How to calm a cat during spring?
The second way to calm an anxious pet in the spring is to give your cat special “anti-sex” pills during the period of heightened instincts. You can find them in almost every veterinary pharmacy. The drugs are divided into two groups: herbal drugs and hormonal tablets.
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What determines the maturation of an animal?
It is worth noting that it is impossible to say with absolute certainty that a cat begins to walk at 8 months , since, like in people, in cats this process occurs with individual characteristics, in which age is not the main indicator. It’s easier to focus on some general rules:
- The age of maturation depends on the breed, some of them cause earlier or later onset of sexual heat;
- This factor is also influenced by the structure of the skeleton; more fragile and graceful animals are earlier ready for reproduction;
- The time of birth also influences puberty; a cat reaches sexual maturity from a winter or spring litter as early as the next season, while later-born animals may take a little longer to mature;
- Cats kept in the most comfortable conditions are ready to give birth to offspring much earlier;
- An animal that finds itself in an environment consisting mainly of adult animals will itself mature faster;
- In many animals, the early search for satisfaction of their needs is explained by a common genetic predisposition.
In any case, when the age gets closer to a year, any animal will already begin to show signs indicating the onset of childbearing age.
The beginning of sexual heat in a cat
During the period of sexual activity, animals lose their appetite, they ask to go outside, literally break free. Cats are aggressive during this period; they can attack their owners or other cats. The unpleasant aspect is that there are marks all over the apartment that smell very unpleasant, and getting rid of this “aroma” is quite difficult.
How often do cats go for walks?
Estrus in cats occurs cyclically at intervals of 1-2 weeks. On average there are 2 heats per month. This applies to healthy animals that eat well throughout the spring and autumn season. Only pregnancy, pseudopregnancy and illness disrupt the periodicity.
A deviation from the norm is considered if cats begin asking for a cat for the first time earlier than 5 months or later than 1.5 years.
Old age does not prevent a cat from wanting a cat. Felines do not have menopause because they do not have periods (menstruation). Therefore, fertility (from a physiological point of view, the ability to reproduce offspring) can only decrease, but not stop. But giving birth in old age has a negative impact on health. Even professional breeders breed their dogs until they are 5 years old and then sterilize them.
Mating a cat with a cat: how animals behave and what the owner should do
It is best to carry out mating in the cat's territory. This will not give him the opportunity to subsequently resort to his “wife” unplanned. This is also due to the psychological reasons for the “male” insolvency and nervousness of a cat who finds himself in an unfamiliar place.
For transportation, it is better to use a bag familiar to the animal, take with you a tray with filler, a bowl of food, which should be enough for 3-5 days. “Marriage” in cats, unlike dogs, can take not several hours, but several days until the animals get used to each other. This is also necessary for a greater likelihood of pregnancy. Therefore, the time must be determined in advance, preferably 3-4 days from the onset of estrus.
Flirting between a cat and a cat can be unusual for first-time owners. Outwardly, it looks like this: the cat runs away from its partner, attracts him by meowing, but at the same time hisses when he tries to approach him. An experienced cat is already familiar with this behavior. He presses his partner to the floor, grabs the scruff of the neck with his teeth and does his job (“mounting”).
Mating lasts several seconds, at the end the cat makes a uterine sound and tries to throw off the partner. Then it is advisable for the cat to quickly retreat, otherwise he may “get caught.”
An indicator of a successful mating is that the cat begins to roll around on the floor, showing by its appearance that it is receiving pleasure. After the “marriage” comes the idyll of family life – the cat licks his partner, they lie down “in an embrace”. It is worth giving them a day or two for family life.
Despite the fact that pregnancy can occur the first time, it is worth giving the opportunity to repeat mating.
Manifestations of physical maturity
Once they reach puberty, cats begin to behave much more aggressively than male cats. This is expressed in loud screams at night, damage to furniture and wallpaper, and marks throughout the habitat of an animal that has reached a dangerous age. During the period of estrus, the urine of an animal acquires a very pungent and unpleasant odor , it is almost impossible to get rid of it - these are very clear signs of the cat’s puberty. In addition, the beast constantly updates its marks.
The behavior of an animal depends quite strongly on the presence of competitors near it. The more aggressors around, the more nervous the cat began to behave. He hisses and grumbles threateningly, his games resemble hunting.
A loud voice is one way to show rivals who is boss in the house, especially if two animals are in a one-on-one duel.
It should be noted that in addition to being a threat to competitors, cat cries may not be a very good sign. This behavior may be a consequence of the formation of kidney stones in the pet , and not because it has reached a certain age. The sharp edges painfully wound the animal from the inside, causing it to literally scream in pain. That is why any pet’s complaints should be treated carefully and not confuse estrus with a serious problem.
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Mating rules
Those who want to breed animals or simply make easy money from purebred kittens should understand that the process of mating a cat and a cat is far from simple. To carry out mating correctly, you must have sufficient knowledge and skills in the field of genetics, zoology, as well as legal subtleties for registering offspring or possible problems with pregnancy and childbirth.
There are basic mistakes that non-professional breeders can make:
- Choosing the right partner. It is better to select a manufacturing partner in advance, or preferably several possible partners, because One cat may not like the cat. Then all efforts will come to naught, and time will be lost. All conditions and nuances are discussed with the owners of potential partners. For pedigree breeding, it is better to contact a professional club, and not select from advertisements. Since random incidents may arise with some clogging of the rock. The main indicators here are:
- absence of close relatives at least up to the third generation;
- Assessment of appearance should be carried out, in addition to health, by color. It is important to understand what color fur to expect in kittens. This is where knowledge of feline genetics comes in handy;
- It is important to choose a partner with a suitable blood type. Cats have only three of them: A, B and A/B. You cannot breed cats of groups A and B. This will entail the possibility of the birth of unhealthy offspring.
- Some cat breeds are incompatible with each other, but breeders often experiment.
- Care before mating. The main thing is the health of the animal. It is necessary to organize proper nutrition and maintenance of both the cat and the cat. Vaccination against various infections (rabies, feline distemper, rhinotracheitis, calcivirosis), fungal and “venereal” diseases (chlamydia, lichen), deworming (getting rid of worms) is mandatory. Vaccination is carried out once a year, and deworming is carried out once every three months. The latter must be done 10 days before the scheduled mating day. Afterwards, it is not recommended to carry out any medical measures.
- Diet of cats and cats. An overfed or underfed animal is alarming if you want to have kittens; complications during pregnancy and childbirth are possible. When preparing in advance, you need to add vitamins to your usual diet.
- Keeping the animal. It is necessary to ensure peace, absence of drafts and temperature changes.
Preparation for mating includes bringing the animals into a satisfactory state:
- Trim claws;
- Wash with zoo shampoo, but no less than 3-5 days before mating. Otherwise, the smell of shampoo may scare away your partner.
Preparing for mating has not only physiological, but also psychological meaning, both for the pet and for its owners. The agreed cost of mating can be equal to one kitten, or paid financially, possibly in installments (before mating and after the birth of kittens).
Estrus: signs that a cat is ready for mating
Based on the characteristics of feline physiology, when sexual desire occurs in cats, there is no longer any bleeding. But before this, the heat can be noticed. Depending on climatic conditions, the psychology of the animal, interaction with relatives, the intervals between estrus can range from two weeks to several months (3-6 months, no more).
Estrus takes 5-10 days. In the first days, the animal becomes affectionate, often rubbing against its legs. Although there are reverse reactions, the cat becomes aggressive and somewhat agitated. External manifestations are slightly swollen genitals, curvature in the lumbar region, bending of the front legs and a raised tail.
After 2-5 days from the start of estrus, the cat is ready for mating. These days, she shows her desire with all her appearance, calls for the cat, and when stroking it takes a “comfortable” pose - she falls on her front paws, raises her croup and moves her tail to the side. This is an indicator of the animal’s readiness for “marriage.”
At this time, the cat may refuse to eat, but the number of trips to the toilet increases.
Cats can, when they desire, not only make sounds that are unpleasant to the human ear, but also “mark” their territory and use various things for “pleasure.”
It is better to breed no more than three times within two years.
Medicines for cats
Owners can defeat the natural instincts of their pets and give them medications to drink. There are a great many of them on sale. It is advisable to consult a veterinarian before use. The easiest way to give a cat is drops that suppress sexual desire. The tablets can be crushed and added to food. There is no clear answer to the question: do medications affect the health of pets? All of them are aimed at regulating hormones in animals. It is not recommended to give drugs frequently, it is better as needed. Many tablets are made on the basis of natural ingredients, mint is added, which makes the process of feeding the cat these tablets easier.
Castration should be carried out if there are no plans to have offspring in the future.