Care of Pregnant Cat

The first thing you should do if you suspect your cat is pregnant is take her to the vet for a prenatal check-up. The queen should continue to have exercise in order for her to keep muscle tone and to avoid gaining too much weight. Assuming you have a healthy cat, the best care you can give her is a diet high in nutrients, along with plenty of fresh, clean water. Approximately 3 weeks before she is due begin adding a premium kitten food to her diet. Each week increase the amount of the kitten food, so when she is in her final week of pregnancy, she is on all kitten food, and continue on it until after the kittens have been weaned. Feed small, frequent meals (approx. 3-4 meals a day). During the last week of pregnancy and the first 3-4 weeks of lactating, she may eat twice the amount she ate before pregnancy. As long as she is gaining a healthy amount and not becoming obese, she should receive the food.

If she has external parasites such as fleas or ear mites or internal parasites such as roundworms, discuss treatment options with your veterinarian. It would be preferable to treat her for these infections before she becomes pregnant. You should never administer any drug or supplement to a pregnant or nursing cat unless instructed by your veterinarian. This is especially important during pregnancy, where relatively safe and common drugs can be harmful.

A week or two before the kittens are to be born, you can prepare a delivery box for the birth of the kittens. You can use an old laundry basket lined with towels, or you can make one out of a cardboard box. It should be large enough for her to stretch out in with a little room to spare. Leave the top on so it's dark inside, but slit the edges on three sides so it hinges open. Cut an entrance in one end from the top of the box to within five inches of the bottom. That way mom can step over the edge to get in, but the kittens can't spill out. Put lots of shredded newspaper in the bottom and cover it with a soft towel or baby blanket. Place the box in a quiet spot away from traffic and drafts. Though you have done your best, when the time comes, she may decide not to use the box. During the final three weeks of pregnancy the mother should be separated from other cats in the household and should be kept indoors at all times.