This is the most frequently asked question by cat owners. After all, you want to know how long it's going to be before you need to start worrying about the birth! Have you any idea at all? Has your cat been pregnant before and previously given birth to kittens? One thing is definite though, knowing the length of a cat's pregnancy from beginning to end will be of no use at all unless you are certain of the date of conception. In the general way of things, your cat doesn't let that sort of information slip out! Just when you think that your life is on track, your cat comes home with more than she went out with. All that affectionate behavior and cute rolling around she's been doing recently hasn't been for your benefit after all - she's been in season and has been anxious to get outside and call for any Tom, Dick or fur-covered Harry to mate with. And now, out of the blue, you strongly suspect that you're going to be a grandparent to a litter of kittens and you have no idea when that might be. So, how soon will your cat's new little kittens be born? On average, feline pregnancy lasts for 63-65 days but can be anywhere from 58 days to 70 days long.

In 'real money', that's around nine weeks. But as you will be your cat's midwife-in-chief, you will only be able to make an educated guess at the most likely delivery date unless you witnessed your promiscuous puss-cat in action with the local tom cats. It's more likely that you won't have any idea that your lovely, pregnant cat is 'with kittens' until she is 5 or 6 weeks into her pregnancy and starts to show certain signs. By the time you begin to recognise the physical changes in your cat she will already be over halfway through her pregnancy. If you know your cat well, you may have noticed a definite pinking up of your cat's nipples.

Her milk glands are the first part of her body to undergo changes in readyness for full-scale milk production and this will happen after just 3 weeks into pregnancy. Around the same time, your cat may go off her food. Could it be puss-cat morning sickness perhaps? Mind you, it's not unusual for any cat, pregnant or not, to go through fussy phases in their eating, so it's not very likely that you would particularly associate this with pregnancy. Unless you have experienced a previous pregnancy with your cat, it is highly unlikely that you will attach any significance to these subtle changes. It will be around weeks five and six that you will become certain that your lovely pet is expecting kittens and by this time, you will only have 21-28 days to go before they are born. Of course, as a loving and responsible cat owner, you will feel that it is your duty to make sure that you are fully prepared to help your cat give birth safely and calmly.

It is up to you to arm yourself with the knowledge you will need to care for your newborn kittens and their mother to the best of your ability by finding a comprehensive ebook that will easily guide you through all the stages of pregnancy, labor, birth and nursing. But best of all, just savor the anticipation of the joy that your new kittens will bring!.

Are you completely ready for the birth of your new kittens? Learn everything you need to know about how to deliver kittens and subscribe to Jane Tompsett's free Cat Owners Confidential newsletter by following these links.