How can you tell if your cat is in heat? How long does a cat's heat last?

All about the symptoms and course of estrus. What to do with a cat during heat?

All cats are designed in such a way that several times a year they have a period when they are ready to mate. This process is called estrus or estrus. Experienced cat lovers can easily determine if a cat is in heat. In principle, over time they already know the approximate dates of its annual onset.

But what should ignorant owners who got a cat for the first time do? How can you tell if your cat is in heat? How to behave with her during this period? When can you breed a cat to breed kittens? Our article will try to answer all these questions.

How can you tell if your cat is in heat? Symptoms of estrus in a cat

The position of a cat during estrus
If estrus in dogs is difficult to miss, since it is accompanied by bloody discharge, then the period of sexual activity in cats is not distinguished by the presence of such obvious signs.

But there are a number of factors indicating that the cat has started to come into heat.:

1. A cat's genitals may become somewhat swollen during estrus.
2. There may be discharge, but it has a transparent viscous structure
3. The cat constantly meows and purrs. At the same time, even the timbre of her voice may change. If usually a cat's voice is thin and shrill, then during estrus it can become rough and hoarse, as if sexual
4. The cat constantly demands affection, rubs against legs, furniture and rolls on the floor
5. If you run your hand along her fluffy back closer to her tail, she will immediately bend and fall on her front paws. At the same time, your pet will actively finger with its hind paws
6. Many cats experience decreased or no appetite during estrus.
7. Pussy begins to visit her tray quite often. At the same time, she will defecate very little
8. The cat constantly strives to run away in order to find a partner. If you live in an apartment, then your pet will rub itself near the front door or on the balcony - closer to the street and street cats
9. Very often, such animals during the period of estrus experience a change in temperament. If previously the cat was docile and affectionate, then it can turn into an evil and untamed cat. Or, on the contrary, the freedom-loving, wayward pussy will suddenly become “white and fluffy”

Such symptoms of estrus in a cat very often cause a lot of inconvenience and irritation to its owners. After all, meowing and squeaking do not stop day or night.

Medicines against estrus

Manufacturers of veterinary drugs have developed a number of products that affect sexual heat in cats.

Hormonal veterinary medications are used to interrupt sexual heat.

Attention! Veterinarians warn that none of these drugs are completely safe. To one degree or another, they harm the animal.

• Covinan . The medicine is produced by the Dutch company Intervet International BV. The formula is based on an artificially created analogue of progesterone - the substance prolygestone. It reduces the production of gonadotropic hormones, thereby preventing the development of estrus. If the drug is used during the anestrus phase, a contraceptive effect is achieved. The product is available in the form of a solution for subcutaneous injection. The recommended dosage is 1-1.5 ml (depending on the size of the cat) once or repeatedly, depending on the desired result. Before using the product, you should consult a veterinarian. The drug does not exhibit androgenic effects and is indicated for animals over 5 years of age.

Covinan

• CounterSex Neo. The active ingredients of the product are acetobumedone and ethinyl estradiol. The drug works similar to Covinan, but is available in tablet form. They begin to give it at the first symptoms of excitement. Dosage: 1 tablet for 3–5 days.

CounterSex Neo

• Stop-Intim drops 2 . Due to the content of megestrol acetate, estrogen production is inhibited, which prevents morphological and psychophysical changes in cats. Stop-Intim is a low-hazard substance and does not produce a mutagenic effect. It is given during the period between heats or to interrupt sexual heat.

Stop-Intim drops 2

• Suprastin . The direct purpose of the drug is the treatment of allergies in people. However, it is also used to calm a cat during sexual arousal. Dosage - ¼ tablet for every 5 kg of weight. However, when using Suprastin, extreme caution should be used: even the slightest overdose will cause the death of the pet. The drug is hormonal and also leads to disturbances in the body. Veterinarians do not recommend the use of human treatments for pets.

Suprastin

Attention! The constant use of hormonal drugs to interrupt sexual heat in cats causes serious diseases of the genitourinary system - pyometritis, ovarian cysts, endometritis, cancer and others.

At what age does a cat start to go into heat for the first time?

When do cats go into heat for the first time?
Owners need to prepare for a cat’s first heat from the very beginning. After all, it can begin as early as six months, and time flies so unnoticed.

The onset of estrus in a cat is determined by its breed, development, nutrition and care. The fact is that the first heat can begin in those pussies that by this moment have already gained eighty percent of the body weight of an adult animal.

Therefore, cats that eat poorly, but are very active, mature much later than their peers. They may begin estrus between seven and ten months.

The breed of cat also plays an important role in the timing of the first heat. As a rule, in representatives of oriental breeds and shorthairs, estrus begins at five months. In turn, longhairs and Europeans are slower in this regard.

Puberty of males

The development of males differs slightly from the puberty of females. By 8-10 months of life, sperm mature and testicles descend. If this does not happen, contact your veterinarian. Some experts argue that in oriental breeds, for example, Siamese cats, puberty can begin earlier - at 5 months.

Males are ready to mate all year round; they do not have specific cycles.

How to understand that a cat has entered reproductive age

You can recognize the onset of puberty by changes in your pet's behavior.

• The animal begins to howl invitingly, attracting the attention of the opposite sex.
• The docile nature gives way to aggression and wariness towards other animals.
• The cat begins to mark its territory.
• Urine acquires a sharp, unpleasant odor.
• The cat can show attention to females and care for them.

How long do cats go into heat?

Duration of estrus in cats
The duration of such an intimate period in felines can vary from five days to three weeks. The fact is that each cat’s body is individual, and it is impossible to predict how it will behave in a given situation.

You can only get your bearings and prepare for the next heat after the first one. It will make it clear how long this period will take specifically for your cat.

Normally, estrus should last about a week . However, sometimes it drags on for a couple of weeks.

Its duration will depend on the cat's breed, its health, its age and the frequency of mating.

As mentioned above, oriental breeds (for example, Siamese) are more loving, and their estrus lasts quite a long time and often,

but the representative of the British breed is calmer in this regard - they experience estrus less often than others and generally it is quite fleeting.

Anestria, acyclia and other disorders

Anestria is the absence of cycles in cats. However, this condition is different from seasonal non-estrus, which lasts from October to December. There are many reasons for this: improper feeding or care, hormonal imbalances, etc.

Veterinarians identify a number of factors that increase the risk of anestrus:

• lack of daylight (usually growing days contribute to a surge in sexual activity);
• absence of other cats in the house;
• hypothyroidism - insufficiency of thyroid function;
• underdevelopment of the ovaries or the absence of this organ (if the cat was taken from the street, it could have been sterilized by the previous owner).

Acyclia is primary anestheria. This is the name for a disorder in which the cat has not come into heat by the second year of life. Veterinary medicine explains this by true and false hermaphroditism, the absence of one X chromosome.

Crowded nursery conditions cause sexual dysfunction

Young individuals are characterized by false pregnancies that develop even without mating. The condition can be triggered by the owner’s caresses or simply the smell of the cat. The fact that a cat has a false pregnancy is indicated by a delay in estrus after 40–50 days. Laboratory tests in this case show elevated progesterone levels in the absence of other pregnancy symptoms.

How to reduce the time and frequency of estrus in cats?

You can reduce the duration and frequency of your cat's estrus by knitting her.

When the cat is untied and given the opportunity to give birth to kittens and feed them with milk, the time of the next estrus is significantly delayed. And its duration may also be reduced.

Another factor that influences the duration of estrus in cats is their age. The older the cat, the less and less it is drawn to adventure. Over the years, estrus in cats becomes a rare and short-lived occurrence, and it can occur without ovulation at all.

Pathologies

Pathologies include the following anomalies:

• There was no heat for > a year.
• Estrus lasts more than two weeks.
• The heat is asymptomatic.

Violations occur under the influence of the following factors:

• Unbalanced feeding.
• Hormonal imbalances.
• Hypothyroidism.
• Insufficient lighting in the apartment.
• False sadness.

Imaginary pregnancy

Pseudosexuality is a mental condition characterized by the perverted behavior of an unfertilized female. She acts like she's pregnant. The disease affects females that were not fertilized during mating or who missed it and have not given birth. They develop nervous shock. In such a situation, the cat needs the affection and attention of the owner.

6...7 weeks after the cessation of estrus, the female carefully licks her genitals. Vaginal discharge appears, the abdomen enlarges, nipples become hypertrophied, milk is secreted, appetite increases, and hyperthermia develops. Due to hormonal fluctuations, the cat becomes lethargic, apathetic, nests, carries toys, shoes, mistaking them for kittens. Pathology requires special treatment.

How does a cat feel during heat?

Feelings of a cat during estrus
Many owners, during the estrus of their pet, try to protect themselves from her constant screams and friction. However, they must understand that the animal is not to blame for its condition.

A cat, especially one that is not mated, does not understand what is happening to it..

She simply feels an irresistible desire for affection and love. Her genitals are overexcited and send strange signals to the brain. Perhaps she herself would like not to feel all these incomprehensible things, but nature came up with everything just like that.

Is medical intervention necessary?

Not all owners consider sterilization humane, citing the fact that we do not have the right to deprive animals of the opportunity to reproduce and have fun. In fact, cats do not enjoy mating; regular hormonal surges affect their behavior, and pregnancy wears out the body and takes away health.

Many veterinarians are inclined to believe that surgery is the prevention of infections, tumors and oncology. If the animal is not used for breeding, spaying and neutering will be the solution to many problems.

Males often get into fights over females and return home hungry, injured and with infections. Treatment can be lengthy and expensive, but after a couple of weeks the cat will “go hunting” again.

Do not use hormonal medications purchased without a doctor’s prescription! Medications designed to suppress hormones can lead to hormonal imbalance and require additional treatment for the animal.

Sterilization and castration

Sterilization is the ligation of the fallopian tubes or seminal canals. Although this operation is most often used for females, it is still performed for both sexes.

Castration is the removal of the uterus and ovaries in females and the seminal glands in males.

In the first case, the genitals are not removed, but reproduction becomes impossible. Sex hormones continue to be released, albeit in smaller quantities. Some resort to castration because the animal’s body continues to live according to its own laws and the pet’s behavior does not change due to excess hormones. It is better to check with your veterinarian whether this or that operation is necessary.

If you have questions about spaying cats and would like more information about this procedure, read my article on how cats are spayed. In it, I collected current information about this operation and shared my own observations. All my animals are neutered and this turned out to be the best option for us.

During the period of estrus, sterilization is not recommended. This is due to the fact that at this time there is a flow of blood to the genitals and there is a high risk of bleeding and infection. Consult your veterinarian regarding timing of the procedure.

How many times a year do cats come into heat?

How often do cats go into heat?

In the wild, cats come into heat a couple of times a year. In domestic pets, it sometimes exceeds four times a year.

The fact is that it is almost impossible for wild cats to avoid fertilization, so they have to bear kittens for some time, and then feed them milk for several more months. All this delays the onset of the next egg maturation.

Pets that regularly go to mating and give birth may go into heat no more than once or twice a year.

Those cats who live in apartments and whose owners do not allow them to bring kittens, sometimes have to endure torment during estrus almost every month.

When a cat walks for the first time

Depending on the breed and some other factors, a growing domestic cat takes its first walk between the ages of 7 and 10 months . These are average figures, but deviations in one direction or another are possible.

For example, representatives of large breeds, such as Maine Coons, reach puberty longer than other breeds, so they often go out for the first time a little later: their first heat period can shift to 10-12 months, or even 1.5 years.

Some “precocious” individuals begin to walk as early as 4-5 months, this is also one of the variants of the norm, and theoretically such a female can become pregnant, but, alas, she cannot bear and give birth to healthy kittens - her body is not yet ready for such stress .

© shutterstock

Factors that influence when a cat walks for the first time also include the climatic conditions in which the pet lives, the state of the animal’s hormonal levels, the level of temperament, heredity and other characteristics.

It is known, for example, that if other adult cats live in the house, the young female will start walking earlier - often this happens simultaneously in all animals.

The onset of the first heat does not at all guarantee that the cat is ready to give birth. Even if she is already walking, her body still needs some time to be able to bear and give birth to strong and healthy kittens. Therefore, there is no need to rush with the first mating . Breeders have a golden rule: the first mating occurs when the female walks for the third or fourth time. Of course, this does not apply to animals that have been walking since 4-5 months - in this case, mating occurs after the pet turns 1 year old.

How to make your cat go into heat easier?

How to help a cat during heat?
The best cure for obvious signs of estrus is mating the animal. After sexual intercourse, the cat stops freaking out and comes to its senses. However, cat owners' plans do not always include breeding kittens. What to do in this case?

In order to make it at least a little easier for a cat to go through such a difficult period in her life , it is necessary to surround her with as much care and affection as possible. It is advisable to stroke her more often and talk to her in a gentle voice. Under no circumstances should you lock your cat in a closed, dark space (closet).

To avoid midnight chants, owners should try not to let their pet sleep during the day - it is better to play with her at this time. This way, the pussy will be exhausted and will rest at night.

Also, the best option would be to feed her a hearty dinner in the evening before bed.

Veterinary pharmacies sell a large number of drugs that help to subside estrus.

These medications must be taken with a prescription and under the strict supervision of a veterinarian. This is especially true for hormonal drugs. While herbal remedies are less harmful, those that contain hormones can cause a severe blow to the cat’s genitourinary system and overall health.

If the owners do not intend to breed kittens, then it is better for them to simply sterilize the cat. This will ease the suffering of their pet and themselves.

Sedatives for cats

Noticing that the animal is in heat, a caring owner is looking for a way to alleviate the pet’s condition. These days it is important to pay more attention to the cat, pet it, and pick it up. You can distract the female with active games. It is worth buying the animal a new toy and not allowing it to sleep all day, accumulating strength for the night concert. Given the decrease in appetite, it is necessary to reduce the size of portions and increase the frequency of feedings. The diet should be balanced.

The following homeopathic sedatives for cats can be found on sale:

• Cat Baiyun;
• Anti-Stress;
• Fitex;
• Stop stress.

Products made from plant extracts normalize the cat’s behavior before and during estrus. Such medications are not addictive. Reactions to sedative medications can vary, so you should consult your veterinarian when choosing a brand and dosage.

In extreme cases, hormonal drugs are used to interrupt estrus. You can resort to this measure no more often than once every six months. Abuse of medications containing hormones leads to disruption of the reproductive system and the appearance of tumors.

It is unacceptable to resort to the following methods of pacifying an animal:

• You cannot punish a cat for showing its emotions so clearly. During this period, the animal cannot control itself; its behavior is controlled by hormones.
• Bathing will stop the calling meow only temporarily. It should be remembered that water procedures are a lot of stress for a cat. Half an hour of peace is not worth the wasted nerves.
• Another stereotype is that if you keep a cat in a dark room, sexual heat will end faster. With a lack of lighting, the production of hormones decreases, but an animal left alone may experience mental disorders and attacks of aggression.

On what day of heat can a cat be bred?

When can you breed a cat?
Firstly , it is worth saying that

Experienced cat breeders recommend skipping the first two heats and breeding the cat for the third.

Many people ignore this rule and end up with animals already in their second estrus. However, this only happens if the pussy has grown enough, meets the necessary parameters and is ready to bear good offspring.

The second rule for a successful mating is that the female cat must be delivered to the cat on the second day of estrus. At the same time, it is recommended to leave her with the groom for about three days. This time should be enough for fertilization.

Frequency of sexual estrus

The frequency of the process depends on several factors. In a young cat that has not yet been bred, estrus sometimes repeats monthly. For individuals who have given birth to offspring at least once, this period is 3 months. After pregnancy, estrus resumes approximately six months later. But it happens that this happens much earlier - after 6 weeks.

After giving birth, the cat goes “hunting” in 5–6 months

What to do if a cat marks during heat?

What to do with a cat if she marks during heat?
Some cats during estrus may mark their territory - that is, defecate in the wrong place in small or large volumes. It is almost impossible to fight such a manifestation, because during estrus the cat has practically no control over itself .

There are two ways to eliminate this problem - sterilization or mating.

As an option to combat cat marking of territory, special cat diapers are sometimes used . They also protect against discharge during estrus.

Sterilization

One of the safest ways to stop estrus is sterilization, after which sexual desire and the ability to breed disappear. It is carried out using medication, radiation or surgery. The latter has proven itself to be the most reliable.

Sterilization will relieve the inconvenience associated with estrus

The most appropriate age for the operation is 5–8 months, before the onset of the first estrus. Previously, surgery was not performed because the body was not developed enough.

Video - Sterilizing a cat

Do spayed cats go into heat?

Do spayed cats go into heat?
As a rule, after a cat is spayed, she will no longer show obvious symptoms of estrus. She doesn't scream at night and doesn't rub herself against men. And that's okay.

However, it also happens that all of the above signs of estrus are present even after the process of removing part of the genital organs. It's very difficult to explain, but it happens.

In this case, you can let the cat surrender to the call of nature and take her to the cat. Such mating will certainly not give any result, and there will be no kittens.

Discharge during estrus

During sexual heat, it is necessary to monitor the nature of the discharge. As already said, they should be transparent and insignificant. You should consult a doctor if the secretion has acquired a red or white tint. This is how some diseases of the reproductive system manifest themselves - vaginitis, pyometra, hydrometra, endometritis and even malignant processes.

Discharge may indicate diseases of internal organs

How to determine a cat's heat: tips and reviews

Tips regarding estrus in cats

As experienced cat breeders note: “If you are not going to breed your cat regularly, then let her give birth at least once, and then sterilize her.”

This scheme will relieve the pet’s owners from the unpleasant manifestations of estrus and will help maintain the cat’s health.

After all, it is believed that a pussy must give birth at least once before becoming infertile.

If for some reason it is not possible to sterilize a cat (I feel sorry for the animal), then it is better to follow all the above tips and try to make this period easier, both for yourself and for her.

If you nevertheless decide to breed kittens, then having discovered the first signs of strange behavior of the animal, you need to transport it to a potential inseminator. If you miss even a couple of days, you risk missing ovulation.

How long does heat last and what is the break?

The duration of estrus is purely individual, 5-10 days is considered the norm. If the cat does not recover from this state for more than 12 days, it requires the help of a veterinarian. Such cases are a deviation from the norm and indicate hormonal imbalances.

The period of sexual desire can begin regardless of the time of year. It occurs steadily in the spring, between February and March. The rest of the time it depends on the production of progesterone; it is not possible to create a schedule here. Cats that have already given birth usually come into heat every 2-3 months. Those who have not walked may have them more often - 1-2 times a month. In cats that mate regularly, the break (interestrus) can increase to 5 months.

Frequency and duration are influenced by age - aging cats have shorter and less frequent heats. Also, some breeds have individual hormonal characteristics. For example, a British cat leaks less often, while a Siamese cat, on the contrary, flows more often.

Signs of estrus

To attract males, females use 2 tools: voice and smells. All sounds made become rougher and louder. Frequent but light urination occurs not only in the litter box - the pet leaves odorous marks on vertical and horizontal surfaces. Raising her tail and turning her back towards the target, she secretes a few drops of urine.

Another way to place marks is by rubbing them on objects. The glands on the cheeks of furry pets secrete a special secretion, allowing them to leave an individual scent.

The signs of the first menstruation are identical to subsequent ones. They are distinguished only by their weak expression in young animals.

Remember that discharge during “critical days” should be transparent. The appearance of blood or pink clots is a dangerous symptom that requires diagnosis.