WereCats - Mating and Cubs
The first generation of cats were created from humans, and thus have very humanlike ways in choosing and courting a mate. However, their special WereCat DNA has made some strong changes to how they go about things.
Unmated females can be told apart from the mated ones by their scent, a mated female carries a strong bonding scent on her, the scent of her mate. The male usually marks his mate with his bonding scent during acts of intimacy, and releases the scent when he feels the need to show dominance and tell others which female is his.
Usually females are rather docile and stay within the pride home, save for the huntresses. In rare instances females choose to be warriors, following the example of alphas like Glimmer and Renee. Once a female becomes pregnant, she is taken off active duty if her job endangers both her and the unborn cub/s.
Twice a year, female cats go into heat. It usually lasts about a week, at both the beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn. This means that the female is in her prime for conceiving cubs, and will feel the strong need to mate. Unmated females tend to go into hiding during their heat period so that males cannot take advantage of their need. A male can be affected by the strong needy scent released by a female in heat, and prides can get generally unsettled during heat periods.
Once pregnancy is comfirmed a female must remain in one form until her cub/s are born. Due to their roots as humans, cats can only generally have up to three young in a single birth. Cubs are raised by both parents with much help from the entire pride, resulting in the young being very social and a strong part of the pride by the time they are grown.
Male cats are very strong, dominant beings. While most of them are civil and live in prides, their are the odd couple that wander on their own. Such males are usually dealt with by the alpha in the nearest territory, because no alpha will tolerate such a threat to their pride.
Once a male chooses a female, he must court her and show her his feelings. If she is interested, the pair enter what is known as a Coupling, a form of temporary marriage that lasts for a maximum of one year. After this period, the couple can either make their mating permanant or they can seperate. If cubs are conceived in the Coupling period, the pair are usually expected to mate for life, for the sake of the cubs. Only in extreme cases is this overlooked.
It is not wrong, but simply rare for a male to have more than one female. It is wrong for a female to have more than one male however, since males are very territorial and not likely to share. It is always known if ever a female was unfaithful, due to the bonding scent males release during mating.
Mating ceremonies are similar to weddings, they are overseen by the alpha. He blesses the new couple and any cubs they choose to have. If the couple come from two different prides, the female is the one generally to leave her birth pride and move in with her new mate. There are some cases in which the male leaves his pride to join hers, but it is less common because Alphas are less trusting of unknown males.
Males are most protective of their mates, feeding them only the best food and drinks they can get. This desire to protect and provide grows stronger with time, moreso when cubs are on the way. Females in turn care for the cubs with strong love and devotion, and care for their mates in all ways they can.