Sexual maturity
In males, we notice they are born with their testicles in their abdomen. This makes it difficult (if you're not experienced) to know the sex of our kitten just a few weeks old. The way of knowing this is by stimulating the genital area to provoke the withdrawal of the penis.
Spermatozoids at first are immature. When a large portion of spermatozoids are mature, a male cat has reached its adolescence. This usually happens between 9 months and 1 year old.
Picture of a male cat. You can clearly see its testicles.
In females, Sexual maturity is reached after the first time they are in heat (we will see more in a later lesson). This happens between 6 to 10 months old.
Picture of a female.
We already mentioned the age in which female cats experience their first "heat". However, we need to know that cats are seasonal animals. If they reach this period (heat) in a time of the year with less natural light, they won't be in heat until the next season.
Besides the time of the year, this period is also influenced by other factors:
1. it is delayed in sick animals.
2. its diet is a great influence, thus, in alley cats, it is delayed.
3. its race. For example, a siamese cat is more precocious, while a Persian is a late bloomer.
However, this rule of races is not always fulfilled.
