What sow research teaches dog and cat breeders about maternal probiotics, colostrum, and the first 24 hours after whelping or queening.
Category: Cat Breeding
Dive into the world of cat breeding. This section provides essential insights into selecting mates, understanding feline genetics, and ethical breeding practices. Perfect for breeders at any level aiming to enhance breed standards and contribute positively to the health and diversity of cats.
What Does Prolonged Labor Do to the Placenta and the Puppies?
A 2026 study quantified what every hour of stalled labor costs the placenta and the litter. Here is what happens inside the uterus when whelping pauses—and the thresholds that tell you when to call.
Colostrum Secrets: Boosting Puppy and Kitten Immunity
A puppy or kitten is born almost agammaglobulinemic. Ninety percent of immune cover arrives through colostrum in the first 24 hours, with peak absorption at 4 hours and the gut mostly closed by 12 to 16. New science on microbiome seeding, S. boulardii CNCM I-1079, and the action ladder for a neonate who cannot suckle.
Probiotics for Newborn Puppies and Kittens: Lessons from Human Neonatal Medicine
Human NICU probiotic medicine has matured around one transformation: pick the strain, not the category. Same genus, different strain, very different result. Here is what the 2023 European position paper and the 2023 FDA alert could mean for puppies and kittens, eventually.
How Do You Set Up a Whelping Box That Actually Protects Newborn Puppies and Kittens?
The 5-point whelping box audit every breeder should run before a litter. Why most setups fail on system design, not equipment.
When Queens Struggle to Deliver: A Breeder’s Guide to Recognizing Dystocia Early
Feline dystocia kills 40 to 44 percent of kittens in affected litters. The 2-hour rule, the 30-minute pushing rule, and the dark brown-black discharge before a kitten are your three non-negotiable triggers to call your vet. Observe, time, transport.
How Do I Prevent Neonatal Isoerythrolysis in Kittens?
Neonatal isoerythrolysis kills kittens when a Type B queen's colostrum antibodies destroy Type A kittens' red blood cells. Blood typing before mating and 24-hour colostrum management prevent it entirely.
How Does Gut Colonization Shape Your Kitten’s Health?
The first 72 hours shape a kitten's entire microbiome. C-section, antibiotics, and early weaning can derail it. Here is what actually protects gut colonization.
Why Does Your Queen Keep Missing Cycles?
Your queen's fertility window is shorter than you think. Here's exactly when to breed, what to test, and which signs most breeders miss.
How to Resuscitate Newborn Puppies and Kittens
The 2025 RECOVER guidelines just flipped neonatal resuscitation on its head. What you learned about airway clearance? It's time to unlearn it.
DR. EMMANUEL FONTAINE 