Do cats grow more nipples to nurse kittens?

Our question this week was:

This may seem silly, however, my queen is about 6 weeks pregnant and while rubbing her belly today I noticed that she seems to be growing 2 more nipples. I know that I have not felt them before and after looking at them, they are not fully developed. Do cats grow new nipples to accommodate kittens? Or have they always been there?

Jenn Dunlop

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. There are no silly questions in my opinion!

Cats don’t grow new nipples. They are often very very hard to see or find in a non-pregnant or non-nursing cat. It is common only to notice them when cats are getting ready to nurse or are nursing.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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