Cat Pregnancy: Signs, Stages, and What to Expect Week by Week

Cats are masters at hiding changes. A pregnant cat may show almost no signs for the first three weeks. Here is what to look for: - Week 1-2: No visible signs. The cat may be slightly more affectionate. - Week 3: Nipples become pinker and slightly swollen — this is called "pinking up." It is the first reliable visual sign. - Week 4: Morning sickness may occur — occasional vomiting, mild appetite changes. A vet can confirm pregnancy by ultrasound. - Week 5-6: Noticeable weight gain, especially around the belly. Appetite increases significantly. - Week 7-8: You can see and sometimes feel kittens moving. The cat starts looking for quiet nesting spots — closets, under beds, inside cupboards. - Week 9: Mammary glands fill with milk. The cat becomes restless, may pace or vocalise. Labour is close.

- First 4 weeks: Normal food, normal portions - Weeks 5-7: Increase food by 25-50%. Switch to kitten food — it has the higher protein and calories a pregnant cat needs - Weeks 7-9: Feed small, frequent meals. The kittens are compressing her stomach. - Provide constant access to fresh water - Do NOT give calcium supplements unless a vet prescribes them. Excess calcium can cause eclampsia.

Prepare a nesting box one week before the due date. A large cardboard box with low sides works perfectly. Line it with old towels or newspaper. Place it somewhere warm, quiet, and dark. Most cats prefer privacy during birth — do not hover, but stay within earshot.

- Bleeding at any stage before delivery - Foul-smelling vaginal discharge - Straining for more than 1 hour with no kitten - More than 3 hours between kittens - Complete refusal to eat for more than 24 hours - Extreme lethargy or hiding behaviour that seems abnormal - Fever or visible pain

Most cats deliver without help. A normal delivery takes 2-6 hours for the entire litter. - Each kitten arrives in a membrane. The mother will lick it off and chew the cord. - If she does not clean a kitten within a minute, gently tear the membrane around the face and rub the kitten with a clean towel to stimulate breathing. - Kittens should start nursing within 1-2 hours of birth. The first milk (colostrum) contains critical antibodies.

- Keep the room warm — 29-32°C for the first week - Watch the mother for signs of infection: fever, smelly discharge, swollen painful mammary glands - Weigh kittens daily. They should gain weight every day. A kitten losing weight is a red flag. - Do not handle kittens excessively in the first week. Some mothers become stressed and may reject kittens.

Once kittens are weaned (at 6-8 weeks), spaying prevents future pregnancies. Indoor cats in India are especially prone to repeated pregnancies if an intact male is in the household or neighbourhood.

Pregnancy questions are the third most common topic Omelo users ask about. Many of these conversations happen late at night — a cat in labour at midnight, an anxious pet parent unsure if something is wrong. Omelo helps you assess what is normal and what needs a vet visit, right when you need it.