Cat Pregnancy Calculator

Work out when your cat’s kittens are due and what to expect in each stage of her nine-week pregnancy.

Mating date

If there were several matings, use the first; the due date may run a few days later.

Cat gestation in brief

A cat’s pregnancy lasts about 63–65 days. Unlike dogs, cats ovulate because they mate, so the mating date is a good anchor for the due date (Merck Veterinary Manual; International Cat Care).

If you don’t know when she mated, a vet can estimate the stage from an ultrasound or X-ray.

Call your vet if she strains for more than 30–60 minutes without a kitten, over 2–3 hours pass between kittens, or she has bloody or foul discharge.

Cat pregnancy timeline

  1. Day 0
    Mating

    Cats are induced ovulators: mating itself triggers ovulation about 24–36 hours later.

  2. Day 15
    Pinking up

    Around day 15–18 her nipples turn pink and enlarge, often the first visible sign.

  3. Day 20
    Vet can confirm

    Ultrasound can confirm pregnancy from about day 15–20; a vet may feel the kittens by gentle palpation around day 20–25.

  4. Day 30
    Growth food

    Her belly starts to round out. Begin a gradual switch to a complete kitten food; she will need more calories from here on.

  5. Day 45
    X-ray count

    Kitten skeletons show on X-ray from about day 45, so your vet can count the litter.

  6. Day 55
    Nesting

    Offer a quiet, warm box lined with towels in a low-traffic room. She may start exploring cupboards and closets.

  7. Day 63
    Kittening window opens

    Most cats give birth between day 63 and 65. Signs: restlessness, loud purring or calling, loss of appetite and a temperature drop.

  8. Day 67
    Late but often normal

    Deliveries up to about day 67–70 can be normal, but check in with your vet if she seems unwell or has discharge without kittens.

Questions owners ask

How long are cats pregnant?
Usually 63–65 days, or about 9 weeks. The normal range is roughly 61–70 days from mating.
How soon can you tell a cat is pregnant?
“Pinking up” (pink, enlarged nipples) appears around day 15–18. A vet can confirm with ultrasound from about day 15–20 or by feeling the abdomen around day 20–25.
How many kittens do cats have?
An average litter is about four kittens; first litters are often smaller. A vet X-ray after day 45 gives the count.
Can a cat get pregnant again right after giving birth?
Yes. Cats can come back into heat within weeks of giving birth, even while nursing. Spaying is usually done once kittens are weaned; ask your vet about timing.
What should I feed a pregnant cat?
A complete kitten food from the second half of pregnancy onward, fed freely or in more frequent meals. Nursing queens may need two to three times their usual calories; see our cat food calculator.

Sources: Merck Veterinary Manual, “Breeding Management of Cats”; International Cat Care, “Pregnancy and kittening”; 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines.

Keep going

Dog pregnancy calculatorDue date and a week-by-week timeline.Cat weight chartKitten weight by week and healthy adult ranges.Cat food calculatorCalories and a wet/dry split for your cat.