CONDITIONS OF REPRODUCTION
Cats reach puberty at an early age at around six months and sometimes even earlier if they are exposed to a lot of sun. Thus kittens born in the spring are less precocious than kittens born at the beginning of summer. The latter kittens will have their first heat at the beginning of January or February, depending on the weather conditions. If cats are not purebreds and if you do not want them to reproduce, it is preferable to have them spayed as soon as possible based on the advice of your veterinarian. Moreover, since some infectious diseases can be transmitted through biting, which occurs frequently when tomcats fight, it is pointless to expose your cat to additional risks if you do not want to carry on his line. In addition, studies on female cats have clearly shown that early sterilization can help prevent breast tumors later on.
Some owners believe it is useful for their female cat to have one litter before being spayed, even if it means killing the kittens. This is utterly cruel for the mother cat and there is no scientific basis for it. Of course the maternity experience is extremely gratifying for both the mother and her owner when the pregnancy is desired. But it is not based on any biological or behavioral imperative.
Cats are mature between the ages of 6 and 12 months. Hormonal secretions give the male cat facial aspects that are different from a prepubescent cat or a neutered cat. His cheeks develop to the point where they can truly be called jowls and he generally becomes lanky at the same time when female cats are in heat, from spring to the beginning of autumn because both chasing the she-cats and fighting with other males are exhausting. Frequently, these fights result in abscesses, which require a visit to the veterinarian for an appropriate treatment (prescription of antibiotics and in some cases, surgery in order to lance the abscess and allow the puss to drain).
Female cats can first start gestation as of the age of five months. However, as a precaution, it is recommended to wait until she is eight or nine months old. The period of heat, which lasts four to eight days, is followed by a period of rest for eight to ten days. If the cat does not become pregnant, this cycle will continue to repeat itself from spring through autumn.
BIOLOGICAL PARTICULARITY
The ovulation in the female cat is triggered by mating, which means that mating must occur several times in a row in order to have successful fertilization. This practice can lead to kittens from the same litter with different fathers.
A female cat does not allow a male to approach her unless she is receptive. When she is receptive, she first meows languorously and plays the Òuntouchable teaseÓ by rubbing her nose and lips on the ground and rolling on the ground. She makes a characteristic vocal sound, sometimes repeatedly, with a distressing and uneasy cry.
Mating is always an impressive sight to behold for the novice, but opportunities to witness it are relatively rare, since the frolicking preferably occurs at night.
Generally, the female has calmly watched the fights that the males start over her pretty eyes. After the fights, she does not necessarily choose the most courageous male, as has been shown in recent studies.
In response to her cry, the male makes a characteristic meow in a low, diphthong voice after having copiously sprayed the encounter spot with his urine. The female then adopts a suitable position, lying flat on the ground with her croup lifted. Her tail moves to one side opening up the anal-genital zone. Coitus occurs fleetingly, and the female reacts violently. The male penis is equipped with little spines that help stimulate the vagina but can also be painful. The female may turn toward the male violently and sometimes bites him. A female can be covered more than seven times. The ensuing ovulation does not automatically suppress the heat behavior.
Nothing in life prepares the female cat for the upheaval associated with gestation and yet, in 99% of cases, she adopts a maternal behavior with her young that is always admirable. Gestation lasts from 58 Ð 71 days. Before giving birth, the cat looks for a warm, cozy place such as the bottom of a wardrobe, a straw basket or a shoebox. She should be left in peace for the big moment. The mother cuts the umbilical cord herself and eats the placenta surrounding each kitten. Since the placenta is so rich, she will not be hungry again for one or two days after giving birth. As soon as they are born, each kitten heads for a breast and will always return to the same one for three to four weeks.
Just because the mother is nursing does not mean that she cannot be in heat again, sometimes as soon as 15 days after giving birth. Therefore if you only want to have one litter, plan to have your veterinarian perform surgery as soon as possible. This will not bother the kittens in any way once they reach the age of three weeks.
Since ancient times, cats have had the reputation of being fertile and prolific. Some cats continue to be fertile well past the age of 13 or 14 years. Tri-colored cats have the reputation of being able to give birth to three litters per year. The average is generally around two, with four to six kittens per litter.
Log in
