How Many Kittens Can a Cat Have?

Witnessing the birth of a litter of kittens is one of the most joyous occasions a pet parent can experience. 

Cats have an average of four to eight kittens per litter.

However, it is perfectly normal to encounter larger and smaller litters with numbers ranging anywhere from one to 10.  

First-time queens do tend to have a smaller litter size of up to three kittens, but it is not uncommon for them to have more. 

A cat’s gestation period generally lasts around two months, which technically means she is able to birth as many as five litters over the course of a year. That’s a lot of kittens!

And birthing can start relatively early into a cat’s life. Certain breeds may get pregnant when they are as young as four months old, unless they have been spayed to prevent this from happening.

There are a number of factors that could influence the amount of kittens a cat may have. 

One of the main considerations that should always be taken into account is health.  

Infections such as feline infectious peritonitis and feline panleukopenia virus can lead to a lower number of kittens being born. An underweight cat, unable to consume enough cat food to support her and her developing kittens, may also give birth to a reduced litter. This is why it is vital to keep feeding a cat a full and nutrient-packed diet all the way through their pregnancy. 

Certain cat breeds do tend to have smaller or larger litters when compared to others. For instance, Siamese cats are known to have larger litters on average compared to Persian cats. The genetic history of a cat can also be a significant determining factor. 

Age can certainly play a big role in the potential size of a litter, too. In all likelihood, a cat’s fertility  will decline as they grow older, meaning there’s less chance of multiple litters per year. 

That being said, cats, unlike humans, do not experience menopause, and so theoretically can continue having kittens well into their later years. 

However, they do tend to bear smaller litters as they age, and the stress of pregnancy may also have serious physical implications for a cat of advancing years. Due to this, spaying is generally recommended at a younger age in order to avoid potential complications down the line.