A Michael Broad Blog
Feline superfetation explained in an infographic. by Michael Broad Superfetation Explained (in humans) How common in cats? The exact percentage of cats that experience superfetation is not well-documented, as it is considered an extremely rare phenomenon in feline reproduction. Most of the available information is anecdotal or comes from isolated veterinary case reports rather …
Along the lines of humans, female domestic cats live longer than male domestic cats according to a very comprehensive UK study from an available population of 1.25 million cats under veterinary care across six veterinary groups during 2019-2021 (published May 7, 2024). The study is about lifespan (which I have discussed in another article) …
Superfetation occurs when about 10 percent of cats come into heat when pregnant. This results in a second set of eggs being fertilised before the first litter is born. It is a result of the breeding capabilities of the domestic cat. Normally pregnancy suppresses the sexual physiology of the female. However, female cats sometimes …
Here are 4 facts about calling female cats ‘queens’. I think that there is a misconception by quite a large number of people about how this description came about and is used. Why is a female cat called a queen? The answer is because “when she is on heat, she lords it over the …
Tomcats can’t, it seems, tell the difference between females who have been spayed and those that have not been spayed. This information comes from Dr. John Bradshaw in his book Cat Sense It is based upon his admittedly “casual observations”. He writes that “tomcats seem unable to distinguish between neutered females that form the …
Why does my female cat refuse to mate? The most common reason why a female cat refuses to mate is that the proposed mating is taking place at the wrong time in her oestrus cycle and usually during proestrus. If she is at the correct stage of her breeding cycle but still refuses to …
No, cats do not stay in heat after they get pregnant. The more technical word for “heat” is oestrus (estrus in America) which is the period of sexual receptivity. During oestrus the queen (unspayed female cat) seeks out males and allows mating. Mating is necessary for ovulation to occur in the female cat. This …
Although the news media are having fun with this video in describing a female domestic cat’s behaviour as stealing another female’s kittens, this is normal behaviour for group-living females. It might look odd to some observers but when you think about it, it is very friendly, harmonious and cooperative. In this instance a TikTok …
