Is this a myth? Seems bizaare, but I've heard this from people a couple of times, but I didn't believe it. If you answer, please back up your answer in some way. Thanks.
2006-09-22 01:23:29 · 24 answers · asked by Just me. 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
I mean in one litter..can the kittens have different fathers?
2006-09-22 01:26:00 · update #1
Strange as it seems, this is true. Cats are spontaneous ovulators, which means that they only ovulate when the male cats, um, withdraws. Which means, that they can ovulate each time they mate, and that can be with different male cats.
I am not sure, but I believe rabbits are this way as well.
http://www.thedailycat.com/mind/relationships/archive/fatherhood/index.html
About the 3rd paragraph down.
2006-09-22 01:36:35 · answer #1 · answered by Nightlight 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I can't believe some of the idiotic responses on here! Especially the bit about "how rough and long it is determines how many kittens she will have"....good grief, why don't people read?
This is not a myth, it's been scientifically proven. As a lot of others have stated, cats are spontaneous ovulaters. When a female cat mates, she releases an egg that is then fertilized by the sperm of the male she just mated with. Then, if she mates again with another male, the same thing happens.
Although it's not a common thing, it's possible for this to happen to humans, as well. Not because we're spontaneous ovulaters, but because human women sometimes release more than one egg during ovulation. Obviously, human twins from different fathers would have to be fraternal (sperm fertilize two different eggs as opposed to identical twins where sperm fertilizes the egg, then it splits). If a woman has sex with one man one day and his sperm fertilizes the first egg, but not the second, it's possible for her to have sex with another man within a short time afterwards, and for HIS sperm to fertilize the SECOND egg.
Anyways, it's definitely not a myth for cats. Unless a female's breeding habits are observed and restricted, she will more than likely have several kittens fathered by different toms.
"The male cat's penis has spines which point backwards. Upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines rake the walls of the female's vagina. The female needs this stimulation for ovulation to begin. Because this does not always occur, females are rarely impregnated by the first male with which they mate. Furthermore, cats are superfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, meaning different kittens in a litter may have different fathers."
2006-09-22 05:14:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely! And it's very, very common. Contrary to some of these responses, a litter of kittens is not produced from one egg and one sperm. If that were the case, the entire litter of kittens would be genetically identical (like identical twins). Twins can happen, but like with humans it's rare. With a single egg and sperm, the zygote would have to split to produce a multiple birth. If you've ever seen kittens or puppies born, you will notice that each one is presented with its own placenta. If there were 1 placenta, with 2 kittens birthed, those 2 kittens would be identical twins. With cats and dogs, the female releases many eggs and the sperm can come from one or several other males. Believe it or not, sometimes a queen will deliver her kittens over a span of 2-3 days because she's been mated with over the course of a few days previously. So, to answer your question, it's not a myth. It's natures way of ensuring the continuation of the species.
2006-09-22 03:49:52 · answer #3 · answered by Alleycat 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I was going to answer this question, but after reading Alleycat's post there is no need to. Great answer!...and very accurate. The people who answered "no" have been misinformed somewhere along the way, and should refrain from answering such questions in the future until after they've taken a basic course in reproductive physiology, imo.
Of note: The color of the kittens often does not indicate the father. Color genetics in cats is more complex than that, and it's very possible for a single mating of 2 cats of the same color/pattern to produce kittens who look nothing like either parent or their littermates.
P.S. Another great answer by Katrina!
2006-09-22 05:29:01 · answer #4 · answered by A Veterinarian 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2016-10-17 10:50:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No cats can not! Dogs however can, this is why puppies from the same litter can look so different from each other.
I wanted to know the answer to the same question so I got a bunch of library books and did some research.
What I found out is cats only release their eggs during sex. The longer it lasts and the rougher it is determines the amount of kittens she will have. Weird but true!
2006-09-22 02:21:53 · answer #6 · answered by hollyhock 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes.
On the street, a queen may mate with two or more tom cats over the length of the estrus cycle - up to 21 days, with an average of seven days. Although genetics of the queen may come into play, multi-colored kitten litters will often vividly demonstrate multiple mating. Some breeders of pedigreed cats keep the queen and chosen tom together for multiple matings to ensure that pregnancy will result
2006-09-22 01:36:47 · answer #7 · answered by Turtle 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Abosolutely, yes. When a female goes into heat, she releases multiple eggs and mates with multiple partners. The litter of kittens will likely have muliple fathers since there is a variety of sperm to fertilize the eggs. This is why litters of kittens all look distinct.
2006-09-22 01:32:35 · answer #8 · answered by nido_tr3s 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes they can, a female ovulates each time. so if she mates with 2 or 3 males while in heat there could be 2-3 differnt fathers of the kittens.
2006-09-22 01:32:31 · answer #9 · answered by macleod709 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I adopted a stray that had kittens from two males.
Interestingly, the personality of the offspring differed greatly.
Says something about the importance of nature versus nurture.
2006-09-22 02:04:19 · answer #10 · answered by Grey Bear 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋