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Short-haired cats

　　1. Breeding Normally, cats reach sexual maturity at 7 to 10 months old, and can breed at 12 months. Unlike many animals, a female cat can mate with two male cats before and after estrus, resulting in repeated fertilizations. Because cats dislike being watched during mating and do not like bright lights, it is best to keep the mating place dark and quiet, preferably mating at night. To increase fertilization rate and litter size, one male cat can mate first, then after 24 hours another male can re-mate, which can increase average litter size from 3–5 to 6–8 kittens. The gestation period of the female cat is 63–65 days, and the nursing period is 50–55 days. To improve breeding efficiency, mating times can be artificially arranged. If breeding two litters per year, mating is best arranged for March-April and September-October; if breeding three litters, then in March, July, and November. The general principle is to avoid giving birth during hot summer months to improve kitten survival rates.

　　2. Pregnancy Management After 30 days of pregnancy, the female cat’s abdomen begins to enlarge and sag, and small kittens can be felt by hand. To prevent miscarriage, the cat’s living area should be kept quiet and dimly lit. Pregnant cats should mainly be fed rice porridge, with moderate additions of small fish or meat broth, fed twice daily at 350–400 grams each time, ensuring adequate nutrition. Ten days before delivery, prepare a separate room or birthing box with clean cotton, cloth, or other soft bedding. Avoid using random grass, sawdust, or wood shavings as kittens can get trapped and be crushed. After delivery, provide plenty of warm saline water, ample meat, fish, liver, milk, and other protein feeds plus an appropriate amount of vitamins and mineral supplements, feeding 3–4 times daily at about 400 grams each time to ensure sufficient milk.

　　3. Kitten Rearing During early and mid-nursing, aside from eating and relieving itself, the mother cat usually does not leave the birthing box. If disturbed, she may carry kittens away. Kittens open their eyes at 10 days, crawl at 20 days, walk and seek food at 30 days, begin weaning with small mice at 40 days, and can be sold by 50 days. Newly weaned kittens should be fed mainly dairy products or thin porridge, with properly added liver, fish, meat, and other animal feeds, and supplemented with fish bone powder rich in vitamins A and D. Prepared cat food should be at about 38℃; too cold or too hot is unfavorable for growth. During kitten rearing, training should be done to teach them to use fixed places for defecation and urination, not to climb tables or beds or sleep with humans, developing good habits.

　　4. Cat Disease Prevention Cats are very clean animals and need regular brushing and wiping with warm water to reduce body bacteria. Every week, rubbing the cat with 0.3% dichlorvos solution or with camphor powder or peach leaf juice can eliminate fleas and lice on the body. Caged cats require regular cleaning and disinfection of cages and utensils, timely removal of feces, and maintenance of a hygienic environment. Feed small amounts multiple times rather than large quantities at once, do not feed leftovers, avoid feeding meat from sick animals, and never feed spoiled or toxic food.