Showing posts with label Mating and Kitten Care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mating and Kitten Care. Show all posts
Q: Is it true that tom cats with bad dental decay cannot mate?
Answer: There is some truth in this apparently bizarre belief. If the male is allowed to mount, he grasps the skin at the back of the female’s neck with his teeth before straddling her. Male cats that suffer from severe dental disease may be unable to mate because they cannot grasp the neck properly and thereby get into the correct position.
Q: Is it possible to successfully rare orphan kittens?
Answer: If for some reason the queen is unable to feed her kittens, it is possible to rare them artificially; for instance, if the queen dies whilst, or soon after, giving birth, or if she has a Caesarian operation and is unable to feed the litter for a day or two. It may also be necessary to do this for a time if the queen is ill, e.g. with mastitis or eclampsia, or has no milk, or in those cases where she rejects the kitten. Some people, however, express grave doubts about the long-term effects of maternal deprivation on orphaned kittens and whether hand-rearing them is advisable. Such kittens often do not makes good pets; they appear more prone to illness and some turn vicious of suffer from other behavioral problems. (Similarly, if on kitten is rejected by its mother it is invariably destined to become an unhealthy, unsociable individual and it is generally wiser to have it put to sleep.
Finding a foster mother or mothers for the kitten is always preferable to artificial feeding; fro example, a cat who kittens have died or have had to be destroyed, or one that is still feeding her kittens. Usually one or two kitten can be added to an existing latter without the foster mother caring, provided that this is done when she isn’t around. It may be possible to discover suitable foster animals through contacting your vet or local catteries.
Artificial feeding requires the kitten to be fed milk every two hours for the first three weeks of life. After the intervals can be lengthened and the night feeds dispensed with after three weeks. Initially, about a teaspoonful of milk food is required at each feed, raising two to teaspoonful after a fortnight, although the kitten’s appetite is the best guide to its requirements.
Compared with cow’s milk cat’s milk contains the same quantity of lactose, slightly more fate twice as much calcium and phosphorous and three timer as much protein. A veterinary substitute can be used. Some of the best and easiest to prepare are the commercial cat milk substitute made up according to instructions, or human body food products prepared at twice the concentration intended for bodies, or one tin of evaporated cow’s milk or goat’s milk plus a third of the tin of water. Alternatively, one can use 1 oz (30g) of skimmed milk powder in ¼ point of water with 3 teaspoonful (15ml) corn oil whisked in; or again, a ¼ point (140ml) of single cream, an egg yolk (plus two to three drops of cod liver oil and a teaspoonful (6g) of sterilized bone flour) added to point (570ml) of caw’s milk. If necessary, additional vitamins and minerals can be added to these formulae as drops (e.g. Abidec).
These milk foods can be made up freshly for each feed, or, in the case of complex formulae, prepared every twenty-four hours and stored between times in the refrigerator. Make sure that all the ingredients are well whisked together so that there are lumps of powder, etc. This milk should be fed at blood heat. Allow the kitten to take it in small amounts so that it can swallow easily, and avoid any going down the windpipe.
Feeding is best done using a special kitten’s feeding bottle and teat obtainable from pet stores or sometimes your veterinarian. If this s not available doll’s bottle and teat, or a 5 ml disposable syringe, or an eye dropper, can be used. If the kitten has difficulty taking the milk from the end of the dropper or syringe, a teat, if available, can be fitted. Even a short length of bicycle valve tubing could be used. These feeding utensils must be thoroughly cleansed after use; e.g. rinsing a cold water washing in hot detergent water, then rinsing again and immersing in a hypochlorite bleach solution as recommended for babies’ bottles. Alternatively, a glass feeding bottle can be boiled for ten minutes immediately prior to use.
After feeding, the kitten’s face should be wiped clean with a dampened piece of cotton wool and then the kitten turned over and its abdomen and anal region gently rubbed with his cotton swab to stimulate the passage or urine and motions. It is also important to avoid hypothermia, keeping the kittens under in infra red lamp, or on an electrically heated pad to produce a temperature of 80 to 86F (27 to 30C) in the first week, gradually reducing to 70F (21C) over a five to six weeks period, after which they should be able to generate enough heat to keep themselves warm. Artificially fed kittens can be weaned in the same way as any others.
Finding a foster mother or mothers for the kitten is always preferable to artificial feeding; fro example, a cat who kittens have died or have had to be destroyed, or one that is still feeding her kittens. Usually one or two kitten can be added to an existing latter without the foster mother caring, provided that this is done when she isn’t around. It may be possible to discover suitable foster animals through contacting your vet or local catteries.
Artificial feeding requires the kitten to be fed milk every two hours for the first three weeks of life. After the intervals can be lengthened and the night feeds dispensed with after three weeks. Initially, about a teaspoonful of milk food is required at each feed, raising two to teaspoonful after a fortnight, although the kitten’s appetite is the best guide to its requirements.
Compared with cow’s milk cat’s milk contains the same quantity of lactose, slightly more fate twice as much calcium and phosphorous and three timer as much protein. A veterinary substitute can be used. Some of the best and easiest to prepare are the commercial cat milk substitute made up according to instructions, or human body food products prepared at twice the concentration intended for bodies, or one tin of evaporated cow’s milk or goat’s milk plus a third of the tin of water. Alternatively, one can use 1 oz (30g) of skimmed milk powder in ¼ point of water with 3 teaspoonful (15ml) corn oil whisked in; or again, a ¼ point (140ml) of single cream, an egg yolk (plus two to three drops of cod liver oil and a teaspoonful (6g) of sterilized bone flour) added to point (570ml) of caw’s milk. If necessary, additional vitamins and minerals can be added to these formulae as drops (e.g. Abidec).
These milk foods can be made up freshly for each feed, or, in the case of complex formulae, prepared every twenty-four hours and stored between times in the refrigerator. Make sure that all the ingredients are well whisked together so that there are lumps of powder, etc. This milk should be fed at blood heat. Allow the kitten to take it in small amounts so that it can swallow easily, and avoid any going down the windpipe.
Feeding is best done using a special kitten’s feeding bottle and teat obtainable from pet stores or sometimes your veterinarian. If this s not available doll’s bottle and teat, or a 5 ml disposable syringe, or an eye dropper, can be used. If the kitten has difficulty taking the milk from the end of the dropper or syringe, a teat, if available, can be fitted. Even a short length of bicycle valve tubing could be used. These feeding utensils must be thoroughly cleansed after use; e.g. rinsing a cold water washing in hot detergent water, then rinsing again and immersing in a hypochlorite bleach solution as recommended for babies’ bottles. Alternatively, a glass feeding bottle can be boiled for ten minutes immediately prior to use.
After feeding, the kitten’s face should be wiped clean with a dampened piece of cotton wool and then the kitten turned over and its abdomen and anal region gently rubbed with his cotton swab to stimulate the passage or urine and motions. It is also important to avoid hypothermia, keeping the kittens under in infra red lamp, or on an electrically heated pad to produce a temperature of 80 to 86F (27 to 30C) in the first week, gradually reducing to 70F (21C) over a five to six weeks period, after which they should be able to generate enough heat to keep themselves warm. Artificially fed kittens can be weaned in the same way as any others.
Q: How can I tell the sex of a newborn kitten?
Answer: Sexing kittens will be much easier if there are two sexes in a litter, because then you can compare one with the other. Any problem arises from the fact that in cats, unlike the larger domestic animals, the urogenital opening in males and females is at a very similar site beneath the tail.
If the kitten is held in the hand with its rare end towards you and its tail raised, two opening will be apparent. The upper one, nearest the tail is the anus, the opening from the rectum, and the lower one is the urogenital opening. In the female this opening is a vertical slit very close to the anus. In a male two small swellings, the testicles, may be evident about half an inch below the anus and just the beneath them the small round opening of the prepuce. However, although at birth the testicles have usually descended to his site, they may not be obvious until four to twelve weeks latter. Gentle pressure either side of the opening of the prepuce will cause the small, bright pink penis to protrude.
This is the only way to tell the kitten’s sex accurately. The look of its face, the way it urinates and the presence of teats (which occur in both males and females) are not reliable guides. In general, orange (ginger) cats will be male and tortoiseshell cats will be females, but there are even exceptions to these general ‘rules’.
Usually sexing is easiest just after birth or at about one month old, though in long-haired breeds it is an advantage to sex kittens early before the growth of the coat obscures the openings.
If the kitten is held in the hand with its rare end towards you and its tail raised, two opening will be apparent. The upper one, nearest the tail is the anus, the opening from the rectum, and the lower one is the urogenital opening. In the female this opening is a vertical slit very close to the anus. In a male two small swellings, the testicles, may be evident about half an inch below the anus and just the beneath them the small round opening of the prepuce. However, although at birth the testicles have usually descended to his site, they may not be obvious until four to twelve weeks latter. Gentle pressure either side of the opening of the prepuce will cause the small, bright pink penis to protrude.
This is the only way to tell the kitten’s sex accurately. The look of its face, the way it urinates and the presence of teats (which occur in both males and females) are not reliable guides. In general, orange (ginger) cats will be male and tortoiseshell cats will be females, but there are even exceptions to these general ‘rules’.
Usually sexing is easiest just after birth or at about one month old, though in long-haired breeds it is an advantage to sex kittens early before the growth of the coat obscures the openings.
Q: What is ‘milk fever’?
Answer: Occasionally, a queen will show signs of lack of calcium, condition known as eclampsia (puerperal tetany or milk fever). Usually it is seen where there are five or more kittens in the litter and generally it happens two to four weeks after birth, although the sometimes earlier, sometimes latter. The queen has no interest in the kittens, restless and staggers, and won’t eat. Ultimately she will develop muscle spasms and convulsion, accompanied by a high temperature. Prompt veterinary treatment can rapidly reverse these signs.
Q: Is it true that tom cats will kill kittens?
Answer: It is also a widespread opinion that male will kill and/or cannibalize their offspring. In general, it seems that the killing of kittens arises where the male is attracted to a female coming into heat soon after her kittens have been born. Attempts to mate her, however, are unwelcome and she fights him off. The excited male then attempts to mate with one or more of the kittens but naturally his efforts are unsuccessful, simply because of their relative sizes, and as his mating grip on the nape of the kitten’s neck intensifies, he injuries and finally the kitten. There is then an instinctive reaction to consume, partially or wholly, the dead offspring. Because of the possibility of this happing, it is always advisable to keep toms segregated from kitten until they are four months’ old.
Q: Is it true that a queen will always kill the runt of a litter?
Answer: I am afraid this is another old wives’ tail, although queens do display instinctive cannibalism towards dead and partially decomposed fetuses or a severely congenitally deformed kitten. At times, such a kitten may simply be rejected, i.e. not fed or groomed. Of course a runt kitten, the most poorly developed of the litter, starts under a handicap and may have difficult in competing with large and stronger kitten so that, due to malnutrition, it may not survive.
Sometimes a queen may overdo the licking and biting of the umbilical cord with the result that she damages the kitten’s abdominal wall and so-called ‘inadvertent cannibalism’ may occur, although this is rare. (This licking behaviour of the mother seems to be a response not to the kittens themselves but to the fluids produced at birth.) The very rare rejection of normal newborn kittens, or even aggressive attacks upon them, by the mother believed to be due to combination of changing hormone levels and stress.
Sometimes a queen may overdo the licking and biting of the umbilical cord with the result that she damages the kitten’s abdominal wall and so-called ‘inadvertent cannibalism’ may occur, although this is rare. (This licking behaviour of the mother seems to be a response not to the kittens themselves but to the fluids produced at birth.) The very rare rejection of normal newborn kittens, or even aggressive attacks upon them, by the mother believed to be due to combination of changing hormone levels and stress.
Q: How will it be after my cat has had kittens before she is calling again?
Answer: It is believed that this is most likely to occur three to four weeks after the kitten have been weaned or removed (this includes those kittens who die or who are removed at birth). Certainly, it is usually related to the length of the weaning period, so that the longer the time before weaning, the longer before calling being again. Where weaning occurs at the start of the winter period (anoestrus), calling may not be seen again for twenty weeks or more after the previous birth.
However, in a number of cats calling occurs, and mating is possible, soon after the kittens have been born (from two to ten days afterwards), so that it wise to keep queens segregated from toms even though they are still nursing their kittens.
However, in a number of cats calling occurs, and mating is possible, soon after the kittens have been born (from two to ten days afterwards), so that it wise to keep queens segregated from toms even though they are still nursing their kittens.
Q: What should I do if the kittens appear abnormal or are unwanted?
Answer: In the case of grossly deformed kittens, it is much the kindest thing to have them put to sleep immediately; indeed, they may vey well not survive long in any case. The deformities include such thing as spina bifida (where the spinal cord is exposed), gross umbilical hernia (where most of the intestines are outside of the body, covered only by a pouch of skin), and the most common, a severe cleft plate. Other abnormalities such as extra toes or shortened tails, however, will not present any danger to health. If there is any doubt it is always worth discussing with your vet the chance of successfully treating and rearing a particular kitten.
Unwanted kittens i.e. those for which no home can be found, are best put to sleep humanely as soon as possible. This often means having to the harden your heart, but it is preferable to increasing the stray cat population. Where possible, two kittens should be left to suckle the mother, no only because of its beneficial psychological effect, but also because it may prevent her developing mastitis subsequently. Where it is necessary, unwanted kitten should always be put to sleep by your veterinarian and not disposed of by other methods such as drowning which is extremely unpleasant and inhumane.
Unwanted kittens i.e. those for which no home can be found, are best put to sleep humanely as soon as possible. This often means having to the harden your heart, but it is preferable to increasing the stray cat population. Where possible, two kittens should be left to suckle the mother, no only because of its beneficial psychological effect, but also because it may prevent her developing mastitis subsequently. Where it is necessary, unwanted kitten should always be put to sleep by your veterinarian and not disposed of by other methods such as drowning which is extremely unpleasant and inhumane.
Q: Should my vet be present when the kittens are born? I don’t want to bother him if it is unnecessary.
Answer: You won’t necessary have to call your vet at all; most cats can cope with birth perfectly adequately on their own, or with just a little help from their owners. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to inform your vet beforehand so that he can make arrangements to receive and deal with your cat if an emergency arises.
Q: How will I know when my cat is about to given birth and what should I do?
Answer: When, about two weeks before the birth is due, the queen being to wander around looking for somewhere to have the kittens, provide her with a ‘nesting’ or ‘kittening’ box. This need only be large cardboard box approximately 2 square feet(60 cm^2) with plenty of newspaper in it as breeding, and preferably a lid or cover so as to provide some privacy. This lid can be removed when kittening actually beings. Blankets may appear to give greater comfort but it is possible for a kitten to crawl into a fold and then be unable to feed until found some hours latter.
The box should be placed somewhere warm, about 72F (22C) and quit, and other pets and children should be kept well away from it. To simplify the queen’s entry and exit, it helps to cut a hole about 7 to 8 inches in diameter in one side, 5 or 6 inches above the floor. She should be persuaded to use the box by being regularly placed in it, and will usually soon tear up the paper to make a comfortable nest. However, many cats have a natural instinct to establish to more the one nest for the security of the litter, so that it is prudent to exclude her from rooms in which you wouldn’t relish her nest-making, and if necessary to provide her with more the one box at different sites. It may set your mind at rest if at this stage you take the cat to your local vet for a check-up.
During the last week of pregnancy the queen is generally less active, though often appearing uncomfortable while resting. Check that her motions during this time are not hard because they can provide an obstruction in the pelvic canal; if this appears to be the case, give a teaspoonful of liquid paraffin. Also at this time it is good idea, especially with long-haired cats, to carefully clip away the hair from around the mammary glands and the vulva (the opening the birth canal). Make sure the cat is confined (give her a litter tray) and doesn’t go outside to have her kittens, particularly in the winter because it is possible that cold weather may kill them.
Usually anything from twelve to twenty-four hours before giving birth (parturition) the queen enters the first stage of labour and is very restless, spending more time in the nest re-arranging it. She pays frequent visits to the litter tray, straining but without effect. Some females may show signs of a clear discharge at this time. In this stage some (though no all) cats go off their food and/or show a fall in body temperature of 2F (1C), i.e. down to 99.5F (37.5C). The presence of milk in the teats shows that birth is imminent.
The box should be placed somewhere warm, about 72F (22C) and quit, and other pets and children should be kept well away from it. To simplify the queen’s entry and exit, it helps to cut a hole about 7 to 8 inches in diameter in one side, 5 or 6 inches above the floor. She should be persuaded to use the box by being regularly placed in it, and will usually soon tear up the paper to make a comfortable nest. However, many cats have a natural instinct to establish to more the one nest for the security of the litter, so that it is prudent to exclude her from rooms in which you wouldn’t relish her nest-making, and if necessary to provide her with more the one box at different sites. It may set your mind at rest if at this stage you take the cat to your local vet for a check-up.
During the last week of pregnancy the queen is generally less active, though often appearing uncomfortable while resting. Check that her motions during this time are not hard because they can provide an obstruction in the pelvic canal; if this appears to be the case, give a teaspoonful of liquid paraffin. Also at this time it is good idea, especially with long-haired cats, to carefully clip away the hair from around the mammary glands and the vulva (the opening the birth canal). Make sure the cat is confined (give her a litter tray) and doesn’t go outside to have her kittens, particularly in the winter because it is possible that cold weather may kill them.
Usually anything from twelve to twenty-four hours before giving birth (parturition) the queen enters the first stage of labour and is very restless, spending more time in the nest re-arranging it. She pays frequent visits to the litter tray, straining but without effect. Some females may show signs of a clear discharge at this time. In this stage some (though no all) cats go off their food and/or show a fall in body temperature of 2F (1C), i.e. down to 99.5F (37.5C). The presence of milk in the teats shows that birth is imminent.
Q: Our family cat is pregnant. Should we give her any special treatment?
Answer: For most of the pregnancy she should be treated just as she is normally and not fussed over, though care should be taken when she is picked up not to put under pressure on the abdomen. It’s important not to put restrict her exercise or jumping until the end of the pregnancy because this has the beneficial effect of maintain muscles tone. Unnecessary medication and radiography should be avoided, especially during the first three weeks when the development of the fetuses is at a critical stage.
A good, balanced, high-protein diet should continue to be fed throughout pregnancy, but during the last month the amount should be gradually increased until she is receiving between about a quarter and a half more food then usual, depending upon her appetite. This extra quantity is best fed as a separate meal. Care should be taken to ensure that adequate calcium and vitamin A are supplied, if necessary by giving calcium tablets are cod liver oil. It’s advisable to give routine treatment for roundworms (ascarids) a month before you believe she is due to give birth to reduce contamination of the kitten’s environment later though this is a matter you can discuss with your vet.
Constipation may occur in the last few days of pregnancy and can be countered by giving more milk or oily fish, teaspoonful of liquid paraffin. To increase the amount of maternal antibodies which will be passed on to the kittens, a booster vaccination can be given to the queen before mating or during pregnancy, although in the latter case only dead vaccines should be use to avoid foetal damage. When the cat’s abdomen become so large that she has difficulty in cleaning her hind quarters, it is desirable to wash the region beneath the tail with lukewarm water each day, carefully drying it off afterwards.
A good, balanced, high-protein diet should continue to be fed throughout pregnancy, but during the last month the amount should be gradually increased until she is receiving between about a quarter and a half more food then usual, depending upon her appetite. This extra quantity is best fed as a separate meal. Care should be taken to ensure that adequate calcium and vitamin A are supplied, if necessary by giving calcium tablets are cod liver oil. It’s advisable to give routine treatment for roundworms (ascarids) a month before you believe she is due to give birth to reduce contamination of the kitten’s environment later though this is a matter you can discuss with your vet.
Constipation may occur in the last few days of pregnancy and can be countered by giving more milk or oily fish, teaspoonful of liquid paraffin. To increase the amount of maternal antibodies which will be passed on to the kittens, a booster vaccination can be given to the queen before mating or during pregnancy, although in the latter case only dead vaccines should be use to avoid foetal damage. When the cat’s abdomen become so large that she has difficulty in cleaning her hind quarters, it is desirable to wash the region beneath the tail with lukewarm water each day, carefully drying it off afterwards.
Q: Do you ever get homosexual cats?
Answer: When there is not another entire (i.e. unsprayed or uncastrated) cat of the opposite sex available, male cats and female cats that are on heat may mount a number of the same sex and show the typical mating behavior, including neck grasping and pelvic thrusting. However, this is not true homosexuality since the activity is soon abandoned when an entire member of the opposite sex is present; in the case of tom cats this means a female on heat.
This sort of behavior is also seen between kittens of the same sex before puberty, occasionally as early as four months’ old and sometimes between males when one wishes to show his dominance, such as his ‘ownership’ of territory.
This sort of behavior is also seen between kittens of the same sex before puberty, occasionally as early as four months’ old and sometimes between males when one wishes to show his dominance, such as his ‘ownership’ of territory.
Q: My cat has just go out and been mated. Can I stop her having kittens?
Answer: If a female in oestrus and has been in the presence of the tom cats, it is virtually certain that she has been mated. An injection of the hormone oestrogen, given by your vet as soon as possible, but certainly within forty hours of mating, will stop the development of the fertilized egg(s).
Q: I’ve heard that if my pedigree cat is mated by a ‘mongrel’ tom, this will affect all her future litters. Is this true?
Answer: No, this is really a terrible old wives’ tale. It may be disappointing to find out that this is happened, especially if you were intending to mate her with a pedigree tome to obtain a litter a pedigree kittens, but it will in no way taint the kittens of future litters. Each kitten is formed from the urine of a mother’s egg and a father’s sperm. Egg and sperm both carry half of the total number of chromosomes, and therefore genes, that will be found in the cells of the kittens and which will determine its characteristics, such as appearance, temperaments, etc. The sperms do not survive any longer then a day at the outside, so there is no possibility of any of a previous father’s genes still being present two to three months later to influence the characteristics of subsequent kittens.
Q: Will it be harmful to my female cat if she isn’t mated after calling?
Answer: Well, cats that that go on calling without being mated can develop fluid-filled cysts on their ovaries which produce sufficient female hormone to interfere with normal oestrous cycles and ovulation, and with the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus. Therefore these changes can be the cause of infertility. At present it isn’t clear whether inducing pseudo-pregnancy will serve as effectively as pregnancy in preventing this occurring. It is, of course, psychologically distressing for the cat to be continually calling if you don’t intend to let her have kittens.
Q: Is a female cat ever too old to have kittens?
Answer: Ideally, cats that are over eight years of age should not be matted, because with advancing age pregnancies often do not last full term and there is a high rate of foetal morality.
Q: Do cats always mate with the same partner?
Answer: No, under natural conditions a queen will often mate with several different toms during one period of oestrus (over three to four days), sometimes with more then one in a day. This makes it possible for at least two different tom cats to fertilize different ages, so that kittens in the same litter can have different fathers, a phenomenon knows as super fecundation. Consequently, if you wish to obtain kitten from the breeding of two particular cats it is important not to allow the queen access to other males, even after the planned mating has taken place.
The male cat needs to be familiar with the area in which mating is to take place, and increases his feeding of security by spraying and rubbing against the surroundings. For this reason matings arranged by cat breeders generally involve taking the queen to the premises of the stud tom and not the other way around.
The male cat needs to be familiar with the area in which mating is to take place, and increases his feeding of security by spraying and rubbing against the surroundings. For this reason matings arranged by cat breeders generally involve taking the queen to the premises of the stud tom and not the other way around.
Q: If my cat has been spayed, does it mean that she can never come into heat and have kitten?
Answer: Certainly the surgical removal of the uterus (womb) means that it is impossible for a spayed cat to have any kittens. The vest majority of spayed cat will not come into heat either. However, one rare occasions, it is possible for a spayed cat to come into heat and show all the usual assigns, i.e. calling etc. This can arise either because a remnant of tissue from the ovary has been inadvertently left behind after the operation, or because in that particular animal there is also small collection of sex hormone-secreting cells at some abnormal site within the abdomen. In such cases the reaming tissue cells produce sufficient sex hormone to affect the cat’s behaviour and to produce signs of heat, although such signs may not appear for up to four months after the operation. In this situation, the only solution is to perform a second operation to search for, and if identified, to remove the minute piece of tissue which is responsible.
Q: Can I prevent my female cat from calling?
Answer: Unless you wish to breed from your cat, the long term solution would be to have her spayed. However, this operation should not be done whilst the cat is actually calling because the inevitable bleeding is more difficult to control and the operation carries more risk. This appears to be due to effect of oestrogen on blood clothing.
To stop calling that is currently taking place, particularly if it has been going on for some time with no sign of abating (as it may Siamese especially), ovulation can be induced artificially. This is achieved by carefully inserting a sterile, smooth glass rod or a moistened cotton bud into the vagina for about three-eights of an inch. The cat should be restrained on a table by a helper who is holding it is scruff. Then the inserted rod or cotton bud should be gently rotated, and moved backwards and forwards a little. It is quite normal for the female to cry out and afterwards roll, rub and lick herself. If ovulation is successfully stimulated, the cat will go off heat in one to two days (as is usual) and then will follow a period of pseudo-pregnancy lasting for approximately forty days. Very rarely this period terminates in mammary gland enlargement and maternal behaviour.
The some effect is sometimes achieved by breeders using a vasectomized tom cats. Such a male cats retains all his normal sexual behaviour but will not implant any sperms, so that mating again will result in a pseudo-pregnancy. Nevertheless, for at least forty-eight hours after ovulation has been induced in these ways (in fact until all signs of oestrous have disappeared), care must be taken to avoid a normal mating or the cat may become pregnant.
To stop calling that is currently taking place, particularly if it has been going on for some time with no sign of abating (as it may Siamese especially), ovulation can be induced artificially. This is achieved by carefully inserting a sterile, smooth glass rod or a moistened cotton bud into the vagina for about three-eights of an inch. The cat should be restrained on a table by a helper who is holding it is scruff. Then the inserted rod or cotton bud should be gently rotated, and moved backwards and forwards a little. It is quite normal for the female to cry out and afterwards roll, rub and lick herself. If ovulation is successfully stimulated, the cat will go off heat in one to two days (as is usual) and then will follow a period of pseudo-pregnancy lasting for approximately forty days. Very rarely this period terminates in mammary gland enlargement and maternal behaviour.
The some effect is sometimes achieved by breeders using a vasectomized tom cats. Such a male cats retains all his normal sexual behaviour but will not implant any sperms, so that mating again will result in a pseudo-pregnancy. Nevertheless, for at least forty-eight hours after ovulation has been induced in these ways (in fact until all signs of oestrous have disappeared), care must be taken to avoid a normal mating or the cat may become pregnant.
Q: At what age are cats capable of breeding?
Answer: The age at which cat becomes sexually mature and is able to reproduce is known as puberty. In the female this is evident by the cat coming into heat (‘calling’) for the first time. The age at which female cat first calls is very variable, depending on the breed and the time of year, as well as individual characteristics.
Most queen com on heat first at between seven and ten months of age, although Siamese and the oriental Short-hair often come into heat at five moths’ old. Burmese and other short hairs usually call at first at about seven to eight months’ old, whereas Himalayans and Persians, as well as free-ranging (feral) cats, delay their first oestrous until ten months of age sometimes until they are eighteen months’ old. However, if it is winter when the cat reaches the age at which it could be excepted to start calling, then calling will generally be delayed if queen are kept in dark surroundings, particularly if they are isolated from other cats. Conversely, exposure to light, and the presence of tom cats and/or other queen in oestrous, usually hastens the onset of puberty.
Those cats which reach puberty early, i.e. five months; old or earlier, certainly shouldn’t be deliberately mated at the age. As a general rule it is not advisable to meat cats until they are a year old, or ten months at the earliest, i.e. until they are fully grown. Otherwise a cat which is still growing itself will find it very difficult to cope with the additional demands of developing kittens for adequate nutrition, and there might easily be difficulties in the actual birth because of the small size of the pelvic canal.
Generally in the United States, breeding queens are mated at the first heat if this occurs after ten months’ old, whereas in Europe mating is more usual at the second heat, provide again that the animal if fully grown and well developed. After that, it is good policy to let most cats have only one litter a year so that they do not become similar breed can often cope satisfactorily with two litters a year.
Male cats usually reach puberty at nine to twelve months’ old, but again there is a great degree of individual variation and some may mature at seven months of age. Although stud toms are ideally aged between one to six years, male can go on siring kittens until they are thirteen years or more.
Most queen com on heat first at between seven and ten months of age, although Siamese and the oriental Short-hair often come into heat at five moths’ old. Burmese and other short hairs usually call at first at about seven to eight months’ old, whereas Himalayans and Persians, as well as free-ranging (feral) cats, delay their first oestrous until ten months of age sometimes until they are eighteen months’ old. However, if it is winter when the cat reaches the age at which it could be excepted to start calling, then calling will generally be delayed if queen are kept in dark surroundings, particularly if they are isolated from other cats. Conversely, exposure to light, and the presence of tom cats and/or other queen in oestrous, usually hastens the onset of puberty.
Those cats which reach puberty early, i.e. five months; old or earlier, certainly shouldn’t be deliberately mated at the age. As a general rule it is not advisable to meat cats until they are a year old, or ten months at the earliest, i.e. until they are fully grown. Otherwise a cat which is still growing itself will find it very difficult to cope with the additional demands of developing kittens for adequate nutrition, and there might easily be difficulties in the actual birth because of the small size of the pelvic canal.
Generally in the United States, breeding queens are mated at the first heat if this occurs after ten months’ old, whereas in Europe mating is more usual at the second heat, provide again that the animal if fully grown and well developed. After that, it is good policy to let most cats have only one litter a year so that they do not become similar breed can often cope satisfactorily with two litters a year.
Male cats usually reach puberty at nine to twelve months’ old, but again there is a great degree of individual variation and some may mature at seven months of age. Although stud toms are ideally aged between one to six years, male can go on siring kittens until they are thirteen years or more.
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