Breeding Cats

Cat overpopulation is a serious issue. There are many cats in the world that are in need of good homes.

It is generally best to have domestic cats neutered so they cannot contribute to the overpopulation problem. Neutering cats can also prevent behavior problems, including spraying and getting into fights with other cats.

Think about getting a cat from a shelter or adopting a stray.

Before you breed your cat, make sure that you will be able to provide homes for all of the kittens - even kittens that are not in perfect health or do not meet breed standards.

Breeding a cat involves patience, time and money.

You will have to do research and pay for food, vet bills and stud fees.

Your cats and kittens will need a healthy, safe environment to live in before they are sold or given away.

Once your cat becomes pregnant, she will need access to food and water at all times.

You should keep her indoors about two weeks before her expected delivery date so she does not give birth outside.

Give her a nice, comfortable box in a warm, secluded area to give birth in.

The box should be big enough for your cat to move and stretch in it, but not so big that the kittens can wander too far from their mother.

When it is almost time for the cat to give birth, you should confine her to one room, with food, water and a litterbox.  She will let you know that she is giving birth soon by frequently arranging the bedding in her box.

A cat will usually be able to give birth without any human intervention.

Kittens are born one at time.

The cat will chew off the placenta and clean the kitten.

If she is disturbed for some reason, she may stop giving birth to kittens until the next day.

Human intervention is needed if:

• The mother appears lethargic or ill after she has given birth
• A kitten seems to be stuck
• The mother experiences contractions for more than an hour but a kitten is not delivered.

Sometimes a kitten will appear to be stillborn and the mother will reject the kitten. This can be a sign that there is something wrong with the kitten.

Pick the kitten up with a warm, clean towel and remove the membrane that surrounds the kitten. If the placenta is attached, use a piece of cotton to tie off the placenta about half an inch from the body, then cut off the placenta further down, past the time.

If the kitten is not breathing, use a sterile cloth to clean out the mouth, then cup your hands and hold the kitten in them while swinging your arms in a downward arc. This should help to clear any fluid from the lungs.

Massaging the body will stimulate breathing.

Once the kitten is breathing, see if the mother will accept it.

If she doesn’t, you can try to hand rear the kitten.

Be prepared for the fact that the kitten may not live.

A few days after the mother cat finishes giving birth, she will move her kittens somewhere else.

She will need constant access to food and water while she is nursing.