When can a cat be bred?

Cats become sexually mature at around 6 months old, but it is not recommended to breed them at this age. Cats reach physical maturity at around 12 months old and can be bred during their heat cycle after this point. Breeding a cat before it is physically mature can lead to complications such as difficulty in giving birth, miscarriage, and low conception and survival rates. It is not recommended to breed a cat for the first time during its heat cycle.

How to determine if a queen cat has been successfully bred

You can initially determine if a queen cat has been successfully bred through clinical symptoms. After a successful breeding, the queen will exhibit behaviors such as refusing male cats to mount her, emitting screams, rolling around on the ground, and licking her vulva. In the later stages of a successful breeding, the queen's appetite increases, her breasts become prominent, and her abdominal cavity gradually enlarges. About 45 days into the pregnancy, you can take the queen to the pet hospital for an x-ray to check the number, position, and development of the fetuses. If the fetus is too large, pre-birth treatment at the pet hospital may be necessary.

How long does cat breeding take?

Cat breeding usually takes 5-6 days. The average heat cycle for cats is 6-10 days, and breeding can begin on the second day of the cycle. After mating, the queen's ovaries will release eggs within 24-48 hours, requiring continuous breeding. If the breeding period is too short, conception may be missed due to unexpelled eggs, and if it is too long, it can lead to failure.

After breeding, closely observe the cat's condition, feed it nutritious food, and supplement enough calcium. About 20 days after a successful breeding, early pregnancy symptoms may appear, but it can only be confirmed via ultrasound after 35 days.

What to note when breeding cats

When breeding cats, care should be taken to choose cats with similar sizes, as large size differences can lead to complications such as difficult labor.

It is preferable to bring the breeding queen to the male cat's home, as otherwise, the male cat may develop stress-induced diseases such as spontaneous cystitis. Also, trim the claws of both the male and female cats before breeding to prevent scratching each other.

Before breeding, check the cat's reproductive organs for any abnormalities, especially the structure of the uterus. Ensure that the cat has received complete vaccination against infectious diseases to protect the newly born kittens from having resistance to related viral infectious diseases.