How many kittens can a cat have?

Updated 29/04/2024

Aren’t kittens just the best? Tiny paws, mini mews, and adventurous antics make them one of the cutest creatures on Earth. So, when kitten season comes around and your feline is fertile or unspayed, you may suddenly find yourself with a pregnant cat.

While this may be paw-some news, it can bring with it several questions including how many kittens can a cat have? What affects litter sizes? How long is a cat pregnant? And how the furry heck do you look after a litter of kittens?

Fret not feline fanatics, we’re here to help! Here are some facts about how many kittens can a cat have, cat pregnancy and kitten care to know about.

How many kittens can a cat have?

Did you know, the largest litter of kittens on record is 19 kittens? 19! Don’t worry, this isn’t the norm when it comes to litters of kittens. On average, a cat will have between three to seven kittens in one litter. The breed and age of a cat can determine the number of kittens, for example, smaller litters are seen in breeds like Persian and Oriental Shorthair cats. Other breeds such as  Burmese, Siamese, and Maine Coon can have a much large litter.

How long are cats pregnant?

Firstly, did you know a pregnant cat is called a queen? Fact, look it up! Whilst a cat’s breed and age affect litter size, a healthy pregnant cat will carry her babies for an average of 62 to 65 days (so two months, about nine weeks), according to PetMD. If your queen is pregnant for longer than 10 weeks, you must take them straight to the vet.

How can you tell if a cat's pregnant?

If your kitty is an outdoor explorer and isn’t spayed, be aware that cats breed rather regularly, especially if your neighborhood is home to many male cats. Cats will go into heat multiple times a year, even after they’ve just had a litter of kittens. Whilst a female cat cat can be in heat from anywhere between a few days to a couple of weeks, they can pretty much become pregnant throughout the year. What’s more, kittens can have more than one father. Yikes!

Here are a few tell-tell signs that a cat is pregnant, borrowed from The Blue Cross (a UK animal charity) website:

• Noticeable weight gain in a few weeks
• Swollen, pink nipples that appear around three weeks into the pregnancy 
• Vomiting (morning sickness like in humans)
• Increased appetite
• Sleeping more
• Changes in personality, like being more affectionate

A queen will start ‘showing’ after about a month or 30 days and this will be easier to notice on some kitties more than others.

Tips to prepare a pregnant cat for kittening

Kittening is the term used for when a cat is going to give birth and bring little tiny kitties into this world. If you know you’re cat is pregnant and soon to have her litter, there are a few things you can do to prepare and make her as comfortable as possible:

• Set up a quiet, hidden, and comfy place so your cat can give birth. If there’s a particular spot under a bed or couch or hidy-hole your cat favors, this is probably where she’ll choose to have her babies. Make sure you keep it cozy and quiet with extra blankets and familiar smells.
• Make sure she’s drinking enough water and move her food bowl closer to her if she begins to settle somewhere to give birth.
• Try to have at least a couple of checkups with her vet to make sure everything is okay and they can guess when she may have her kittens. If you have any issues or concerns, always call or visit their vet immediately.
• Keep her relaxed and as happy as possible. Lots of cuddles and pets, keep a chilled atmosphere at home and be sure to give her space if she needs it.
• A cat can give birth over about 36 hours, with each kitten arriving every 10 to 60 minutes. If you think your cat is still in labor after two days, you must take her to the vet.

Tips for kittening care before, during, and after

For most pet lovers, our first instinct when we see newborn kittens is to kiss, cuddle, and handle them. People, we’re only human and kittens are cute as heck! However, as adults, we must use our self-restraint and avoid as much contact as possible with your queen’s new litter. Baby cats are blind for the first three weeks of life and have poor mobility - keeping them next to mamma is the safest thing to do. Keep an eye on mum and kittens as some cats don’t take to parenthood as well as others and may abandon, fail to feed, or indeed try to harm their kittens, especially if the mother cat is young and inexperienced. Only then would you have to intervene and consider hand-rearing the kittens with a milk replacer. If you are worried that your mamma cat isn’t up to the job, call your veterinary clinic right away for urgent advice. 

Food-wise, your cat mom will be providing their meals for the first month, so just make sure she stays fed and hydrated to keep her producing healthy amounts of milk. Make sure mum is happily feeding the kittens, check they are gaining weight and seem content, not consistently crying due to hunger. If for some reason mom isn’t feeding the kittens, call your veterinary clinic for advice on hand rearing.  Kittens start to ween after four to five weeks and do best being served very small amounts of wet food. Your vet will be able to recommend the best brands for kittens.

Lastly, give mamma cat as much attention as possible (if appropriate, usually after the first week or two when mom has settled into her new role). It’s easy enough to enjoy new kittens and how they explore the world, but don’t forget about mom.

Meet our veterinary expert, Lily

This article has been checked by veterinarian Lily Richards BSc (Hons) BVSc MRCVS. Lily qualified from Liverpool University in 2011 and spent 5 years as a veterinarian working in mixed animal practice. As Lily’s passion for exotics and exploring more complicated small animal medical cases developed, she stepped into small animal-only practice. By 2018 Lily was leading a busy branch of a large hospital practice with a fantastic team, enjoying working on both surgical and medical cases. Since falling poorly in 2021 Lily has found a new passion in medical writing. Sharing medical knowledge and writing for the public is a particular passion. 

If you’re a pet parent with a pregnant cat who is also a Standard or Premium TrustedHousesitters member, you have free access to our 24/7 Vet Advice Line if you need any additional questions about kittening. Not a member yet? Purr-ruse our different member plans to see which would best suit you and your fur family.