As the weather grows warm, the days become longer, and the food is abundant. The female cats come to call or into heat. This behavior may be mistaken as illness of the urinary tract, back injury or a behavioral problem. But the fact is that your cat has come into sexual maturity and is in estrus. Most female cats mature between 5 – 12 months. The estrus lasts for 7 to 21 days. This is when she is receptive to mating. The ovulation is induced by the act of copulation. It occurs 20 – 50 hours after mating. And the litter can include kittens from multiple sires.
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Cat Estrus
Cats go into heat, but the female cats also known as the queens are induced ovulators. This means that they do not pass an egg unless they are bred. This conserves energy and increases the chances of conception. This is the reason why stray queens have many litters per year.
The queen can experience her first heat as young as 4 months of age. And she experiences 2 – 3 estruses per breeding season. When the cat is in heat, she can mate several times a day and with different mates. This is because it may take a couple of times before an ovum is released. The breeding season may be between spring and summer. But it is noteworthy that cats can breed anytime when the conditions are right.
During the estrus, the female shows characteristic mating behavior and is receptive to males. She will rub against objects, knead with her hind feet, roll and yowl loudly and repeatedly. This behavior lasts for 3 – 20 days and can repeat in 10 – 40 days. This cycle will continue until the queen has conceived. As soon as she is bred the estrus ends and her body prepares for the pregnancy.
Cats are polyestrous animals who come into heat several times in a year. If the queen has mated and does not fall pregnant, she may still show signs of a pseudopregnancy or false pregnancy. These signs are weight gain, increased appetite and even production of milk without a litter to feed. Such a cat will return to estrus in 4 to 6 weeks.
If the cat has not mated, then she will come into season, a day or fortnight later. This cycle will continue many times until she is mated, bred or the season ends.
Signs of A Cat in Heat
Like the moon affects the tides in the sea, the hormones affect the estrus of the cat. What is happening within its body and coursing through its blood is manifested outside. The signs of estrus are increased affection towards the people and animals they like.
They will rub against or weave between your legs. Roll on the floor. While some may become aggressive towards other cats and people. There is increased vocalization with an expression of confusion, anxiety or pain. Their usually soft meows become loud yowls.
Their mannerism changes. That is when you stroke the cats back it lowers its front paws and raises its bottom. She treads up and down and moves her tail to the left and right. There is increased attention to the genital region such as licking. She insists on going outside, and her appetite reduces.
She sprays urine on the walls, bushes, and other surfaces. This urine is loaded with her hormones that alert the males that she in heat. Some cats are also known as “Silent Callers” and may not display any of the above signs.
The Mating Game
Cats mate loudly, indiscriminately and frequently. They do this until they fall pregnant and birth a litter. The queen signals her willingness to a tomcat with unique postures. Her head and forelegs will be bent, the rear end will be raised to show her vulva. Also, her tail is held to the side to accommodate the tom cat’s penis.
Her hind legs tread rhythmically, as though walking in place. This raised posture is called lordosis. Lordosis is ‘bent backward’ or ‘presenting’ in Greek. This naturally occurring posture shows sexual receptivity in mammals such as elephants, rodents and felines.
The tomcat mounts the queen from the rear and holds on to her back with his paws. He holds on to her neck with his teeth as this biting behavior not only ensures cooperation but also stimulates her brain to induce ovulation.
Whole tom cats have barbed penises that look like fish hooks. Upon withdrawal, the female cat often screams. If this is due to pain or ecstasy, is questionable. But this barbed penis is believed to stimulate ovulation.
Mating in Bred vs. Street Cats
Breeders use what are known as “teaser toms” which stimulate ovulation and end the estrus. The queens are prevented from getting pregnant or breeding by using neutered tomcats. They are neutered, but their penises offer the same stimulation.
Ovulation occurs 20 to 50 hours after mating. The ova are viable or capable of being fertilized for up to 24 hours. The eggs are fertilized in the queen’s oviducts. Then they make their way into her uterus through the uterine horn. Then they are implanted in the uterine wall or lining in 10 – 12 days.
On the street, the queen mates with one or two tom cats over the estrus of 7 – 21 days. Multi-colored kittens are the result of the queen’s genetics and multiple mates. Breeders of pedigree cats keep the queen with a chosen tom cat for multiple mating resulting in ensured pregnancy and pedigree kittens.
The point to be noted is that cats can become pregnant while nursing. Especially, when the mother starts weaning. At this time, she and the litter should be spayed to prevent further pregnancies. This will avoid hundreds of kittens from being euthanized annually as a population control measure called culling. Ideally, spay the cats.
Conclusion
If you want them bred then allow the male and the female to attain full size and sexual maturity. Then hire a veterinarian to check them. Wait until the lady cats come into heat. Put the tomcat into the same room. Then watch for signs of pregnancy.
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