When a cat goes into heat, this is a signal that the animal’s body is ready for mating and procreation. But in most cases, the pet’s instinct will not be satisfied, and the owners, tired of the constant, heart-rending cries of the cat, are looking for ways to calm the animal. When many drugs, although they help, can subsequently negatively affect the health of the animal, folk remedies are no less effective - they will calm the animal and will not harm the body.
How to understand that a cat is in estrus, and features of the first heat
Puberty occurs at 7-12 months. Its onset can be easily determined by the following signs:
- rolling on the floor;
- periodic raising of the rear part of the body followed by abduction of the tail;
- loud and prolonged meowing or intense purring;
- leaving odorous marks on vertical surfaces and actively rubbing against objects;
- loss of appetite;
- frequent licking of the perineum;
- swelling of the vulva and the appearance of clear discharge.
A cat's first "menstruation" is not suitable for mating. It is the shortest and less pronounced.
ethnoscience
This type of medicine effectively eliminates the symptoms of estrus and has minimal impact on the pet’s health.
Traditional medicine effectively eliminates the symptoms of estrus
Methods to eliminate the symptoms of “walking”:
Spray the wool with cool water. Give the animal a tincture of mint, linden, and chamomile. Give your pet more attention. You should not raise your voice; an animal during estrus is susceptible to high-pitched tones. Buy a new toy. This will help you get distracted and use up energy. Outdoor games will tire your pet, and at night she will fall asleep soundly. Separate room for cats. If you close it, screams at night will stop annoying the owners
It is important to provide in advance the availability of water, food, scratching posts, toys and a place to sleep.
How often and how long does sexual intercourse last?
The average frequency of estrus in pets is once a quarter, and its duration is 5-7 days. Deviation of these values up or down is acceptable, but only in the absence of diseases of the reproductive system.
If heat occurs every 3 weeks or once every six months, and its duration exceeds 3 weeks or lasts less than 5 days, consult a veterinarian. Your pet may need to be examined.
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Females living outside are close to wild conditions. Therefore, they estrus occurs once every six months, and this is normal.
Pills
Calming pills are the most emergency way to calm the heat. In this case, the owner must understand the risk he is taking, because these are hormonal medications and, after taking them, there can be very bad consequences; tumors may begin to form in your pet.
When purchasing such products, seek help from a veterinarian because only an experienced specialist can help you choose the right medicine that will help calm and not harm your pet so much during estrus.
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There are cases when a cat during heat was calmed by classical music. For example, works by Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky. Such cases are quite rare and depend on the character of your pet. Calm music stimulates the cat's desire to sleep and this helps calm the pet's heat.
How to calm a cat when she's in heat
The animal’s condition is alleviated by 2 types of drugs: sedatives and hormonal ones. If the pet is involved in breeding, then such a need arises during the first heat, the onset of estrus too quickly after birth and in the absence of a suitable partner for a long time.
Medications and sedatives
This group includes products based on herbs and pheromones. They are not addictive and do not cause severe side effects. The only contraindication to their use is the presence of an allergy to the components included in the composition.
It is important to clarify that the main purpose of sedatives is to relieve nervous tension, that is, eliminate stress. They do not suppress sexual desire. Because of this, their effectiveness is much inferior to hormonal drugs.
Hormonal drugs and injections
Hormonal drugs have a direct effect on hormonal levels. Their use leads to a decrease in the level of estrogen - female sex hormones. Thus, the animal goes through only 2 stages of the sexual cycle: proestrus (the very first) and anestrus (the last), missing the middle one - in fact, the “hottest”. When the next cycle occurs, the drugs must be taken again.
“Hormonal injections have a slightly different effect. They affect frequency, delaying the arrival of the next estrus by 6-12 months.
Despite their effectiveness, hormonal drugs have many contraindications and side effects. The latter include pathologies of the uterus and ovaries, including cancerous tumors. It is also worth noting the quick addiction.
Due to the large number of shortcomings, it is much more humane to resort to sterilization. With its help, you can permanently suppress sexual desire and reduce the risk of developing cancer of the reproductive system in the future.
Complex drugs
Such products include several active ingredients. The drug for contraception and regulation of sexual behavior "Ovostop" gives a prolonged effect (up to 6 months, depending on the length of daylight hours).
- Megestrol acetate
. Promotes the transition of proestrus immediately to the stage of sexual rest without estrus and the stage after it. - Proroksan.
Thanks to its effect on the receptors responsible for the behavioral manifestations of estrus, it blocks the unpleasant manifestations of estrus: excessive vocalization, search for a sexual partner, aggressive behavior, and the development of stress. Does not directly affect the reproductive system. - Melatonin
. The adaptogen hormone is responsible for the seasonal and daily rhythms of the body. The use of melatonin is especially recommended in cats that are constantly exposed to artificial lighting, which delays the timing of estrus and seasonal molting. Helps improve wool quality and normalize shedding. This active substance also helps slow down the aging process of the body and has a sedative effect.
The advantage of the drug "Ovostop" is the comfortable form of spot-on - drops on the withers. The three-component composition made it possible to reduce the dose of the progestogen component (megestrol).
Strict adherence to the instructions will help to avoid unpleasant signs of heat in your cat. To select the optimal product, consult a specialist.
Sterilization: pros and cons
Many people are accustomed to using the term “sterilization” in relation to cats, thinking that only cats can be castrated. This opinion is erroneous, since these operations pursue different goals.
The purpose of sterilization is to exclude the possibility of conception (tubal ligation as an example), and the purpose of castration is to suppress sexual desire (by removing the genitals). That is, a mustachioed pet can and should also be neutered. Below we will use a more familiar term, but do not forget that in fact we are talking about castration.
The benefits of sterilization include:
- Preventing escapes. Whiskered pets often get lost, running out the door or jumping out the window in search of the cat.
- Guaranteed elimination of estrus and cat marks, as well as stabilization of behavior.
- No need to find a home for kittens. If you do not plan to engage in breeding, then an accidental pregnancy may take you by surprise due to the lack of regular buyers.
- Reducing the likelihood of developing diseases of the reproductive system (cancer, endometritis, pyometra, polycystic disease). When the reproductive organs are removed, there will simply be no place for these pathologies to develop.
- Safe normalization of hormonal levels. The operation has no side effects and does not have a negative impact on the body.
- Increased life expectancy by 5-10 years. Achieved through calm behavior (no constant stress) and protection from the diseases listed above.
There are much fewer disadvantages: the need for anesthesia and decreased activity. There is no need to be afraid of either one. Young animals tolerate anesthesia very easily, and the emerging tendency to obesity just needs to be controlled with low-calorie food and active games.
“ All about cat sterilization
Facilities
Warmth will help your cat calm down. The source of heat can be a heating pad that you place under her bed or a warm towel. You can cover it with a light blanket on top. This will help your pet relax and calm the urge to want a cat. also purchase a special hanging hammock that can be hung on the battery . Cats love to sit at heights, she will definitely like this hammock, and she will always be close to a source of heat that will help calm the animal.
Alternatively, you can bathe your cat to calm it down. This procedure will temporarily distract and help relieve excitement during estrus. Each bath is a little stressful for a cat, and emotions after it will overshadow the craving for the cat. She will lick herself and, for a while, will simply be distracted from her needs.
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Another way to calm an animal is to use a product such as a pheromone. “Feliway” is a specially developed product and when used, the cat should calm down for a while, and its mood will also normalize.
It can be purchased in three types:
- spray;
- fumigator;
- collar.
You can also use folk remedies that can calm the heat. For example, you can prepare a decoction of chamomile, cumin and lemon balm. This decoction helps calm the animal. You can give catnip, which is a natural, gentle and painless way to soothe your pet during heat. But the result will not last very long and will range from 2 to 3 hours.
Mating and its rules
The first mating is carried out no earlier than the third “menstruation”, that is, only after reaching physiological maturity. The frequency of all subsequent matings should be no more than 2 times a year, and after reaching 6-8 years the animal must be excluded from breeding. Otherwise, there is a risk of developing infertility, miscarriages and other complications.
In addition to age restrictions, it is important to follow certain safety rules. When looking for a partner, be sure to ask his owner for documents reflecting his state of health. To avoid accidental infection, both participants are pre-vaccinated and dewormed.
“ All about mating cats
ethnoscience
This type of medicine effectively eliminates the symptoms of estrus and has minimal impact on the pet’s health.
Traditional medicine effectively eliminates the symptoms of estrus
Methods to eliminate the symptoms of “walking”:
Spray the wool with cool water. Give the animal a tincture of mint, linden, and chamomile. Give your pet more attention. You should not raise your voice; an animal during estrus is susceptible to high-pitched tones. Buy a new toy. This will help you get distracted and use up energy. Outdoor games will tire your pet, and at night she will fall asleep soundly. Separate room for cats. If you close it, screams at night will stop annoying the owners
It is important to provide in advance the availability of water, food, scratching posts, toys and a place to sleep.
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Prohibited actions
Most online recommendations not only do not give the desired effect, but also pose a danger to the animal. Prohibited actions include the following:
- Using folk recipes. Valerian, popular among owners, is highly addictive among the cat family, and essential oils with a pungent odor can cause acute poisoning. Also, do not resort to recipes with iodine and soda. These substances lead to increased gas formation and vomiting.
- Cooling the genitals with ice water. At best, your pet will simply get scared, and at worst, it will develop inflammation.
- Frequent stroking. Try not to touch the area from the middle of the back to the base of the tail. After this, the cat crouches to the ground in anticipation of mating.
- Raising voices and physical punishment. Abuse will simply increase anxiety and rob your pet of your trust.
- Locking the animal in a dark room. The sun's rays do stimulate hormones, but a lack of them is harmful to physiological health and psyche.
- Taking sleeping pills. This is a very strong drug that is used to prepare for deep anesthesia. Due to the large number of contraindications and side effects, it can only be used as prescribed by a veterinarian.
- Imitation of sexual intercourse. Sticking thermometers, cotton swabs and other oblong objects into an animal is not only pointless, but also dangerous. The tool you use can cause infection or cause accidental injury.
- Mating with a neutered cat. Unlike the previous one, this method is not dangerous, but absolutely useless. If you do not want to pair your pet with a breed-class cat, then it is much easier and more reliable to simply sterilize her.
If your loved ones use any of the above, be sure to tell them about the possible consequences. In addition to such drastic solutions as sterilization, there are several other options that eliminate negative consequences.
Numerous tips
- Entertain your kitty with games
using new toys. Young cats willingly frolic and play. The main thing is that they jump and run more. During fun, they spend additional energy that appeared during the estrus period.
- Reduce your food portions
. But you don’t want your pet to go hungry: it’s better to give her very little food during the day, and feed her a full ration of food at night. After all, a well-fed animal loves to sleep. Then the owners will be able to rest a little. - Isolate the female in heat
at night in a separate room or bathroom. Just don’t forget to put a drinking bowl with water, a tray with filler and a place to lie down so that the baby is comfortable. - Buy a calming collar
with pheromones, but be prepared for the fact that it may have a weak effect on the female. After all, kisuli treat smells differently.
- Distract your furry one
so that she can start grooming herself and give her an hour or two of restful sleep. To do this, wet the cat's fur with water or smear the beauty with delicious food: sauce from wet food or sour cream.
"Gestrenol"
The composition of this hormonal drug includes:
- mepregenol propionate - 1.5 mg:
- ethinylestadiol - 0.015 mg;
- flavoring and auxiliary components.
The drug is a yellow oil solution with a slight specific odor. Available in 1.5 ml polymer dropper bottles, which are packaged in cardboard boxes.
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It is prescribed to cats to reduce sexual activity, correct changes in the psychophysiological state during sexual heat, and also to protect against pregnancy.
What is matatabi?
In Japan, a new unusual plant was discovered - Actinidia polygamum, which has a narcotic effect on cats, but does not excite, like valerian, but calms, increases resistance to stress, and improves sleep. Matatabi powder/powder from stems and fruits affects the animal through the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. You need to let your cat smell this substance, throw it on the bedding where she sleeps, sprinkle a little on her food, and the effect will not take long to appear. The versatility of the product allows it to be used during estrus, during transportation, at exhibitions, in cases of obvious aggression, etc.
