My cat just mated. Could she be pregnant? When do I start counting?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Elsa. If she is old enough to go into heat, she is able to become pregnant. A veterinarian can do an ultrasound around 28 days for pregnancy to look for fetal heartbeats. X-rays can be done to count kittens by 45-50 days of pregnancy. I recommend continuing to feed her kitten food for adequate nutrition. I hope this information helps!

It's likely the kittens will be here within the next 1-2 weeks. Here is a helpful link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/pregnancy-diagnosis-caring-for-a-pregnant-cat/ Here is information regarding kitten care: https://www.petcoach.co/article/queening-giving-birth-in-cats/ Lastly, I recommend to have Ring Tail spayed when the kittens are 10 weeks old. A single female cat can produce up to 28 kittens in a year and the female kittens can start breeding at 6 months old. This can quickly lead a population explosion which can lead to viral and parasite outbreaks, some of which can affect humans. many humane societies will offer spay programs for stray cats. https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-is-trap-neuter-return/ I hope this helps.

Your vet can do an X-ray now to see how large the kittens are and how many you can expect. Otherwise all you can do wait for labor to start. If you notice a black or brown discharge or heavy contractions for 30-60 ministers no progression, then there is a problem and she needs to be seen by a vet

If you are sure your cat has been bred successfully and [a pregnancy](https://www.petcoach.co/article/pregnancy-diagnosis-caring-for-a-pregnant-cat/) is confirmed, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for care. While some discharge may be normal during pregnancy, bleeding or other discharge from the vaginal region that is discolored may indicate an infection or other complication to pregnancy which should be addressed by your vet. As cats are induced ovulators, it may also be that she was not bred successfully during her previous heat and come back into heat. Cats will continued to cycle in and out of heat while "in season" and so she may be ready to be bred again. However, it is still a good idea to schedule a veterinary appointment to make sure there are not any problems or health issues that are preventing a successful breeding. If the mating was accidental or unwanted, consider having her [spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-cats/) after the litter is delivered or weaned.

She's due very soon, as cats gestation period is generally 58-64 days give or take. Their uterus is actually V-shaped, and each horn can lie along either side of her belly. Once she has weaned this litter of kittens, I strongly recommend getting her spayed to prevent further litters and a number of health problems that are more likely to occur if she is not spayed.

That could be diagnosed at around 25th day of pregnancy by quite expert ultrasonographers, or possibly later (36-40th day) with abdominal radiographs or manual palpation. Unfortunately only the ultrasound can give you information about the vitality of the kittens. There are hormonal tests available as well, but not everywhere and cost could be higher. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Bella may have difficulty feeding the litter as she is still growing herself. Confirm that she is indeed pregnant first. Your veterinarian may be able to do this via palpation or abdominal x-ray. If it is early enough, consider having her spayed for her health and safety and to prevent unwanted or accidental litters in the future. If you decide to leave her intact, she will need to be monitored closely throughout the pregnancy, delivery and raising of the litter until weaning.