My friend, your queen undergoes several estrous cycles, unlike other mammals. Especially, if you are parenting an unspayed feline, then it’s a higher tendency that your feline is constantly in heat.
Generally, a feline reaches her sexual maturity around six-month-old, it can vary according to different types of breed.
For this reason, it is better to get a clear understanding of your feline sexual maturity, at what age she can conceive, signs that she is in her estrous cycle, etc. For you, we have done some footwork regarding these highlights.
Scroll down to check our blog on how old do cats have to be to get pregnant? It will help you to get fruitful knowledge, and you will be able to handle your cat’s health effectively.
When Does the Cat Reaches Her Reproductive Maturity?
One common question pops into pet parents’ minds, how old do cats have to be to get pregnant?
Or at what age feline reaches her reproductive maturity?
The simple answer is that your feline goes through the first estrous cycle around six months of age.
However, in many cases, kittens experience their first heat around four months of age. So, it can be said that sexual maturity solely depends upon the type of breed.
For instance, smaller breeds tentatively take less time than longer breeds.
In another word, smaller breeds explore the estrous period sooner than the longer breeds.
Signs Your Cat Is in Heat
1. Mark Their Territory
During the estrous cycle or in heat, your feline marks her territories by urinating on walls or objects. It’s their way of attracting another male cat, only felines can smell these pheromones.
Male cats will also mark their territory by urinating on the vertical side of the wall or object. You will notice this unusual behavior only when your feline is in the estrous period.
2. Show Excessive Affection
On normal days also felines show affection to those she loves like their pet parents or other animals.
But in her heat cycle, she is more likely to display excessive affection, for instance, they will rub her body against furniture or on your arms.
You can easily able to identify that it’s not normal affection behavior of your feline, she is in heat and seeking a potential male cat.
3. Sudden Need to Escape
As we know, indoor felines like to stay at one place and save their energy by taking a powerful nap, but when your feline is in her estrous period i.e. she is in heat.
At that time, your feline pal will search for a male cat for mating.
There are high chances that she will try to escape from the house in search of a potential suitor. This sudden instinct of escaping is one of the signs, that your unspayed feline is seeking mating.
What Age Can Male Cats Can Breed?
Toms reaches his sexual maturity, same as the age of female feline i.e. around four to six months, mostly near when he is six months old.
In addition, there are exceptional cases male cats reach their sexual maturity when he is eighteen month old.
Male cats don’t go into the heat like queens, but you can identify when your tom is going to mate by his behavior.
For instance, smelly urine, urine marking, seeking mate, aggression, etc.
How Do I Know if My Cat Has Mated?
Many pet parents have this question because they have not spayed her feline and there is might chance that she is expecting.
Generally, your feline will show the signs of pregnancy after a few days of mating, but it’s not necessary that whenever she mates she will get pregnant.
You can predict when your feline is going to mate with her passionate behavior.
Such as she will groom herself more, will be more vocal than usual, moan or meow more when she is in her estrous cycle.
What Happens if Sibling Cats Mate?
Just like other mammals, mating is the basic instinct for cats.
A male cat gets the hint when the female cat goes into the heat through her body language.
He can make out and follow her to pass on his genes.
According to the survey, it has been observed that female cats avoid inbreeding.
But, when she is in the estrous cycle, and no other male cat is there for mating.
Then there are high chances, that she will mate with her sibling.
When feline mates with a sibling, she gives birth to healthy kittens only, without any health or genetic issues.
With luck, babies will have all physical traits with no deficiency.
However, there are cases where kittens are born with genetic issues.
So, it’s not like that every time a feline will give birth to a healthy kitten when she mates with the same genes.
What Age Is Safe for a Cat to Get Pregnant?
Generally, from around four months of age, your feline reaches her sexual maturity and is capable of breeding and giving birth to new lives.
Hence, it’s better to neuter your feline when she is four-month-old to prevent unwanted pregnancy at such early age.
Furthermore, the safest age for your feline to get pregnant is when she is one and a half or two-year-old, i.e. 18-24 months old.
At this age, she will be ready to carry a healthy kitten, and capable of giving birth to a healthy baby.
Plus, there are fewer chances of facing any health consequences.
Conclusion
Let’s look at a quick summary about how old do cats have to be to get pregnant?
To eliminate the doubt of clouds, we have given insight information that helps you to keep updated, and know when your feline should get pregnant.
For instance, felines go into their first heat around six-month-old.
And in many rare cases, they experience their first estrous cycle around four-month-old.
In addition, we have also covered signs that your feline indicates when she is in heat, and seeking a mate.
A friendly tip of advice:-
You can spay or neuter your feline at an early age. If you don’t want her to face any health complications, unwanted pregnancy, at an early age.
In addition, it’s always a great option to seek your feline’s vet’s advice regarding your kitty’s health because they know better than you.
References:
- Cat pregnancy — International Cat Care
- Pregnancy and parturition in cats — VCA Hospitals
- Cat breeding — Vet West