Persian cats are one of the more popular breeds, so it’s no wonder that owners often think about breeding their cat, usually to sell the kittens (and maybe keep one!)
Or perhaps your Persian escaped and had a wild night… Either way, you are probably wondering how many kittens a Persian cat can have and how best to take care of the Queen and her babies until they are ready to be sold or given away (depending on what you intend to do of course).
Well, Persian cats are no different than other breeds of cat, so to quickly answer the question: the average first litter for a Persian cat has three to five kittens, but some cats will have more kittens (my current cat Sybil, before I got her, had litters of seven kittens!) and some cats will have fewer. But 3-5 is generally a good average.
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What Factors Control the Size of a Litter of Persian Kittens?
While some things are going to be a complete mystery in determining how many kittens your cat will have, there are a few things that you can check on to get a better idea.
A big clue is how many siblings our cat has: litter sizes are hereditary so a cat that gives birth to large litters will have kittens that can also give birth to large litters.
Persian queen cats can go into heat as young as four months of age and can have two to three heat cycles during their breeding season – each pregnancy lasting about two months.
So, a Persian could have two or more litters of kittens per year, but this is definitely not advisable as it drains your cat’s energy with no chance to replenish it, shortening its lifespan, and weakening it.
The best way to see how many kittens your Persian cat is going to have is to take her to the vet for an ultrasound.
The vet can count the number of skulls and spines he or she detects and give you a pretty good idea of litter size from there.
How Do I Know My Persian Cat is Pregnant?
There are a few pretty obvious signs that your cat is pregnant, but it’s still a good idea to take her to the vet to be sure and to make sure that the pregnancy is going well.
Signs include:
- Large abdomen
- Increased appetite
- Swollen mammary glands that release milk when squeezed
- Nesting behaviors (looking for quiet, warm places) near the end of the pregnancy
But it is important to talk to your vet as some cats can display these signs without being pregnant at all. This is known as a ‘false’ pregnancy or a pseudopregnancy.
Most of the time, cats can handle their pregnancy on their own, but you’ll want to be sure to keep their litter box very clean, make sure they have enough to eat (pregnant Queen cats need to eat more), and lots of fresh water.
You should also make sure to prepare a birthing space for your cat that is warm, safe, and secluded so that she can give birth and protect her young.
Care of Persian Kittens
Once the kittens are born, it’s important to help the Queen raise them to be healthy, well-socialized kittens that won’t be afraid of their new owners or other animals.
Kittens will require vaccinations (once their immunities from their mother wear off after weaning), kitten food once they are weaned, and careful and gentle socialization so that they learn not to be afraid of humans.
Their mother will often help with this by being affectionate towards you, showing that you are a person who can be trusted.
Kittens should be kept away from other animals until they are fully vaccinated, and they should not be weaned until six to eight weeks of age.
Weaning too early can cause anxiety and stress in kittens, making them more fear reactive. It also shortens the time they get their natural immunities from their mother.
The first ten to twelve weeks of a kitten’s life are critically important. They need a lot of nutrition to grow up properly – their mother’s milk will provide until roughly eight weeks of age and then they can transition to high-quality kitten food that they should eat several times a day until they reach about a year old.
Kittens also learn a lot about socializing in their early weeks of life, from their mother, littermates, and humans. Human contact is important before ten to twelve weeks of age so that the kittens grow u to be good pets.
Without that, they often end up fearful of humans. By playing with the kittens and cuddling them, you teach them that humans are ok.
Usually, by twelve weeks or so, kittens are ready to be fully weaned from their mothers and can be given or sold to new owners.
By this point, they are usually ready for their first round of vaccinations as well and they are soon ready to be spayed or neutered.
Conclusion
Persian kittens are absolutely adorable balls of fluff and purebred Persian show cats can fetch a decent price for their kittens.
Persians usually have a litter of between three and five kittens and should only be bred once or twice a year (rather than three or four times) so that there is plenty of recovery time in between.
Kittens need a lot of love and care to grow up into well-rounded pets, but they are so cute and fluffy that it’s hard not to cuddle them!
Have you ever had a litter of adorable floofs? What was it like to help raise them and how did their mother act?
Pam is a self-confessed cat lover and has experience of working with cats and owning cats for as long as she can remember. This website is where she gets to share her knowledge and interact with other cat lovers.