How many kittens can cats have?

The number of kittens born per litter depends on the age of the cat and her past breeding experiences. Approximately one to eight kittens are born in each litter, but most cats give birth to four to six kittens at a time.

A very young or old cat may have fewer kittens in her litter because of her body's lessened ability to successfully mature kittens in utero. A cat can have up to three litters of kittens per year, depending on her heat cycle. Most female cats go into heat between January and September and can cycle back into heat every two to three weeks.