Dog and Cat Pregnancy Calculator
Enter the mating date — get the expected due date, the normal range and the dates for ultrasound and X-ray.
Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days, with a normal range of 58 to 68 days counted from the mating date. The range is wide because sperm can survive in the reproductive tract for up to a week, so the moment of fertilisation is not the day of mating. Cats carry their kittens for 60 to 67 days, 63 to 65 on average, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. This calculator adds these periods to the mating date and shows the expected due date together with the full normal window.
It also tells you which day of pregnancy it is today and marks the dates that matter for vet visits: for dogs, ultrasound can detect pregnancy from about three weeks and becomes reliable after day 28, and an X-ray around the seventh week shows how many puppies to expect. For cats, fetal skeletons become visible on X-ray from about day 45. If more than two matings took place, enter the first one — the due date will fall within the window.
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How long are dogs pregnant?
About 63 days on average. From the date of mating, whelping normally happens between day 58 and day 68. Breed has little effect on gestation length.
How long are cats pregnant?
About 63–65 days on average, with a normal range of 60–67 days (VCA Animal Hospitals). Queens are often bred more than once, which makes the exact start harder to know.
Why is the due date only an estimate?
Sperm can live in the female's reproductive tract for up to a week, so conception may happen days after mating. Only hormone testing (progesterone or LH surge) gives an exact ovulation date, and from ovulation a dog's pregnancy lasts 63 days quite precisely.
When can a vet confirm pregnancy in a dog?
Ultrasound can show pregnancy from about three weeks after mating, but scans after day 28 are more reliable. Abdominal palpation is possible at about three to four weeks.
When can I find out how many puppies there will be?
An X-ray around the seventh week (about day 45 onward), when the puppies' skeletons have mineralised, gives the most accurate count. Ultrasound is not reliable for counting.
What are the signs that labour is near in a cat?
Nesting behaviour, restlessness and loss of appetite are common. In the last 24 hours before labour a cat's temperature may drop below 37.8 °C (100 °F), according to VCA.
Which mating date should I enter if there were several?
Enter the first one. The expected date will be about right, and the actual birth will usually fall inside the window shown by the calculator.
What if the due date has passed?
If the last day of the normal window has passed without signs of labour, contact your vet. A prolonged pregnancy can be dangerous for the mother and the litter.
Is a dog's pregnancy the same length for small and large breeds?
Yes, gestation length is almost the same across breeds. Litter size differs much more: small breeds usually have fewer puppies than large ones.
Can this calculator replace a vet visit?
No. It helps you plan dates, but pregnancy should be confirmed and monitored by a vet, especially for first litters and brachycephalic breeds, which more often need a caesarean section.