breeding question

I just saw a post on another forum area so this is a question I would love to know-
I am a new persian breeder-right under 2 years.
I thought that a female could only get pregnant when she is in heat but I saw a post that someone said that a cat can get pregnant even if not in heat if the male makes contact-is this true?
I have one of my males and a female, who is a little over 2 years old and had her last litter from this male months upon months ago. She is healthy and all her kittens are in wonderful homes. I have them living together hoping that he could bring her back into heat-as they love eachother and I know he has tried breeding her and she just lays there and then fights him off later and gets upset if he leaves her company, so true husband and wife
I was just wondering about this. Any input would be great.

Thanks

To be honest, I've questioned this but never said anything. All during my breeding rexes, I've never had cats mate outside of the heat cycle. Towards the end of my breeding career, I had a tom that was gonna be my stud cat. He did mate with my queen a few times (only during heat cycles) and she did have 2 litters (last one was only one kitten and mom was spayed).

Tinker had free run of the house! He was never a sprayer and got along with everyone. But like I said, he never bred my queen till she was in heat.

So I question the fact about queens getting pregnant when they are NOT in heat. Even the barn cats - they never got pregnant till in heat - no other litters were ever had outside the cycles.

Now SOME cats can have "silent" heats where you don't see the signs right away - and perhaps this is when they get pregnant and people think "oh she was not in heat and got pregnant" - otherwise I honestly don't think they can get pregnant when not in heat.

thanks for that-my boy will try to breed the girls even when they are not in heat, he does not care so I was just curious if the girls could, I never thought before that they could!

thnks

Yup I agree. I dont think they can get preg when not in heat. Some cats (like my lyla) have silent heats and you have to look for the subtle signs that they are in heat.

Cats are induced ovulators ... this means that the act of mating itself causes ovulation. A cat does not need to be in estrus to ovulate, she only needs an intact male to mate with her. If an intact male can catch a female, in estrus or not, he will attempt to mate with her. And if he is successful at mating with her, she will ovulate, and a pregnancy most certainly can occur.

You know I was thinking about that when I was talking to a breeder friend of mine. A cat are induced ovulators and only ovulate once bred-so if a male does make contact I guess she can get pregnant.
I think most people say they have to be in heat because most females will not allow a male near her unless she is in heat, but my girl just loves the male and when let the male mount her and then after a little bit she does snip at him-

thanks