How old is too old for breeding? Folks i hope you all give your honest opinions and experiences/reasons for your views. Thought this would be an interesting topic for debate soo.. your thoughts/views will be great-thanks

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Burnthwaites Siamese

I don't think I've yet had any success over the age of seven. Have had kittens born from queens older than that (one from a nine year old) but they were very small litters. That was when I was going through whatever it was that wiped out my breeding lines and the kittens did not survive.

I have only been breeding a few years but I personally won't breed my girls after 6 years of age and don't breed them before 1 year just simply because first and foremost they are my pets My oldest girl will be 5 in May but has only had 2 litters.

I retired a queen at 4 years she had three lovely litters for me and is now a pampered neuter
I think 5 would be the oldest I would breed from a queen

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Mazpahs Siamese & Orientals

Well - I've heard a story about 19 years old Maine Coon queen (in US) been chased off the tree to give a birth inside! But Maines are big!
That was from very experienced breeder.
I've just spayed one of my girls (5 years old) : she had a litter a year, but always 6 or 7 babies - which is a lot; she was a good mom and granny and now going to enjoy her retirement.

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Can i be nosy Liz and ask did the litters get smaller as the girls got older? 7/9 seems old to me to be bred from? How come you still bred from a girl of this age?

Well - I've heard a story about 19 years old Maine Coon queen (in US) been chased off the tree to give a birth inside! But Maines are big!
That was from very experienced breeder. Not a very caring one it seems-19Thats outrageous-imagine giving birth when were 70

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Burnthwaites Siamese

My last ltter was from a 7 year old girl,this litter was smaller in numbers and babies not as big as they usually are,i would say 7 is to old.

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I retire at 5 or 6, depending on the queen's condition.

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Very informative post guys!
I cannot add to this but i will need to info for the future!

I have limited experience of breeding, having only had four queens. Two are now retired and they were retired at different ages - one at age six having had just three litters and one at age three having tried but not succeeding in producing any kittens.

Currently I have two queens who are active - the older is four and the younger (her daughter) is just starting out in life, having reached the grand old age of 2 years this January.

Suggest you check on the queen's condition and watch to see how easily she copes with each litter.

As my older queen is scheduled to have her fifth litter at some point in the later stages of this year, I shall watch her to see how she does. If she struggles, I may let her just raise the litter and then spay her - she will by then be five years old. However, if she copes as easily as she did with her last litter, then it is possible she may have another litter and again, I shall watch her closely to see how she fares. I think I shall spay her when she is six whatever happens as I prefer to keep her with me in a long healthy retirement rather than keep on making her have litters. My queens are first and foremost, my little girls, my pets.

Kind regards

Rita