittens should be blocked for their safety.
The mother should begin exhibiting nesting behaviors about 24 hours before giving birth.