Kittens & Pregnancy

The first sign of pregnancy in a cat is when your queen's nipples go pink. 

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It generally occurs around 21 days of pregancy. Soon after, she will begin to get visibly fat, and her tummy will feel sort of hard when you stroke it. Cat pregnancy lasts nine weeks in total, and when it's coming near the day, it's good to put some cardboard boxes (lined with towels and/or blankets - not newspaper), around the house in places that she might fancy. You must be warned that she may not choose any of those boxes and give birth in a completely odd place. If she spends a lot of time outdoors, then chances are (especially in the summer) that she'll find a secluded bush to use as her nest. 

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When she comes into labour, it's best to leave her to give birth herself. However, if a kitten takes more than two hours coming out, you may need to give her a hand or call the vet. Preferably both.

Or, if after more than two hours, you still think she has a kitten inside her and its not coming out. Cats can have from one to eight kittens in a kindle, but the average is around four.
It is advised not to pick up the kittens for the first week or so unless there's a problem (you can start stroking them gently at three or so days, but the mummy might be a little fierce). They will start to open their eyes at around two weeks, and perhaps try to venture out of the nest.



It's important to have started handling them by this time, as they have to be used to human handling as a kitten if they're going to be stroked as an adult.



Kittens should not be given away or sold before the age of three months - preferably four, actually. Yes, I know, a lot of people give away/sell their kittens when they are only one or two months old, but that is not good as it is good for kittens' character to develop a relationship with their mother and littermates up until the aforesaid age. In addition, kittens under the age of three months would not adapt to a new home as easily as older ones would.