How to tell if my cat has successfully mated?
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Just so you know if you're above board: since you're breeding litters regularly, you are technically a professional.
Mind you, like ulalie, it’s still quite surprising for someone in the trade not to know this sort of thing. As a pro, surely it’s the basics? Then again, maybe not...
Yes, and?
Do you have your business registration number?
Before starting out in breeding, you need to do your research and learn from the pros; you can't just become a breeder overnight. What's going to happen when she’s in labour if something goes wrong? I dread to think!
I can understand why you’d want to get into breeding, but for goodness sake, do it properly and don't put your cats at risk. You won't learn everything you need to know on a forum; you need to spend time with experienced breeders of the breed and learn from them, if they're willing to mentor you.
Hi there,
Mating failure is the main cause of infertility in cats.
Firstly, you need to be sure that the queen is definitely in heat. To check if the male is "ready", you can check his penis for the presence of spines (small barbs).
What is then crucial is to observe the post-mating behaviour: the queen should roll on her back and groom herself. If this doesn't happen, there is little chance that the mating has been successful; furthermore, the male needs to mate with the female several times.
If your queen is reluctant and your stud is a beginner, it might be worth using a more experienced male for the first time.
You can ask your vet for a progesterone test 5 days after the last mating if you want an early prognosis; otherwise, an ultrasound can be done at around 3 weeks.
Best regards,
Audrey
Get in touch with a professional breeder and/or a vet who'll be able to help you out if you're new to all this. Have you thought about health tests and screenings?
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