Cats

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Reproduction

Cats cycle due to increasing day length which means they tend to start to come in heat early spring and tend to stop late summer. Female cats (queens) can cycle for the first time as early as four months of age though six months is more common. Some cats will cycle at unusual times during the year. This is due to indoor lighting.

Cats need to mate to be able to ovulate. If a cat is not mated it will go in and out of heat approximately every seven days. If mated but no pregnancy results they may stay off heat forty days.

The gestation period is 63 days and the average litter size is 4 kittens. Queens can have up to four litters per year, more if the kittens are taken from her early.

Giving birth to kittens is called queening. It is unusual for a queen to get into trouble giving birth but some do, so discrete observation is advisable. The queen will usually seek out a quiet place such as in a cupboard. They also like boxes so if you need to provide something then a medium-sized cardboard box with towels works very well. Normally the queen will act restless for about 24 hours before parturition (giving birth) and will seek out and make her nest. If the queen is strongly bonded to a person then she may go to that person. Queens that have had multiple litters show fewer behavioural changes.

Kittens can be born head-first or tail-first. Each kitten has a placenta but several kittens may be born before the placentas are passed. It is recommended to count the placentas as if one is retained it can lead to infection. It is the air hitting the face of the kitten that stimulates the breathing reflex. Generally the queen will remove the sack and clean the kittens. She will also eat the placenta. Some new mums don't do things correctly. If the queen is not caring for the newborn then you should open the sack and remove it and rub the kitten gently with a towel to stimulate it. Don't cut the cord. However if the queen is coping don't interfere.

Some queens do get into trouble. We recommend you seek veterinary assistance if the queen has been straining for up to 2 hours with no results. If a kitten is partially out and the queen can't move it any further then you should ring your vet immediately. Other reasons to seek advice would be if the queen or kittens appear ill or if the amount of blood seems excessive.

Keep the queen in a quiet draft free area. Avoid disturbances by people and other animals. Try to resist handling the kittens a lot initially but you should check each kitten over, count toes, open the mouth (cleft palates are common) and look for any abnormalities. Each kitten should be weighed regularly. Ideal ambient temperature is 24 - 27 Celsius the first three weeks then it decreases. Change the bedding as necessary to keep it clean and free of fleas.

The eyes and ears open between 8 to 16 days though around 10 days is the commonest. The teeth start to appear at 3 weeks (These are the baby teeth that are replaced by adult teeth between 4 - 7 months).

The socialization period for kittens is between 3 and 9 weeks. During this time it is important to handle the kittens as much as possible and introduce them to cats, dogs, children and adult humans.

Kittens are most likely to be available at Lort Smith between late October and early April. The weekend before Christmas 1997 we had very good sales, placing over 50 kittens in new homes however on Monday morning we euthanased 32 kittens because we had so many kittens we couldn't cope with them all. Some people believe allowing children see a queen have a litter provides a lesson in reproduction however Lort Smith believes children should learn about responsible birth control and that cats should spayed. There is no evidence to show that cats that have had a litter have better temperaments.

Although cats are easy to care for, they do require feeding, annual vaccination, worming, de-fleaing, de-sexing and occasionally boarding. All of these needs can be expensive. There are specific considerations too; longhaired cats need daily grooming, some cats require special diets and some breeds are predisposed to medical conditions.

Once you have thought these things through, talked it over with the family and are prepared for these responsibilities:

• arrange a warm comfortable sleeping place, such as a basket with a regularly changed blanket.
• provide kitty litter in an accessible place if your cat is to spend much time inside.
• feed a balanced, healthy diet at regular times each day.
• have male and female cats desexed before or at 6 months of age.
• cats must be registered in all Australian councils and many councils require your cat to be confined or adhere to a curfew.

Always transport your cat in a secure box or basket as they tend to panic and can easily escape from your arms, this is especially important when bring your cat into hospital for an annual check-up or procedure.

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