BREEDING YOUR DOG OR CAT
The decision to allow your dog or cat to breed should be carefully considered,
as you must be sure that good long-term homes will be available for the
offspring, and you must be able to properly care for both mother and babies.
A large litter of puppies can result in what may seem to be non-stop feeding and
cleaning up poos, tidying up whatever has been dragged around and chewed, and
filling in holes in the yard. Active young puppies can be a full-time job, and
when being started on solids, require feeding at least four times a day. This is
no good if there is no one home during the day. The expense and workload
involved can be considerable, even without any problems.
No one should allow their pet to breed if they are not financially able to
afford a possible caesarian, as there is no certainty that any birth will be
uneventful, just as in people. Spaying even in early pregnancy may well be the
best option, if you are unable to make the kind of commitment to raise and care
for a litter.
Now, if you have carefully decided to go ahead with a litter, let’s look at the
basics. Dogs and cats usually reach puberty at around 6 months of age, but
breeding should be deferred until more mature. Cats should not have kittens
until around 1 year old at the earliest, and dogs usually 18 months to 2 years.
This allows your animal to develop normally herself, before the drain of
pregnancy and raising a litter. You should have a plan of how to manage any heat
periods before she’s old enough to breed, and a secure place of confinement.
When you have decided the time is right, and have selected a suitable stud, the
general rule is to take the female to the male. The owner of the stud dog or cat
may have special requirements, but as a general rule, make sure vaccinations and
worming are up to date before mating.
Cats cycle repeatedly during the breeding season, usually July to April, and
“call”, often desperately, to attract the male, and this lasts usually 3-10
days, in an 18 to 21 day cycle. They may roll repeatedly on the ground, or
crouch and yowl as though they have some injury, and often wash themselves
excessively and behave quite skittishly, or become over-affectionate. This is
when they should be taken to the stud, and left there until the heat period
finishes. Kittens can be expected some 9 weeks after mating has taken place
(usually 65 days). A pregnant cat will start to swell in the belly about 4 weeks
after mating, and by the due date she may have difficulty getting comfortable
due to the size of the kittens and uterus. In the last few days, the expectant
mother may seek out cupboards or hiding places where she is planning to give
birth. A cardboard box with some old towels or t-shirts in a secluded area is
ideal, but your cat may have other ideas—eg your bed! or under the house. Try to
keep her where she can be checked on but not upset by too little privacy,
especially during early labour (before the first kitten) as stress can inhibit
the normal birth process.
Dogs have a very different cycle, and come in season usually once every 6 to 12
months. Swelling of the vulva is followed by vaginal bleeding, which may vary
from traces of discoloured mucus, to outright blood drops on the floor or where
she has been sitting or sleeping. This is called proestrus, and lasts about 10
days. At this stage dogs will be attracted to her, and she may flirt, but will
not permit mating. The fertile time (oestrus, or “standing heat”) usually starts
around day 11 and is followed by ovulation 2 or 3 days later. Mating should
occur at this time. It is a good idea to supervise dogs mating, as they normally
“tie” or “lock together”, and the male dog turns so that they stand facing in
opposite directions until the tie finishes (5 to 40 minutes is usual). If a
bored/nervous/spoilt bitch tries to drag herself away, or throw herself on the
ground, she can injure herself seriously (the dog is much less at risk,
surprisingly). Sitting and quietly restraining the dogs is a wise precaution.
(And nothing can hasten the finish of a tie including cold water!) After the
fertile phase (day 11 to 14 usually), the bitch gradually returns to normal, and
by day 21, the cycle is over.
Both dogs and cats, if not confined and supervised, may mate with several males,
and the offspring may be by one or more males, so that potentially each one
could have a different father. You must keep your female securely confined until
after the heat is definitely over.
Puppies can be expected anytime 58 to 70 days after the mating. Several matings
do not result in different stage puppies/kittens - all the eggs are ovulated at
the same time, and fertilization of these eggs occurs within hours of each
other. The idea of more than one mating is to optimize mating with possible
ovulation, without the expense of multiple hormone tests.
It’s a good idea to prepare a whelping box for the birth of the puppies at least
10 days early. The whelping box can be made of timber, or simply a suitable
cardboard box. It is important to give the mother enough room the lie down
comfortably, but be small enough to keep the puppies close to her so one doesn’t
get pushed away and chilled. The area selected for the birth needs to be
protected from chilly drafts, able to be warmed if the weather is cold, and
reasonably private. The birth of the puppies can be exciting, but don’t forget
that the mother is going through a very difficult time, and she may be upset and
distracted by spectators (quiet peeks will be better accepted than a full-on
party by the whelping box). Lots of newspaper should be at hand, to either keep
adding layers as birth fluids wet them, or to change wet or soiled bedding. Save
the towels or blankets until after the birthing is finished.
Both cats and dogs usually follow a similar pattern of normal labour. The first
stage, where the cervix is dilating, is usually some 2 to 24 hours in duration,
and is characterized by restlessness, discomfort and panting. Bitches in labour
often scratch frantically and tear up their bedding, or try to dig themselves a
den in the yard somewhere. Pet bitches may follow you around, refusing to be
left alone. Cats often purr and usually want to hide themselves away. As the
labour progresses, the second stage of active contractions begins. This is less
obvious in the cat, but frequent changes of position, often bracing their backs
up against the box, and signs of straining, and licking themselves indicate
second stage labour. The bitch will pant and strain, with her tail raised, as
the contractions strengthen, and begin to push. Once second stage has been
reached, a first puppy or kitten should be born within 2 hours, and usually at
most one hour. If nothing has appeared, seek help from the vet before the mother
becomes weak and exhausted.
Each puppy or kitten develops inside a double-layered sac, and has its own
placenta or afterbirth. The placenta may come away with the puppy or kitten, or
the umbilical cord may break leaving the placenta still inside the uterus. It is
quite normal for both dogs and cats to eat the placentas, but it is not
necessary, and if the litter is large, too many afterbirths may cause diarrhea.
If the sac or waterbag does not break at the time of delivery, and the mother
ignores it, you must break it open to expose the puppy or kitten so that it can
breathe, otherwise it will drown inside the sac. The mother usually licks the
newborn, stimulating crying and breathing, and will chew the umbilical cord.
Healthy pups and kittens find the teat areas and begin to suck usually within
minutes of birth.
The birth of second and subsequent babies in the litter follows the same pattern
as the first, but the time of active pushing should be much less, no more than
an hour. There may be long gaps between the delivery of some babies, or they may
be born in quick succession. If more than 2 hours elapses, with no sign of any
labour, yet the size of the belly indicates more puppies, seek help. A simple
injection may be all it takes to bring labour on again, or there could be a
puppy stuck, requiring a caesarian operation. Once again, it is vital to realize
that delay can endanger both mother and any other babies still unborn.
Even when all seems to be fine, with mother and litter settled comfortably and
feeding well, it is a good idea the have a check up from the veterinarian, and
possibly a clean-out injection to make sure no afterbirth remains in the uterus.
This should take place within 24 hours of delivery, sooner if you’re not sure
that all have been born or if the mother appears unwell.