Instructions
Examine your cat's nipples. Changes in the nipples are one of the earliest signs of cat pregnancy. If you know the date her nipples turn pink, the cat is about six weeks from delivering her kittens. If her nipples are already pink, but you don't know when the change occurred, the cat is at least three weeks pregnant.
Watch for milk. In the sixth week of pregnancy, your cat's nipples will begin to fill with milk.
Watch your cat's appetite. She will eat more throughout her pregnancy. At about the third week of pregnancy, many cats have a three- to 10-day period when their appetite wanes and then increases again. About three days before the kittens are born, her appetite will again decrease significantly.
Take your cat to the veterinarian. A blood test can be performed to determine if she is indeed pregnant, but the blood test will not be accurate until 30 to 35 days into her pregnancy. An ultrasound can be performed 22 to 25 days into the pregnancy. Some veterinarians can palpate the cat's abdomen and give a good guess at how far along she is. The only certain way a veterinarian can determine how far along a cat's pregnancy has progressed is with an X-ray. If the X-ray reveals that the skeletons of the kittens have developed, then the cat is at least 45 days pregnant.
How to Tell How Far Your Cat Is in Its Pregnancy
A cat's gestation is 62 to 65 days. During that time, you should keep your cat indoors, give her good and nutritious food and a clean litter box, and monitor her general health. A few weeks before the babies are expected to arrive, you should provide the mother cat with a nesting box. Fill it with newspaper and place it in one of her favorite places. The preparation for the babies is simple, but determining when the kittens will be born is not. She won't even begin to gain weight until she is halfway through her pregnancy.