Reproduction
The breeding season for Geoffroy's cats lasts from October to March. During this time, the female comes into estrus for periods of up to twelve days, roughly a month apart. Mating during this time is brief and frequent, often taking place on a high ledge or similar site.
Pregnant females appear to take extra care in choosing where they give birth to their kittens. Litters may consist of one to four kittens, although one or two is more common. Gestation lasts for 72–78 days, with most births occurring between December and May.
The kittens are born blind and helpless, weighing about 65 to 95 grams (2.3 to 3.4 oz), and develop rather more slowly than in the domestic cat. The eyes open after from eight to nineteen days, and they begin to eat solid food at six or seven weeks. Kittens become independent of their mother at around eight months, but are generally not sexually mature until 18 months for females and 24 months for males. Geoffroy's cats have been reported to live up to 14 years in captivity.
Recently, Geoffroy's cat has been successfully bred with the domestic cat, resulting in the felid hybrid safari cat.
Read more about this topic: Geoffroy's Cat
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