Learn more about cat brothers and sisters

Do you have cat siblings at home? This Siblings Day, discover fascinating facts about feline brothers and sisters.

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1. The largest litter had 19 kittens 

When a mum cat gives birth she will normally have between four to six kittens. But in 1970, one cat in Oxfordshire, UK gave birth to 19 kittens in one go! Sadly, four of the kittens were stillborn. But the poor mum still had 15 hungry mouths to feed! Let’s hope she was neutered after that ordeal.

2. Littermates can have different fathers 

Some litters may contain half-brothers and half-sisters. It’s possible for kittens from the same litter to have different fathers. This can happen when female cats mate with more than one male over a short period of time. This means they get pregnant more than once to produce one litter.

3. Siblings can be a variety of colours

Male kittens always inherit their fur colour from the mum, so brothers are likely to be similar colours. But female kittens will inherit a combination of their mum and dad’s colouring. Their coats can vary from their sisters’, especially if they have different dads! Find out why cats are different colours. 

4. Littermates learn from each other 

In their first few months of life, kittens will learn a lot from their brothers and sisters. One of the main things they practice with their littermates is how to hunt and play. This is why you might see kittens wrestling with each other. It can sometimes look a little aggressive. But as long as they’re taking equal turns to chase and pounce on each other, then it’s a great way for them to learn new skills.

5. Siblings don’t always get on 

If kittens are from the same litter, you might assume they will have a lifelong sibling bond. But this isn’t always the case. Cats don’t reach social maturity until they are between 18 months and four years old. Even if they get on when they were young, this may drift apart as they grow older. How to help your sibling cats get along.