60 Chapter 5Reproductive Behaviour of the Queen
An unneutered, sexually mature female is known as a queen. The usual age of puberty
is around 6–9 months, but a female may have her first season as early as 4 months of
age. Others may not start their reproductive cycle until they are almost a year old.
The age of puberty can vary between breeds but also the time of year that a female
cat is born may influence the timing of her first season.
Seasonal polyoestrous
Cats are seasonal breeders, which means that they only enter their reproductive cycle
at a certain time of year. Female cats have multiple oestrus cycles each year that usu-
ally begin in spring as daylight starts to lengthen and end in late autumn to early
winter as daylight shortens. During the winter months when daylight length is
reduced they normally enter anoestrus, a period of hormonal inactivity.
Some breeders anecdotally report that their queens also go into oestrus during
the winter months and studies of free-ranging cats have observed pregnancies
throughout the year. The number of pregnancies identified are, however, notably
fewer than are seen during the spring and summer months (Prescott, 1973; Nutter
et al., 2004).
Induced ovulation
Cats are also induced ovulators. This means that mating, which triggers a release of
luteinizing hormone from the pituitary, is required to stimulate the release of eggs
from the ovarian follicles, something that occurs spontaneously in other mammals
such as humans and dogs.
Numerous matings may be needed for sufficient luteinizing hormone to be
released, and a free-ranging queen might be mated by several males over a period of
24–48 hours. Natoli and De Vito (1988) observed that the free-ranging females in
their study mated with up to seven males; however, the number of males with which
a female mates can depend on the local density of intact, sexually mature toms. Also,
not all mating attempts may be accepted. Some females employ a mate choice, only
allowing herself to be mated by the males she chooses. A possible reason for this
might be to avoid inbreeding (Ishida et al., 2001).
If ovulation during oestrus is not stimulated, either because mating did not occur
or was insufficient to release sufficient luteinizing hormone, the queen will then enter
interoestrus when she is no longer sexually receptive for a period of around 7–9 days
(range 2–19 days) before going back into oestrus or anoestrus, depending on the time
of year.
If ovulation does take place she will enter a period of metoestrus, which usually
encompasses pregnancy. But if ovulation occurs without resulting in pregnancy the
metoestrus phase may then be considered a period of false or pseudopregnancy last-
ing approximately 30–45 day before going back into oestrus (Table 5.1) (Paape et al.,
1975; Verhage et al., 1976).