My cat is 8 weeks pregnant and i am looking for some advice on a couple of things please

Hi all I am new to this and was hoping for some advice My cat Pringles is expecting her first little she was scanned Tuesday and expecting 3Now the vets have told me she is due in under 2 weeksI have started feeding her kitten food but she's not eating a lot now and is always asleep Could anyone give me so advice on how long they think she has left please Many thanks

Hi and welcome to The Cat Site. I don't have experience with raising kittens, but you have put your post in the right place to get some help. Others will be along to answer your questions and give you the benefit of their experience. I wish you well with the mama and kittens.

Cat pregnancies generally last 63 days or just a few days longer (so around 9 weeks).  If you are sure your cat is 8 weeks pregnant, she has about a week left. However, if you think she could be a bit further along (like 8 and a half weeks, say) some cats do start eating less shortly before the birth and that could be what is going on.

Sleeping a lot is always normal in cats, whether pregnant or not

Let us know how she gets on!

Thank you for your reply x

We have a good collection of articles in the Cat Health section which you can access by scrolling up to the brown bar, clicking on Articles,and then choosing the Cat Health section and scrolling through the choices.  To make this super easy for you, I am copying the links in here.  After reading this information, let us know if you have any more questions.  And good luck with your approaching new arrivals.

Birth, Delivery and Newborns

View media item 212113Cat Pregnancy

How to Tell if My Cat is Pregnant?

Pregnant Cat? What to Prepare For the Birth

Help! My Cat is Having Kittens!

Post-Birth Complications in Cats

How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth?

Premature Kittens

This is my cats first litter and all new to me how will I know when she is going into labour I am worried in going to be at work when she delivers will she be ok?

Thanks all support and advise much appreciated

Feeling a bit disappointed that I've had not help or advise yet please share ur knowledge as I am worried
Many thanks

Lthompson said:

Feeling a bit disappointed that I've had not help or advise yet please share ur knowledge as I am worried
Many thanks

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Have you read the links that red top rescue posted in their reply to you ?

Those links will explain all about what to expect with birth, delivery and newborns. All you do is click on them and the pages will load up.

There's a great one of " How do I know when my cat will give birth ?" This explains all the signs to look out for.

Ideally you would get time off work to be at home for when your cat gives birth. I know this is not always possible and well, it's just a risk you take that everything will go smoothly if you are not there. Hopefully it will ! Most cats manage ok - but first time and young moms can sometimes get overwhelmed and not sure what is happening.

Good luck

R thank u for that, I would book time off work but as you have mentioned it's hard to know when it is going to happen. I've noticed today that her belly has really dropped is this a sign she is getting ready?
I really don't have a clue and really don't want her to be on her own when she has the kittens either

I am not sure why you are not reading the article "How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth" from the links that I gave you 2 days ago (just 2 hours after you posted), and just 9 hours ago you said you are disappointed that you did not get help or advice from us yet.  Perhaps you didn't understand that all you had to do was click on the blue link with the Title of the article above to get a long and detailed explanation of what to expect, and that is true for each one of those articles (I sent you 7 links, see post #5 above).   For that reason, I am going to copy most of the article into this message now, but please DO read the other articles -- put your pointer on the blue title (next to the picture under the title Birth, Delivery and Newborns on post #5 of 9 above) and click and it will take you to the full article.  Here is the print out from the article about "How Do I Know When My Cat Will Give Birth":

The gestation period of cats is an average of 64 days from the time of mating. Do you know when your cat mated? If so, you should have a pretty good estimate of her due date. However, 64 days is only an average, and your cat can be a few days early or late. Once eight weeks have passed and she has entered the ninth week, it's time to look for the telltale signs that birth is imminent.

Changes in Behavior

A cat's temperament often changes during pregnancy. Some cats become more reclusive, but most usually become more affectionate. Many owners report a significant change in their cat's behavior in the days and hours before birth. The cat seems to want them around, demanding extra affection and calling them to be with her. Here is how our member Abstract described her cat's behavior the day of the birth: "Shinobi got very clingy, and very restless. Didn't want me out of her sight, but couldn't sit still in one room with me either." Another member, klsylvester, said: "Sophia just wanted a lot attention, she didn't cry or meow before or during, but she did however chirp and constantly lick my face."

Decreased appetite

Pregnant females usually display an increase in appetite during the last weeks of their pregnancy. Yet in the days and hours prior to the birth itself many owners report a significant decrease in appetite. This could be the result of the kittens pushing on the mother's stomach or simply another sign of general anxiety as the cat senses the coming event.

Milk Production

This usually begins 24-48 hours before the kittens are born. You may see some thick cream-colored secretion from her nipples. This is early milk, also known as colostrum. The cat may lick it off or it may dry up and show as small whitish scabs on the nipples. Our member HeavensKitty  described this in a recent post: "Her milk is coming down a little; she has like dried up white scabbies on the tip."

Nesting Behavior

Some cats begin displaying nesting behavior weeks before the actual birth, while others may wait until the last day to find a spot they like. Some owners don't see any nesting behavior at all, only to have the cat climb into their lap for the actual birth. 

A Drop in Temperature

A cat's normal body temperature is higher than that of us humans. It is normally within the range of 100-102.5°F  or 37.7-39.1°C . A day or two before birth, a pregnant cat's body temperature drops by a couple of degrees, usually to just under 100°F.

Please don't take your cat temperature rectally during this time, especially if this isn't something you and she are used to. It would only bother her and could possibly hurt her too. If you insist on trying to track her temperature, here are a couple of suggestions -

1. Take her temperature in her armpit, if you can do that without causing her any discomfort. Remember the temperature there is lower by a couple of degrees than her internal body temperature. Start your measurements a couple of weeks before her due date, to get a good baseline.

2. Use a special ear thermometer for pets such as the Pet-Temp Ear Thermometer. It's not cheap, but it provides you with a safe, quick and accurate way to take a pet's temperature.

The Kittens Are Coming!

The signs listed so far give you a general estimate of when the cat is about to give birth. The birth process itself can start hours to minutes before the first kitten shows up and it will be hard to miss. 

Don't be surprised if you see a discharge coming out of the cat's vulva in the hours before birth commences. This is the mucus plug leaving the birth canal. The cat is likely to lick the discharge so you may not even notice it. As the amniotic sacks get pressured, your cat's water may break too. This could be a slow drizzle or a more dramatic gush. 

As the birth process itself begins, your cat is likely to get very agitated and restless. Many cats begin to vocalize in the hours before the kittens show. This is probably due to either the pain of the contractions or the general anxiety they experience. Owners report chirping, meowing and howling from their cats. Some cats do not vocalize and births can also be surprisingly quiet.

Your cat is likely to start pacing around the room too. You may see increased rate of breathing, even to the point of panting. Contractions can sometimes be visible too and the cat may sit or lie down when a contraction arrives. 

When the kittens come, it really is hard to miss. While some cats do deliver their kittens quietly and privately, here are a few  quotes from birth stories by our members showing that it's usually a fairly dramatic event - 

The morning she had them she became very restless and vocal. She had chosen to nest upstairs, and a couple of hours before kept going to the stairs and meowing (but not her normal meow, a really distressed, long meow). She wouldn't settle until we followed her upstairs and she went and layed down near her box. I sat down fussing with her and she was purring loudly and rolling over for me to rub her belly (which she normally hates), and every time I stopped would let out that same meow.

When she got closer you could see visible waves of contraction and she panted with her mouth open a lot, and this is when she started getting a discharge. - Tigger_2801

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A few hours before the birth, she stood up, startled and started meowing non-stop. It reminded me of a dog barking. She ran to the bedroom. I joined her and she was all over me, then in the nest, then back on me. Meowing the WHOLE time, and wanting lots of affection. She also had a lot of discharge. Light pink to clear. It got on everything! Then when she was really close it changed to drips of red blood. - nursedoggett

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That evening she started having a discharge (kind of reddish-brown & clear combined) & she was also very clingy. She was also lying in her nest I had made for her that she hadn't ever stepped a foot into until that evening. She was making biscuits in her blanket as well. So I slept in the nursery with her yet again that night...expecting kittens & still none by that afternoon. But at about 8:45 that night she started meowing over & over so I went in to her and she had a lot more discharge & had her 1st baby at 9:11 & Her last at 10:41. She had 5 healthy little ones without a hitch. - ​cookandcompany

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Cat was sleeping on my lap when she started having contractions. I put her in the nesting box and went into the other room for a second. She came in and meowed at me, then ran back out about three times until I realized she wanted me to be there. I sat next to the box, and she gave birth to the first one. - ​CommonOddity042

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Still no sign of kittens and Pringles is 9 weeks ish today any idea when she will have them peeps thanks in advance
Kittens r really kicking hard now too and Pringles' boobies have enlarged a lot too and she is drinking lots

We have no more idea of when she will have them than you do.  Just keep watching for the signs above.  Have you tried taking her temperature in her armpit?  If you start that now and she still hasn't had kittens in the next few days, at least you will see if the temperature DROPS a couple of degrees at some point in the future, which will mean it's a day or two before the birth.  Other than that, just try to relax.  She knows your schedule and if she wants you to be there, she won't have them when you aren't home.

That's lovely thank u I will check her temp in a minute x

Her temp says 25.5 is that normal thanks again

Sorry I ment 35.5 c

Normal cat temperature is about 37 - 39C. The temperature in the armpit is slightly lower than average so you have to take off about 1 - 2 C.

So 35.5 C sounds normal temperature for armpit

So when she is due to have the kittens it will drop below the 35 that is showing now x thanks for you help

Lthompson said:

So when she is due to have the kittens it will drop below the 35 that is showing now x thanks for you help

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Yeah that's the Idea. Keep taking her temperature every day around the same sort of time. This will give you an average for what's normal for your cat ( it can vary a tiny bit but stays sort of around the same figure ) Then a day or so before the birth her temperature should drop a couple of degrees from her average temp.

Hi Gemgem her temp is down to 32.5 this morning is this a sign and what should I expect now please

Hi there
Pringles is still carrying but hasn't eaten for 2 days she is still drinking more than normal
Does this sound normal - any advice and feed back really appreciative x