In order not to grow old after 40. How not to grow old for a long time - the secrets of longevity

People who have purchased a cat as a pet ask many questions. Much knowledge concerns the health of your pet, as there are many nuances and problems.

Owners of purebred animals that are intended to reproduce offspring especially need to know a lot.

A cat gives birth for the first and second time: how many kittens will there be?

It is usually important for owners to know how many kittens will be in the litter. Thanks to a preliminary forecast, you can immediately solve a lot of practical problems.

The place, with what parameters to prepare for a cat with kittens, what kind of assistance should be provided to a woman in labor during the lambing process, how many kittens should be distributed.

It is almost impossible to find out exactly how many kittens a cat gives birth to the first time and the second time. There are unspoken “calculators”, but they rarely work.

On average, the first and second litter can produce from 4 to 6 kittens.

The number of kittens can be more than 10 or less than 4 - it all depends on many factors:

Too young, old cats produce up to 4 babies in one lambing. The maximum number of offspring is between the ages of 3 and 6 years.
Heredity and the breed of the animal significantly influence the number of kittens. The rarer the breed, the fewer kittens the female will give birth to at one time.
The conditions in which the female is kept, nutrition and care all significantly affect pregnancy and the process of conception.
Male genetics, sperm quantity, quality of sexual intercourse.
Hormonal background of the female at the time of conception, previous diseases.

Several of the above conditions may simultaneously affect the quality and quantity of future offspring.

How often can you give birth?

A sensitive question, a troubling one good hosts, concerns how often a cat can give birth. There are several opinions that differ significantly.

Note! When making a decision, it is worth considering the cat's health characteristics.

Hobbyists adhere to completely different norms, stuffing cats at the time of heat hormonal pills to stop the process.

How often can a cat give birth:

Who makes the recommendation regarding the issue?	Top advice regarding lambing
Experienced cat breeders	It is recommended to breed a female according to the plan. Typically lambing is planned once a year. It is believed that the female’s body is in harmony and the quality of the litter will be much better
Experienced hosts	They say that it is enough for a cat to give birth 2 times a year. This will allow you not to overstrain your body and keep it in good shape. Otherwise, the animal begins to get sick often and behave inappropriately.
Veterinarians	Catch a cat when it comes into heat. Therefore, births may not be limited to 3-4 in 1 year. If the animal's needs are ignored, health problems may arise, leading to infertility and even death.

How many kittens will a cat have in a year and in her entire life?

It is almost impossible to accurately determine the number of kittens that a cat can produce in a year, much less in its entire life.

Figures may be approximate and depend on many factors and conditions.

What conditions can affect the number of offspring:

The average cat in reproductive age can produce 5 kittens in one lambing.
Depending on the number of matings, cat lovers should expect from 10 to 20 kittens per year. Behind average duration Lifetime number can reach 140 individuals.
If the female is fertile enough, approximately 25 kittens can be expected per year. Over a lifetime, the number may be 250 individuals.
A particularly fertile female can give birth to up to 30 kittens over the course of a year. Over the entire period of existence - 300 kittens.

The figures are approximate and limited by quantity, not quality.

Some cats live long enough to produce offspring throughout their lives. Others give birth less frequently and until a certain age.

Attention! The cat will not be in under stress, if the number of lambings in 365 days is 3-4 times.

Owners can independently control the number of lambings of their pet, therefore they directly influence the size of the offspring.

If the animal is often sick, or the birth was complicated, then it is worth limiting the number of matings.

How does childbirth take place and how many hours?

In order for your cat to lamb without complications and for all the kittens to be alive and healthy, you need to help your pet.

Every pet owner should provide assistance correctly and efficiently, and know the main stages and features of childbirth.

To cope with childbirth in a cat, it is enough to familiarize yourself with the process using special literature.

If an animal develops complications before or during birth, you should definitely call a veterinarian.

How does childbirth occur in a cat?

The first stage is determined by the beginning. Contractions can be determined in accordance with the behavior of the animal.
The female begins to search appropriate place, constantly hangs around the owners and is noticeably nervous, experiencing painful sensations.
After the end of the first stage, which lasts from 12 to 24 hours, the time comes for the second. At this moment the attempts begin.
The cat no longer moves, they move away amniotic fluid. At this moment, it is advisable to stay near the pet for as long as possible.
The cat does not need help during the birth process. It is enough to accept the kittens and lay them down so that the new mother cannot crush or injure the babies.
If the kitten walks not with its head, but with its legs forward, then the animal needs help: slightly pull the kitten by the paw forward, and then down.

Lambing will end in about 1-3 hours. The young mother will begin to lick and feed her offspring. To prevent the animal from getting up again, you need to place food and drink nearby.

For the first 3 days, it is worth closely monitoring the health of the female and the offspring. During this time, problems or pathologies will appear that may affect the further quality of life.

Useful video

As soon as pregnancy is confirmed in a beloved pet, the owner has a lot of questions. This includes how long pregnancy lasts, how childbirth goes, and how many kittens a cat can give birth to at most, and many others. And you can find out the answers to all these questions on our website. In this article we will talk about exactly how many kittens a cat can give birth to.

If in women and cows it is 9 months, then in cats pregnancy lasts 9 weeks. Depending on the breed, physiological and age characteristics it can “stretch” up to 72 days. Scientists have noticed that in short-haired beauties, pregnancy usually lasts 58-68 days, while long-haired and semi-long-haired cats can be in interesting position 63-72 days.

In addition, a lot depends on the number of kittens being carried. The more there are, the faster labor begins. But if a mother cat is carrying one or two kittens, then she can walk while pregnant as much as possible. possible deadline. And such babies will be healthier than brothers from a multiple litter. But can a cat give birth to one kitten or will there necessarily be many of them?

How many kittens can a cat give birth to?

Now let's move on to the most interesting part: how many kittens can a cat give birth to at most? Let's talk about several features that affect the number of newborns.

Cat's age and birth by count

If pregnancy and childbirth are the first, the cat is young, then the likelihood is that there will be from one to three kittens in the litter. With each subsequent pregnancy, the number of newborn mustaches will increase (from three to eight on average). But an elderly cat also does not bear large offspring. Still, it’s already hard, there’s not enough strength, they may be born dead or non-viable. “Extra” embryos, which the mother cat may not tolerate and cannot feed, are resorbed even further. early pregnancy. Even if a cat was able to give birth to six or eight, it is not a fact that all of them will survive. It’s not uncommon for a couple of these babies to die without even surviving a week.

Genetics

No matter how funny it may sound, a lot depends on how “fertile” your cat’s mother was. If she gave birth to many babies at a time, then your pet will most likely bring the same amount. And if one or two kittens were born in a family at a time, then your cat will probably give birth to a small number.

Health

If cats are poorly fed, lacking vitamins and minerals, then in most cases they give birth to no more than three kittens at a time. Weakened pets are not able to normally bear viable offspring.

Breed

It has long been noted that mongrel cats are capable of giving birth to up to eight kittens at a time, but purebred kittens, on the contrary, are not distinguished by their fertility. However, there is a known case when one Persian cat gave birth to 15 little kittens! So if you are wondering how many kittens a cat can give birth to at most, then their number can reach 14-15 pieces, but this is very rare.

Cat

Not everything depends on expectant mother. The “father” also influences a lot.

The cat’s health (does he have any diseases? infectious nature or inflammatory, especially genitourinary system),
age (too young and old will not be able to boast),
number and frequency of matings (the more there are, the worse quality sperm, and, therefore, the number of kittens decreases, and their health will be worse),
conditions cat food,
was the cat cryptorchid, etc.

Is it possible to increase the number of kittens in a litter?

Actually it is possible. You just need to start early, even before the planned pregnancy and mating. Don't lean on hormonal drugs, which may violate hormonal background. There are also a lot of homeopathic medicines (ovariovit, gamavit, for example). They help restore ovarian function, which has a beneficial effect on the formation of eggs in more than before stimulation.

The use of vitamin E (tocopherol acetate) and the microelement selenium has a good effect (only with selenium you need to be very careful, because in large dose he is poison). Therefore, never try to prescribe any therapy for an animal yourself without seeking medical advice. face-to-face consultation to the veterinarian.

Improve feeding and housing conditions. Let the cat rest more.

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

Large litter

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

Pregnancy in a cat

Usually normal pregnancy lasts 63 days, +\- 2-3 days are allowed within normal limits. 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 abdomen becomes larger, but it is undesirable to palpate it often and for a long time, because kittens are already descending into abdominal cavity. How long should we wait for the babies? If you are very interested in this question, you can contact the veterinarian and he will do an ultrasound. Yes that's right. Animals, like people, undergo ultrasound. This procedure will not only confirm the presence of pregnancy, but will 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 belly increases in size. And starting from the 7th week, if you put your hand on your stomach, you will feel the babies actively moving. the last week pregnancy is tiring for the expectant mother, her stomach is large and heavy and she does not have the strength to actively move. At this time, she is looking for a place to give birth and this is the time to think about where she will give birth and live until the babies grow up.

What determines the number of kittens?

Is it possible to influence the number of kittens?

An interesting and logical question, because every cat owner, especially if it is purebred, wants to get a larger litter and predict its number and perhaps influence its future number.

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

How often does a cat go to 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 their number.
If there have already been matings, how many kittens were there in the litter?
How well does the cat eat?
Does he have diseases of the genitourinary system?
Is there such a disease as cryptorchidism?

How to prepare a cat for mating

To increase the number of offspring, some veterinarians advise giving your pet a course of injections before mating. homeopathic medicine ovariovit. Its effect is to restore ovarian function, also regulate the sexual cycle and increase fertility.

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

Caring mother

Vitamin E in general has positive influence on reproductive system. You cannot select medications for your animal yourself. Important! First consult a veterinarian who will select required dosage and combination of drugs.

You can also prepare the cat for the upcoming mating. B vitamins are good for him; after such a course, the body’s activity and endurance are noted, which in a positive way will affect future offspring.

What is better: small or multiple pregnancy?

Usually breeders do not welcome everyone multiple pregnancy. This is fraught with waste from a financial point of view, but it is also not safe for physical health cats. A large number of The mother will tire the children, they all need to be fed, and if there is not enough milk, you will have to buy formula - this is already a considerable waste item.

If the pregnancy is small, there is a risk of rupture during childbirth with the most various consequences. Also, the kitten may get stuck during birth and you will have to do an emergency C-section. Excess milk can lead to mastitis.

Good at everything golden mean and in the birth of kittens too.

A cat's eye, relative to its body size, is larger than that of most mammals.
One of the largest cat breeds is Ragdol. Males weigh from six to ten kilograms, and cats from five to eight kilograms. The most small breed cats - Singaporean. Males weigh about three, and cats weigh about two kilograms. Among all the cats, the smallest is Rusty-spotted spotted cat- Prionailurus rubiginosus). This species lives in India and Sri Lanka. Its size is approximately half that of a regular one. domestic cat- about fifteen centimeters in length, weight does not exceed 1.4 kg. The most big cat, not a lion, but a tiger (Panthera tigris). Males weigh more than 300 kg and grow up to three meters, not counting the almost meter-long tail! A tiger can eat 40 kg of meat in one sitting.
Domestic cats are the only species of cat that can hold its tail upright when walking. All wild cats When walking, they hold their tails horizontally or between their legs.
In 1952, a Texas tabby named Dusty set a record - he had more than 420 kittens, and the last litter was born when the cat was 18 years old.
Kitty from Staffordshire (UK) gave birth to two kittens at the age of 30! In total she had 218 children.

The largest litter (with all surviving kittens) was recorded in Persian cat V South Africa. The cat's name was Bluebell. She gave birth to 14 kittens! The maximum number of kittens in a litter is 19!!!
On August 7, 1970, a four-year-old Burmese cat Tarawood Antigone from Oxford (UK) also gave birth to 19 kittens. Of these, 14 male kittens and one female cat survived.
The most fantastic record was set in Argentina by a cat named Mincho, who climbed a tree and did not come down until she died six years later. During this time, she managed to bring three litters with the same steeplejack cats.
How many mice can one cat catch? 28,899! Scottish tortoiseshell cat Towser (1966 - 1987), killed 28,899 mice in 21 years. That's about four mice a day, for 21 years. In honor of Towser, a monument was erected at the factory where he “worked” (by the way, Glenturret Distillery - producer of the famous brand of whiskey).
The most old cat there was Puss, from England, who died on November 29, 1939, a day after her 36th birthday. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest cat on Earth (as of 2012) lives in Melbourne (Australia). Burmese cat Kataleena Lady was born on March 11, 1977.
The oldest cat is Creme Puff from Austin (Texas, USA). He was born on August 3, 1967 and died in August 2005 at the age of 38.
Cats can make about 100 different sounds. For comparison, there are only about 10 dogs.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the richest cats are a couple who inherited $415,000 in the early sixties of the last century. And the richest single cat inherited $250,000. There is information about the cat Blackie, to whom his owner Ben Rea bequeathed about 15 million dollars.
Cats are the laziest mammals. They sleep 16 hours a day. The seven-year-old cat was only awake for two years of her life! Wherein deep dream takes only 2.5 hours. (See Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?)
A cat goes from being awake to sleeping faster than almost all other animals.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the heaviest cat in the world was the Australian cat Himmy, who weighed 21 kilograms. The record was set in 1986. His waist was 84 centimeters! The previous record holder was Spice, a ginger and white cat from Connecticut, who weighed 20 kilograms when he died in 1977.
The tiniest cat in the world was the Tinker Toy Himalayan cat from Illinois. He weighed 680 grams, was 18 cm long and was 7 cm tall!
Mr Peebles, a 2-year-old cat from Central Illinois, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest living cat. Its weight is about 1.35 kg, its height is 15.5 cm (in length).
Most long cat, according to the Guinness book in 2010, he lived in the city of Reno, USA. The length of the Maine Coon named Stewie is 48.5 inches (123.19 cm). He outgrown the previous record holder, also a Maine Coon, by half an inch (127 cm). In Russia, the unofficial champion is considered to be a cat from Novosibirsk (and also a Maine Coon) named Pinochet with a noisy length of 120 cm.

The speed record belongs to Cheetah (he's probably a cat, after all), capable of speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. This is more than 112 km/h!
The only cat to successfully fly into space was the cat Felicette from France. She stayed in zero gravity for just over five minutes and experienced g-forces of up to 4g. After landing she was in excellent condition. There are persistent rumors that at the last moment before the launch she replaced a cat specially prepared for the flight named Felix, who decided not to tempt fate and simply ran away. Those who don't take risks don't drink champagne!
Felicette also holds the record for the height that cats have been to - 155 km.

The maximum height conquered by cats (without, so to speak, separation from the planet) is 4478. Mount Matterhorn in the Pennine Alps, on the border of Switzerland and Italy, was conquered by a four-month-old kitten in 1950, albeit with the help of its mountaineer owner.
The first domestic cat to visit Antarctica black and white cat Nansen on the Belgian sailing ship "Belgica" in 1898. Alas, he did not return from the expedition without surviving the polar winter.
A cat named Hamlet escaped from his carrier during a flight from Toronto, Canada. Hamlet was discovered only seven weeks later - behind the interior panel of the plane. During this time he flew more than 600,000 km.
The most economical of domestic cats, at least in Russia, can be considered the pet of a resident of Kamensk-Uralsk. Seeing that the mistress’s gold jewelry was “badly lying,” the cat hid it in a safe place. Unfortunately, the noble deed was not appreciated and the competent authorities took over the matter. When the cat was caught red-handed while trying to store another piece of jewelry, the cache was discovered and destroyed. In total, the cat managed to add jewelry worth 90.5 thousand rubles (2011). What happened to them after their return is unknown; the cat is forgiven, alive and well.
After the earthquake in December 1999 in Taiwan, a cat was discovered and freed from the ruins of a building, having spent 80 days under the rubble.
The achievement known as “Andy the Cat Record” belongs to... Andy the cat from Florida (USA). This is a proven record for a harmless fall from the greatest height. He fell from the 16th floor of the building, from a height of approximately 65 meters.
The largest number of cats was owned (according to the Guinness Book of Records) by Jack and Donna Wright from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They had 689 cats living at the same time.