A female's fertility is influenced by various factors, such as breed, age, weight, and health. However, the usual number of kittens a cat can give birth to is eight. Sometimes the pet brings small offspring - one or two cubs, but there are also rare cases when their number goes beyond ten. On average, mother cats with many children give birth to 6–8 kittens at a time.
What affects how many kittens a cat gives birth to?
Features of a cat
- Genetic predisposition
The number of future newborns is influenced, first of all, by the genetic characteristics of the cat. In this case, you can judge by her mother: if the mother of your pet was fertile and gave birth to large offspring, then there is a high probability of such a scenario in the case of your cat. On the contrary, if your pet had few or no siblings, you probably don’t have to expect many babies.
- Age characteristics
The number of babies expected from a cat is greatly influenced by its age. Thus, a very young or an individual at too advanced an age is unlikely to bear large offspring. Such a cat can give birth to one or two kittens, in rare cases three.
- Number of births experienced
A cat who is expecting her first birth will most likely become the mother of one or two babies, sometimes three. A cat that has given birth more than once usually produces the same offspring as in previous births.
- Quality of content
The fertility of an expectant mother may vary depending on the conditions in which she is kept. Thus, a cat living in warmth, coziness and comfort (a warm home with loving owners, a varied diet, attention and games is provided) is more likely to produce healthy and numerous offspring than an individual deprived of such conditions.
- Weight category
A cat of miniature size and light weight, even being at the most suitable age for procreation, is simply physically unable to give birth to a large number of kittens. On the contrary, a tall and well-fed cat can easily give birth to six or eight kittens, because her own weight and size are suitable for regular motherhood of many children.
- Health indicators
A female who has health problems is in most cases not ready to bear and give birth to several kittens. If she manages to get pregnant and give birth to healthy babies, most likely there will be no more than two.
The exact number of future kittens can be found out at a veterinarian's appointment after an ultrasound scan.
Features of a cat
The number of future offspring, of course, depends on both parents, their genetics, health, age, living conditions, and in the case of a father cat, the number of matings. Thus, a cat that inseminates more than four females within 12 months is unlikely to produce numerous offspring.
It is also important to take into account the age characteristics of the male: if he is not yet one and a half to two years old, then there is a possibility that the future parent is not yet mature enough for high-quality fertilization. Large offspring are not guaranteed for cats close to old age either.
The presence of chronic diseases, past illnesses and injuries can also affect the reproductive function of the father cat.
Breed influence
Of course, one of the key factors on which a cat’s fertility depends is its belonging to a particular breed.
Most often, the offspring of purebred cats are not as large as those of females living on the street. However, the number of cubs that purebred females give birth to can also vary from one to ten. On average, it is three to four kittens. Thus, a Burmese cat usually gives birth to two or three cubs, but a Siamese cat usually gives birth to four to eight kittens. Ask open sources or your veterinarian how many kittens are born from cats of a particular breed. If females of the breed to which your cat belongs tend to give birth to up to three kittens at a time, then you are unlikely to expect offspring of eight babies, and vice versa - be prepared for a large offspring if having many children is inherent in your cat according to the breed.
Theme for breeders. About matings.
At the seminar, the following topic was touched upon: “Can kittens of the same litter have different fathers if the cat was bred by several cats,” to which the reproductive doctor answered categorically “NO.” Although I doubt she is right, it seems to me that anything is possible. And this is what I found on the Internet about this:
“How does a free-range cat fit in?
A bunch of cats are gathering, that’s how many heard and smelled, everyone will be here. at least up to 10-15 per unfortunate lady. And they sit around the ladies - those who are higher in rank are closer, those who are lower - the second and third circle, with an approach not on the first day. And usually several cats knit it at once. One by one. With a break... well, with different breaks - minutes, tens of minutes, hours. we'll see how it goes. The first to knit is usually the main cat of this territory, and those who are bolder and more concerned. Maybe at first only one main cat will knit. the rest will be admitted when he rests.
Or not allowed, because the poor lady will finally wriggle out, quickly run away and hide somewhere in a hole to rest.
The second or third missed circle, waiting for the moment, can jump on each other out of excitement, grab each other by the collar - and have fun. By the way, cats have different attitudes. Some people really don’t like being grabbed like that... Then even a person won’t take them by the scruff of the neck - they will immediately fight back. And some don't mind. Moreover, I saw how such a young, low-ranking old-timer attacked a fairly high-ranking and strong newcomer - and he got away with it.
Well, what if a cat is bred by two or three cats in a row and at that time she is ready for fertilization? Theoretically, a mixture of sperm from different cats is provided for fertilization of eggs. Then it depends on chance and the stars. How the card will fall and the stars will align.
Yes, and eggs can mature at different times... And sperm can be of different activity and a lot more
I saw litter from two cats (well, it seemed to me) - by color. I think this happens often. And then the probability decreases. From three at once? I personally fully admit it, but in the form of rarities and natural coincidences. There are too many positions to combine. So your friend’s statement that if a cat is covered by 5 cats, then each will produce a kitten is incorrect.
A cat can have litters from different cats, but not necessarily from all the cats that bred it. I would say that this cannot be the case...or rather, the likelihood of this is extremely low if there are more than two or three cats.”
“A cat can become pregnant from every cat that breeds her. Or she may not get pregnant at all. That's how the card falls. But only one cat should breed a cat. Otherwise, the litter will end up with a streak and a bow on the side. Such marks are not subject to certification. Not. Well, if the cat is a “domestic” breed, then what difference does it make?” etc., these are statements from breeders.
Is it possible to influence the number of kittens in a litter?
In ordinary life, owners rarely seek to influence a mother cat in order to increase or decrease the number of future newborn kittens. However, this can be done - primarily with the help of special medications that can stimulate the cat to produce more eggs. Consultation with a specialist is required; any independent intervention can be dangerous for the cat.
The likelihood that a cat will be very fertile also increases if she is given vitamins - selenium and E. However, you cannot select vitamins and their dosage yourself; it is important to entrust this to an experienced specialist. Otherwise, there is a risk of harming the cat’s health, disrupting the functioning of its gastrointestinal tract and more.
Announcements on NN.RU - Home
Private master. I repair washing machines at home. I’ll arrive as quickly as possible, I take many spare parts with me, the amount of repairs is up to you. Price: 500 rub.
We work Mon-Sun, 08:00-22:00. Repair of household appliances with on-site service to any district of Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod region. We react. Price: 500 rub.
The case is well preserved. Condition in the photo. Price: 150 rub.
Monoblock ASUS ET2411INTI-B009C ([90pt00b1000100c] - Current configuration Monitor 23.6″ (59.9 cm), Full HD resolution 1920 x 1080. Price: 18,000 rub.
Source
How to determine and find out how many kittens a cat will have?
There are several ways to determine the number of kittens a cat will have in the future, as well as when they are already born in the womb.
- Find out about the mother
As already mentioned, one can quite accurately predict what the number of kittens a particular female will have based on data about her mother. By finding out how many brothers and sisters your pet had (how many her mother gave birth at one time), you can understand how many kittens the cat will have. Typically, the reproductive capabilities of a mother cat and her daughter are similar.
- Check your breasts
It is difficult to judge how accurate this method is, but many owners use it in everyday life. According to him, the number of kittens can be found out this way: count the swollen nipples of the expectant mother and subtract two from their number.
- Take it to the clinic for an ultrasound
This method, applied to a mother who is already carrying babies, is the most effective. An ultrasound examination in a veterinary clinic is usually done a couple of weeks before the planned birth, which allows you to accurately determine the number of future children.
Sometimes, in order to satisfy their curiosity, people try to independently determine the size of the cat's offspring in the womb by laying the cat on its back or side, touching the babies in the stomach. This should not be done under any circumstances - any wrong movement can harm the kittens and make their mother nervous. It is allowed to gently stroke a pregnant cat's belly if she asks for it.
How many kittens does a cat give birth to for the first time?
It is impossible to say exactly what kind of offspring to expect for the first time - a lot depends on the individual characteristics of the new mother. At the same time, according to the observations of veterinarians and breeders, usually the first litter is not numerous - from one to three kittens. Of course, there may be a larger number of kittens, but according to statistics, the first time a cat gives birth to as many cubs as the next, often even fewer.
Features of cat pregnancy
On average, pregnancy in a cat of any variety, be it British shorthair, Scottish fold or fluffy Persian, lasts 62-63 days. If an animal bears offspring and gives birth for the first time, the period may be shorter - 56-58 days. Multiple pregnancies often lead to premature birth, and when a mother cat is carrying one or two babies, she can walk in the position for the maximum period possible. In the latter case, the offspring are born healthier and larger than from a litter with many kittens. Kitting is also easier and faster for a cat, so a low-fertility pregnancy is preferable.
Minimum and maximum number of kittens for a cat
With the smallest number of kittens everything is simple. Yes, one baby is the “minimum” that can be expected from a future cat mother.
With the maximum number it is more difficult - usually a cat gives birth to no more than six or eight kittens; less common, but it is possible to give birth to ten babies at a time. This is sometimes characteristic of cats of certain breeds. There is a known case when a female Persian breed became the mother of fifteen babies.
Also, a street cat can have an unusually large litter, for example, which has “fed” the offspring of two or even more cats at the same time. It is known that a cat is capable of simultaneously bearing kittens from different males if she mated with them at the same time.
Why do veterinarians advise adopting kittens from the same litter?
A kitten in the house is happiness, especially for small family members. Children often ask their parents to buy them a kitten so that they can play with it, accustom it to a bowl and tray, stroke it, and carry it in their arms. But sometimes the joy comes immediately in double size when people acquire two kittens from the same litter at once, usually a boy and a girl.
Watching two babies is very touching, especially when they play - bulging round eyes, constantly raised tails, and especially touching voices - a thin squeak, by which the age of the pet is immediately clear: from two weeks to a month. But why do doctors and psychologists recommend taking one year old if you want to have two cats? There are several reasons for this:
