Expert: Marcia Owen - 2/19/2008

Question
QUESTION: they have been trying to mate but shes to long and her fur is kind of long back there.she does scream and growl sometimes but when she does this he gets off of her and she then will slide around the floor.is it because he is not long enough to reach back there.shes 1 year he is about 8 months old

ANSWER: Hi Cecelia

Indeed 8 months is very young for a stud cat to start working and it is obvious that they are both inexperienced.  The best way to start off with a stud is to mate him to an experienced female who can 'show him the ropes'.  It may be that he is not mature enough yet to do the deed so would suggest that you split them up for a while or your girl may end up having a phantom pregnancy

However, if she is rolling and growling afterwards he may well have done the deed and only time will tell.  This is a normal reaction to a successful mating.

Marcia.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what is a phantom pregnancy?Thanks for your answer!!!

Answer
Hi Cecelia

A phantomn pregnancy is where the body is fooled into thinking its pregnant and it goes through the motions as if kittens were expected but nothing happens at the end and at around the timethe kittens would have been due, the cat often comes back into season.  Some cats even start to produce milk in readiness for kittens that aren't there.

Marcia