How cats mate      





    Sex 101
    First of all, how can you tell a female kitten from a male?  Look under the tail, below
    the anus.  If it's a female there will be a longer vertical slit for mating.  In a male,
    there will be a two little sacs for the testicles.  Otherwise, male and female cats
    look similar, unlike birds and other species where the female is smaller and/or less
    brightly colored.    

    A female cat goes into heat (becomes ready for a possible pregnancy) after four to
    six months of age, for two or three times each year.  Every litter can produce four
    or five cats.  You can do the math and figure out how many kittens can come from
    one unneutered female cat.  Millions of unwanted cats are euthanized each year.  

    Despite this, you may have some pressing need to let your cat mate.   

    Female
    When the female goes into heat, she will start screaming for a tomcat.  It will
    sound like a child crying or having a temper tantrum.  Cats with louder voices, such
    as the Siamese, will give out incredibly loud sounds, almost uninterrupted during
    the day and night.  She may spray to signal males that she's ready for mating.  She
    will roll around on the ground and generally look and sound as if she's in pain.     

    Male
    An unneutered or complete male will search for a mate all year regardless of
    whether the females are in heat or not.  He will scratch at doors and windows to
    be let in or out, wherever he senses the female to be.  He will spray his territory
    with a mix of urine, whether indoors or out.  He will caterwaul, calling out for the
    female.  He will fight with other male cats for the right to mate.  

    Together
    When the two sexes finally get together, the male cat will approach the female and
    attempt to smell her rear end.  The female makes a decision whether she wants
    this male or not, but remains coy.  There may be some foreplay and teasing.  Then
    she crouches and lays her tail to one side.  The tom cat straddles her, mounts her,
    grabs her tightly by the scruff of her neck, and enters her, letting his sperm go into
    her vagina.  His penis is barbed and hurts upon withdrawal.  The female shrieks,
    which is a sign for the male to leap away or he’ll get smacked.  
    Then each cat licks itself.  After that, the female is ready to mate with any other
    males that want her.  Two months later, she may bear kittens from different males
    all in one litter.  
    There's no sense of family.  Males disappear and leave the kittens to the care of
    the female.  Females have been noted to mate as many as 36 times in 36
    hours.        

    Pregnancy
    During the nine-week pregnancy, the female’s nipples will slowly become pinker
    and more erect.  After about a month, her belly will grow rounder.  She'll eat more
    of her nutritious foods, especially needing more calcium and protein.  
    After six or seven weeks, she'll start looking for a place to build her nest.  Keep her
    indoors as soon as you sense this is happening, so she can bear her litter in a
    comfortable, private, warm and safe place.  You can place a three-sided box at the
    bottom of a closet in a warm room.  Keep the closet door open.  Place plastic or
    newspaper at the bottom and add a comfortable washable cushion.  Encourage
    her to rest in the box.  Place her water and food beside it and her litter box in the
    same area.  Keep everything very fresh and clean.  She may choose your spot or
    may choose one or more of her own places.  You may want to trim the hair around
    her tail, the back of her legs and nipples, especially if she has long hair.  
    If she stops eating for longer than one day or has a smelly discharge, call your
    vet.    
    She may want you to be present when her contractions begin, or maybe she     
    won’t.  However, if it’s her first experience, your soft reassuring voice and tender
    stroking may be just what she wants.  As the contractions increase, she’ll lie on her
    side and lick her vagina and nipples.  Perhaps this leaves a scent trail to the
    kitten's first meal.  Her breathing will become faster and harder.      
    As soon as her contractions push the first baby out, the mother will open the
    amniotic sac that the baby arrives in and lick the kitten to stimulate its breathing.  
    She'll eat the bloody placenta, and bite the umbilical cord off the kitten and eat it,
    too.  These are nutritious to her.  She'll lick herself and get ready for the next
    kitten, which will appear in about thirty minutes.  A normal litter has four or five
    kittens, but some breeds have as many as twelve cats at a time.                             

    Kitten
    Kittens are born blind and deaf, but can find the mother’s nipples.  The mother cat
    lies on her side and gives little nudges to any of her newborn kittens that need
    help.     
    After the kittens have their first meal, remove the wet cushions and papers.  Check
    on the new babies occasionally to make sure they’re thriving but, otherwise, leave
    them alone for about two weeks.  The mother and kittens must bond at this time
    and mother must teach her babies many cat lessons.  The kittens learn to use the
    litter box by copying their mother's behavior.  She carries her kittens by the scruff
    of their necks, at which time the kittens go limp and let themselves be carried.  
    After two weeks, it’s important for you to start gently handling the kittens so they
    become socialized to humans, too.  After three weeks, the mother starts leaving
    the nest for longer periods so as to wean them of her presence.  After two or three
    months, you can separate the kittens from the mother.  They must receive all their
    vaccinations.  By four months, their senses have matured.   They will be sexually
    mature by four to six months, ready to reproduce.      
    Most female cats get through their pregnancy much easier than humans.  However,
    there are a few signs to check for.  During the birthing process, if the mother
    looses more than a few teaspoons of blood, or has ineffective contractions, phone
    your vet.  After the birthing, if the mother acts in pain, or her blood has a foul smell,
    phone your vet.

    Otherwise, congratulations!  You’re a gramma!    
How Cats Mate