Ask Dr. Debra: How long after giving birth can the mother cat become pregnant?

Our question this week was:

Dr. Debra – How long from giving birth to a litter of kittens until the mommy can become pregnant again if she is an indoor/outdoor cat and there are males in the area?

Alicia Rogers

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email Alicia. I’m glad you asked this question. Your question was: How long from giving birth to a litter of kittens can the mother cat become pregnant again?

The answer is – cats can get pregnant again immediately. Domestic cats usually reach sexual maturity (puberty) between five to 12 months, at which time they experience their first estrus.

The adult cat is seasonally polyestrus, cycling repeatedly (about every two to three weeks) throughout the breeding season (mid-January to August), unless interrupted by pregnancy or illness. Once they have kittens, they can go right back in this cycle and become pregnant again.

I’d recommend keeping her in while she is nursing and having her spayed as soon as she is done nursing.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

P.S. These articles may be helpful to you:

Pregnancy in Cats
Caring for Newborn Kittens
Normal Reproductive Behavior in Cats