How Many Litters Can My Cat Have a Year?!

You can probably tell when your cat is in "heat" because she will become very vocal to the point of being annoying. She will also be much more affectionate than usual and will constantly rub up against you, or will roll on her back on the floor. Have you really paid attention to how often this happens to your cat?

Cats Have Almost Constant Heat Cycles

Since a cat can start having heat cycles at a very early age and will continue them until they are very old, it may seem like the cat is constantly in the heat cycle and your nerves are wearing thin from the loud meowing kitty is doing. Kittens as early as 4 to 5 months can go into heat.

This heat cycle can last anywhere from 2 to 3 days to several weeks. If there is a male cat around, the heat cycle will last for quite awhile, as if your precious kitty is sending out signals! Allowing the cat to breed will stop the cycle. Having her spayed will stop the cycle from occurring.

While the constant meowing and never ending affection is annoying to you, there is no reason to believe that your cat is in any discomfort because of the heat cycle. Some will disagree and tell you that they believe their poor kitty is as uncomfortable as women on a menstrual cycle. Kitty can't really tell us, so there is no way to know for sure.

What if the Cat Breeds?

If you allow your cat to breed, or she gets out and you have no choice, she will most probably become pregnant. Cat's actually release eggs from their ovaries during the actual breeding. Your kitty could be "expecting" very quickly and from just one mating.

Cat's become pregnant very quickly and will deliver their litter very quickly. It only takes about 60 days from conception to delivery. The cat will deliver a litter of anywhere from one to 2 kittens up to as many as 8. Each litter may be a different amount too.

Your cat can go right back into a heat cycle as quickly as 3 weeks after giving birth. You will have to watch her carefully, so she does not escape to go in search of a mate. If you are considering having her spayed, the vet will not do it until at least 6 to 8 weeks after birth, or until she has stopped nursing and has no more milk.

You can see how an unmonitored female cat can cause the cat population to explode. If they are not spayed or are not kept in and monitored by their owner, a female cat can produce several litters of kittens in a year's time. Many of these kittens end up in unwanted homes, shelters or are sadly dumped where their fate might be much worse.

Be Responsible for Your Cat's Reproductive Cycle

If you have not had your female cat spayed, you should pay close attention to her reproductive cycles. Do not allow her to roam the streets when she is in heat, or she will surely come home pregnant. If she escapes and then returns home, it is a good idea to have her checked by a veterinarian. She may have mated with a less than well cared for cat and could come home with fleas and ticks as well as a litter in her belly.

If you do plan to allow your cat to breed, do it responsibly and make sure you have good homes for the kittens. Know the health of the male she mates with and monitor them while they are together. If you do not want your female cat to reproduce, talk to your vet about having her spayed as soon as you get her, or as soon as possible after she has a litter of kittens.