Cats are animals that can reproduce from 5-6 months of age and have their own cubs for the first time at 7-8 months. This, in our eyes, seems outrageous, since until the year they are still very young hairy. But its nature is like that.
Knowing the reproductive cycle of cats is importantPut in this way, we will understand why they have certain behaviors at certain times of the year.
It starts with puberty
Cats are animals that begin their reproductive cycle with the arrival of puberty, which in the case of cats it is usually at 6 months, and in that of males a little later. But even so, you must bear in mind that this will depend on the race, body weight, diet and the climate. And it is that if both are healthy and live in areas with a warm climate they can have 2-3 heats / year.
How to know if they have reached this age? This is very easy:
- Cats: the testicles 'go down', they have the need to leave the house, and they become more territorial.
- Cats: they start to meow at night for a few nights - because of heat - they want to go out, they tend to become more affectionate.
The mating season
Heat occurs mainly between spring and summer, but as we said it can also happen in autumn if the weather is warm. In cats, four very different phases are distinguished:
- proestrus: lasts about 3 days. The 'symptoms' are: inflammation of the vagina, slight meows, is more affectionate than normal.
- Estro: for 4 and 6 days, but it can last up to 15 if it does not mate. In this phase he will meow insistently and loudly.
- metaestrus: lasts 24 hours. The cat rejects any contact with the male cat, and if she is pregnant she will begin to eat and sleep more.
- Anestrus: it can be the return to normality if it has not become pregnant, or on the contrary it can be the beginning of the pregnancy.
Final stage: mating
If two cats of different sex in heat meet, what will happen is that they will They will approach little by little, they will sniff each other and the female will become affectionate belly up. Then the male will stand on her, bite her neck and penetrate her, thereby stimulating ovulation and he will ejaculate. After that, they will be separated and groomed.
The act can be repeated up to four times in the same night. About two months later, 1 to 12 kittens will be born, but if we do not have good families for them, it is best to castrate both the male and the female as soon as possible.
I hope it has been useful to you.