To a casual observer seeing cats mate may just be one of those simple things. We just conclude these felines mate indiscriminately, very loudly, and also frequently and eventually the female cat gets pregnant and gives birth to plenty of kittens.
However, the truth is about cats mating is not as simple as we try to imagine it is. Take, for instance, many cat owners do not know that a female cat does not ovulate until after mating and also she may be pregnant with five kittens, and each kitten has a different father.
Whole make cats also possess bob penises used to stimulate the female cat to ovulate. In this article you’ll be learning everything there is to know about cats mating and childbirth has read further.
Mating and conception in cats
You probably have been given, or you have adopted a female kitten, and now that she has grown a few months older she’s beginning to behave suspiciously “amorous” all of a sudden. The question on your mind would be could she possibly be on heat.
There is every possibility you have heard about spraying but haven’t really gotten around it to understand how it works and you’re also wondering if it is possible for your cat to get pregnant at that age.
If your cat is already on heat, do you worry that one day she might slip out the door in search of a male cat to impregnate her? After all, it won’t be a bad idea to have a litter of kitten in your home.
Is your cat in heat?
Any female cat that isn’t sprayed will eventually come into oestrus which is another name for heat. Once you know what to look out for when it comes to heat, the signs become unambiguous.
Your kitten can experience her first heat period at the age of 4 1/2 months so if you are operating in the belief that you must wait till it’s six months old to spray, then you just might be disappointed.
Never forget that once your female cat has her first heat, it’ll continue to happen until you spray her or she finds a male cat and mates. There are some major behavioral symptoms you need to watch out for whenever you suspect your cat is on heat.
Signs that your cat is pregnant
Female cats in heat will do almost anything to get a mating partner. And sometimes, male cats may go as far as tearing down screens so that they can meet up with a female cat in heat. If your pet cat was in heat and you discover that at some point she had access to a male cat, there is a chance that she has become pregnant.
A pregnant female cat who show birth personality changes and physical changes. These changes will become evident exactly three weeks after the mating occurred.
Because you were a little too slow to have your cat spayed, she met with a Tom and got pregnant, or maybe a pregnant stray cat decided to adopt you. If you find yourself in this situation, you may begin to wonder what your first line of action should be. You can decide to discontinue the action or let it continue to occur.
You can decide to spray a pregnant cat, but the earlier this cats pregnancy is when you have it sprayed, the better for you. However, spraying a pregnant cat is a decision you want to discuss with your vet and your family as well.
The stages of a cats pregnancy
The entire process of the embryos development is a very interesting one to study as each stage has a specific name. However, for the sake of better understanding and brevity, we will stick to only the basics.
The first stage is fertilization: Here an unsprayed cat experiences heat every two to three weeks. This process might become even more frequent in spring and summer. When your cat starts bleeding, she is ready for mating, and her eggs will be available for fertilization for around ten to fifteen days.
Embryo development
This usually occurs around the third week of gestation. Your cat will begin to eat more and also gain weight. The embryo will begin to develop gradually, with the more complex cells of the cranium and thoracic region developing first.
Fetus development
At approximately four weeks of pregnancy after most of the baby’s organic structures has been formed, the embryo then becomes a fetus, and that officially completes the first trimester.
Taking care of your pregnant cat
Whether the cat in this custody is a pregnant stray or your own adopted cat, you will be required to provide all the basic things that your pregnant cat needs for the health of the yet to be born kittens and for her health.
Except for the nutritional consideration you may need to give to a pregnant stray cat, most of the things you’ll be needing to provide are the same things any cat in your care will need: a place to sleep, litter box, and toys. It is also important to provide your pregnant cat with plenty of exercises.
Potential problems in cat pregnancy
Generally, if you notice any unusual occurrence during your cat’s gestation period you are expected to consult your vet immediately. It is a very vital part of caring for your pregnant cat. Even though many pregnant cats have trouble free gestation periods, certain potential problems may happen.
Some of the potential problems include eclampsia, spontaneous abortions, and Resorption.
Helping your cat through the birth process
The chances that your cat may not need your help during the birth process is quite high except you choose to stay with your cat just for the sake of encouragement. You may just wake up one morning and discover that you have some cute little kittens in your home and your queen cat is happily nursing them.
Caring for mother cats and her newborn
The first two or three weeks after birth is the most crucial for your cat and the new kittens. The kittens are expected to grow very rapidly, and their mother might display some postpartum problems during this time.
Make sure the queen and her kittens are kept in a quiet area of the house or preferably a separate room where they won’t be disturbed or exposed to noise.
Make sure the area your mother cat and her children are kept us warm as any form of chill is a potential problem for kittens. Let the mother cat decided when she’s comfortable to have you visit her and the babies.
Finding new homes for the babies
Sending the kittens to a new home can be either worrisome or a joyous thing for a cat owner. It all depends on how the cat owner handles the perpetration.
Knowing how much time and money you have spent caring for the mother cat and the kittens for about a month or two, you would agree that finding a good home for the young guys is a financially wise decision to make.
After you have found homes for the kittens and you are sure they can be adequately cared for, the next thing to do is to have their mother sprayed to avoid future births.
