The greatest attention should be given to the condition of all breeding queens, for unless they are in perfect health their kittens are sure to be delicate.

Queens should not be bred from until they are a year old, if it is possible to keep them so long. They often show signs of wanting to mate at eight to ten months, but if they eat well and do not get thin it is best to keep them from breeding until they are at least a year old.

If you possess a thoroughbred long-haired queen, and she is used to running in and out, the chances are you will be presented with a family of half-breeds before you are aware of anything happening; but this misalliance has no detrimental effect on subsequent litters of thoroughbreds.

Therefore, it is best to confine your cat to the house when she is about eight months old, only allowing her out in a wired-in run or when you are able to accompany her on her strolls.

The first sign of wanting to breed is unusual affection, restlessness and mewing, and in some cases loud howls; but the higher bred cats seldom become noisy.

These restless attacks last usually a week, but should they continue for weeks together, it is best to mate your queen, even though you may consider her rather young.

It will be to your advantage to send your queen to a very good stud cat, rather than mate her to any moderate specimen you may own. Choose a cat which excels in colour-breeding and any good points which your queen may not possess.

The two cats, if possible, should be of different ages, unless, of course, both are in their prime, which is from two to six years. If your queen is very young, never mate her to a young male; and if your cat is getting old, choose a male under five years of age. The resulting litters will be finer and stronger.

The first litter is seldom as strong as those following, although, when, of course, the queen begins to get old, the number in the litters decreases, the kittens become delicate, and do not grow so large. This does not usually happen until they reach the age of seven or eight years.

Many fanciers think cats are mere machines, and that they can raise two and three litters a year. When they fail to raise the kittens to maturity, they do not seem to realize that it is because the mother cat's strength has been overtaxed.

With highly-bred cats it is far best to let them have only one litter a year, especially if it is from a young queen. From a queen two or three years old, who is strong and healthy, two litters may be taken; but it is best to get a foster-cat to raise all or part of the first family; then again, if a good, strong cat has only two or three kittens at a time, she may be mated again the same year; but if a queen has four or five kittens, this should be quite sufficient for the year. In any case, in a country like this, with extremes of heat and cold, it will be found that one spring litter will be all that can be raised successfully, unless it is possible to raise the autumn litter in a warm place all winter; if not, the kittens will not grow any more than autumn-hatched chickens do.

In more moderate climates the breeding seasons are different. Take England, for instance. The winter is moderately warm, usually only freezing slightly, and in summer the hottest weather is about eighty degrees, and that very seldom.

In such a climate animals are better breeders, because they have more strength.

I remember, when in England, having great difficulty in keeping my queens from breeding a second time during the summer months; but here there is no difficulty after the first litter has been raised, the queens showing little desire to start again on another family; and, if allowed to do so, it will be noticed they have not enough strength to grow coats for the winter; whereas the cat that has only one family a year is able to grow a full coat, and get into grand show form. If your cats do not coat up in the winter, they are not in a fit condition to breed from in the spring, and cannot raise a satisfactory litter.

I cannot recommend too strongly breeding only once from a cat during the year. Even from a financial point of view, it pays better, as one strong litter ready to dispose of at any time is far more profitable than two litters which are always more or less ailing.

Many persons have an idea that kittens are difficult to raise, but they will find, if they are treated as highly-bred animals, fed and bred from to their greatest advantage, instead of being treated as so many money-making machines, they can be raised without difficulty.

They can be worn out just like machines, for the oftener you breed from a cat, the younger it leaves off breeding, and, what is far worse, just as they should be in their prime they discontinue to breed for a year or two, from the result of too many previous litters.

Breeding queens are best kept in a cattery, as when "in kitten" they are liable to get frightened or hurt. If "my lady" is a house pet, then it is impossible to shut her up, as she will get out of condition, so all precautions must be taken to prevent her injuring herself.

The family may be expected nine weeks after mating, but do not become unduly alarmed should it arrive a few days or even a week late, if your cat eats and is well.

A comfortable bed should be arranged in a darkened corner, but should Madam Puss choose her own bed, allow her to remain if possible, and move her whenever you desire, after the kittens are born.

It is best not to move them for several days, but in the meantime slip a clean warm blanket or bath-towel under them.

The latter is best in very warm weather, as too much warmth in the box distresses the mother; so a blanket placed flat in the box with a bath-towel over it affords purchase for the kittens' feet when nursing, and does not make the bed too warm. In colder weather, padding of soft material can be put around under the blanket and in the corners, forming a round nest. All bedding should be removed and the box swept out at least twice a week, and the towel shaken every day and changed whenever it becomes soiled.

Treatment when kittening, and for raising the kittens, will be found in other chapters.