For the sake of healthy Scottish Fold offspring, pet owners should take care that the breeding of Scottish cats is done correctly. To do this, owners of male cats need to know the basic rules for crossbreeding, when and how animals are mated, with whom to mate, how mating occurs and possible difficulties, and also take into account the degree of responsibility that the owner of the male bears.
Breeders do not recommend mating two fold-eared cats - carriers of the same gene, as this leads to early death of kittens and severe hereditary defects.
General rules for crossing
In order for the mating of Scottish cats to be successful and the offspring to be born healthy, owners should know the following mating rules:
- Check the veterinary documents and pedigree of the Scottish breeding dogs (applies to both owners).
- Animals should be shown to a veterinarian, who will confirm or deny hidden physical defects of the individual.
- Complete a course of deworming and vaccination.
- Do not bathe the Scotsman before mating, so that the individual scent remains.
- The first mating should take place when the female reaches 1 year, but not later, otherwise she will refuse to produce offspring at all.
- The mating territory is preferred by the cat.
- Do not leave animals unattended or the cat alone with the male for several days.
At what age and how to knit?
Features of a cat
During heat, the animal may roll on the floor.
A Scottish female is considered sexually mature when she reaches 8-9 months, but it is advisable to start crossing at the age of 1 year. By this time, British cats begin to go into estrus, which is divided into 3 stages - proestrus, estrus and diestrus. The most successful stage is considered to be estrus, when the female’s body has the correct hormonal level and the reproductive cells are ready for fertilization. During this period, the cat secretes a colorless liquid from the genitals, which should not contain blood. The pet becomes very affectionate, rubbing against furnishings and the owner, leaving odorous marks that only the cat can detect. He falls on his front paws, arches his back and raises his butt high, moving his tail to the side. Makes purring sounds or screams piercingly, and can roll invitingly on the floor.
Features of a cat
The Scotsman matures at the age of 7-12 months. Changes in behavior indicate that cats are asking for a female. The pet becomes aggressive, bites and scratches the owner, screams loudly and demandingly, and damages upholstered furniture. A distinctive feature when it’s time to take a cat out is that he marks the room. The smell of urine during this period becomes very pungent. The animal turns to the furniture or wall, splashes urine and finely shakes its tail. If such signs are noticeable in animals, it is recommended to introduce them to a couple, since this period is favorable for mating.
DO YOU NEED THIS?
Now let's abstract a little from the issue of reproduction and ask ourselves: does your cat and you specifically need it? The fact is that if the cat is a mestizo or her breed characteristics are expressed so-so, it is better to think about sterilization. What is the point of breeding low-quality offspring, which will also be difficult to sell?
But even if the cat is of high quality and you would like to get offspring from it, desire alone is not enough. To officially breed kittens, you need to have a pedigree. Otherwise, you will not be able to confirm the breed to buyers. If there is a pedigree, the cat must be shown at an exhibition so that it receives expert assessments. Only after this can she be allowed to become a mother.
In addition, if you understand that fussing with kittens is not your thing, and you decided to have a cat only because it’s the norm, you should think about another option. By another option, we mean sterilization, rather than enduring concerts or taking hormonal medications. Both are very harmful to health, because... unproduced hormones accumulate in the body and lead to terrible diseases. And a cat, deprived of ovaries that produce sex hormones, stops suffering and begins to live a quiet life.
Who is better to knit with?
To prevent the offspring from being sick, the pet's partner must be straight-eared.
To protect the offspring from genetic abnormalities, it is recommended to cross a fold-eared cat with a pet whose breed is Scottish Straight (straight-eared). Such a union produces offspring with hanging and straight ears. It is impossible for a British cat to be mated with a Scotsman; the animals must be of the same breed. Long-haired folds are allowed for crossing. If you mate a cat with an ordinary straight-eared cat, then such an animal will not produce purebred kittens. In addition to age and external characteristics, partners are selected by color. The shade of the coat must be strictly within the standard. If you still want to marry a British woman with Scots, then you should select individuals according to the “Scottish” type. They are matched with a Briton who has small cheeks, a thin tail without kinks, an elongated body, slender legs, and a golden or silver coat.
During estrus, the breeding Scottish Fold should be isolated from other pets so that it does not “play around” with an ordinary cat.
When to castrate a Scottish Fold cat
Very often, a furry friend is created without the goal of breeding it. Having reached puberty, cats begin to mark their territory, and to avoid this, they are castrated. The question arises at what age can one be castrated? This should not be delayed.
It is optimal to castrate a Scottish cat at 7-9 months. If the operation is not performed in time, the mature kitten will experience discomfort from the inability to satisfy its natural desires.
A Scottish Fold cat should be castrated in a specialized clinic, regardless of how many months the procedure is performed. Castration of a cat takes place quite quickly, however, it must be performed under general anesthesia. During the operation, incisions are made in the male's scrotum and, using clamps on the spermatic cords, the testicles are removed.
No special care is required for your pet after surgery. However, care must be taken to ensure that the cat does not lick the wounds and thereby tear the stitches; this can harm the pet’s health.
How does mating happen?
Due to a change in environment, your pet may experience stress.
Before mating a Scottish Fold cat with a male cat for the first time, breeders recommend introducing the animals. The female is brought to the male's territory after the start of estrus and left for 3-5 days. After this period, the sexual instinct fades away and it will not be possible to mate the animals. After the acquaintance, when the animals have become friends, the cat jumps on the cat’s back, bites the withers with its teeth and copulates with it. The process lasts several minutes, after which the cat leaves the cat. The female licks the genitals and calms down. To achieve pregnancy, sexual intercourse is repeated several times.
A Bengal cat is in heat
Features of estrus in a Bengal:
- Readiness for “covering” occurs from 5 to 8 months of life
- The first mating should be carried out after 3 heats
- The frequency of estrus is once every 2-3 months
- If there is no mating, the animal bleeds every 2 weeks
- Duration of estrus 5-8 days
What are the difficulties?
It happens that young Scots do not quite understand how the process should work. The cat rolls the cat on the floor, positioning itself on different sides of the body. In this case, the owners must help the pets take the correct position. It happens that a cat is afraid of a new place or a cat, so the owner should be attentive and affectionate, and not put pressure on the pet. In a stressful situation, a cat may refuse to mate altogether. Also, partners may become too attached to each other and no longer accept other animals. If one of the partners is already bred, but the previous crossing was incorrect or associated with negative emotions, the partner develops fear due to the shade of the coat or eyes. Therefore, you should find another pair for such pets.
Offspring
A cat is capable of giving birth to 5–6 kittens 2–4 times a year.
All kittens are born with straight ears. “Sagging”, that is, the formation of a fold in 50% of kittens begins from the 21st day of life, if the parents are selected correctly. At this time, it is determined which type of breed - straight-eared or fold-eared - each kitten belongs to.
Those of them whose ears remain straight have all the features of the Scots with the exception, of course, of the ear fold. Scottish Straight cats do not take part in exhibitions, but they are necessary for the continuation of the breed (see above).
Kittens grow quickly. From 3 months, their body, legs and head become elongated, which does not look very attractive. But by the age of 8 months, the appearance of the pets becomes harmonious. And by the age of 3, cats are fully formed.
Who is responsible?
Since crossbreeding takes place mainly on the territory of the cat, its owner is responsible for the situation. It should provide a warm and comfortable room, as well as a small cage through which the pets will look closely at each other until they become friends. To prevent the cat from receiving psychological trauma, the cat’s owner should talk to her affectionately, stroke her, but not be intrusive. It is not recommended to leave animals alone to avoid fighting, which could cause the cats to be injured. The owner of the female is also responsible for providing the pet with a tray, bed, dishes and tray, which he brings to the new place.
Rules for keeping expectant mothers
Requirements are similar to those of males. The owner is obliged:
- provide the animal with adequate nutrition;
- introduce vitamins and microelements, calcium and folic acid are especially important;
- maintain a normal weight for your pet (obese or malnourished animals are unlikely to become pregnant);
- do not overload the body with frequent pregnancies: twice a year is enough;
- monitor exercise: active physical activity will make the cat stronger, and pregnancy and childbirth itself will be easier;
- do not forget about education: only a well-bred mother can instill in kittens the basics of good behavior.
In addition, even before mating, the cat should be assessed by experts who will highlight its advantages, identify disadvantages, check the compatibility of two lines and, based on this data, help find a good sire. If you ignore the rule and do not receive a “ticket to breed,” then the kittens born are unlikely to be recognized as purebred.
