How Many Kittens Can A Cat Have?

Kittens …. glorious kittens! Their cuteness is undeniable, and the more the merrier when it comes to the ahhhh factor. No wonder you’re Googling “how many kittens can a cat have?” How many kittens in a litter varies from cat to cat, with factors like breed, age, health, and the number of times your cat’s been bred playing a part.

Below we explain how many fluffballs a cat can have per litter and find out what the largest kitten litter has been to date. We also look at the health impacts of having kittens and explore how spaying and neutering can help your cat live a better life.

How many kittens can a cat have? It depends on…

A cat has a litter size of 4 to 6 kittens on average. Some cats can have as few as one kitten; others can have up to 12 or more in one litter. Here are the factors that play a part:

Breed

Some cat breeds, such as the Maine Coon, are known to have larger litters compared to other cat breeds. This may be due to their bigger size and robust health. Others like the Siamese and Sphynx have smaller litters, possibly due to their unique genetics, which can result in infertility or miscarriages.

Pregnancy/delivery complications

The rate of complications during pregnancy and delivery will also affect your cat’s litter size. For instance, due to their flat faces, Persians and Himalayans are more likely to experience breathing difficulties. This can lead to reduced oxygen intake and difficulty in labour.

Siamese queens (read: When is a Cat a Queen Cat?) may be prone to dystocia, a condition where the kittens are too large to pass through her birth canal. Scottish Folds may have a higher risk of developing skeletal abnormalities, such as osteochondrodysplasia, which can affect the size and shape of their pelvis and make delivery more challenging.

Age

Typically, younger cats tend to have smaller litters, while older cats may have larger litters. However, as a cat ages, she may also be at a higher risk for complications during pregnancy and delivery. This can lead to smaller litter sizes.

Health

Health is critical to the development of healthy kittens. A cat that hasn’t received the right nutrition, has an underlying health problem or is exposed to environmental toxins may have smaller litters. She may also have more complications during pregnancy and delivery. Conversely, a healthy fur kid with proper nutrition and care may have larger litters and healthier kittens.

Number of litters

Typically, cats will have smaller litters the first time round. Cats that have had litters before tend to have more kittens per litter. But beware, breeding your cat too much can cause health problems for both her and her kittens. It’s essential to control how often she has kittens – and that should happen only after you’ve fully explored with your vet whether she should have kittens at all. We speak more on this later.

What was the largest litter of cats recorded?

The largest recorded litter of kittens was born in 1970 to a Burmese/Siamese cat named Tarawood Antigone. Tarawood, who lived in Oxfordshire, England, gave birth to 19 kittens! Unfortunately, four were stillborn, but she still ended up being the proud mumma of six healthy male and nine female kitties!

Read more about this here.

Should a cat have many litters?

Though you may be excited by the prospect of many kittens, being pregnant has a huge impact on your cat’s health. It’s generally recommended that a cat has no more than one litter per year. Some veterinary organisations suggest even less frequent breeding. Overbreeding can be harmful to your cat’s health and lead to a variety of health problems, such as uterine infections, mammary tumours, and other reproductive issues.

Importantly, overbreeding can also lead to overpopulation of cats. Goodness knows we don’t need to contribute to the already overwhelming numbers of cats in animal shelters and on the streets globally.

Why should I desex my cat?

With so many kittens in shelters and up for adoption, it’s not necessary to breed more kittens. Unless you’re a professional breeder who knows there’s demand for your litter.

If you’re not, spaying (female cats) and neutering (for male) is a responsible choice that can help improve the health and wellbeing of your fur kid. Spaying your female cat before her first heat can help prevent uterine infections and breast cancer. Neutering your male cat can help prevent testicular cancer and certain prostate problems.

Spaying or neutering can also help reduce certain behaviours in cats, such as roaming, yowling, and urine spraying, which are often related to sexual behaviour. Furthermore, spaying or neutering is a one-time cost that’s less expensive than the cost of caring for a litter of kittens!

More resources for you and your kitten

Now you’ve uncovered the answer to how many kittens a cat can have, check out our useful kitten resources below.

Kitten articles galore

Our blog has tons of articles about and for dogs and cats across all their stages. If you’re a parent to a kitten, these might be some that interest you:

• Cat Litter Box Training: Teaching Kitty Where to Go
• 5 Things New Kitten Parents Need to Know
• One or Two Kittens – Which is Best?
• Do You Need Kitten Insurance?
• 5 Pet Essentials to Get Before Your Furkid Arrives
• Is Pet Insurance Worth It for Your Indoor Cat?

Insurance for your bundle of joy

No matter how many kittens a cat can have, you’ll want to make sure both mumma and babies are properly covered in an accident, illness or other health issue. Depending on the type of PD Insurance customer policy you choose, your insurance could provide cover for all kinds of treatments, including hospitalisation, medication, surgery, dental, third party property damage and more.

Meaning you have financial protection in place for all kinds of medical situations throughout your kitten’s life!

We’re offering one or more months of free cat insurance when you sign up with us online. Click below to start today.