An addition in the family is always a pleasant event, reverent and tender, even if your Murka is waiting for the “children”. How the pregnancy goes, what to prepare for childbirth, how to feed the future "mother", how many months the cat is carrying kittens - this is what we will talk about today.
Helping your pet is the holy duty of the owner. In our homes, they become hostages of circumstances, and most importantly, they have no one to hope for except us. Therefore, even if the pregnancy is spontaneous rather than planned, you must prepare everything you need for childbirth and kittens.
The first question that interests everyone: how many months does a cat carry kittens? The average period is only two months, about 60 days. For those with a planned addition to the family, preparing for childbirth will not cause problems, but those who find out about pregnancy by accident will have to become more attentive to the pet from that moment on.
Despite the fact that you know how many months a cat carries kittens, and there is nothing to count them from, you can approximately guess the timing, starting from external changes. So, after 21 days (that is, 3 weeks), the expectant mother will begin to increase the nipples. You can’t notice this. The signs may include a slightly rounded tummy, it is a pity that you will not notice changes in one or two centimeters with the naked eye, especially since few people know the initial sizes (few owners measure the waist with their purrs).
Despite how many months a cat carries kittens according to the rules, they always have exceptions. These include not only the physiological characteristics of the "mother", but also pedigree, and most importantly, the number of kittens greatly affects the duration of pregnancy. Experts assure that the less litter, the longer the gestation period (can reach 78 days).
To ensure proper care, a cat’s pregnancy should be divided into three periods. This is required to control the nutrition of the animal in order to bear healthy offspring.
In the first third of the addiction in food and its quantity are the same as before. Experts recommend increasing the amount only for weak and depleted animals.
In the second third, it is necessary to introduce a high content of protein and calcium into the diet. Specialized feeds are available for sale. If the cat is on natural feeding, she needs to enrich the diet with protein (meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese), introduce vitamins.
In the last third, the animal begins to feed much more often, but in small portions. In the abdominal cavity, kittens occupy the bulk, the stomach decreases. Servings should be controlled to avoid overeating and obesity. A well-fed “mother” bears large and strong kittens, but has a chance to get complications during childbirth.
Despite how much time a cat carries kittens on average, it is necessary to prepare for childbirth in advance:
- First of all, find out where the nearest veterinary clinic is located and the time of its work.
- Stock up on the phone number that you can be consulted in an emergency.
- Prepare a “nest” for the cat (a cardboard box where the animal will give birth).
- Prepare sterile bandages, scissors, alcohol and iodine. We hope you don’t need this, but caution is never unnecessary.
Typically, a cat copes with childbirth on its own, so you are unlikely to be required to take active steps. Nevertheless, try to be near to, if necessary, provide elementary help to a woman in labor or a newborn.