# Breeding a cat



## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

I don't own a cat, so you've no need to worry I'm adding to the population  but as a breeder of other species I am interested how their reproductive systems work. 
I literally know nothing about cats, so please be as "basic" with the language as possible.


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## cutekiaro1 (Dec 15, 2009)

Tanya1989 said:


> I don't own a cat, so you've no need to worry I'm adding to the population  but as a breeder of other species I am interested how their reproductive systems work.
> I literally know nothing about cats, so please be as "basic" with the language as possible.


RIGHT HERE GOES.

cat comes into season has a little meow, boy comes along has his wicked way and wam bam thank you mam along come some mini kitties.

:lol: sorry im in one of those moods lol x


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Okay, here goes:

Females have their first season at about 6-12 months but can be longer in some breeds, or as early as 4 months in others (Siamese, Orientals, Burmese etc).

The "call" lasts for 7-10 days but she won't be receptive to the male at first. During this heat period the queen will roll, cry, scream (roar in some breeds!) and become a total houdini if not allowed out to find a mate. There is little or no noticeable discharge, as there is in dogs.

Calls can be as little as 10 days apart or as much as 1 months or so apart. The former can be a problem if you have a queen you want to get spayed, as many vets won't do it while in season. There is no mis-mate jab for cats, but it is possible to spay the queen in the first 3 weeks if she has been 'caught' and kittens aren't wanted.

Cats are induced ovulators, meaning they don't ovulate unless mated. The male has sharp spines on his todger which causes the female to scream during mating - this is thought to stimulate ovulation. Because it can take up to 4-5 days after mating for the eggs to be released, gestation can sometimes be delayed by several days, though 63-65 days is the norm.

First signs of pregnancy (if you know your own cat and have an experienced eye) occur 10 days after mating when the queen's coat may start to look sleeker, softer and shinier. Other than that, you can't tell for definite until 'pinking up' which is when the nipples turn deep pink and enlarge, which occurs roughly 3 weeks after mating/6 weeks before birth.

It's entirely possible for queens to re-absorb babies but this can't happen after the skeleton starts to develop in the foetus. I can't off-hand remember at which point during pregnancy this occurs.

Well that's a start for you anyway... I'm sure others can add more, perhaps to do with the later stages of gestation and birth if that's what you would like to know.


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## cutekiaro1 (Dec 15, 2009)

Mating and Conception in Cats - How Cats Mate

This makes for very interesting reading x


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## billyboysmammy (Sep 12, 2009)

Very basic

Female entire cats are called queens, males toms.

Cats reach sexual maturity anything between 4-18months

Males can and will spray, be less sociable and if let out and roam miles in a night on the search for a receptive girly

Females will call on average once every 4-6weeks, but some are every 10days, others twice a year!

They call VERY loudly, roll around, wave their bits in the air and generally do whatever they can to get the attention of any passing male. You need to be super vigelant at these times not to let your cat out.

As merlin mums says the toms penis is covered in sharp spines, and cat sex is apparently a painful process for the queen. These spines stimulate a cat to ovulate.

Cats on average with breeders are mated on every 3rd (ish) season to balance the risks of pyo.

Once mated often the first sign of pregnancy is that the queens nipples pink up and show more.

At around 7 weeks, the kittens can be felt and seen moving around

The average pregnancy lasts 65 days, but some breeds can be slightly less and others slightly more.

Kittens are much like puppies at birth, their ears are closed, their eyes closed and they are practically helpless. Their eyes open at approx 7-14 days, and solid food should be introduced around 4 weeks old.

YouTube - Barbed Cat Penis


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

Thats great thanks guys.


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

So is it the norm to allow them to mate as much as possible during a season


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## billyboysmammy (Sep 12, 2009)

on that i'm not sure, i'm not a breeder.. i foster pregnant cats lol so i'm not present when the deed is done!

I believe the queen is usually receptive at around days 3-5 and a number of matings take place over that time.


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## fifibelle (Jan 7, 2010)

If a queen is mated by more than one Tom she could have an entire litter with different fathers!


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## billyboysmammy (Sep 12, 2009)

fifibelle said:


> If a queen is mated by more than one Tom she could have an entire litter with different fathers!


very true!!! Different dad for every one of her kittens!


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

cutekiaro1 said:


> RIGHT HERE GOES.
> 
> cat comes into season has a little meow, boy comes along has his wicked way and wam bam thank you man along come some mini kitties.
> 
> :lol: sorry im in one of those moods lol x


... unless your boy is like mine, in which case he spends hours trying to work out how to insert A into B, doesn't ever manage to work it out, and there are no mini kitties 

Liz


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## billyboysmammy (Sep 12, 2009)

lizward said:


> ... unless your boy is like mine, in which case he spends hours trying to work out how to insert A into B, doesn't ever manage to work it out, and there are no mini kitties
> 
> Liz


omg that must be incredibly frustrating!


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## cutekiaro1 (Dec 15, 2009)

lizward said:


> ... unless your boy is like mine, in which case he spends hours trying to work out how to insert A into B, doesn't ever manage to work it out, and there are no mini kitties
> 
> Liz


so what do you do in a situation like that? just let them get on with it. (I know in dogs a helping hand can be given as it were  )


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

So on the principle that barbs create ovulation, artificial insemination would not work unless previous mating had taken place?


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Well there is suppose to be a way to do AI with cats. But at the moment I am just hoping he eventually works it out.

What was REALLY frustrating last time round was that, after Basil had shown keen interest and made several attempts over three days, I put them out in a run together, and as soon as I did that he lost interest. I left them there during the day for a couple of days, separated them at night. Two local toms were there, one went into the next door empty pen and started chirruping to Katie who was rolling all over the place, another looked on from the other side of the pen, and Basil just sat there doing nothing. So after a couple of days I brought them back into the house thinking perhaps he was cold or the other boys were putting him off - and he immediately started trying to mate with Fiona who wasn't even calling!! 

Apart from anything else I felt rather sorry for the two local boys - one at least is very pretty









Liz


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Isn't there a picture of an "implement" for such a purpose in the RC breeding book ?


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

lizward said:


> ... unless your boy is like mine, in which case he spends hours trying to work out how to insert A into B, doesn't ever manage to work it out, and there are no mini kitties
> 
> Liz


Mine too, or the girl keeps rolling over midway..... or she acts in heat but will not stand to let him do said deed. It's not easy.

Pro-estrus is supposed to last 1-2 days before but with poppy she is pro-estrus then I wish she would come out of it and just go to the, vocal stage. She also doesn't life her bottom high enough to mate. PITA!

I have read about holding her shoulders to stop her rolling but it all seems a bit intrusive, as it does when I have to tickle her bottom to make her raise it!

It's no easy task.


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Tanya1989 said:


> So on the principle that barbs create ovulation, artificial insemination would not work unless previous mating had taken place?


You need around 4-5 matings usually. I thought we had had 4 or 5 but obviously we were not hitting the spot.

I found a good website showing 2 Sphinx's (sp) and it was very very clear what was supposed to happen.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

If you are watching them, maybe they both have performance anxiety


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Tanya1989 said:


> So on the principle that barbs create ovulation, artificial insemination would not work unless previous mating had taken place?


Sorry I always skip the artificial insemination section in my books but it can be done.


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Saikou said:


> If you are watching them, maybe they both have performance anxiety


Watching them, watching them, it's way worse than that! :mad2:

I have tried leaving them to it and watching from the upstairs window but Poppy just keeps running onto one of the perchs/ledges with her butt firmly to the cage/wall when Ice grabs her, so cannot get her..... perhaps *she* is gay ? 

Liz we are on another forum together. I emailed you with the tip about tickling their bum to make it lift up!


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

They will get there, Ice just needs to perfect his techinique. He obviously doesn't have the right chat up lines yet. Give them time


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

mellowma said:


> Liz we are on another forum together. I emailed you with the tip about tickling their bum to make it lift up!


Yes you did, thanks. That was immediately before Basil lost interest in her!

Hopefully both of us will have better luck later in the year!

Liz


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

lizward said:


> Yes you did, thanks. That was immediately before Basil lost interest in her!
> 
> Hopefully both of us will have better luck later in the year!
> 
> Liz


Yes,.... like next week!


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Saikou said:


> They will get there, Ice just needs to perfect his techinique. He obviously doesn't have the right chat up lines yet. Give them time


You sound like my husband.


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## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Poppy is obviously not a first date put out kinda gal, she wants to be wooed, wined and dined


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Oh iIdon't even know if she is in heat. She just lies there sleeping all day long getting fatter and fatter. Weird cat. 

TBC/............


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Tanya1989 said:


> So on the principle that barbs create ovulation, artificial insemination would not work unless previous mating had taken place?


Okay I read about it. Short version. yes it's possible. Semen is collected, and elctroejaculation is accomplished under light anesthetic (from male). To ensure ovulation, queens require artificial stimulation following insemination of semen (which can be frozen etc) this can be done by such as massaging her erm.. flower with a probe or with a hormone injection and this has a great success rate!


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

I bet it's more expensive than going out to stud though!

Liz


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

Thats great, Thanks


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

lizward said:


> I bet it's more expensive than going out to stud though!
> 
> Liz


Not as much fun either I would think.


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## Kalipha (Jul 15, 2009)

mellowma said:


> Not as much fun either I would think.


Probably more fun, actually, given there's less spikiness going on!


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## Milly22 (Sep 15, 2008)

Kalipha said:


> Probably more fun, actually, given there's less spikiness going on!


Yes it does sound better after reading it again. I wonder if the female smacks the Vet after the Vetman prods her? Hmm I will have to read another book.


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