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Its become fairly common practice for people in average households to breed their cats. Many hold off on neutering just in case they plan to breed at some point. But there is a lot of risk and expense in breeding, and we as pet owners really need to consider how well equipped we are when it comes to breeding our beloved kitty. So before you make the big leap, be sure to ask yourself the following questions.
1. How financially prepared are you?
This one is a biggie. If you are a responsible breeder (which so few are) and truly want to look after the health of your cat and her kittens, there is a lot of necessary vet work that needs to be done. A responsible breeder doesn't just put a queen to mate, hope for the best and wait until the kittens show up. To begin with, premating testing. At least a basic blood test to make sure both queen and sire are in perfect health before putting the queen through the physical stress of pregnancy and risking the passing on of genetic diseases. So that could range anywhere between $150 to $500 dollars. Regular ultrasounds are also a must IMO, at least one throughout the pregnancy, though two or three is preferable. This way you can tell how the kittens are developing, if anything is going wrong in utero, and how many kittens she has, which is more important than you might think. When she finally gives birth, you need to know if she has delivered all kittens or if there are one or more stuck inside (it happens more often than you might think and can be fatal for all involved). So that can cost $350 - $500 as well. And the most important one is having funds for an emergency C-section if things do go wrong during birth, which can cost thousands of dollars after hours, especially if it happens in the middle of the night. Not to mention microchipping and vaccinating the kittens when they arrive, the cost of good quality kitten food (which the queen needs to eat throughout the pregnancy and during nursing as well) and so on.
2. Do you have the skill to step in and raise kittens?
Sometimes queens reject certain kittens or just don't know how to be a mother. Sometimes the weakest kittens just can't compete for food. In these cases, you will need to get some KMR, some appropriate teats and a bottle (which you should already have on hand) and bottle feed. This could mean getting up every two hours throughout the night to feed, as well as toileting the kitten/s and keeping it warm enough at all times. Kitten is too cold = won't feed. Kitten is too warm = won't feed. Milk not right temp or concentration = kitten won't feed and possibly get very sick. Not as easy as it sounds, there is a lot of room for error (hypothermia, hyperthermia, asphyxiations etc)
3. Do you have the time and set-up to care for a nursing queen and her kittens?
If you have a busy household, then your answer is no. Queens move their kittens all the time, and the kittens themselves move around a fair bit. It is all too easy to stand on or squish a little body if you aren't careful. You'll need an enclosed room where the queen can remain safely during the last term of pregnancy and through birth, and until the kittens are fully mobile. Several options (boxes, nooks and crannies) for her to give birth in are essential, and you must be able to access these areas at all times. Breeding isn't really for full time workers either, and be prepared for some late nights when it gets time for her to pop. There's lots of mess too, especially before the kittens learn how to use a litter box.
4. Do you have decent homes lined up for the kittens?
If the answer this question is a no, then please do not breed. There is no excuse for consciously breeding an animal and then not being able to rehome (or keep) the offspring. This doesn't mean selling to a pet shop. This doesn't mean putting up posters all around the neighborhood. This means having met and interviewed potential owners and taking a deposit prior to the birth of the kittens (you should already know how many) to ensure their integrity.
5. What do these kittens offer to the world?
What's your reason for breeding? To preserve the breed? Show lines? Exemplary breed standard? Basically, your reason for bringing these kittens into the world. If you just want to breed Fluffy because you think she's cute and would have super cute kittens, and you'd like to experience it, adopt a pregnant queen from a shelter. Don't go creating new life in a world already full of unwanted kittens without good reason and a solid plan to ensure the quality of life for all involved.
6. Are you prepared for tragedy?
Sometimes breeding doesn't go the way you plan. Sometimes the kittens don't develop properly. Sometimes they don't survive. And sometimes the queen herself doesn't survive or becomes seriously ill. So make sure you are prepared to abort if necessary, or even lose your beloved pet. Every pregnancy has a risk factor, you just need to be prepared to take it.
If you can't give a confident yes to all these questions, then please do not breed. Don't hold off on neutering either, if you aren't going to breed any time soon then please get your cat fixed. And if you have taken in a stray, or your cat has accidently gotten pregnant, there is no shame in aborting while the kittens are still in utero. I've seen it done countless times and it is far more humane than you might think, and far kinder in the long run if you can't provide for them.
If you suspect your cat may be pregnant, see a vet immediately. The earlier you find out, the longer you have to make a decision and prepare. Don't waste time Googling.
1. How financially prepared are you?
This one is a biggie. If you are a responsible breeder (which so few are) and truly want to look after the health of your cat and her kittens, there is a lot of necessary vet work that needs to be done. A responsible breeder doesn't just put a queen to mate, hope for the best and wait until the kittens show up. To begin with, premating testing. At least a basic blood test to make sure both queen and sire are in perfect health before putting the queen through the physical stress of pregnancy and risking the passing on of genetic diseases. So that could range anywhere between $150 to $500 dollars. Regular ultrasounds are also a must IMO, at least one throughout the pregnancy, though two or three is preferable. This way you can tell how the kittens are developing, if anything is going wrong in utero, and how many kittens she has, which is more important than you might think. When she finally gives birth, you need to know if she has delivered all kittens or if there are one or more stuck inside (it happens more often than you might think and can be fatal for all involved). So that can cost $350 - $500 as well. And the most important one is having funds for an emergency C-section if things do go wrong during birth, which can cost thousands of dollars after hours, especially if it happens in the middle of the night. Not to mention microchipping and vaccinating the kittens when they arrive, the cost of good quality kitten food (which the queen needs to eat throughout the pregnancy and during nursing as well) and so on.
2. Do you have the skill to step in and raise kittens?
Sometimes queens reject certain kittens or just don't know how to be a mother. Sometimes the weakest kittens just can't compete for food. In these cases, you will need to get some KMR, some appropriate teats and a bottle (which you should already have on hand) and bottle feed. This could mean getting up every two hours throughout the night to feed, as well as toileting the kitten/s and keeping it warm enough at all times. Kitten is too cold = won't feed. Kitten is too warm = won't feed. Milk not right temp or concentration = kitten won't feed and possibly get very sick. Not as easy as it sounds, there is a lot of room for error (hypothermia, hyperthermia, asphyxiations etc)
3. Do you have the time and set-up to care for a nursing queen and her kittens?
If you have a busy household, then your answer is no. Queens move their kittens all the time, and the kittens themselves move around a fair bit. It is all too easy to stand on or squish a little body if you aren't careful. You'll need an enclosed room where the queen can remain safely during the last term of pregnancy and through birth, and until the kittens are fully mobile. Several options (boxes, nooks and crannies) for her to give birth in are essential, and you must be able to access these areas at all times. Breeding isn't really for full time workers either, and be prepared for some late nights when it gets time for her to pop. There's lots of mess too, especially before the kittens learn how to use a litter box.
4. Do you have decent homes lined up for the kittens?
If the answer this question is a no, then please do not breed. There is no excuse for consciously breeding an animal and then not being able to rehome (or keep) the offspring. This doesn't mean selling to a pet shop. This doesn't mean putting up posters all around the neighborhood. This means having met and interviewed potential owners and taking a deposit prior to the birth of the kittens (you should already know how many) to ensure their integrity.
5. What do these kittens offer to the world?
What's your reason for breeding? To preserve the breed? Show lines? Exemplary breed standard? Basically, your reason for bringing these kittens into the world. If you just want to breed Fluffy because you think she's cute and would have super cute kittens, and you'd like to experience it, adopt a pregnant queen from a shelter. Don't go creating new life in a world already full of unwanted kittens without good reason and a solid plan to ensure the quality of life for all involved.
6. Are you prepared for tragedy?
Sometimes breeding doesn't go the way you plan. Sometimes the kittens don't develop properly. Sometimes they don't survive. And sometimes the queen herself doesn't survive or becomes seriously ill. So make sure you are prepared to abort if necessary, or even lose your beloved pet. Every pregnancy has a risk factor, you just need to be prepared to take it.
If you can't give a confident yes to all these questions, then please do not breed. Don't hold off on neutering either, if you aren't going to breed any time soon then please get your cat fixed. And if you have taken in a stray, or your cat has accidently gotten pregnant, there is no shame in aborting while the kittens are still in utero. I've seen it done countless times and it is far more humane than you might think, and far kinder in the long run if you can't provide for them.
If you suspect your cat may be pregnant, see a vet immediately. The earlier you find out, the longer you have to make a decision and prepare. Don't waste time Googling.
