How Often Can A Cat Have Kittens
Your cats pregnancy will last about 9 weeks, with the average length being 63-65 days. And, a cat can get pregnant again very quickly after giving birth! Nursing her kittens wont prevent pregnancy, and your kittys next heat may occur just a few weeks after her kittens are born.
To prevent another pregnancy, ensure your kitty isnt around any male cats, and talk to your vet about spaying your cat.
Asap’s Kitten Foster Program
It is during kitten season, early spring through late fall, that ASAP has the greatest need for volunteers willing to open their hearts and homes and temporarily provide care and comfort to young orphaned kittens or stray queens and their litters. Thanks to our many wonderful volunteers through the years, ASAP has operated a successful foster program since 1992. Hundreds of kittens are fostered each year along with at least a dozen queens and their litters. If you are interested in becoming a foster, please .
Matching Your Cat To A Second Cat
Do you have a cat-hating cat who must be by herself or a lonely cat who wants a buddy? It may be difficult to tell, as your cat might be clingy and needy with her human but not necessarily do well with another cat around her, Krieger says. It helps to know the history of both cats the resident and the potential newcomer if you want to predict whether the two will get along.
Having grown up with others is not a recipe for success, since cats are individuals and some of them simply do not get along, Dantas says. Cats who are playful with other cats, were socialized to other cats as kittens and throughout their lives and do not have clinical signs of fear or anxiety have more chance of success.
When choosing a feline companion for your cat, look for one that is a similar age, and therefore has a similar energy level. If you have an older cat, a kitten will torment and pester him with manic energy. The kittens job is to be playful and explore their world and attack things, Krieger says. The older cats job is to take a nap. If you have an older cat and want to adopt a kitten, get two kittens so that they can play with each other and let their older uncle relax in peace. Otherwise, look for an older best friend for your adult cat.
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At What Age Do Male Cats Stop Reproducing
Like female cats, male cats dont ever stop reproducing, regardless of their age. Some male cats are infertile, although that has nothing to do with their age its usually chalked up to genetics.
Since male cats can continue to reproduce throughout their lives, its even more reason for neutering! Especially if you have a male outdoor cat, hell never outgrow his ability to sire a litter this is a big part of the feline population problem.
Caring For Your Pregnant Queen
Its rare, but in the earliest stages of pregnancy, your cat may have “morning sickness” that might show up as a lack of appetite or vomiting. If that keeps happening, take them to the vet. With the surge of hormones and changes to their uterus, they may show signs of fatigue. This phase will eventually fade after those first few weeks pass.
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Just like many other females in the animal kingdom carrying a bun in the oven , your cat may need extra food and calories while they are expecting.
Theyll eat about 1.5 times their normal diet as their pregnancy draws to a close, so make sure they have constant access to their normal fare. Your vet will probably recommend that you feed your pregnant cat kitten food or food that’s labeled for pregnant and lactating cats throughout their pregnancy and during the period they nurse their young one.
Viruses can spread to kittens before theyre born, so keep up with your cat’s vaccination schedule. If your pregnant cat is due for their regular vaccination and deworming/flea treatment or needs medication, check with your vet first to make sure the treatment is safe for them. It is best to vaccinate prior to breeding, as most vaccines are not safe to give during pregnancy.
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How Often Does A Female Cat Come Into Heat
Cats are seasonally polyestrous, which means that they have multiple cycles during the breeding season. The breeding season will vary according to geographic and environmental factors such as temperature and the number of daylight hours. In the Northern Hemisphere, cats usually cycle from January until the late fall. Cats that live in more tropical regions or mainly indoors however, may cycle all year round.
What Should I Do To Prepare For The Kittens’ Birth
After a successful breeding, many queens show behavioral changes. Most develop an unusually sweet and loving disposition and demand more affection and attention during pregnancy.
During the latter stages of pregnancy, the expectant mother usually begins to look for a safe place for delivery.
Prior to this time, a queening or birthing box should be selected and placed in a quiet place, such as a closet or a dark corner. The box should be large enough for the cat to move around freely but have low enough sides so that she can see out and you can reach inside to give any needed assistance. The bottom of the box should be lined with several layers of newspapers or other disposable absorbent material, which will provide a private hiding place for the expectant mother and can be easily removed and disposed of after they absorb the birthing fluids.
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Abnormalities Of The Second Stage
Secondary inertia arises after prolonged second-stage labour, and may be associated with obstructive dystocia, muscle fatigue, or excessive pain. Obstructive dystocia may occur for many reasons, but probably the most common causes are maternal pelvic malformation following a pelvic fracture, and foetal malpresentation/malposition/malposture. Interrupted labour, as already described, is definitely not an inertia, as the cat is manifestly normal, labour recommences normally, and kittens are born alive and normal. An important point of difference between the two is that secondary inertia follows previous difficulty or delay and the cat is often restless and exhausted.
Foetal malpresentations, malpositions and malpostures may all lead to dystocia. Presentation indicates which way round the foetus is coming , position indicates which way up it is and posture indicates the placing of the head and limbs . Some people believe that foetal malpresentation in cats rarely causes dystocia, except when combined with other problems such as poor cervical relaxation or relative foetal oversize. However, others have found foetal malpresentation to be the most common cause of dystocia of foetal origin, while relative foetal oversize was very rare.
Is Cat Menopause Really A Thing
Technically speaking, feline menopause is a myth. While a cat’s fertility may decline as she gets older, decreasing her chance of having multiple litters in one year, even geriatric cats can give birth. In fact, animals, in general, rarely exhibit a life expectancy that extends beyond their childbearing years. However, pregnancies in later life can pose health risks to both the litter and the mother cat. The litters and babies of geriatric queens tend to be much smaller and the stress of motherhood results in a poorer quality of life for older cats.
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Everything You Need To Know About Kitten Season
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Did you know spring kicks off a phenomenon known as kitten season? Thats right, there is a season just for kittens and it is upon us! Depending on how you feel about cats, kitten season can sound like the best season of the year. Sounds like cuteness in abundance, round kitten bellies and playtime all day long! Unfortunately, kitten season isnt quite that, especially for the kittens and the people who opt to take care of them. Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about kitten season:
How Long Does Estrus Last
Each heat generally lasts several days with the average length being six days. If the queen is not mated during estrus, she will go out of heat for a short period of time. Therefore, the complete estrous cycle of a cat can range from anywhere between one to six weeks, with the average cycle length being about three weeks.
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What About Dog Heat Cycles
- Proestrus: vaginal discharge, males attracted to females, females unwilling to mate. Length: 4-20 days.Estrus: swollen vulva, yellowish vaginal discharge, mating occurs during this phase. Length: 5-13 days.Metestrus : period after estrus or mating. Length: 60-90 days. If pregnant, pregnancy lasts between 60-64 days in the dog.Anestrus: period of inactivity between estrus phases. Length: 2-3 months.
So you could be facing up to 123 days of a TOTAL heat cycle, which breaks down to about 17.5 weeks!Some general “rules of thumb” for canine estrus:
- The first estrus cycle usually occurs by age 6-12 months for some small breeds, as early as 5 months, and for some large and giant breeds, the first cycle may not occur until 14 months of age or older.
- On average, dogs have two cycles a year.
- The estrus cycle lasts on average 12-21 days, but maybe be as short as a few days to four weeks. The estrus period length varies widely between breeds and individual dogs.
- The length of a cycle varies widely, even for dogs of the same breed. If in doubt, assume the longer end of the range for the cycle length.
- Bleeding occurs prior to a female being receptive to a male , but male dogs will be very attracted to the female in the proestrus stage.
- Dogs can get pregnant during their first heat cycle, but this is not advisable as a 6-month old dog is not yet fully grown/mature, and complications for the mother and the puppies are more likely.
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Why Does My Cat Have Blood Coming Out Of His Nose
Nose bleeds in cats can be due to a simple scratch or something more serious internally. Nose bleeds are also known as epistaxis and can occur in a cat for several reasons but it can be scary if you suddenly see blood coming out of your cats nose.
If a cat with a respiratory infection gets a nosebleed, move it to the bathroom. Close the door and run the hot taps to fill the lungs with steam. Breathing in steam eases the build-up of mucus in the nose. This, in turn, will lead to less sneezing and make treatment easier.
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How Did My Cat Get Pregnant
The fecundity of the cat has been acknowledged throughout its history with man it has in consequence been worshipped by some and persecuted as wanton by others. What it does mean, is that if you fail to neuter your female cat before she becomes sexually mature and you let her outside, an unneutered male cat is likely to find her and before you realise what has happened she will be pregnant! You are probably unlikely to notice this until she starts to get rather plump and wonder what you have to do. Heres how it happens
New To Having A Pet Or Just Need More Knowledge
About heat cycles in cats:fourth or fifth month of a kitten’sYou can see then, how a female cat may almost always seem to be in heat.
- Heat, oestrus, and estrus all refer to heat cycles in cats.
- The breeding season in cats lasts almost year-round.
- Heat cycles can start as early as four or five months in a female kitten.
- Heat cycles in cats last from several days to two weeks or more
- Heat cycles in cats repeat every two to three weeks until the cat is spayed or becomes pregnant.
- Heat cycles may cause pain or discomfort in cats.
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Abnormalities Of Labour Dystocia
Dystocia can be classified as either maternal or foetal in origin, depending on whether it is caused by problems with the queen or kittens. Dystocia can also be classified according to whether it arises from obstruction of the birth canal or a functional deficiency of the uterine muscle.
Obstructive dystocia is caused by disproportion between the size of the kittens and the maternal birth canal. Factors resulting in an inadequate size of the maternal birth canal may include disorders of the maternal skeleton , the pelvic soft tissues , or the uterus itself . Foetal causes of obstructive dystocia may result from malpresentation, severe foetal malformation , foetal oversize or foetal death.
Caring For Kittens Can Be A Struggle For Unsuspecting Owners
Many of these litters have been unplanned and cause great heartache and headaches for owners. These unsuspecting owners often struggle – not only to find good homes for the kittens – but also to care for the mum and kittens in the early stages.
Being pregnant and caring for kittens can also be very stressful for the cat. Making sure that everyone stays happy and healthy requires a lot of time and knowledge, and can also be very costly.
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Do Female Cats Experience Menopause
Unlike humans, cats do not, in fact, experience menopause! They go through a comparable experience to menstrual cycles starting around four to six months of age, female cats get their first estrus cycle, which means they can start getting pregnant. Each cycle lasts about six days.
However, though cats get their period, they do not also experience menopause. This means a female cat can technically get pregnant throughout her entire life, even as a senior.
Why Does My Cat Have A Cut On His Nose
Different causes of epistaxis require different, bespoke management, so well explore each in turn. If your cat has experienced trauma, check for a cut on the nose. The blood may be flowing from the cut and not the nostrils. This could be caused by scratching with claws or a collision with an object, such as a tree or fence.
Nosebleeds can affect one or both nostrils, and this distinction can aid in diagnosing the underlying cause of the condition. Epistaxis can occur in cats of any age, breed, or sex, and there are no clear risk factors that increase the chances of your pet experiencing nosebleeds.
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How To Deal With Cats Shedding
Shedding in cats can be controlled with frequent brushing and combing. Daily brushing and combing remove loose and dead hair and help keep a cats skin and coat healthy. The cats with healthy fur coats tend to shed a bit less.
Start brushing your cat slowly, keep the sessions short and positive and always stop before your cat protests. Using food treats can help make the situation pleasant and help your cat learn to enjoy the situation. As your cat learns to enjoy the sessions, you can make them longer. Brushing helps remove dead hair, and therefore the cat will be less likely to shed in your home.
When you comb your cat, comb her carefully in hair growth direction to smooth the coat and remove any minor knots or tangles. If the coat has a particularly stubborn knot or tangle, you may have to trim it off with scissors. For longhaired cats, begin with a wide-tooth comb and follow up with a fine-tooth comb. To avoid injury, if your cat’s coat has severe matting, consult a veterinarian.
How Do I Care For Newborn Kittens
The female encourages the kittens to suck and keeps them warm by lying on her side and encircling them. The kittens are guided by scent and warmth to her nipples where they find colostrum, the first type of milk to be produced which is rich in antibodies to help protect the kittens from disease in their early weeks of life.
The mother cat purrs while the kittens are sucking the kittens are not able to hear when they are first born, but they can follow vibrations to move towards her. They have a built-in rooting or nuzzling behaviour which helps them to find the nipple, latch on and stimulate the milk to flow. The sucking reflex then takes over and they feed. Kittens tend to return to the same nipple to feed, perhaps to stop them squabbling and to ensure that milk continues to be produced there because there is a demand.
So if all goes to plan, then you dont have to do much for the first few weeks except make sure that the mother cat is well fed and has the facilities she needs. As soon as you are aware of the pregnancy it would benefit the kittens and their mother to feed a growth type diet. This can continue to be fed after the birth of the kittens and until they are weaned.
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From The Sixth Month Of The Year
Now yes, you already have an adult cat. You may think that you sleep too much but you should know that they love to play especially at night. Yes, they are nocturnal animals so if you want your sleep at night you will have to take advantage of the times when you are awake during the day to play with him and tire him out. In the market, you will find many types of toys such as strings, laser pointers, plush toys Choose those that you think you will like the most and have fun with your best hairy friend.