Selecting Breeding Stock for Cats

There are many factors to consider when selecting breeding stocks for a cat. The health of the cat is one major factor because the genes that the young will carry will have come from the parents and the previous generations. This is important because if any of the previous generations carry any genes with health problems then the young have a possibility of developing the health problems. Alongside their health, the cats fertility is a factor too because they want to have healthy cats that can produce and can physically handle the pregnancy and labour of giving birth. A main reason why people breed cats is because they are popular species to be registered breeds. The most popular registered cat breeds are American shorthaired, Siamese and Maine coon cats. They are popular due to their features for example their fur and face structure. As well as the health of the cat they have to be a good age to breed. This ensures they are not too young nor too old so there will be no complications during pregnancy or delivery.

Another thing to consider when breeding the correct cats is their temperament. Depending on the needs of the young, their temperament can vary. Some young may have very natural behaviours whereas others may not. Some people may breed cats to carry out experiments such as behavioural experiments so kittens with natural behaviours will more than likely give scientists or people carrying out the experiments more accurate results.

A factor to consider would be compatibility. If a female cat is ready for her first time breeding and then when put together for the first time and the female was to have a strong disliking against the male, all the resources and time would be wasted. It is best to ensure that the two cats that are breeding do get along with each other so that there wouldn’t be any problems.

Many breeds of cats are low on numbers and some breeds have become extinct. Looking into the breeds history and seeing their specific details but also the breed as a whole, for example their population, can help to rise their numbers. Many people would want to carry this out for conservation purposes which would also help with research.

Performance is another factor to consider when selective breeding as it would be better to have a stud that has previously bred successfully with a female and the litter have all been delivered healthy and have grown to be healthy too.