
No matter how you do the math, there are too many cats/kittens and too few homes. This calculator attempts to (loosely) apply math calculations to scientific principles as they relate to cat reproduction. Taken into consideration are factors such as a high percentage of owned cats are neutered and a small percentage of feral cats are neutered. Also factored in are annual mortality rates as well as post-weaning survival rates of kittens.
At seven years, the calculator shows 2905 kittens at 7 years (versus 420,000) and 49,000 at 10 years. But no rationale person would think that 2905 kittens produced by one cat and her offspring in 7 years is acceptable. Responsible pet owners should spay or neuter their pets.
Factors:
Not factored into this equation:
Year | Female Cats | Minus Died1 (@ 20% mortality) | Minus Spayed2 (@ 35% spayed) | Breeding Female Cats | # Kittens Born | # Surviving Post Weaning3 | Surviving Female Kittens4 |
Year 1 | 0 | - 0 | - 0 | 1 female cat | will have 12 kittens | 10 will survive | and 5 will be females |
Year 2 | 6 | - 1 | - 2 | 3 female cats | will have 31 kittens | 26 will survive | and 12 will be females |
Year 3 | 15 | - 3 | - 5 | 7 female cats | will have 79 kittens | 67 will survive | and 31 will be females |
Year 4 | 38 | - 8 | - 13 | 17 female cats | will have 203 kittens | 172 will survive | and 80 will be females |
Year 5 | 96 | - 19 | - 34 | 43 female cats | will have 519 kittens | 442 will survive | and 205 will be females |
Year 6 | 247 | - 49 | - 86 | 111 female cats | will have 1332 kittens | 1132 will survive | and 527 will be females |
Year 7 | 633 | - 127 | - 222 | 285 female cats | will have 3417 kittens | 2905 will survive | and 1351 will be females |
Year 8 | 1623 | - 325 | - 568 | 730 female cats | will have 8766 kittens | 7451 will survive | and 3465 will be females |
Year 9 | 4164 | - 833 | - 1457 | 1874 female cats | will have 22484 kittens | 19112 will survive | and 8887 will be females |
Year 10 | 10680 | - 2136 | - 3738 | 4806 female cats | will have 57672 kittens | 49021 will survive | and 22795 will be females |
1http://www.animalsandsociety.org/assets/library/199_s15327604jaws07041.pdf 2http://catvet.homestead.com/devon_rex_project_report_1st_year.doc 3http://la.rsmjournals.com/content/4/1/99.full.pdf 4http://www.royalcanin.us/library/catlittersize.aspx |