Caring For a Pregnant Cat

It can often be a surprise: you take your cat in to the veterinarian, maybe even that cat you rescued off the street, and lo and behold, you are soon to be the proud owner of a litter of kittens.  This can be a trying time for anyone, especially the pet owner who also works full time.  After all, a pregnant cat needs a lot of care, and a litter of kittens doubly so.

But where to start?  Unless you have had pregnant cats around you before, you are likely to be completely at a loss as to how to start caring for a pregnant animal.  Your veterinarian will likely have some great advice, but it is you who will have to be caring for the cat every day until the kittens are born (and of course the work doesn’t stop there).

When your veterinarian gives your pregnant cat an exam to determine which stage of pregnancy your cat is in, he or she may suggest terminating the pregnancy by spaying. This may be a reasonable option if your cat is carrying a contagious disease that could affect the kittens or if your cat is in such a poor state of health that following through with the pregnancy may kill her.

One of the most important things you can do for your pregnant cat is to feed her well.  Consider feeding your cat high quality canned cat food instead of the dry kibble she may have been eating and, if you have adopted her as a stray, she may be malnourished.  It is very important, for the health of mom and the kittens, that your cat be properly nourished.  Near the end of the pregnancy – in the last three or four weeks- switch her to canned kitten food which is high in nutrients and fats that mom and the kittens need.  When the kittens are born, you may continue to feed everyone the same kitten food.

A constant supply of fresh clean water is also essential for the health of the kittens and their mother and if you will not be around to refill the dish, consider buying a system that automatically dispenses water when the dish nears empty or else keeps a constant supply of fresh water.  Mom may also develop a calcium deficiency while nursing or even shortly before the kittens are born, so calcium supplements may also be a good idea.