How many kittens and how long does a cat carry them. Important questions for a breeder: how much a cat gives birth for the first time and then, what affects the number

Every person who lives next to cats knows how wise they are and how mysterious their world is. Despite its independence, the cat knows exactly at what moments the participation of a person in its affairs is absolutely necessary.

One of these periods is childbirth, which she perceives as something dangerous for her life. Therefore, at home, many cats literally ask and demand that the owner be next to her, because the first kitten is about to be born, and perhaps the next ones after him.

How many kittens a cat bears, for how long and what helps her bear healthy offspring - these are far from idle questions that the owners of these cute animals want to know the answers to.

cat pregnancy period

Scientific studies have shown that pregnancy in a cat consists of five stages. Depending on what breed the cat is, it will bear offspring from 58 to 72 days. So, for short-haired individuals, this period is 58-68 days, and cats with long hair should bear babies from 62 to 72 days.

A relationship has also been established between how long the pregnancy lasts and the number of future offspring. If a cat has one or two kittens to be born, then it will take longer to bear them than five or more kittens.

Signs of pregnancy in a cat

The onset of pregnancy in cats is not difficult to determine if you know the main signs of its manifestation:

• the cat's behavior changes, it becomes less active (immediately in the first week);
• the next two weeks, the animal may vomit (especially in the morning). This condition passes after a few days, but sleep and eat a cat now there will be more than usual;
• in the third week, her nipples turn pink and swell. A veterinarian with experience can determine the pregnancy of a cat for a period of 20 days, although the size of the kitten at this stage does not exceed the size of a peanut.

Stages of pregnancy

1. At 30-31 days, the cat's tummy becomes noticeable, since the length of the future kitten already reaches 3-3.5 cm.
2. At 5-6 weeks of gestation, when the embryos have descended into the abdominal cavity, you can try to guess how much the cat bears kittens.
3. Approximately from the 42nd to the 50th day, the active development of the embryos takes place, that is, already in the seven-week period, you can (very carefully) feel the head of the kitten with your hand and feel the movement of the baby. At the same time the cat's appetite is noticeably deteriorating, she becomes restless and begins to choose a quiet place where kittens will soon be born. With a light stroke, you can determine how many babies will appear, especially if there are more than two kittens.
4. After the 50th day, the kittens show tangible activity in the kitty's tummy. She herself is often restless and may have urinary incontinence. At that time owners need to be patient and attentive to everything that happens to their pet. After all, better than she herself, no one knows how much time remains before the birth. About a day before they start, she will actively look for a secluded place, and the owners of the cat must prepare everything necessary for the appearance of babies.

Preparing for childbirth

The first thing to do is to try to stay at home with the cat on the expected day of delivery. Next you need to prepare:

After the birth of the last kitten, the box is covered with clean diapers and half-covered from above to allow the cat to rest.

It should be noted that if the cat does not give birth on time, this will automatically increase the risk of the birth of a sick or non-viable kitten.

If the cat was properly cared for during pregnancy, she is healthy and the birth ended successfully, then most often 3 kittens are born. From the statistics it follows:

1. If cats give birth for the first time, then they will have smaller offspring than in subsequent offspring. The first birth usually takes longer. Moreover, after the birth of the first kitten, 10-15 minutes pass and the next baby appears (however, this interval cannot be more than 2 hours). The duration of labor is on average 2-6 hours. In very rare cases, it reaches 1-1.5 days.
2. In cats giving birth again, the offspring will be significantly larger than in the first birth. A separate topic is late pregnancy and childbirth in cats older than 8 years. Veterinarians consider this condition to be dangerous for her because of the overbearing of kittens, which happens often at this age. The worst thing is that the cubs can be born inanimate.

Newborn kittens

A newborn kitten does not see or hear for about ten days, but he has a well-developed sense of smell and touch, which is necessary when searching for the nipple of a mother cat.

On average, babies weigh 57-115 grams, with an average length of 10-12 cm. Already on the fourth day kitten paws massages mother's belly to get enough milk. And by the end of the first week, his eyes open (by the age of three weeks he will see well) and his weight doubles. When a kitten turns one month old, its milk teeth grow, and in five-month-old fluffies, milk teeth are replaced by permanent ones.

At the age of one month, you can cook minced meat for kittens and feed them little by little. Only Be sure to monitor the freshness of food and water. for drinking. It must be available and in the required quantity.

The most interesting begins at the end of the first month, when the kitten already knows how to sit and move confidently. Plus, you can play with it a little. If there are several kittens in the litter, then all of them are together in their nest and do not go anywhere from there. So, it continues until they are 1.5 months old.

If the need arises, the cat, carefully holding the kitten by the scruff, can move it to another place. She will do the same to him when the time comes. teach him many vital rules and how to take care of yourself. Having reached the age of 6 months, the kitten ceases to depend on the mother.

Care and affection are very important for fluffy babies, as both of these factors influence the formation of their character. Experts recommend taking a kitten into the house when he is about 8 weeks old. By this time, he already has 26 milk teeth, and his weight is 700-800 grams. Mother cats part with their cubs calmly, but if they still look for a kitten, then after making sure that he is not around, they finally calm down.

Conclusion

After the cat has become pregnant, the owner needs to follow simple recommendations care for her during this period.

1. It is not necessary for a pregnant cat to be vaccinated and give her any medication.
2. From 2 to 7 weeks, it is necessary to increase her usual diet by 1.5-2 times.
3. Starting from the 7th week, on the contrary, the amount of food should be reduced by one meal, and feeding should be three or five times a day. Nutrients to include in food:

• proteins;
• vitamins;
• mineral elements.

How much and in what ratio a cat should receive healthy nutrition during pregnancy is better to find out at a veterinarian's appointment. Indeed, at this time, the proper development and safe birth of kittens depends on her health.

Scientific studies confirm the fact that there is an inverse relationship between how long the pregnancy lasts and the number of kittens in the litter. The fewer babies, the longer they need to be carried and vice versa. The gestation period for different breeds is also slightly different and ranges from 58 to 72 days.

When the owner of a cat decides to get offspring from her, he has a lot of questions related to bearing, the characteristics of childbirth, the number of future offspring. Experiencing tender feelings for the cat and being responsible for her health, the owner wants to protect the pet as much as possible during the difficult and responsible period of the first pregnancy. So, we arm ourselves with useful information.

About the pregnancy period in cats

In these pets, it lasts 9 weeks. Depending on the breed, individual characteristics, a cat bears offspring from 58 to 72 days. It is noticed that in short-haired pets, the gestation period is shorter - 58-68 days. Longhair and semi-longhair cats carry offspring for 63-72 days. There is also a direct relationship between the duration of pregnancy and the number of future kittens. The more of them, the sooner they appear. That is, a cat will bear two kittens longer than five. However, the smaller the offspring, the healthier it is. At the birth of 5-7 kittens, it is likely that not all will survive.

If the owner planned mating, then he knows exactly what gestational age his pet is. And when the cat took a walk unplanned, then in the first weeks it is difficult to guess about the new incarnation of the pet. Pregnancy will become noticeable in the second half, when the stomach is already rounded, the cat will sleep longer, it will become much calmer. A few days before the birth, she may stop eating altogether, drinking only water.

An attentive owner a week before the expected birth should prepare a nest for the cat. This is the name of a box or box with low sides, which must be covered with an old sheet or towel. The cat should get used to the "maternity hospital", spend several days in it.

On the eve of childbirth, firstborn cats behave restlessly, constantly rubbing against the owner, as if calling for help. As a rule, healthy cats cope with the task of reproducing offspring into the world on their own. But the owner is simply obliged to support mommy, caress her, stroke her.

How many kittens can a cat give birth to?

A young fold cat gives birth to fewer kittens than a mature one. Usually it is 2-3 kittens. It happens that one, if the cat became pregnant at a too young age (5-6 months). In this case, the offspring may not be viable at all.

In rare cases (with good genetics, nutrition, care), a young mother can bring 4-6 kittens at a time.

Cats in their prime are able to please the owner with a litter of three or eight kittens. By the way, records have been recorded for the birth of 14-15 babies at a time. But such champions, as a rule, are not viable due to their low weight. Yes, and mother simply can not feed them. If a cat brings 6-8 kittens at a time, then it is likely that within 3 days one or two of them will die. The strongest in the offspring is the baby who was born first.

Experienced cat lovers can determine how many kittens a future mother will bring by eye. Novice cat breeders are not recommended to try to feel the belly of the expectant mother in order to determine the number of offspring. So you can injure the kittens and make the cat nervous.

The future mother will bring as many kittens as her mother usually gave birth to. And if she was prolific, then it is likely that 6-8 kittens will appear in your cat. So take an interest in the genetics of the pet.

Veterinary statistics show that with each subsequent pregnancy, the number of offspring may increase. As for childbirth in aging cats (over 8 years old), they can be risky. It is possible to carry offspring, the birth of non-viable kittens, sometimes even dead ones. There will be much fewer of them in the offspring than in cats of childbearing age. In general, after 8 years, cats should no longer be allowed to become pregnant.

Babies are born weighing 57-115 grams. Their average length is 10-11 cm. On the fourth day, the kittens are already able to massage their mother's stomach in order to get enough milk. After a week, their eyes open, they begin to hear. At the age of one month, the first teeth appear in the offspring. It is from this period that veterinarians advise feeding kittens.

Among furry friends there are those who were recognized as the most-most. Your attention - one and a half dozen favorites, which are known throughout the world for their special features. Some of the cats have six toes on their paws, and some have a condition that some businessmen can envy.

The shortest

Munchkins are a rare cat breed with short legs. The breed was not bred artificially, they appeared due to a mutation. Otherwise, they are also called “kangaroo cats” and “dachshund cats”. They confidently sit on their hind legs, and use the tail to maintain balance. They like dogs to walk on a leash. They are gentle and sociable and easily make friends with children.

The most evil

Grumpy Cat, known by the meme "Grumpy Cat" is a cat that has become a celebrity due to its unusual appearance. The owner's brother posted a photo of the cat on Reddit. The hostess says that this appearance is associated with congenital dwarfism and slightly malocclusion.

The heaviest

Cat Garfield lived for a long time with his mistress in New York. Weighing the cat showed that Garfield weighs over 18 kilograms! Thus, a hefty cat became the heaviest in the world. Animal activists took the cat out of the house because they thought that his owner was deliberately overfeeding the animal.

The rarest

The serval is a close relative of wild animals, including the lynx and caracal. Its coloration is more like a cheetah - dark spots and stripes on gray-yellow. it has the highest legs and ears of any feline. The head is small.

The most six-fingered

The so-called polyactive cats were adored by Ernest Hemingway and Theodore Roosevelt. Today it is the Pix-Bob breed. The cat can not only look at the ball, but also take it in the paw completely.

The most wry-eared

Cat Elf - like a fantastic creature with crooked ears. The body is almost naked, and the breed is very rare. The population has only ten inhabitants of America. Weight varies from three to six kilograms. These cats are very smart. They were registered recently, so it is still unknown what the average duration of the Elves is.

The tallest

The highest cat of the Savannah breed is called Trouble. He lives in California and has a height at the withers - 48 centimeters. Weighs nine kilograms, can weigh 15 kg.

The smallest

His name is Mr. Pibbles and he lives in Illinois. Its length is 15 cm. This is not a special breed, but a genetic defect, due to which the cat stopped growing. Now he is calmly resting in an ordinary glass.

The loudest

The loudest Merlin comes from Great Britain. He purrs so loudly that the hostess does not watch TV and does not speak on the phone in his presence: he is very annoying. The purr of the domestic cat Merlin has been compared to the growl of a wild lion in the African savannah. The volume is over 100 decibels.

The most fluffy

Colonel Meow was measured by three veterinarians at once. They agreed that the length of the hairs is 23 centimeters. The owner brushes it several times a week, but her California home is still full of wool.

The longest

The cat that broke the length record died in 2012 from kidney cancer. Its length was 123 centimeters.

The cleverest

The smart cat was the Azerbaijani Messi, who, unfortunately, also died. He knew how to say his name, greet and say goodbye. Also answered simple questions.

The richest

The richest cat has a fortune of ten million euros. His mistress was an Italian widow. There were no children, so she made her favorite heir.

The most bald

The Canadian Sphynx or “Mooncat” is a hairless breed, the result of a natural mutation that results in a lack of coat. For those with allergies, this breed is perfect. Such cats were spoken about in antiquity - in documents and on objects of art. It is believed that they lived in temples during the time of the Aztecs, and helped to communicate with the gods.

Most defunct

Cats of this "breed" called Usher were sold at huge prices for several years. They tried to buy kittens by appointment a year in advance. She was declared as the most domestic cat, similar to a leopard in color. The breed was allegedly bred by Lifestyle Pets. Ashera is a breed of cats that did not exist. A few years after active sales, a fraudulent scam was revealed. The false creator once purchased Savannah kittens, ran an advertising campaign and came up with a legend. Savannah itself is rare.

Weighs 23 kilos with a length of 69 centimeters

Cats are amazing and mysterious creatures in every way. They never cease to amaze us with their cunning tricks, intelligence, independence and beauty. Each of them is unique and inimitable, but among the representatives of these animals there are real world champions. If the owners of such amazing creatures decide to declare them in the Guinness Book of Records, miracle cats become real celebrities. Below we will talk about some of them.

The longest cat

Until 2010, Stewie, a representative of (as you might guess) the Maine Coon breed, was officially considered the longest of his fellows living on Earth. This cat from the US state of Nevada measured just over 123 cm in length, beating the figure of the previous Guinness World Record hero, whose length was "only" 121 cm.

It didn’t even occur to the owners of the giant cat that their pet was the longest in the world until they succumbed to the numerous requests of acquaintances and friends and turned to representatives of the Guinness Book of Records with a proposal to measure the five-year-old Stewie from nose to tail.

Four years ago, Stewie, unfortunately, died of cancer, and so far no one can beat his record. In September 2016, the Maine Coon Ludo from Wakefield (Britain) was officially recognized as the longest living cat in the world, but its length is only 118 cm.

The smallest cat

The smallest cat in the world is a Munchkin named Fizz Girl. This two-year-old baby from San Diego (USA) has a height of 15.24 cm. This indicator is measured from the floor to the withers of the animal.

The Munchkin is a breed that resulted from a mutation. Its representatives have very short paws, due to which cats have unusually short stature, as, for example, among dogs - dachshunds. The Fiz Gyol record was registered on July 23, 2010, but was officially announced a little later.

The fattest cat

The largest cat on the planet, according to the Guinness Book of Records, was considered Himmi from Australia, the pet of a resident of Queensland, Thomas Wise. Her weight was 21.3 kg. At the age of ten, the record holder died, and at the moment our compatriot, a Siamese cat with the unpretentious name Katie, is claiming her place.

This five-year-old fatty from the Urals weighs 23 kilograms and, with a length of 69 cm, looks like a real fluffy ball. Katie's waist circumference is 70 cm, and her mustache is 15 cm long. Rumor has it that Katie usually eats about 200 g of meat for dinner, and that's not counting fish for breakfast and dry food and dairy products during the day.

The oldest cat

In the issue of longevity, it is very difficult to recognize the record holder, because every now and then the applicants change.

Three years ago, the oldest cat in the world died in England. Poppy, a Dorset pet, died of an infection at the age of 24 years and 4 months. The owners buried the pet in the garden next to other cats that had previously lived with them. The consolation for them was that their Poppy managed to get into the Guinness Book of Records before her death and her name is now known to the whole world.

Soon, Poppy's place in the section of the oldest living cats was taken by a representative of the Burmese breed named Catalina from the Australian city of Melbourne. She was born in 1977.

The most overgrown cat from those who lived earlier was officially recognized as Lucy, who reached 39 years old. In terms of human age, she died at about 172 years of age. Until the last days, the old woman regularly caught mice in the master's garden, although in the last years of her life she had already practically lost her hearing.

In second place in terms of life expectancy is the cat Cream Puff from the US state of Texas, who died at the age of 38.

The most famous mothers with many children

Back in 1952, a record was set for the largest number of kittens born from the same cat. The mother-heroine was recognized as Tabby from Texas, who gave birth to a total of 420 babies in her entire life.

But the largest litter (the number of kittens born to a cat at a time) was registered by representatives of the Guinness Book of Records on August 7, 1970. A four-year-old Burmese cat named Antigone from the UK gave birth to 19 kittens. True, only 15 of them survived - one girl and 14 boys.

The oldest cat mother of many children was officially recognized as 30-year-old Kitty, who also lived in the UK. During her last birth, the old woman gave birth to only two kittens, which, however, is not surprising for such a respectable age. But in her entire life she gave birth to 218 babies.

The hardiest cats

The fact that the mustachioed-striped nine lives, it seems, is not just a saying. The record for the most famous fall from a height, which ended safely, was set by Andy's cat. She fell off the 16th floor of a residential building and survived. However, for sure this is not the only such case - just not every owner, whose cats make such flights and survive, comes to mind to trumpet about the happy fall of the pet to the whole world.

And in 1999, a cat was discovered in Taiwan, which can rightfully be considered a champion in survival. She was found under the rubble of a destroyed building 80 days after the famous earthquake.

Dear readers!

The most important and legitimate question. Usually puberty in an animal occurs at the age of 8-9 months. And now she will be able to become pregnant and bear offspring, but this refers to risk factors, because. the body is still too young.

big litter

And if in the natural environment we cannot influence this fact in any way, then pets are recommended not to mate until 1 year old. It is even better to wait until 1.5 years, when the animal will be stronger and ready to bear full-fledged and healthy offspring. Usually primiparous cats carry and give birth to a small litter, this is 1-3 babies. This is explained by the not yet fully formed reproductive system. Older cats also give birth to few kittens, because. their reproductive function is already fading away. Well, healthy cats in their prime usually bring up to 6 kittens. Nature ordered that a cat has only 8 nipples, which means that it can feed no more than 8 cubs at the same time. But there are also exceptions to the rule. How many kittens a cat can give birth to a maximum is unknown, but there have been cases when cats give birth to more than 10 and even 12 babies.

Pregnancy in a cat

Usually a normal pregnancy lasts 63 days, +\- 2-3 days is allowed within the normal range. By the end of the first month of pregnancy, you can already feel the kittens in the cat's stomach. It's hard to say how many there are. Because the size of the babies barely reaches 3 cm.

Ultrasound procedure

Closer to the fifth week, the stomach becomes larger, but it is undesirable to probe it often and for a long time, because. kittens are already descending into the abdominal cavity. How long to wait for the kids, if you are very interested in this issue, you can contact the veterinarian, and he will do an ultrasound. Yes that's right. Animals, like people, do ultrasound. This procedure will not only confirm the presence of pregnancy, but also help you find out how many kittens a cat can give birth to.

Closer to the 6th week of pregnancy, you can observe how the stomach increases in size. And starting from the 7th week, with your hand on your stomach, you will feel the active movement of the babies. The last week of pregnancy is tiring for the expectant mother, her belly is large and heavy and she does not have the strength to move actively. At this time, she is looking for a place for herself to give birth and this is the time to think about where she will give birth and live until the kids grow up.

What determines the number of kittens

Is it possible to influence the number of kittens?

An interesting and logical question, because every owner of a cat, especially if she is purebred, wants to get a larger litter and predict its number and may affect its future number.

This is normal, since mating purebred cats is not a cheap pleasure. And the cost for the arrival of the groom can reach the amount of 10,000 Russian rubles, you see, the amount is not small. Usually payment occurs after the owner finds out about the pregnancy, but they can take money just for the visit of the cat. Then you need to ask such simple questions and, depending on the answers received, make a decision about mating.

• How often does a cat go for mating. The quantity and quality of his sperm depends on this. And in the future, this fact affects the birth of full-fledged offspring and its number.
• If there have already been matings, how many kittens were in the litter.
• How well is the cat eating?
• Does he have diseases of the genitourinary system.
• Is there such a disease as cryptorchidism.

How to prepare a cat for mating

Some veterinarians advise to increase the number of offspring before mating to pierce your pet with a course of the homeopathic preparation ovariovit. Its action lies in the restoration of ovarian function, the sexual cycle is also regulated and fertility is increased.

Gamavit - this drug has a positive effect on the eggs, gives strength to the body as a whole, has an immunostimulating effect.

Caring mother

Vitamin E in general has a positive effect on the reproductive system. You can not independently select drugs for the animal. Important! Consult with your veterinarian first, who will select the appropriate dosage and combination of drugs.

You can also prepare the cat for the upcoming mating. Vitamins of group B are well suited for him, after such a course, the activity and endurance of the body are noted, which will positively affect future offspring.

What is better infertile or multiple pregnancy

Usually breeders are far from welcoming multiple pregnancies. This is fraught with waste from a financial point of view, but it is also not safe for the physical health of the cat. A large number of children will tire the mother, they all need to be fed, and if there is not enough milk, you will have to buy mixtures - this is already a considerable waste item.

If the pregnancy is infertile, there is a risk of ruptures during childbirth with a variety of consequences. Also, the kitten can get stuck in childbirth and have to do an emergency caesarean section. Excess milk can lead to mastitis.

The golden mean is good in everything, and in the birth of kittens too.