Average number of kittens?

satai

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We've taken in a stray at the moment (still looking for her humans, but no luck so far), and I'm pretty sure she's pregnant: she's getting heavier and bigger in the middle, and I think I felt fluttery kicks last night (on both sides of her body).

She was to the vet when we found her (she was sick, and of course to check for a microchip), and the vet found no signs of pregnacy at the time, but said given her age (about 9 or 10 months) that she was due to come into heat (and thus could be preggers).

So, I'm guessing she's probably about five weeks along? If that seems off please let me know!

What I'm really curious about though is roughly how many kittens should we be expecting? I know litter sizes vary, but I don't know if there's an average number, like "most new mothers have four kittens" or whatever.

If it makes any difference, she's still quite small though I think she'll get a bit bigger, and she's an orange and white tabby. No idea who the oblivious papa might be.

ETA - By get a bit bigger, I mean, I think she's still growing, as her paws seem larger than they would be if she was done growing.
 

mrblanche

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The "average" is probably about 5 or 6. First-timers tend to have a rougher time of it, and are much less predictable.
 

cutekittenkat

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If she is pregnant, her nipples will be large and pink. If you felt movments, it should be within the next two weeks. Also, the average is around 4 or 5 kittens.
Good luck!
Keep us updated on how she is!
 

Willowy

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I read somewhere that cats almost always drop 4 eggs. So usually 4 kittens, unless one or 2 of the eggs divide to make "twins". And sometimes a cat will drop more eggs on her first litter (I knew a 7-month old kitten that had 7! Sadly 2 didn't make it). But I'd say most cats have 4, maybe 5.
 
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satai

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Thanks folks!

Oh, the movements were tiny, and many have been more my imagination than anything, defiantely not "kittens moving around in there" yet
 

GoldyCat

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How long have you had her? Are you basing your guess of 5 weeks on that or on some other factor?

Knowing the average size of a litter is not going to tell you how many kittens an individual cat will have. An average is just that. If one cat has 2 kittens and another has 8, the average is 5. Even when you assume a huge number of cats in the sample you can still have anywhere from 1 to 8 or 9 kittens, no matter what the average is.
 
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satai

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Originally Posted by GoldyCat

Knowing the average size of a litter is not going to tell you how many kittens an individual cat will have. An average is just that. If one cat has 2 kittens and another has 8, the average is 5. Even when you assume a huge number of cats in the sample you can still have anywhere from 1 to 8 or 9 kittens, no matter what the average is.
I know that. And really, I suppose I was looking for the mode, not the mean.

It was purely a matter of curiousity - we're not sure she's pregnant, and there hasn't been a significant change in her size since I've posted I'm inclined to think not that she's probably not.

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

How long have you had her? Are you basing your guess of 5 weeks on that or on some other factor?
The five weeks was based on what our vet said. As she's at about the right age to have her first heat, she may well have gotten pregnant before we took her in. The vet said that if she was, we'd start seeing some signs around the fifth week, but he didn't go into detail, presumably as it was a purely theoretical discussion.
 

cutekittenkat

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Any babies yet?

Do you have any pictures of her now? That would make it easier to tell how far along she is... Good Luck!
How long has it been since she pinked up?
 

booktigger

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I would pop her back to the vet to be looked at, and if he doesn't think she is pregnant, then book her in to be spayed.
 
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satai

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Originally Posted by CuteKittenKat

Any kitties yet?
Nope. I think the fluttering must have been something else, and the weight gain just to do with being inside and getting proper meals.
 
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satai

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Originally Posted by CuteKittenKat

So do you think that she isn't pregnant?
I'm pretty sure she isn't. I suppose it's possible, but it doesn't seem likely.

At the moment, I think she *might* be coming into heat, which would be nice - in a way! - we can at least put the question to rest fully and get her neutered.

But no, at present it seems like she was gaining weight because she needed a few solid meals in her. The fluttering I guess was either normal belly rumblings or my imagination.
 

cutekittenkat

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That's good!
You would probably be able to tell by now if she was pregnant...
Hopefully she is coming into heat so then she can get spayed
 

tigger_2801

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Like others have said, some only have one and others have eight, but the 2009 kitten count is running and most seem to be having 4-6.

Your vet should be able to tell by now either way.

Vicky
 
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