Feline Care During Pregnancy and Queening
Feline Reproductive Physiology
The queen attains puberty at 4-12 months of age with a minimum body weight of usually 2.3 to 2.5 kg. Puberty depends on growth rate and season of birth. Adequate nutrition, freedom from disease, late winter or early spring birth, the companionship of other sexually active queens and toms are necessary for early puberty. The tomcat is usually fertile at 6-8 months with a minimal body weight of 3.5 kg. The reproductive life may be 14 or more years, with a period of 8 to 10 years most suitable for continuous breeding of the queen. The litter size is reduced if the queen conceives on the first estrus or as an aged cat. The average litter size is about 4 kittens (1-8). Siamese cats average about 6 kittens.
The queen is seasonal polyestrous with a breeding season usually starting in January and continuing to September or October in the Northern Hemisphere. The queen is known as a "long day" breeder and is influenced by the lengthening of daylight during this period of the year. Twelve to 14 hours per day of continuous artificial light may cause continuous polyestrous with no anestrus period noted in the fall and winter. Less then 12 hours of artificial light per day in the cat that is not exposed to daylight may lead to anestrous regardless of the season. The tom also has depressed sexual activity in the fall months.
The queen is an induced ovulator, requiring coital or pseudocoital stimulation of the vulvovaginal area to ovulate. Proestrus which is exhibited by attraction of tomcats without sexual acceptance takes place for 1 or 2 days. Estrus or sexual reception, expressed by the queen's change in personality, constant calling, rolling, rubbing against objects and exhibiting the crouched mating stance with treading of the hind legs and tail twitching, lordosis of the back and tipping of the pelvis upward, occurs for 3 to 6 days in mated queens and a variable period, 10 to 21 days, in unmated queens. This is followed by degeneration of the ovarian follicles in the unmated queen, resulting in anestrus for 7 to 21 days, before a new cycle is initiated. Pseudopregnancy, following a sterile mating or pseudocopulation lasts from 20 to 44 days followed by 7 to 10 days of anestrus before ovarian activity and a new cycle is initiated. The gestation period is 60 to 68 days. Lactational anestrus is common in queens until the kittens are weaned. A few will show estrus 7 to 10 days postpartum and may conceive.
Ovulation occurs about 24 to 50 hours following copulation (average 2527 hours), although some workers give a range of 1 to 5 days. More then one copulation in a period of a few hours may stimulate centers in the brain to sustained liberation of releasing hormones that act on the anterior pituitary-gland causing sustained and higher levels of luteinizing hormone (L.H.) which may result in ovulation of more follicles. Since the mated queen will remain receptive for a couple days following mating, more than one male can be responsible for parentage of a litter.
Following ovulation, ova are transported to the uterine tube where fertilization takes place and remain here for about 4 days before entering the uterus. The embryos are usually evenly spaced in both uterine horns. Implantation occurs about day 13 to 14 of gestation of a "band" or zonary placentation formed. Estrus behavior is estimated to occur in about 10% of pregnant queens with acceptance of a male, copulation and postcoital rolling occurring at about 21 to 42 days of pregnancy. It is believed that some queens may conceive on this breeding resulting in a second litter, a phenomenon called superfetation.
Selection of Queens for Breeding
Queens and tomcats for breeding should not be selected only by pedigree, conformation or show performance. Both sexes should also be selected from parents that show good sexual aggression, normal sexual cycles, good litter size, queen with ease and rear a healthy litter. These desirable characteristics are genetically based and can be inherited. Individuals selected for breeding should have a complete physical examination including the reproductive tract, mammary glands and all other body systems for evidence of any abnormalities. Records of all heats, breeding dates, queenings, litter size and rearing information should be strictly maintained and utilized when making decisions.
Pregnancy Diagnosis
Pregnancy should be determined as early as possible following mating. Early diagnosis will insure proper care and use of the queen through the gestation period and also plans can be made for queening and rearing the kittens. Pregnancy diagnosis can be accomplished by the following methods: a. abdominal palpation of the pregnant uterus, individual fetuses and their fetal membranes from 20 to 30 days. As early as 16 days in a well relaxed queen, the beaded effect of the pregnant uterus can be detected, b. x-ray of the abdomen from about 40 days to term, c. ultrasonic Doppler detection of placenta 1 circulation and fetal heart beat from about the 4th week to term d. enlargement and pink color of the teats and mammary glands from about day 18 to term, ultrasound, day 18 on, day 22-26 may see heartbeat.
Care During Pregnancy
The pregnant queen needs a well balanced diet, with food provided so as fetal growth causes increase weight, food intake increases automatically. Overfeeding and excessive weight gain should be avoided. Feeding recommendations of commercial cat food suppliers for pregnant and nursing queens should be followed. Advice and discretion should be followed before supplementation of vitamins, minerals, high proteins or fats are used. Taurine deficient diets may result in poor fertility, fetal resorption and small litter size.
Non-strenuous daily exercise to keep good muscle tone is necessary for easy queening. Obesity and poor muscle tone can result in low conception rates and difficult queening.
Medication, vaccination and worming should be avoided during pregnancy with treatment being planned and performed prior to breeding if possible. A clean warm, dry, secluded comfortable area with a large nesting box should be provided at least 10 days before queening. Near term the enlarged abdomen may cause restricted physical activity. A few days prior to queening, the mammary gland enlarges further and milk is present. The excessive hair in longhaired breeds should be removed from around the teats and vulva prior to queening. The vulvar area if soiled should be cleansed just prior to queening.
Evidence of abnormal vulvar discharges, fetal resorption, abortions, premature kittens, stillborns or mummified fetuses or weak kittens with neonatal death should be carefully examined by a veterinarian and treated. Specimens of the vulvar discharge, blood samples and any fetal or placental tissue or dead kittens should be carefully handled and submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory for examination and hopefully a definitive diagnosis so the meaningful treatment, control, and/or preventative measures can be instituted. The queen and any remaining kittens should be strictly isolated from other cats, especially pregnant queens since a contagious agent may be involved.
Feline viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, toxoplasmosis and bacterial agents can cause the above fetal loss. Feline leukemia virus and feline infectious peritonitis virus have also been associated with this syndrome.
Diseases the primarily affect other body systems may secondarily affect the pregnant uterus. Any sickness should be examined by a veterinarian, treated and recorded.
Queening
Nesting may be exhibited 12 to 24 hours before queening. The rectal temperature falls in the first stage of labor. Normal presentation of the fetuses can be either forward or backward as they enter the birth canal. Thirty to sixty minute intervals are frequently seen between the delivery of 1 or 2 kittens. During this time the queen is removing the placenta and cord from the kitten, cleaning and stimulating the kitten to breath and move. The placentas are ingested by the queen and the vulvar area is cleansed by the queen. The kittens may be nursed before delivery of the next. Occasionally there may be a 12 to 24 hour delay following the delivery of 2 or 3 kittens before the rest are born. This is especially seen where a queen is interrupted and if free she may move her litter to another secluded spot.
The first litter of a queen with only one or two large kittens may be difficult and assistance may be needed. Healthy queens seldom have difficulty with delivery. Queens that are inbred, have nutritional deficiencies, or the stress of a disease may have poor uterine contractions (inertia) and require assistance. Trauma or a nutritional deficiency may result, in a pelvic deformity causing difficult delivery. Veterinary assistance for surgical intervention or medication with uterine muscle stimulating and contracting agents will be needed for difficult births.
Stillborn kittens and placentas are usually eaten by the queen. Cannibalism is seen, but it is more likely in the first queening, especially in highly nervous queens. These queens should not be used for breeding.
Postpartum hemorrhage, retained fetal membranes and/or dead kittens, and uterine inversion are uncommon in the queen. Oxytocin, a uterine contracting agent may be used to control hemorrhage. Treatment of shock, systemic antibiotics and abdominal surgery with possible removal of the reproductive tract may be needed following uterine prolapse. A brown vaginal discharge and enlarged segments of the uterine horns indicate a retained fetus and/or placentas. Medical or surgical removal will be needed to correct this condition.
It is desirable to observe the vulva and surrounding areas of the queen daily for evidence of abnormal discharges. A bloody discharge is usually present for 7 to 10 days post queening. Persistent discharges that are odorous or bloody indicate uterine infections or subinvolution of placental sites. A vaginal smear, culture and hemogram will be required for diagnosis.
Queens with the above post-partum problems may be listless and unable to nurse or care for their kittens. Immediate diagnosis, treatment and supplemental care for the kittens are required or loss of both the queen and kittens may occur. Both the queen and frequently the kittens need antibiotic and supportive therapy. Antibiotic sensitivity test for organism cultured from vulvar discharges or mastitic milk are important. Separation of the queen and kittens will depend on the severity of the condition and her ability to care for the kittens and the contagiousness of her infection.
Maternal Care and Lactation
The queen usually remains continuously with her kittens for a period of 24 to 48 hours. About 2 to 3 ml of milk is taken by the kittens 3 times an hour. Kittens double their weight in 7 days and open their eyes. They are able to take 5 to 7 ml of milk at a feed in the second week. At this time the queen will leave the nest for several hours. In her absence the kittens will sleep quietly if normal. After feeding, the queen washes each kitten, especially around its head and anal region. She consumes the urine and feces voided in response to grooming. By 3 weeks of age the kittens have increased their activity to exploring and playing. The queen then teaches the kittens to urinate and defecate away from the nest. Lactation is then supplemented by solid food beginning the 4th week and weaning is completed by the 7th or 8th week.
Queens with strong maternal instinct and good milk supply are capable of fostering orphaned kittens or will allow kittens from their previous litters to nurse. Orphan kittens can be raised on commercial replacement diets (follow manufacturers instructions for amount and frequency of feeding). Stimulation and cleaning for urine voiding and defecation with warm wet cotton swabs must follow each feeding and a warm area must be provided for very young kittens to maintain body temperature. Daily weights should be recorded. Kittens that are not gaining daily or that are losing weight should be examined and treated immediately be a veterinarian.
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