Super fecundation

“Superfecundation” is a phenomenon that occurs when a female mammal, including cats, releases multiple eggs during a single estrous (reproductive) cycle and these eggs are fertilized by sperm from different males. This results in offspring from the same litter having different fathers. While this is a well-documented phenomenon in some species, including humans, it’s less common in cats.

It’s important to note that even within a litter where superfecundation occurs, the kittens are considered full siblings from the perspective of their mother. They share the same maternal DNA and are part of the same litter, regardless of different paternal contributions.

Superfecundation is more commonly observed in species where the female has the ability to release multiple eggs during a single reproductive cycle. In the case of cats, it adds an interesting dimension to the genetic diversity within litters.