How To Tell If Your Cat Ever Had Kittens

We all wish our pets could talk to us, as there are so many things we would love for them to share with us! If you adopted your cat or your cat had multiple owners throughout their life, there are many things you might have questions about related to your cat’s history. If you have a female cat, one of these questions might be whether your cat ever had a litter of their own kittens. 

Increased appetite and drastic changes in your cats weight can indicate they recently had kittens. Adopted cats who aren’t spayed may also be a sign they were pregnant in the past. Your vet may be able to better assist in a physical assessment if you are trying to figure out your cat’s pregnancy history.

As you can see, determining your cats past pregnancies isn’t as clear cut as we’d hope for. Simply looking at their phsycial traits and eating habits alone isn’t enough. Read on to learn a few more things you can do to help determine your cats past.

What Are Signs That Your Cat Recently Gave Birth?

Here’s a few things to look for when determining if your cat has recently given birth to kittens:

Look for certain signs with their physical appearance

It is easier to tell if a cat has recently given birth than it is to tell if a cat was pregnant and gave birth to kittens years in the past. If the pregnancy was somewhat recent, you could look for signs that kittens have recently been nursing from your female cat. 

A female cat that has nursed may have engorged, enlarged, or dark nipples and could still be producing milk. If your cat frequently licks their nipple area, it could also be a sign that they have recently given birth. 

Another way to assess if your cat gave birth is to examine its stomach area. Similar to human pregnancies, a cat’s stomach does not immediately go back to looking normal as soon as they give birth.

If your cat’s stomach or abdomen looks larger than normal or feels thick and hard to the touch, it could be a sign they recently delivered a litter of kittens. It takes about six weeks for a cat’s stomach to return to its pre-pregnancy size and appearance.

Assess when your female cat was spayed 

Another way to evaluate the likelihood of whether your female cat had kittens in the past is to determine at what age your cat was spayed. If you have a domestic cat that primarily lives in your home and you had your cat spayed at the recommended age, it is unlikely they would have given birth to a litter of kittens without you knowing. It is biologically impossible for a cat to get pregnant once spaying occurs.

However, if you adopt a rescue cat already several years old, it becomes trickier to know its reproductive history. The vet may be able to assess what age your cat got spayed, which can often help you predict whether your cat gave birth to kittens. 

If you adopt a female cat that was unspayed and the cat lived out in the wild for years by itself, your cat did likely have a litter of kittens at one point. An unspayed cat out in the wild is susceptible to being impregnated at least once.

Cats also can get pregnant more frequently than humans, so the odds of an unspayed female cat getting pregnant are quite high.

Your Cats Appetite

While cats can be excessively hungry for various reasons, especially if they were recently rescued off the streets, it can often be a sign in a female cat that she recently had babies.

While nursing, mother cats need more food and nutrients to keep themselves strong and to feed their kittens. If your cat’s appetite seems disproportionately large for its size, pregnancy or being recently postpartum could be one reason to consider. 

How to tell if a cat is currently pregnant?

If you are starting to question whether your female cat is currently pregnant, keep an eye out for the physical and behavioral changes that often occur in early pregnancy when your cat is expecting. 

Many of the physical side effects of pregnancy for your cat will look similar to their afterbirth symptoms. These include noticeable weight gain, a hard abdomen section, and swollen or enlarged nipples. 

Your cat might start acting differently once they are pregnant as well. Pregnant Cats often undergo personality changes as they advance into their pregnancy. You might notice that your cat craves more affection from you than they typically would, or they might try to isolate themselves and spend more time alone.

Both are normal behavioral changes for a pregnant cat, and these are just reflections of their changing bodies during pregnancy. 

How to tell if an outdoor cat has kittens?

Suppose you have found a feral female cat or a domesticated cat that spends most of its time outdoors. In that case, it can be trickier to determine whether they currently have kittens unless you physically see them with the kittens.

One sign to look for is whether the female cat frequently wanders away from your home many times a day. The female cat could be leaving to check on her kittens and nurse throughout the day. 

Final Thoughts 

While it is not so simple to tell if a cat had kittens in the past, it is easy for a veterinarian to do a quick scan and determine if a cat is currently pregnant. A vet can also let you know if your cat is currently spayed, and they may also be able to determine at what age your cat was spayed. 

If you believe there are enough symptoms and signs that your female cat is currently pregnant, it is worth scheduling an appointment with the vet to know for sure. The vet can confirm it is a healthy pregnancy and ensure your cat is getting the vitamins and supplements it needs for the duration of the pregnancy.