Wondering how long a Ragdoll cat is pregnant? You’re not alone! Here’s an overview of how long cats are pregnant.
How old does a cat need to be to get pregnant?
When it comes to cats, reproduction is a pretty straightforward process. Cats need to be around 6 months old in order to become pregnant, although it can occur as early as 4 months old.
How Long is a Cat Pregnant?
There is no one answer to this question as it depends on a number of factors, including the age and health of the cat, the size of the litter, and how often the cat is pregnant. The average-sized litter for a Ragdoll Cat is 3-5 kittens.
Most cats have pregnancies that last anywhere between 57 and 70 days. The average pregnancy length for most cats is around 64 days, which is about 9 weeks.
The Signs of Pregnancy for Cats
For the first two weeks, your cat will show no outward signs of being pregnant. She’ll continue eating and sleeping as normal, and you won’t be able to tell from looking at her that she’s getting ready to have a litter of kittens.
The symptoms will start to display around 2-3 weeks into the pregnancy. The most common signs to look for are:
No longer Going into Heat
The first thing you will notice once your cat is pregnant is that it will no longer go into heat. Cats that are not spayed will go into heat every ten to fourteen days. When in heat, they may become very active and seek attention from their owners.
Change in Appearance of Nipples
The first signs you will see physically is that your cat’s nipples will begin to get swollen with a slightly tender look and they will be pinker in appearance. This is referred to as ‘pinking-up’.
Vomiting
Just like a pregnant human a cat can also experience a bout of morning sickness and begin vomiting frequently. Â If your cat starts vomiting more than three or four times, or the vomiting is accompanied by symptoms like apathy, fever, or prolonged loss of appetite, you might want to take her to the vet for a check-up.
Increase in Appetite
As your cat’s body begins to need more resources to nourish her unborn kittens, you will notice that she starts to get hungrier.
Weight Gain
Your cat’s stomach will begin to get swollen around 35 days into her pregnancy, from the kittens growing larger. Her stomach will continue to grow until she has her litter. Cats typically gain 1-2kg during pregnancy.
Change in Behavior
Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can cause changes in a cat’s behavior. Pregnant cats exhibit maternal behavior, which includes seeking more attention from their owners, purring more, and being more vocal.
Nesting
The cat begins to show signs of nesting behavior near the end of the pregnancy, as she seeks out the ideal spot to give birth to her kittens. This is due to hormonal fluctuations that occur during this time.
Confirming the pregnancy
To confirm the pregnancy, you need to take your cat to the vet for an ultrasound. This is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that can provide the veterinarian with plenty of information on how far along the cat is in its pregnancy.
Whether you’re looking for the signs of pregnancy or wondering how long it takes a cat to deliver, we hope this article was helpful!
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