Mating and Breeding Behaviors of Domesticated Cats by https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d You have cat to be kitten me right meow. en-us 2017-03-01 05:04:03 UTC 2023-06-28 12:37:02 UTC hello@padlet.com Cat Terms jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156926685 * A non-spayed female cat that is pregnant or nursing is called a queen
* A female cat that is not in estrus, pregnant, or nursing is called a Molly, but this term is rarely used
* A non-neutered/castrated cat is called a tom
* A neutered male cat is called a gib, but this term is rarely used]]> 2017-03-01 05:15:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156926685 The Flehman Response jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927358 "Sniffing or touching the vulva or urine of an estrous female with the tongue often stimulates a 'flehmen response' by the male, an upward curling of the upper lip" (Price, 117).

Cats have an extra organ called the Jacobsen organ,  which allows them to interpret or "taste" a scent. This organ lies below the floor of the nasal cavity and opens to the mouth just behind the incisor teeth. This organ is a sac that does not allow air into them unless the cat (or other animal) does some breathing control (Understanding Cat Behavior, Tabor, 19).

By using this response, a male will smell urine to "test" the sexual condition of females. ]]> 2017-03-01 05:27:06 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927358 Male Mating Behaviors jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927414 Urine marking summons females to the male cat's territory during breeding season. 

Males also have a call and females will respond to it by, if given the opportunity, to run to them and see if they like the male.

A courtship display between the two can last a while and it will be dependent on if the female chooses this male. They will roll around or bunt each other, then the female will assume mating positions. Or acts of aggression can be displayed and fighting can occur. 

The tom will put his front paws on each side of the female. The tom will hold on to the females neck with his teeth (see Perioral gland in pheromones) as he moves up and down with the back feet. The male penis enters at this time until the tom ejaculates (5 to 15 seconds). When the penis stimulates the vagina, this causes the queen to ovulate.

Mating cats may copulate more than one time in a session to ensure that ovulation in the queen has been stimulated.
]]> 2017-03-01 05:28:11 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927414 Female Mating Behaviors jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927437 During certain times of her cycle, she will experience behavioral changes. 

In proestrus, she will seem a little more affectionate than normal. She will rub her face on objects, will roll on the ground, and have a type of low sounding call for males. 

In estrus, she will call out for males even louder (yowl) and urinate more frequently. In this phase, she will be even more affectionate than in proestrus but still by rubbing and rolling. She will also assume the breeding posture. 

The male penis may cause pain due to penile spines which are there to stimulate the queen. She may scream and try to move away.

The female will spend time self-grooming after the session is over. If the male attempts to make advances on her while grooming, she will strike and hiss at him. ]]> 2017-03-01 05:28:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927437 Estrous Facts jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927463 Will reach her first estrous heat cycle at around 5-8 months of age

Queens are seasonally polyestrus with their cycles classified as long-day - occurs during late winter/early summer (January to September)

Females will display estrous behavior every 14-21 days]]> 2017-03-01 05:28:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156927463 Estrous Cycle jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156928067 1) Anestrous - the queen does not go into heat and her ovaries are in a quiescent (inactive) state. No sexual activity happens at this time and it can last from late September to mid January. 
2) Proestrus - during this time she is progressing towards her sexually receptive time. But during this phase she will not accept a tom's sexual advances.
3) Estrus - known as "true heat" is the time where she can get pregnant.
4) Metestrus - happens immediately after estrus. She will pay no attention to or accept males and will return to her normal self. ]]> 2017-03-01 05:42:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156928067 Incest Avoidance... jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156929276 ... Are actions taken to avoid mating within close relative proximity. This reduces the concern of  genetic success and vigor.

Females living in groups with related males will leave their groups while they are in estrus. This was interpreted as incest avoidance. Cats will drive their young away before they reach sexual maturing for this reason.

Unfortunately, cats can also be indiscriminate breeders and WILL breed within their family if in close proximity (irresponsible human breeding).]]> 2017-03-01 05:59:58 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156929276 Influence of estrus synchronization on male reproductive success jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156930831 According to the article, since males are territorial, when females are in synchronized estrus it is more difficult for dominant males to "spread their seed."

Females are spatially aggregated which represents potentially more resources for the male to defend and conquer. 

It is more beneficial to a male when outside groups of females in estrus are asynchronous so that they can travel, breed in more territory, and not have to worry about their current territory being overrun by new males.

Females living in groups tend to have synchronized estrous cycles. ]]> 2017-03-01 06:24:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156930831 Pheromones jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156933822 Pheromones are a chemical substance that is secreted and used to communicate with conspecifics. Chemical odors can also serve as a sexual attractant. 

Cats will rub their face and body on almost anything. This rubbing action is called "bunting." 

When cats bunt, they are using their facial pheromones to mark places. These facial pheromones leave a scent of contentment. 

Males tend to bunt female cats more often which is a way to sexually interact. If a female bunts a male, her scent changes and the male knows she is getting ready to breed.

When female cats are in heat, they produce a pheromone that can attract males from from up to 1 mile away. 

Perioral Glands:
Located in each corner of the mouth. These glands are important for mating for male cats as they mark the backs of a females neck and leave behind a scent after mating. This is used to hinder other males from mating with the same female that was already claimed. ]]> 2017-03-01 07:09:53 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/156933822 Kittens: Who is the primary care giver? jadegreen4444 https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/157178121 As you may have guessed it,  the mothers take precedence in raising their young. 

It is important to keep males away from kittens because they have the tendency to kill their young due to hunting habits. They may also kill kittens they didn't father. This stops other toms genes from spreading.

Toms aren't known for their fathering skills. Other than siring as many kittens as possible, tom cats don't tend to get involved in the raising of the kittens.

Queen's, however, are known for their maternity. They are even known to adopt other species of animals by nurturing and grooming them. 

Queen's groom, protect, and nurture their kittens. At around 2-3 weeks of age, the queen will spend less time with her litter. This signifies the weaning process.

Since cats are indiscriminate in their mating, queens can and will mate with different toms. This can lead to the cats semi-unique ability to have one litter with different fathers. This is called superfecundation. This is when two or more eggs from the same heat cycle are fertilized by different sets of sperm.]]> 2017-03-01 20:58:50 UTC https://padlet.com/jadegreen4444/5mtzkdhef36d/wish/157178121