Feline reproduction

Question 1

female

Answer 1

queen

Question 2

male

Answer 2

tom

Question 3

heat

Answer 3

proestrus and estrus

Question 4

puberty

Answer 4

as early as 4 mo.
next season, if born late

if born late may not come into heat until following spring

Question 5

seasonally polyestrous

Answer 5

repeated estrous cycles for a portion of the year

horses, sheep, goats and cats

anestrus in winter

Question 6

seasonality

Answer 6

long day breeder, more light

more darkness= more melatonin

Question 7

estrous cycle

Answer 7

proestrus, estrus, postestrus or interestrus, diestrus, anestrus

Question 8

feline

Answer 8

no pre-ovulatory progesterone
vaginal cornification- estrogen
no vulvar discharge

grow follicles, if ovulate have progesterone

Question 9

proestrus

Answer 9

length- short, may not be observed
behavior- attractive to male, will not allow mating; affectionate
anatomy- ovarian follicular growth
hormonal- estrogen high

Question 10

estrus

Answer 10

length= variable several days to 2 wks
behavior- attractive to male, allows mating; affectionate
anatomy- ovarian follicular growth
hormonal- estrogen peaks

Question 11

ovulation

Answer 11

induced ovulator
induced by coitus, occasionally spontaneous

adequate vaginal stimulation from mating causes GnRH release, LH surge and ovulation
4 matings in 2 hour period for best chance of ovulation

Question 12

mating behvaior

Answer 12

tom mounts and grasps queens neck
queen vocalizes with intromission
separation, queen licks, rolls and aggressive to male

repeat

Question 13

postestrus or interestrus

Answer 13

no ovulation/no mating
can last for awhile, atretic follicle

length- variable, days to weeks
behavior- not receptive to mating
anatomy- follicular regression
hormonal- no estrogen or progesterone

Question 14

diestrus

Answer 14

ovulation must have occurred

length- pregnant (2 mo.), nonpregnant (40-50 days)
behavior- not receptive to mating
anatomy- CL
hormonal- progesterone (dominant)

Question 15

after estrus options

Answer 15

no ovulation– interestrus/postestrus
ovulation– does not get pregnant – diestrus (shorter)
ovulation– then pregnant– diestrus

Question 16

estrous cycle stages

Answer 16

Anestrus leads to proestrus+estrus (0-2 + 2-19)
can go between postestrus 8-10 days to proestrus to anestrus
can go from diestrus pseudopregnant ~40 days (can go back and forth between proestrus and anestrus)
diestrus pregnant ~60 days between proestrus and estrus or to anestrus to restart cycle

Question 17

Queen in estrus- no mating

Answer 17

no mating

follicle grows as estrogen peaks and then go through postestrus where have atretic follicle

E2 increases appears like constant estrus

P4 throughout= stable

Question 18

Mating estrus

Answer 18

E2 peaks as mating and then decreases during pregnancy and beginning of lactation
P4 rises and falls during pregnancy (arching pattern)

Question 19

Anestrus

Answer 19

length-seasonal in fall/winter 
behavior- not receptive to mating 
anatomy- inactive ovaries 
hormonal- no estrogen or progesterone 
no vaginal cornification

Question 20

pregnancy

Answer 20

CL dependent for progesterone to term
relaxin from placenta may be used as dx test for pregnancy
queens can show estrus during pregnancy (can show estrus behaviors)

Question 21

relaxin during pregnancy

Answer 21

relaxin may promote prolactin release

prolactin= luteotrophic and may support the CLs of pregnancy- longer pregnant diestrus than non-pregnant

if not pregnant shorter cycle because no relaxin

Question 22

zonary, endotheliochorial, deciduate

Answer 22

type of placenta of cat

Question 23

parturition

Answer 23

similar to sheep model

Question 24

stage I

Answer 24

nesting, pacing purring

Question 25

stage II

Answer 25

queen may cry out with fetal passage
several hours to a day

typically no dystocia

Question 26

stage III

Answer 26

fetal membrane expulsion

Question 27

superfecundation

Answer 27

litter has more than 1 father, kittens from different fathers
some oocytes fertilized by 1 male, others by another

both queens and bitches can be bred by multiple males during their estrus

Question 28

superfetation

Answer 28

when an already pregnant female is bred and another conception event occurs

litters with different neonate sizes are more likely sue to arrested development due to differential placental attachment or anomalies, disease etc.

Question 29

toms

Answer 29

penile examination
penile barbs are testosterone dependent
regress completely by 5-6 wks post castration
intact male, tom cat= barbs, castrated male= no barbs