Your Female Cat & When to Breed Her

The act of mating your cat begins when your female cat (a queen) starts to flirt with a male cat (a tom). To attract male cats nearby, your female cat will start vocalizing (increased meowing) and will use different body movements.

Your female cat may also spray on walls and furniture, to communicate their 'availability' to a male. If she is an indoor cat, it is important to be aware she may attempt to escape. According to Hill's Pet, she may even start to attack windows or doors in efforts to escape. 

In this article, we cover the different stages of cat heat cycles, and information on when your female cat is ready for breeding. 

Stage 1

Proestrus (1 to 2 days): On this stage, you will notice that your female cat makes it a habit to rub her neck and head on anything. Her appetite will increase, she will become restless and will continue to attract more toms but will have to pass anything beyond that (what a tease!). You will also experience changes in her behavior like spraying in your house.

Stage 2

Estrus (4 to 6 days): This is what we commonly call the heat cycle. More loud meowing will happen to attract even more toms. Your cat will also begin to show off/expose her vulva, preparing for possible mating.

Stage 3

Interestrus (7 to 14 days): Did your cat decide to have any intercourse the past days? If she didn't, the cycle will start again after the Interestrus stage. At this stage, your cat will probably not want to mate anymore.

Stage 4

Anestrus (90 days): During this period, your female cat will not go through any "heats." She will not be attracted to any toms, and vise versa. According to The Spruce Pets, this is the queen's reproductive dormant period. Your furbaby's reproductive hormones are inactive, and she is not in season. 

This phase is expected to occur from November to January (winter). During this time, your female cat will not go through any “heats.” She will not be attracted to any toms and vice versa.

For cats who spend more time outdoors, heat cycles typically occur from spring to fall as their hormone production is stimulated by light of longer days. For cats primarily indoors, exposure to artificial light allows for heat cycles year-round. 

When Will My Cat Go Into Heat?

Every cat is different. But the average is that your cat may have her first heat in as early as four months. As soon as your cat experiences her first heat, she can get pregnant. If she's in heat and you keep her indoors, your cat may find all possible ways to be able to go outside.

The chances of your cat being injured or lost, or the risk of her getting pregnant at a very young age is high. It will not be suitable for her to get pregnant at a young age though - her body is not yet mature enough for pregnancy and there will be a big possibility that she'll reject her kitties.

When Should I Breed My Cat?

You should not be breeding your cat until she has fully grown. It is recommended you bring your female cat to the vet for a full health check prior to breeding. 

You should also have the queen and the tom tested for genetic disorders and illnesses before breeding. This helps ensure the kittens will live a healthy life, and not receive any defects or disorders from the parent cats. When testing, you should also ensure the cats do not have any intestinal parasites, mites, ticks or fleas.  

What Can I Do So My Cat Does Not Get Pregnant?

In order to avoid surprise kittens you must know how to prevent cats from mating.

A cat in heat is hard work and can be very stressful for the both of you. Calming a cat in heat is very difficult. If you decide not to breed her and she’s not able to mate, she will go through a heat cycle repeatedly until she gets pregnant. She may lose weight, experience over-grooming and could develop behavioral issues.

On the other hand, even if you decide to breed her, it’s still not good to breed her every time she’s in heat! This is why it’s very important to know the best ways you can choose from to prevent your cat from getting pregnant at the wrong time.