“Cats choose us, we don’t own them”. This is something I came across just a few days ago and what better than keeping it here for you all to see as I think it might be helpful in today’s topic.
Usually, cats are born with their siblings and love to spend their playful time with them during their kittenhood.
However, there have been cases where some owners have deliberately chosen to not depart the sibling felines and keep them together.
In addition to that, many owners have been reported to have the same problem which revolved around their cats mating their own siblings and having zillion contemplations related to that topic which sometimes also came out in the form of aggression and drifting the cats apart.
Today, this topic is our sight of attention and we are going to clear most of the apprehensions related to it.
In short words, sibling cats mating each other is possible once they reach their respective reproductive cycles, it’s most common in the case of feral cats that are isolated from the outer environment.
Let’s give a thorough check below.
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Why Do Cats Mate With Their Siblings?
Cats have the mating instinct just like any other mammals which needs to be fulfilled once female cats reach the estrus cycle during the heating period, males will prosper the need to pass on their genes. The cat’s body chemistry will depict when it’s the right time to mate and the female cats to reproduce.
When it the time, it’s essential for felines to mate even if they are from the same litter.
Most of the time, sibling cats mating with each other perplexes humans as this is not the sight we are used to seeing in our everyday life.
However, it needs to be deciphered that usually, feral cats who don’t have access to outer surroundings copulate with their littermates.
It also takes place because felines or cats don’t comprehend the concept of incest like other mammals do such as humans.
Can Brother And Sister Cat Have Kittens?
Cats cannot discriminate against family and identify siblings which means that leaves a vast possibility for your cats to mate together and have kittens considering this very fact.
To extend this very cat, female cats become fertile at the mere age of 4 months which means the cat will start producing their litter by the age of 6 months which is considered the reason why most young kittens are malnourished and don’t survive.
Coming to the male cats can impregnate a female kitten by this age. This clearly means the brother cat may mate with the sister cat because they don’t have sibling instincts for each other and only know each other as playmates.
What Happens When Sibling Cats Mate?
Siblings cats have the vast possibility of mating with each other once they reach their respective reproductive cycles. Cats that happen to mate in the same litter will bear with no complications and no genetic issues.
In such cases, they are not prone to any defect in any physical traits.
Furthermore, when it comes to inbreeding, can be a risk for the new litter mates as it can lead to many complications and defects which are often evident. Many factors contribute and it’s quite possible that the many attributes in the new set of litters will be adversely affected.
Disadvantages Of Inbreeding
1. Effect On Growth
When inbreeding is carried out, there is a high chance. The growth rate and weight of the offspring are adversely and negatively affected making the feline’s growth deceased and dropping the levels of hormones that flourish growth.
2. Effect On Reproductive Health
In the case of inbreeding, there are high chances that the reproductive health will of the offspring get affected and there are high chances that the efficiency or performance in their reproductive phases will decrease.
For example development of puberty or adulthood will be delayed, gametogenesis may be reduced, and death because of embryonic stoppage of development.
3. Fatal Chances
The death-mortality rate tends to increase when intense inbreeding is done constantly. There are high chances that such litters wouldn’t be able to survive or endure diseases and tolerate environmental conditions.
4. Abnormalities
Chances of being born with abnormalities are extremely high and the appearance of lethal traits such as cryptorchidism which means the absence of testes, parrot jaw, etc.
Must Read: Will Male Cats Try To Mate/Hump With Other Males?
What Is Line Breeding?
Purposefully breeding or mating half-siblings is known as line breeding. This is mostly done or practiced to get the desired feature by copulating selective animals.
Linebreeding includes mating half-siblings. This process is concerned with mating distant siblings or second–degree relatives that can prevent the risks to a certain extent.
When it comes to inbreeding, the chances of genetic malfunctions are extremely high and can also lead to an unnatural death.
Adding on to that, inbreeding of distant relatives also can make sure that the litter born possesses the same breed and physical and genetic characteristics.
What Is Inbreeding?
Inbreeding can be understood simply as when two organisms mate that are closely related to each other copulate or mate with each other to produce offspring.
All these years, inbreeding in pets is evidently seen which gives rise to genetic disabilities and genetic diversion is not at all created which simply means no diverse gene can be found in this activity continues to be operated and practiced.
There have been a number of complications registered when felines are inbred which leads to vast possibilities of disorders in the unborn litter.
- Smaller Adult Size
- Increased Risk Of cardiovascular disease
- High Mortality Rate
- Reduced fertility
- Reduced Birth Rate.
Is It Bad For Sibling Cats To Mate?
When cats that are related to each other, copulate or mate with each other, there are high chances that their offspring will have genetic deficiencies and growth defects, unresponsive vital organs and the risk of congenital complications are also relatively high when related cats mate with each other.
Example of it would be brother and sister, mother and son, and even half-siblings.
You shouldn’t allow your cats to mate as there are high risks of disorders and deficiencies in the unborn offspring.
How To Prevent Sibling Mating In Cats?
Once a cat reaches the stages where its reproductive organs are mature and ready to mate, they are bound to find a respective other, no matter if it’s in its siblings.
However, mating in the same litters or siblings can be prevented by neutering or spraying them once they reach the age of 6 months. Linebreeding or inbreeding shouldn’t be the options to opt for before you know the actual meanings and lines behind your cat.
You need to know that cats are not born with any social restraint that halts them from copulating with their siblings which makes the occurrence slightly startling for humankind.
To avoid that, you need to take proper vet consultation to prevent and know the root cause of such occurrences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when sister and brother cats mate?
When a sister and brother cat mate, there will be the presence of some good genes in excess, however, the same genes can lead to genetic deformities. One negative gene in the sibling can give the unborn litter fatal defects.
Do cat siblings remember each other?
It is quite common for a set of felines to enjoy their playtime together and spend their kittenhood with each other, however, they don’t remember each other as felines are not born with the ability to recognize anyone, at least their family.
Should I separate my cats that are likely to mate?
No, you shouldn’t. separating them would make them aggressive. In such cases, you need to get a vet consultation and get them neutered if this is not something you support.
Final Words
at the very end of this article, we can elucidate that sibling cats cannot mate as the copulation between two related organisms can lead to various genetic defects being caused to the unborn offspring.
It is also said that mating in related cats can prevent genetic diversion which is also an imperative reason why mating in siblings is not something to consider or prefer.
lastly, do drop in comments your first experience of such an experience with your cats and how you tackled it. come let’s help our fellow paw-rents.
I had a make cat that was the son of the female cat that he got pregnant by accident. So son getting mother pregnant. The mother only had one kitten and she did seem to grow fine and healthy. The only thing I noticed that happened was the kitten had one seizure when she was young. Thankfully other than that I did not see any other problems or abnormalities.
It is not uncommon for male cats to be able to get female cats pregnant, even if they are related. However, it is not recommended to breed cats that are closely related, as this can lead to a number of health problems in the offspring. Inbreeding can increase the likelihood of genetic disorders and other health problems, and can even reduce the overall health and lifespan of the offspring. It is best to avoid breeding cats that are closely related in order to reduce the risks for the kittens.
I have a brother/sister pair of cats. I don’t have the money to have them fixed. What other options do I have?
Hi there! I’m glad you reached out to ask this question. As a fellow cat owner, I understand how difficult it can be to find the resources to properly care for your furry friends.
When it comes to preventing your brother and sister cats from mating, neutering is definitely the best option. Not only does it prevent unwanted litters, but it also has numerous health benefits for both males and females. However, I understand that cost can be a barrier.
If you’re looking for alternative options, here are a few suggestions:
I hope these suggestions help you find a solution that works for you and your cats. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!