Research overview: gestation length across the cat family

Gestation in felids scales broadly with body size, ranging from roughly two months in small cats to around three and a half months in the largest species. This overview compiles comparative data on pregnancy duration across the family, from domestic cats through lynxes, pumas, and the great cats. It considers how gestation length relates to neonate size, litter size, and maternal investment, and how the absence of pronounced embryonic diapause in most felids contrasts with some other carnivores. The review discusses methods for dating pregnancy, including ultrasonography and hormone monitoring. Knowing species-typical gestation lengths is essential for predicting parturition, managing pregnant animals in captivity, and interpreting reproductive records in wild populations.