How old should my kitty be before I let her get pregnant?

magen

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Hello, I have a ten month old kitten who just entered her first heat. I had decided to let her have just one litter before getting her spayed but had planned to wait until she was at least a year old. But now she seems in real distress with her heat symptoms and I am wondering if it is a good idea to let her get pregnant now. But at ten months (or around 12 months when she has the babies) old is she mature enough? Will she be a good mother?
 

maverick_kitten

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Not trying to sound funny but in the words of the sticky in the pregnant cats and kitten forum...

As a general rule, TCS is primarily concerned with cat welfare. Because of our strong committment to responsible cat care and treatment, we do promote and strongly encourage a pro-spay/neuter policy here. Unless you are an experienced, responsible, ethical breeder of pedigreed cats, we do not advocate breeding.
 

passiquepersian

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Magen,

I would get your little kitty spayed as soon as possible to keep her healthy and happy. BUT if you feel the need to absolutely breed her wait until she is at least a year old. Again, I strongly encourage you to spay your little girl and let her be a happy healthy pet who will be loved by you forever.


Hope this helps!
 

familytimerags

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I have to agree with what is said, please reconsider the thought of "having just one litter". The shelters and rescue organizations need fosters for the many pregnant cats that come in, and would love to have someone like you to help care for the Mom and her babies.
There are health reasons why spay and neutering is so important. If fostering kittens is something you enjoy, you could continue. If breeding purebred cats is something you have thought about, find a breeder who will help and mentor you. You will find breeders who have bred 5,10, 20 years who are still learning.
You also need to think about the expense of having just one litter. Will you need to buy stud service, or do you have the male now? What if she has difficulty during delivery, will you know what to do in time? If she needs a c-section, can you afford that? If the kittens survive after the c-section, do you know have the time to feed the babies every few hours, even if your tired. If you work outside the home, can you call in to continue caring for the newborn kittens?
Please, read this post as though we are friends, and I am just warning you of what is involved. It isn't meant to offend you. Please just think about the benefits of spaying, and the complications involved in breeding for "just one litter".
 

jeanor

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FamilytimeRags said:
The shelters and rescue organizations need fosters for the many pregnant cats that come in, and would love to have someone like you to help care for the Mom and her babies.
QUOTE]

Excellent advice. That would give you the experience you are looking for without bringing more kittens into the world. Not saying you wouldn't be a good caregiver, but shelters and rescues are full of cats and kittens who need homes.
 

jen

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Please don't breed you cat, even if it is just once when there are so many dying because no one wants one.

Where are you planning on getting a male to mate her with by the way?
I hope you are not planning on just letting her outside to mate with whichever male comes along. That is how diseases get passed along and that is how cats get injured and die.
 

silverbook

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I agree with the posts about spaying her. If you want to witness a cat pregnancy and birth try contacting a local shelter about fostering an already pregnant cat.
 
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