Vet Notes : cats
Valentine's Kitten
Think your sweetie might like a kitten for Valentine's day? Have you been out checking the shelters so that you can adopt one that truly needs a home? Well, you probably found that kittens are a bit scarce this time of year. Wonder why? Cats are seasonal breeders. This means that their reproductive cycle is affected by the weather and the length of the days. North of the equator, cats will not cycle during the shorter days of the fall and winter months. So, it's unlikely that you will find a kitten in the month of February, unless you are looking for a purebred kitten that was likely raised in a kennel situation and the cycles can be altered by leaving the lights on for longer than the daylight lasts, or you live south of the equator. While cats may not be having kittens year round in most locations, they are quite able to have many kittens during the months when they are reproducing. Cats have a short gestation or pregnancy, lasting only 9 weeks. They can have multiple litters during the warmer months, leading to many unwanted kittens. Unless you are a cat breeder, make sure that you have your kitten spayed so that she does not contribute to this unwanted population.