Kittens enter puberty from seven to nine months old. But depending on the conditions of detention, the characteristics of the breed and external factors, puberty in cats may occur earlier or later.
Factors Affecting Puberty
Cats and cats reach puberty at different ages. Cat puberty occurs later than in cats, which matures with the first estrus, starting at 5-6 months. But the timing of puberty may vary. It depends on certain factors:
- Belonging to the breed. Representatives of the eastern breeds: Siamese, Thais, Oriental, Burmese and St. Petersburg sphinxes - belong to the category of early maturity.
- The structure of the skeleton. Cats and cats of graceful addition with a thin bone come into puberty before their powerful counterparts.
- Seasons. Kittens born in winter or spring come into puberty in the spring or summer, and in later litters, puberty is delayed.
- Conditions of detention. Compliance with the regime and quality of feeding, as well as comfort and convenience accelerate the growth of the pet.
- Features of the habitat. Surrounded by adults (in a kennel or pride), young feline representatives mature earlier than their peers from city apartments.
- Genetic predisposition.
When overfeeding a pet and being overweight, puberty in cats is delayed and can occur by one and a half or two years.
Manifestations of puberty
The behavior at the onset of puberty in cats and cats varies. In females, this period is accompanied by discharge from the genitals - estrus. External signs of estrus approach are manifested in an increased desire to flatter, rub on legs and furniture, and when it comes, the cat’s behavior becomes more provocative: it begins to meow invitingly, rolls on the floor, takes its tail to the side, demonstrating sexual hunting.
Puberty in cats is accompanied by more aggressive behavior. The mustachioed begins to meow loudly, attracting females, to mark the territory, and its urine during this period has a sharp, unpleasant odor. The character of the cat is also changing - it can tear off furniture and walls, show increased playfulness, and its games are similar to scenes of hunting for a victim.
With the onset of puberty of the animal, the owner must decide whether he wants offspring or not. If the owner aims to breed cats, then you need to find out if the pet has breeding value, and select a candidate for breeding. All events can be held in cat lovers clubs or consult a trusted nursery or an experienced breeder. It should also be understood that puberty and physiological maturity of a pet differ in timing: the latter comes closer to a year old.
If no one is going to knit a cat or cat, then castration or sterilization will be the right decision. It will be more humane in relation to the animal and safer than the drug regulation of sexual hunting.
The best time to knit
Everyone heard how March cats begin to sing with the beginning of spring, but not everyone thinks about why this happens. But the fact is that March is the best time to conceive future offspring and it is at this time that sex hormones begin to rage, because all summer and autumn are ahead to successfully feed the babies: the weather is warm, you don’t have to go far for food and leave the cubs unattended for a long time. Although in the conditions of the city, March cats can continue to sing both in summer and in autumn, because it is warm and comfortable in the cellars, and there is enough food in the garbage chutes for food.
The intensity and volume of cats yelling during the mating season directly depends on the number of rivals in a given territory. The more competitors, the more hearty, the mustachioed meow, hiss and growl, proving their superiority to the ladies and trying to win territory from rivals. Such duels can last for days, which cannot but annoy the apartment dwellers. And when cats find their cats and can satisfy the need for mating, then the cries stop.
Reasons for cat screaming
At home, cats don’t have the opportunity to mate freely and testosterone (male sex hormone) accumulates, the excess of which leads to a race - the cat yells at night, becomes aggressive, marks the corners and desperately tries to find a cat for mating, therefore screams without giving rest to the owners.
If the cat and cat live in the same apartment, have reached childbearing age and can mate or the cat is sterilized, and the cat is neutered, and night cries continue, then the owners should visit the veterinarian. Feline screams can be caused by hepatic or renal colic, which is accompanied by urolithiasis. An unbalanced diet contributes to the development of the disease, as a result of which stones form in the genitourinary canals. And when an adult cat walks into the tray as needed, he feels a sharp cutting pain and begins to yell heartbrokenly.
Ways to prevent cat screaming
If the cat is healthy and lives alone in the apartment, then cat screams can be prevented by following the advice of experienced breeders:
- neutered pet - in the absence of testicles testosterone is not produced, which means there is no sexual hunt;
- to tie a cat with a cat;
- give the pet more physical exertion;
- not to let sleep during the day - this suppresses the instincts of the night predator;
- arrange active games with the cat so that he sleeps at night, like a baby;
- monitor the pet’s nutrition - the cat should receive selected foods and meat, so as not to feel nutritional deficiencies. The mustachioed begins to be lazy, and the hunting instincts become dull.
Some cats are talking breeds and will require communication. Do not ignore such conversations, and then the animal will be more calm and satisfied. If you are considering the option of obtaining offspring, then you should make a couple a favorite. A cat and a cat in the same apartment will not let each other get bored and will relieve the owner of heart-rending cries during festivities.
If reproduction is not included in the plans of the owner, then you need to think about castration.
Castration and indications for surgery
Castrate a cat - this means depriving him of the gonads, that is, completely remove the testes through surgical intervention. Together with the sex glands, the cat loses its ability to reproduce offspring, testosterone stops being produced.
The best time to castrate a cat is its maturity and willingness to breed - from eight months to a year and a half. The cat’s readiness for mating can be determined by smell, because during this period the animal begins to mark the territory. The operation itself is quite simple, does not threaten the health of the pet and does not require special postoperative care. But before the procedure, you should decide where to castrate the cat, undergo examination and pass the necessary tests, including the tolerance of anesthesia.
You can castrate a cat for several reasons:
- Medical indications - for injuries, pathologies, orchitis.
- Decreased aggressiveness during sexual hunting.
- To eliminate or prevent bad smell from the cat in the apartment, because the cat, devoid of sex glands, will not mark the territory.
Experts recommend castrating those cats that will live in urban apartments and will not be able to walk on the street and satisfy their sexual needs. Often this applies to thoroughbred animals, from which they do not plan to breed offspring. This procedure will help the owners avoid the consequences of a riot of hormones: the appearance of a cat smell, shoots and pet attacks. It is also useful for the animal itself: the cat will not suffer from unsatisfied sexual desire and will avoid the development of prostatitis, a tumor of the prostate and adenomas of the ananal glands.
If the cat has the opportunity of free movement and satisfaction of its needs, then castration is undesirable, because the animal becomes passive and cannot fully defend itself. And this can lead to injuries from yard relatives during walks.
Place of operation
You can castrate your pet both in the veterinary clinic and at home. The second option is preferable, because the animal will avoid additional stress from transportation and contact with sick animals.
It is important that the veterinarian has experience in conducting such operations and a set of necessary tools. Do not trust unskilled specialists - such a step can adversely affect the health of the pet or lead to his death.
If the castration service at home is not available, then you should contact the clinic.
Cat maintenance and nutrition after surgery
Within two days after the procedure, the animal needs to create the most comfortable conditions. It should be identified in a warm safe place and lay a soft litter. It is not necessary to place the rookery on an elevated position, because after anesthesia the coordination of movements is disrupted in the animal and the cat may fall and be injured.
As for feeding, it is prohibited to feed the animal twelve hours before the operation and one day after the procedure. Starting from the second day, they begin to give the pet food in small portions.
It should also be borne in mind that castrated cats have a tendency to obesity and the development of urolithiasis, therefore animals cannot be overfed and restricted in fresh water. The best option would be to use balanced feed for castrated cats.
Similar actions are permissible in relation to cats - they can also be sterilized, that is, deprived of reproductive function. But, making such decisions, it is necessary to think through everything carefully, because it will be impossible to correct the situation.