Curiosity gets the best of anyone and it is okay to get curious about pregnancy and the number of kittens your unspayed Russian blue can have. You might wonder how many kittens can a Russian blue have at once? How many kittens can a Russian blue have in a lifetime?
Russian blue cat can have three kittens in a litter and can have more than 100 to 200 kittens in her whole lifetime. The number of kittens may vary depending on the environment and the health of the queen.
It also depends on the size and age of the mother cat; you cannot go with a definite number as biology can be full of exceptions.
In this article below, we will learn about the kitten litter size, the factor that affects the average number of kittens in the litter, and many more related to Russian Blue. So, let’s get started.
How Many Kittens Can A Russian Blue Have?
Here we will learn about the average number of kittens per litter as the number may vary depending on the influential factors.
Russian blue cat can have three kittens per litter but it sometimes goes down to one while sometimes it goes up to 10 as well.
The most wonderful yet mind-blowing thing is that the kittens can have different fathers. Each time the breeding process takes place and the Russian blue ovulate, there is a chance if your cat is outgoing.
They can produce few eggs many times during one heat cycle and it can result in fertilization and more kittens.
If you are not attentive enough and you let your indoor Russian blue out more, you may have to handle its pregnancy every three months.
But it is very risky and unhealthy for them, even twice a year is considered a big risk.
Why Is It Necessary To Know The Number Of Kittens Russian Blue Can Have?
It is necessary to know the probability and possibility of the number of new guests you are about to welcome in the house.
You need to make the things that will be necessary for the newborns as well as manage the space too. Space needs to be large enough for the mother cat to give birth and nurse her kittens.
You also have to plan all the adoption process or figure out what you want to do with kittens. If you want to raise them yourself, then you will have to manage many needs that come with numbers.
Likewise, if you want to keep them up for adoption, you need to find a suitable person and shop who are willing to adopt or keep them.
Knowing the number will give you a window to make all the plans and make sure you are ready to welcome new additions to the family.
It will be shocking and stressful if you have to deal with a bunch of fragile kittens when you know nothing about their care guide.
Moreover, you will be able to count the kittens once they come all out and see if any of the numbers is missing.
If there is a kitten still present in the belly of the mother cat, that can be life-threatening for your pet. It can induce or expose your cat to the danger of uterine infection as well as peritonitis.
Sometimes, a large number of kittens in the belly can make it hard for the mother cat to give birth to all and pass them through the birth canal.
You have to consult the veterinarian and make sure the delivery is safe and sound. Without the knowledge of numbers, it will be hard to be prepared for consequences.
When Does Russian Blue Cat Become Able To Reproduce?
Russian blue cats need to pass the newly born phase to enter the motherhood or fatherhood phase. The answer to the above question is six months after they are born.
These Russian blue cats become able to reproduce at the age of six months. But that is just the average calculation. Females attend maturity and capacity to reproduce a month or 2 earlier than the male cats.
These cats can become pregnant at the age of 4 months and can go up to lifetime producing kittens. Every cat has induced ovulation and cannot release eggs until they are bred.
How Can You Help Your Russian Blue Cats During Pregnancy And At The Time Of Birth?
The pregnancy period of the Russian blue cat can last up to 60 to 74 days and will need extra care. She tends to become more sensitive and will prefer a cozy warm bed. Learn more about the pregnancy period of a Russian blue cat.
Pregnant cats will sleep more than the average time they slept before and stay in the safe hideaway around the house.
You need to prepare a safe place, a cat cave with blankets and cozy warm beds, for your pregnant Russian blue.
Even after the birth, you have to nurture the kittens of Russian blue with the warm temperature and cozy bed.
This will be an ideal place for the kittens to grow that’s why keep the pregnant cat there to make them familiar. Likewise, attach a thermostat or heating pad in the bed to maintain a warm stable temperature.
You need to give them space, a spot with a cozy bed and warmth along with high-quality food at certain intervals. This is all you have to do for the pregnant cat and rest they will be fine and handle themselves.
They will pant during birth and eat the placenta after the birthing process, this is normal and you shouldn’t stress about it.
They will clean their kittens themselves and nurse as soon as they are born while other kittens are being born.
How Many Kittens Are There In A Litter?
The litter can bear four to 8 kittens at one time but that doesn’t mean you will be able to handle all of them together.
The number of kittens depends on the eggs produced in the ovary of the female cat when they breed. It also depends on the number of males she has mated with and the number of eggs released during the heat.
Russian blue mostly sticks with the number 4 or less on the number of kittens in a litter so you will have fewer kittens to keep for adoption.
How Can You Determine The Litter Size Of Your Russian Blue Cat?
There are few things that can determine the litter size of the Russian blue cat. Each kitten comes from each egg female cat produce during the heat and hence determines the litter size.
The more outgoing your cat is during kitten season, there is a chance of mating many male cats by one single queen.
Each mating moment results in the production of more eggs than makes the litter size bigger. Each male she mates with will result in each kitten.
The variety of color and crossbreed kittens present in the litter is the consequence of having many mating partners.
Here are the few things you can do to know beforehand how many kittens are you expecting from your Russian Blue:
Previous Litter Size
Most of the time previous litter size repeats itself and results in a similar number of kittens. It is accurate most of the time but not a precise technique.
Your Russian blue can surprise you with a completely random number depending on the number of times she has mated with the male species.
Palpation
This is a job you need a veterinarian for because they have a more precise way of counting the number of formed embryos pressing the stomach of your Russian blue.
X-rays And Ultrasounds
A scientific method of knowing the number and health of kittens inside the tummy can barely go wrong.
It is better to go for ultrasounds rather than X-rays as it determines the number sooner whereas x-rays can only be done after fifty days till the bone is formed.
These can also not give you accurate results as kittens can hide somewhere during the process.
Factors That Influence The Size Of Russian Blue Cat Litters
There are various factors that influence the size of the Russian Blue cat litters.
Age
The age of the queen is the prime factor to decide how well she is and how much egg she can produce. The older queen tends to have a smaller litter than the new ones.
Also, the first litter is small with the size of 2 to 3 kittens due to the first interaction of the queen with the tom and pregnancy.
Size
Russian blue cats are medium-sized cats making themselves around the cats that have 2 to 3 kittens at one pregnancy.
The larger breed tends to have larger litters and smaller ones will have 1 to 2 kittens only.
Health And Nutritional Status
If your female Russian blue (Queen) is healthy and ovulating, she will have larger litter whereas a sick and unhealthy queen will barely reproduce.
Even when the pregnancy runs its full course, there is a chance of stillborn or affected kittens from the unhealthy mother.
Stress
When the cats feel threatened or stressed, they will give birth to a small number of kittens. Therefore, play with your cat from time to time. If you don’t have time for that then you can also get some of the best toys for your Russian blue cat.
Environment
Russian Blue Cats are indoor cats and are exposed to artificial lights making their cycles year-round.
The Survival Rate Of A Kitten Of Russian Blue Cats
Free-roaming domestic cats’ kittens have a survival rate of 25% meaning 75% of the kittens are born with the fate to die.
5% of the kittens die inside the belly of the mother whereas others die after birth or even after 4 to 6 months of being born.
You need to be very careful and gentle while handling the kittens of these Russian blue cats. Kittens will be basically blind for 9 to 14 days so it is quite hard for them to cope with the environment.
Besides, after crossing those days, you also have to provide Russian blue kittens nutritious and the best food to keep them healthy and fit.
How Many Kittens Can A Russian Blue Cat Have In A Lifetime?
On average your Russian blue cat lives up to 15 to 25 years and can get pregnant twice a year or once a year. Each pregnancy can result in litter size of 2 to 3 kittens each time.
So, you can do the calculation here. If your cat is not spayed then she can even get pregnant very early starting from the time when she is 4 months old.
She can reproduce even in her old age with no health issues or complications most of the time. So, adding all this up, the number of kittens can go up to 100 to 200 or even more during her lifetime.
It is kind of scary as the reproduced kittens can be female cats reproducing more kittens after they get 4 months old.
When Does Russian Blue Cat Stop Reproducing?
Russian cats will barely stop reproducing as they have the capacity to endure pregnancy even in old age.
However, if you plan to spay your cat and don’t let it mate with other toms then the chances of pregnancy are null.
The number of kittens one Russian blue can produce is kind of scary so it is better to get them spayed. Unless you want to sell the small kittens and make money out of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are the FAQs and their answers to help you learn more about Russian Blue cats.
How Long Do Blue Russian Cats Live?
Russian blue can give you their company for 15 to 20 years and the exception can hit up to 25 years if you maintain an ideal environment for them.
Do Russian Blue Cats Talk A Lot?
Yes, when Russian blue cats want to play, snuggle, and eat, it will try to talk with their human friend and will be very vocal most of the time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you don’t want to raise a kitten as a profession, it is better to get your cat spayed or neutered. There are millions of kittens still waiting to get adopt and find a good home. Russian blue cats make give birth to the cutest kittens but it is not wise to let them breed for a lifetime. More pregnancy and kittens can make your life difficult if you only wanted Russian blue as a friend in the house.
