As a cat owner, you may be thinking of breeding your cat. But do you know how do cats mate? Well, it is not just putting together both cats in the same place. It is not as simple as that. There are a couple of things that you need to before you plan to breed your cat. If you follow every step correctly, you will be successful in it.
There is nothing to be worry if you don’t know how do cats mate. Reading this article will help you to understand the right time for cat mating. Also, what are the different steps that you need to follow for breeding your cat? Stick to the end to get all the required details that will be helpful for you.
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What Will I Learn?
Breeding Season For Cats
There is a particular period when your cat will be more prepared for mating. This period is known as Estrus. Cat mating is possible at any time, but the preferred one is the daylight hours. In the northern hemisphere, breeding season is usually the time between March and September. However, in the southern hemisphere, breeding season is likely from September and March.
Before proceeding further, it is essential to know some details about the male and female cat. So let’s have a look at it.
Male Cat/The Tom
The male cat is also known as tomcat, and puberty in a male cat usually starts when his age is about 6 to 8 months. At this age, a male cat can fertilize a female cat. The period of making cat reproductive activity is about 14 years.
It is essential to keep in mind that the male cat should be healthy. Moreover, the female cat which gave birth to the male cat was healthy, and there was no complication in delivery.
Female Cat/The Queen
A female cat is called a queen. When the breeding season starts, a cat will go multiple times on heat. Darkness or daylight and temperature have many effects on the heating cycle. A female cat is ready to be fertile, usually at the age of 7 to 9 months. The reproductive life of a female cat is often 7 to 9 years.
Similar to a male cat, it is also essential that a female cat should be healthy. Moreover, there should be a complete physical exam of your cat to check for any disease. A physical exam is essential so that the disease will not be transferred to kittens.
There is a gap of about 3 to 14 days between one heat cycle ending and the start of another. The amount of period of heating depends on the amount of estrogen hormone. The rise and fall of this hormone will continue until the cat has mated.
4 Things To Keep In Mind For Mating Your Cat
There are different things that you need to keep in mind if you want to breed your cat. There are a couple of steps you need to follow. Therefore have a look at these, one by one.
1. Allowing Cats to Reach their Full Size:
Although both male and female cats are ready to breed during the early months of their age. However, you should not think of breeding your cat until it reaches 18 months. Both male and female cat needs to reach their full size. Otherwise, it can hinder their growth and may affect the female’s cat health as well.
2. Taking Cats to Vet:
This is a crucial step that you need to follow. Taking your cats to the vet is very important to have a complete physical examination. The vet can tell if you can breed your cat and if it’s completely healthy. Moreover, he can also tell you about some of the possible problems that can occur during the mating process if there can be any problem with kittens.
3. Watch out when the Female cat is on Heat:
You need to know when the female cat is on heat. The heating cycle usually starts when the cat has reached 4 to 5 months of her age. It continues until the cat has mated. You may feel that the female cat is very affectionate towards male cats. It may seem that she is trying to attract a male cat.
Indoor cats can usually mate during all times of the year. This is because they have a different effect of artificial light on their heating cycle than outdoor cats.
4. Putting both Cats together:
After you have taken the above steps, now is the time that you put the male and female cat along in the same room. A female cat will probably allow the male cat to come closer if it’s on heat. The mating process usually takes 1 to 20 seconds. After it’s done, the male cat will often run away, whereas a female cat will be thrashing.
This process continues for about the next 10 minutes. After 30 minutes of first mating, the female cat will be ready to mate again.
Signs You May Notice In Female Cat When It’s On Heat
There are different signs that you can notice if you want to know when the cat is on heat. You will see your cat rolling over. Also, your cat will rub itself against everything and everyone. Also, there can be a loss of appetite, and your cat will probably want to go outside. Cats also take lordosis position very often when on heat. Even a touch on their back can make them take this position.
You may notice your cat being affectionate to male cats. However, sometimes it can also show aggressive behavior rather than being affectionate.
When Conception Occurs After Mating?
The process of ovulation starts between 20 to 25 hours after the mating has done. Eggs ready to be fertilized will remain there for a day. The fertilization of eggs takes place in the oviduct. After that, they will travel down to the uterus for implantation within 10 to 12 days after mating.
2 Signs Of Pregnancy In Cats
After the mating process, you now need to look for signs of pregnancy in female cats. There are different signs that you can notice in your cat. It can either be a physical change or a change in personality.
1. Physical Signs:
Firstly, you will notice that there are no more heating cycles that were regularly coming before. Moreover, you will also see the nipples of your cat getting rosier color along with swelling.
There will be an increase in your cat’s appetite as it will eat more than usual. There will also be an increase in weight. The abdominal enlargement usually begins after five weeks. Morning sickness, along with vomiting, is also one of the physical signs.
2. Signs of Personality:
The very first thing that you will get to notice is that your cat will be more affectionate. A pregnant cat will also sleep more than normal cats. Nesting behavior is also typical for pregnant cats.
If you notice any of these symptoms, make sure to take your cat to the vet for a complete checkup.
What To Do In The Pregnancy Period Of Your Cat?
If it’s confirmed that your cat is pregnant, there are a couple of things about which you need to prepare yourself. The total period of cat pregnancy is about two months. The following are some of the things about which you need to be ready.
Mood Swings:
Cats can behave more aggressively during pregnancy. Therefore you need to be ready for handling her mood swings. A cat can also experience vomiting. However, if it continues, take her to the vet. Also, make sure that your cat stays inside so that it doesn’t get hurt.
Warm and Comfortable Place:
Your cat will probably show nesting behavior. It may want a comfortable and friendly space for her that can be her private place. You can do this by keeping some old sheets or towels in a box. Giving her a secret area will make her comfortable, and it may want to give birth to kittens there.
Taking Care of Kittens:
After giving birth, a cat can usually take care of the kittens. Kittens require body heat, which their mother can provide. However, if you notice that the female cat is sick and unable to take care of the kittens, you need to step in. You will need to provide the required temperature to kittens, and also you can feed them using a syringe.
Signs Of Giving Birth
There are several things that you can notice in your cat that is ready to give birth. The very first thing is the nesting behavior. They will probably be looking for someplace where they can give birth. Secondly, you may notice your cat vocalizing more than usual, and it will also be anxious. You may see some signs of restlessness in your cat. These signs usually begin 48 hours before the time of birth. Also, there will be a sudden loss of appetite.
Preparing Your Cat
Once you have noticed that your cat is ready to give birth, you need to do a few things before. A nesting box, litter box, water, and food are essential that you need to keep near your cat. Also, keep a carrier somewhere nearby so that if there is any complication, you can immediately take her to the vet.
How Do Cats Mate? – Final Words
How do cats mate? This is probably the question of most cat owners. There are several things you should know if you want to breed your cat. Follow every step correctly. A complete physical examination of cats is essential. Also, both cats should be healthy.
You can notice different signs of pregnancy in your cat after mating. The total period of pregnancy is about two months in cats. You need to take care of your cats during this period. Also, do a couple of important things before the time a cat is ready to give birth. Several frequently asked questions have also been answered above regarding the cat’s mating process.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do cats scream when they mate?
Aggressive behavior has been shown in female cats after the mating process. They will screech and scream, and sometimes the caterwaul can be very loud. The reason why most cats scream is because of the spines or barbs on the male cat penis.
Spines lie flat when the male cat inserts the penis, but taking it out will cause pain in the cat’s vagina. Thus, a female cat screams and shows aggressive behavior towards a male cat as it is going to attack him.
2. How long does it take for cats to mate?
The mating process of cats usually takes one to two minutes only. Moreover, during this short period, cats can mate multiple times. A female cat or Queen can mate with different male cats. Because of this, there can be a different father of kittens.
3. How to tell if cat mating was successful?
Cat mating does not always result in pregnancy. If you want to know that your cat has mated successfully, you can notice changes in behavior. Firstly, your cat may show signs of pregnancy if the eggs have been fertilized. Heating cycles will also be stopped after successful mating. It will stop showing behaviors related to the estrus cycle.
4. How many times does a cat have to mate to get pregnant?
To fertilize eggs, there may be a need for several mating until the egg has been released. On the very first day, a female cat can mate 10 to 20 times. Also, during the period of 4 to 6 days, a female cat can mate with many tomcats.
5. How do female cats act after mating?
After the mating has done, you can probably notice reactions in female cats. Male cats simply run away, whereas the female cats may show signs of aggression. It will thrash around, and you may notice as the female cat wants to attack a male cat. A Queen can allow 30 matings with different male cats.
6. How to introduce cats to mate?
An experienced breeder can usually identify the right time to introduce cats for mating. Estrus’s second day is often the best time to introduce a female cat to a male cat. A female cat will generally behave on this day; otherwise, mating can also occur on the third day. There are ideal circumstances during this period.
You need to make sure that both cats are healthy and have reached the ideal age for mating. Also, a complete physical examination of cats is essential.
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