can get pregnant when not in heat?

can cats get pregnant when NOT in heat? like, is it biologically impossible, or will they just not allow a male to mate her if shes "not in the mood"


I actually want to know about this with chinchillas, but I'm not getting anywhere with an answer, so maybe I could base at least part of an understanding on how cats work.

I don't know how chinchillas work but cats are induced ovulators so no they do no have to be in heat to mate and get pregnant. Weather or not the queen will let the tom mate her if she's not in heat is another story.

Male cats will not usually try to mate with a female who is not in heat - being in heat produces pheromones that attract the male.

Originally Posted by jennyranson

Male cats will not usually try to mate with a female who is not in heat - being in heat produces pheromones that attract the male.

Click to expand...

Now this is pretty weird but my cat Lilo is expecting any hour now.. so she has been pregnant for about 6 weeks. But the cat that I believe got her pregnant still comes around and meows for her when she is inside. And he even fights other boy cats (that I know are fixed ) if they get to close to her.
Whats this about??? LOL Maybe its real kitty

Originally Posted by Big-Cat-Fan

Now this is pretty weird but my cat Lilo is expecting any hour now.. so she has been pregnant for about 6 weeks. But the cat that I believe got her pregnant still comes around and meows for her when she is inside. And he even fights other boy cats (that I know are fixed ) if they get to close to her.
Whats this about??? LOL Maybe its real kitty

Click to expand...

Actually, if your cat has been pregnant for 6 weeks, she has a few more weeks to go before giving birth. If the male cat wants to mate, he will, even if the female is pregnant. But, more than likely, she will not let him near her. Being in heat is nature's invitation for the tom to mate, the female is usually more willing to let the male near her, but even then, not always. For those of you who have witnessed the mating of cats first hand know what I mean. They can get quite violent. As with my bobcats, they have been known to kill each other during mating, that is how rough they are during mating. (I do not breed bobcats however) As bengalbab already stated, the queen will induce ovulation after mating, so they do not need to be in heat. The male hanging around by your home is chasing the other males away, because he is claiming your female as his. He is just defending his territory, even though the other males are fixed. After Lilo has her kittens, if she is pregnant, please have her spayed once the kittens are on their own or don't let her out so she can pregnant again. There are too many unwanted kitties already

Bobcat is right, my cats breed even after the queen is pregnant, well actually they try to breed but the queen won't put her rear up for the male, but he still trys and trys. They fuss and fight the first few days after putting them together but after about the third day they settle down and the real mating begins.

Perhaps you could ask at a "Chinchilla" forum, I'm guessing you mean the animal and not the Persian colour, Chinchilla?

Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

Perhaps you could ask at a "Chinchilla" forum, I'm guessing you mean the animal and not the Persian colour, Chinchilla?

Click to expand...

yeah, i've asked a few of the chin forums, I've gotten a few answers, but nothing quite exact (no scientific jargon to back anything up). I'm thinking they're the same as cats; I don't know about the induced ovulation thing, but from what other ppl said on the chin forums, it would seem they could get pregnant but won't let a male mate if not in heat.

Thanks for all your wondeful responses though, it really cleared it up to know how cats work