16 THE DOMESTIC AND LONG-HAIRED CAT 



CHAPTER VI 



Mating Season 



The first signs of wanting to breed some- 

 times occur when the queen is eight or ten 

 months old; unusual affection will be shown, 

 mewing, sometimes loud cries and often rolling 

 over on the floor. It is best to put off mating 

 till a year old, but if the cat does not eat well 

 and becomes thin and continues calling for more 

 than a week, it is then best to mate her. Some- 

 times holding a queen over too long makes an 

 indifferent mother and quite often a poor breed- 

 er. We will assume that you have had in mind 

 the male you wish to breed your queen with. 

 If your queen is very young, mate her to an older 

 male ; if she is old choose a young male ; if she is 

 in her prime, that is from two to six years, she 

 can be bred to a male her own age. If the male 

 resides at a distance and it is necessary to ship 

 your queen, provide a comfortable box or 

 shipping case, take to the train yourself and 

 wire the owner of the stud what time your 

 queen may be expected. 



