~ Breeding Cats ~
This page gives advice and a few guidelines for those of you wishing to breed pedigree cats. I cover the facts, planning a litter and pregnancy and pre-natal care here. What often starts as just one litter often ends up as a lifetime passion or hobby. The Facts It is important to note that breeding any type of pedigree cat is a commitment that should not be taken lightly. Breeding and showing cats can be very rewarding, but it can also be very time consuming and expensive. Breeding from your cat is an important decision that must be given careful consideration. Before starting a breeding program, it is important to become familiar with the relevant pedigree breed. Visiting cat shows and meeting other breeders is one way to start. Cat shows are a perfect place to meet other breeders and form valuable contacts for the future. It is also a place to see and assess your own cats against others of the same breed. Breeders learn from the comparison of their own cats with others and gain valuable insights into the potential strengths and weaknesses of various lines and are thus able to make informed decisions when attempting to improve their own lines. By breeding pedigree cats, you are making a commitment to care for the welfare of every cat you breed and sell. Reputable breeders will be concerned where their cats are placed and continue to show an interest in the welfare of their kittens after they have gone to their new homes. Planning a Litter You should only breed from top quality cats. Breeders are continuously striving to improve the breeds and by breeding from the best cats, they are able to meet the breed standard and improve their future litters. Before visiting a breeder for a breeding queen, always check that they have suitable breeding quality kittens for you to view. A female cat is mature from about six months and a male cat from about ten months. A female cat comes into heat in two-week cycles for two to four days. It is not advisable to breed a queen before she is at least one year old. If you are planning to breed from your pedigree queen, you will need to find a suitable stud cat. A relevant breed club can supply you with a list of reputable breeders. You can also meet breeders at cat shows. Pregnancy and Pre-Natal Care A queen's pregnancy can be confirmed at around three to four weeks. She will become noticeably fatter after six weeks of pregnancy. The average length of pregnancy is 65 days or about nine weeks from the date of the mating. A pregnant queen should be fed a nourishing well-balanced diet. The number of meals can be gradually increased from about the fifth week of pregnancy. Always consult your vet is you are in any doubt about anything concerning your cat. In the later stages of pregnancy, provide your queen with a warm and comfortable place to give birth. During the last week of pregnancy, keep a watchful eye on your queen and make sure she is accustomed to the kittening box. Most cats do not need any help with kittening. A mother cat knows instinctively what to do. Make sure your vet is available when the kittens are due just in case. |
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~ History of the Domestic Cat ~
Cats have always been a source of fascination for mankind throughout history. Today cats have become one of the world's most popular pets perfectly suited to the lifestyle of our day. They are beautiful, enigmatic and easy-to-care for pets. But where and when did the domestic cat originate? This page will give you some insight into this question. It has been about 4000 years since the first cats were domesticated. The Ancient Egyptians were the first to keep and use cats to control vermin and other pests to protect stores of food. In Ancient Egypt, the cat was revered as a hunter and worshiped as gods and goddesses. The ancient Egyptians imposed the death penalty for killing cats and cats were also mummified before being buried. Other ancient civilisations later began to domesticate the cat and took tame felines to Italy where they slowly spread around Europe. Eventually, they arrived in the New World with the Pilgrims. The shorthaired domestic cat spread across the world from Egypt while longhaired cats came later from Turkey and Iran. The domestic cat also spread from India to China and Japan. Except for a short period of persecution in the Middle Ages when cats were associated with the devil, by the eighteenth century cats had become popular household pets world wide. The wild cats of today such as Lions and Tigers descended from early carnivores called miacids. From there the modern wild cat developed into three main types; the European wild cat, the African wild cat and the Asiatic desert cat. The domestic cat is thought to have evolved from the African wild cat because of its tabby markings. Domestic cats today still take many characteristics from their wild ancestors. The arresting eyes, body shape, feeding and grooming habits are the same along with the ability to pounce into action at any given moment. It is this link that makes the domestic cat so fascinating around the world. The non-pedigree domestic cat, the Moggie is the most popular house pet today with the black and white Moggie being the most popular followed by the black cat followed by the Tabby cat. There are also 36 recognised breeds of pedigree cats around the world with the Siamese cat being the most popular. Most homes today that keep pets have at least one cat in residence. |
~ Feline Care ~
~ New Kittens ~
With today's modern veterinary medicine, you can expect to share your life with your cat for sixteen years or more so it is crucial that you choose a kitten that will grow up to be a healthy and happy adult. Owning a cat or two has also been proven to be good for our health. This page will give you some guidelines and advice from choosing your kitten to bringing it home to settle in. Always remember that owning a cat is a lifetime responsibility not to be taken lightly. Choosing your Kitten The first thing to consider when choosing your kitten is if you are looking for a family companion or a cat that you intend to show or breed in future. If you are looking for a family pet, then the most important consideration will be temperament and health. If you are looking for a cat to show or breed let the breeder know this when you first enquire to be sure they have suitable kittens for you to view. A breeding or show cat should meet the breed standard showing no obvious faults. When choosing your kitten, you should also take into consideration the type of home it comes from and it's mother's state of health. Do not buy a kitten from a breeder that will not let you see the mother cat. In pedigree cats, the mother cat should also be a true representative of the breed. A healthy kitten will have bright and shiny eyes, glossy coat, clean bottom and an alert demeanour. Ears should also be clean, nose cool and damp without any nasal discharge with pale pink mouth and gums. Feeding Guidelines Kittens like adult cats require wholesome, high-protein food and a constant supply of water. Food is served more frequently with kittens than with adult cats. Food and water bowls should be kept clean at all times. Below I've listed some general feeding guidelines for your new kitten sorted by age.
Kittens should be feed tinned or fresh food as part of a balanced diet with quality kitten dry cat food from a reputable manufacturer left down at all times to graze on. Your reward for feeding your kitten a well-balanced diet is a healthy beautiful adult cat.
Toileting Pedigree kittens are fully litter trained from a very early age. With any kitten irrespective of breed to avoid accidents it is absolutely vital that for the early days and weeks in a new home, the kitten is aware at all times where the litter tray is. In a new environment, the kitten may not be able to find the litter tray alone especially with a home with two or more floors and several rooms. It is important that the kitten is restricted to one area for the first few weeks and only allowed into other areas of your home under supervision. Once your kitten has been allowed to roam freely, always keep a watchful eye and keep taking your new kitten back to it's litter tray at regular intervals. If you are living in a very large house on multiple floors, it is advisable to have a litter tray on every floor. When your new kitten first arrives home, it is also advisable to use the same cat litter as your breeder while your kitten settles in. Later you can gradually change this to a brand of your choice. The litter tray should also be kept clean at all times. Changing all or some of the litter tray contents daily is recommended to avoid accidents. Cats will quickly find an alternative site to use as a toilet if the tray is not cleaned daily.
Settling In On arrival home with your new kitten, place the kitten while still in the carrier in a suitable warm room where the kitten can be safely kept for a few days. Let the kitten come out to explore in it's own time. Make sure there is a litter tray in the room and that the kitten knows exactly where it is. The kitten's room should also have a bowl of food and water kept a suitable distance from the litter tray. Cats are reluctant to use a litter tray that is too close to the cat's food. Let your new kitten come to you in it's own time. Getting to know your Kitten It can take days or even weeks to establish a relationship with a kitten so please be patient. Kittens need time to bond with you and before long your new kitten will become your best friend. For the first few weeks, your kitten shouldn't be allowed to roam your home unsupervised when you are not there. You should put your kitten back in their own room with their litter tray, food and water. Make sure your new kitten also has a comfortable bed or basket to sleep in with some toys to play with. It may be worth considering obtaining two kittens from your breeder especially if you will be out of the home for most of the day. This way they will always have a constant playmate and two cats can exercise each other far more effectively than you can. Please remember that your new kitten should be kept indoors at all times and shouldn't be allowed outdoors until they are old enough to cope with outdoor life. |
Cat Facts ~
Here are some cat facts and snippets I've collected over the years that you'll find interesting and enjoyable. This page will be updated with new feline facts from time to time so please do come back again soon!
Did You Know?
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Aside from
the fact that spaying and neutering decreases the number of pets who end up in
shelters, it is also very beneficial for their health. If a kitten is spayed
before she comes into season, she has an extremely good chance of not
getting breast cancer, and no chance of uterine
cancer since it is removed.
Kittens spayed and neutered between eight and ten weeks of age also recuperate
much faster. They are usually back into mischief in about an hour or two. The
older cat takes a few days and is prone to more discomfort.