2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39
An unsterilized cat will go into heat or estrus seasonally in the spring and fall and may go into heat multiple times during the season. The period of heat in the cat lasts on average about a week but can vary from three to 14 days. During estrus, your cat may exhibit behaviors such as jealousy, aggression or stress. The only cure for these behaviors is to have the cat sterilized.
Let's see the five estral phases (of different duration) of the cat to understand how long the feline heat lasts:
Proestro: this phase precedes the actual heat and there are not many signs in the cat, the female will only be more affectionate with the male but will not want to mate yet. Duration: from one to two days.
Estro (Heat): this is the actual heat phase. External signs such as a swollen vulva are not as obvious in cats as they are in dogs. The main signs can be seen in the behavior: loud meowing, rolling on the floor, lifting of the hind legs and, possibly, decreased appetite. Duration: from three to 14 days (average of one week). If the female does not mate she may return to heat within several days.
Interestro: is the period between the cycles of estrus if the female does not reproduce. Duration: two to three weeks.
Diestro: it is the phase after estrus or mating. Duration: from 30 to 40 days. If pregnant, pregnancy lasts an average of 60 to 64 days in cats.
Anestro: is the period of inactivity (sexual and hormonal) between the stages of estrus. Duration: two to three months.
The first cycle of estrus typically occurs by age between 6 and 12 months; for some cats it occurs from 4 months of age, for others up to about 12 months of age. The kitty can become pregnant during her first heat cycle, but this is not advisable as a 6 month old cat is not yet fully adult / mature and more risks and complications for both the mother and the kittens may occur. An unsterilized female cat of reproductive age is called a Queen.
Your little friend will be very eager to mate due to the effects of her hormones. THE behavioral signs of being in heat include:
- Meowing with higher pitches than normal;
- Attempt to run out the door;
- Purr;
- Rubbing against you or on the floor, also if caressed it could assume a mating position;
- Licking her genitals;
- Mark his territory by squirting his pee around.
It is recommended that a cat be spayed before her first heat, thus eliminating the risk of accidental pregnancy and reproductive disease later in life. Cats can be spayed while they are in heat (or pregnant), but there may be a greater chance of bleeding during surgery or other complications.
Recommended:
Kittens weaning: how long it lasts, what and how to do it
The weaning the kitten represents the transition from drinking milk to the consumption of solids , which occurs gradually over several weeks. Kittens begin to show interest in the food around them from four weeks of age. During this time they are still frequently breastfed by their mother, however they also begin to eat small amounts of food, which will gradually increase over the weeks.
Behavior of the cat in heat
Unlike a dog, i cats they do not show very obvious physical signs when in heat, but rather these are behavioral . THE symptoms of cats in heat they can prove the patience of even the most loving pet owners, and it is also one of the reasons veterinarians recommend spaying cats before the first heat or estrus cycle occurs.
Kitten trapped in the attic, lasts for weeks
The story we are about to tell you is incredible. A kitten trapped in the attic of a former business is saved after several weeks. The surgery that put an end to his suffering dates back to last Sunday. The kitten was in the center of Oderzo, in the province of Treviso, and could not free herself, so much so that she stayed there for several days.
Calming a cat in heat: all the ways to keep it calm
It's difficult calm a cat in heat that moans, writhes and makes us spend sleepless nights, but not impossible. In his condition it is completely normal for him to have these behaviors that generally begin to manifest themselves around 6 months of life, that is, when he reaches sexual maturity.
Cat in heat after pregnancy: after how long?
Our little furball goes into heat in the fall and spring. This period lasts on average a week, but can range from a minimum of three to a maximum of 14 days. During estrus (the name by which feline heat is defined) it could show attitudes that denote jealousy, aggression or stress.