Normal Feline Reproductive Behavior

What factors affect sexual behavior?

• hormones

• neurologic influences

• age

• social

• environmental

When do male cats reach puberty?

6-7 months of age

When do male cats reach behavioral sexual maturity?

9-12 months of age; they are polygamous, fertile, and sexually active throughout the year

Male sexual activity peaks in spring, which coincides with females’ active cycle

Pre-mating behavior in male cats

• marking territory via urine spraying

• intermale aggression is common - particularly when males share a territory

Male cat courtship

• mating call - caterwauling

• male cats are attracted by olfactory (pheromones) and vocal cues from female cats

  • use of Flehman response

Male cat mating behaviors

• neck grip - not aggressive

• total time of mating sequence - 1-9 minutes (breeding sequence)

• copulation - 5-18 seconds

• move away from female quickly to avoid being attacked

• post-ejaculatory refractory period - 5-15 minutes

When do female cats reach puberty?

around 5-9 months of age

What does female cat reproductive development depend on?

• presence of intact male or estrous female

  • females can come into heat around the same time

• time of year - seasonally polyestrous

  • can also be influenced by length of day

• climate

What do we mean when we say a cat is seasonally polyestrous?

• they have several heat cycles during each mating season (go into heat multiple times during the cycle)

• usually anestrous from late September through December or January

• cycles peak in February - April, and June - August

• cycle is dependent on day length

What does it mean when we say that female cats are induced ovulators?

• they ovulate after mating

• the act of copulation causes release of LH, which leads to ovulation

  • intact male cats have barbs on their penises that stimulate nerves in the vagina to stimulate LH release

• in the absence of mating or spontaneous ovulation, heat periods are observed every 10-14 days during the reproductive season (roughly every 2 weeks)

How often do female cats have heat cycles?

every 2 weeks during the breeding season

Anestrous

A period of hormonal inactivity that takes place during the off season (late fall, winter, and early spring) → the cat is not in heat and females are generally sexually non-responsive to males

Proestrus

• estrogen rising

• short: lasts 1-3 days

• increased rubbing, rolling, “heat cry” vocalizations

• **refuse males

Estrus

• estrogen peaks and then falls as progesterone rises if the cat is mated

• lordosis (mating pose)

  • treading on hind legs, lateral deviation of tail

• vocalizations

• queen may lose her appetite and urinate (mark) more frequently

• acceptance of males

Post-copulatory response in female cats

• pupils dilate

• copulatory cry

• turn aggressively on the male

• “after-reaction” - rolls on floor, licks vulva

How many times could a cat potentially come into heat (be in estrus) in a given breading season? (ex. March through October)

a. one

b. two

c. 8

d. 14-16

d. 14-16 (every two weeks during those months; 8 months x 2 heat cycles per month = 16 heats)

Cat’s gestation length is about 2 months. How many litters could they have from March through October?

two or three