Spring and Fall Bring the Heat

One of the rude awakenings to owning a cat, or raising a kitten for the first time, is the period in which your beautiful cat goes into heat. Also referred to as in season, heat cycles are technically called estrous. Female cats endure many cycles of heat which can be annoying to their owners and uncomfortable for them. Recognizing and familiarizing yourself with this prevalent aspect of female feline life is pretty simple.

Get ready. If you dont plan on, or simply havent spayed your cat, the heat cycles are apt to come frequently. Beginning at a young age; kittens can go into heat as early as 5 months old and as late as about 10 months old, however the average age is 6 months. The estrous cycle can be compared to that of a humans menstruation cycle. Cats will predominantly display a few behavioral changes that can act as good indicators of the soon to arrive heat wave.

Equal to a human period, cats in heat will bleed from the vagina and can often show some swelling of the vulva in addition to increased urination. Since cats bleed less than dogs, it is not likely to witness much of the bleeding. Instead, the behavioral changes will be more noticeable. Your little princess is likely to become very affectionate. Signs of this include incessantly rubbing up against your legs, or even next to other animals, toys, furniture, etc. Such extreme affection can appear unusual, and she may also spend an extra amount of time licking her genitals. In conjunction, she will become much more vocal. This is to call the male cats to come mate with her, and it can resume for days.

During this change in behavior, you may notice your cat rearing up to vertical objects such as a couch to spray a strong scented fluid. She will also roll on the floor more often and display intense restlessness. Additionally, she will assume the mating position by placing her head low to the ground and her front paws bent, while her hind legs are raised high in order to expose the perineum. She will place her tail to the side of her body and tread her hind legs rhythmically, as if she were walking in place.

If your cat does not either mate or get spayed, this heat cycle will come frequently, as often as every 2-3 weeks for several months out of the year. Each heat cycle typically lasts 7-10 days, but can ultimately linger for up to 3 weeks. This is a lot to endure for your cat and she will most likely feel uncomfortable due to the changes in her body and the uncontrollable changes to her behavior. Although it cant be certain, witnessing such extreme changes in your cat can conclude that being in heat is pretty agonizing: the loud yowling (calling), the restlessness, and the hormonal elevations could be pretty irritating for any female, feline or human.

As previously mentioned, cats are nearly in heat all year long (predominantly from March to December). Aside from the many other pros to making the responsible decision to spaying your cat, eliminating the frequent heat cycles is a definite reason. By doing this you will no doubt keep your house more peaceful and your cat quite a bit happier. Spay your cat and save her from the heat.