She will carry her litter for about two months before the big day arrives and the kittens are born. While your cat will do most of the work of birthing and caring for the kittens, your job as her guardian is to ensure she is well cared for and has everything she may need to be a good mother.
Expecting cats need extra food and the most nutritious meals available. She will likely seek out additional affection from you during her pregnancy, and she should be kept inside until the babies arrive.
Once the kittens are born, weaned and adopted into homes of their own, consider having your cat spayed. There are thousands of unwanted cats and kittens in the United States, many of which never find loving homes of their own.
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Heat
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Cats have between three and four heat cycles each year. Each cycle lasts about three weeks with the cat capable of becoming pregnant four to six days during the cycle.
Signs
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Once a cat mates, it will be about three weeks before you notice the signs she is pregnant. After about three weeks, the cat's nipples become pink. Pregnant cats often are quieter and more affectionate toward their human guardians. They sleep more. During the fifth week of her pregnancy, you will notice your cat is gaining weight. By the sixth week, her nipples will begin to grow and become filled with milk.
Throughout her pregnancy, your cat will eat more. However, a few days before she gives birth, her appetite will decrease.
Gestation
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From the time she becomes pregnant until she gives birth will be about 65 days.
While she is carrying her kittens, it is important to provide your cat with a good diet and plenty to eat. Keep her litter box extra clean and provide her with a soft bed in a warm, quiet location.
It is also best if you cat stays indoors while she is expecting. Do not give her medication during her pregnancy unless you are directed to do so by a veterinarian.
As she nears the end of her pregnancy and her belly continues to grow, your cat may have difficulty with her usual grooming habits. Clean her with a warm, wet washcloth, especially her bottom, which she may have difficulty reaching.
During the final two weeks of her pregnancy, she will begin looking for a suitable place in which to give birth. Provide boxes filled with newspaper in several different locations---preferably somewhere quiet and warm. She will choose which one suits her best when the big moment arrives.
Delivery
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You cat will likely not need your assistance with the delivery. Labor will begin somewhere between the 61st and 65th day of pregnancy. Your cat will begin to purr and pant. Once this starts, delivery could come at any moment or could be a few hours away. Once she begins having strong contractions, kittens should begin being born within two hours. If this doesn't happen, you may need the assistance of a veterinarian in the delivery.
The kittens will be delivered in bags filled with fluid. The bag will burst on delivery or the mother cat will burst it and begin licking the kitten. You will hear the kitten meow for the first time. The mother cat will cut the umbilical cord with her teeth. After the kitten is delivered, the mother will deliver the placenta and likely eat it. Following the placenta will be the delivery of another kitten and another placenta until the litter has all arrived. The kittens will begin to suckle almost immediately upon their birth.
Kittenhood
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Once the babies have arrived, the mother cat will do most of the work of caring for the kittens. Your job is to take care of the mother. She should have easy access to food, water and a litter box. After about three days, the mother cat will begin eating nearly twice as much as she did during her pregnancy; you should have a constant supply of food and water available to her. The kittens will begin eating solid food when they are three to four weeks old. They can be made available for adoption when they are between eight and 10 weeks old.
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