The first thing we want to explain to you is about the false belief that cats must have at least one zeal in their life to be happier or more beautiful, to avoid uterine infections, tumors and / or breast cancer.
There is no scientific basis that proves this to be true and therefore we recommend that unless you are a breeder of purebred cats, you sterilize your cat to avoid several problems that we will explain below.
If you sterilize your cat, on the contrary, you will avoid 95% the probability of a breast tumor and you will save yourself some annoyances such as possible leaks or leaks, unusual behaviors and problems with other cats that want to mate with her.
The first heat
Unlike women, cats are quite young when they can have their first heat. The normal thing is that this occurs at 6 months of age but there are some cats that this occurs at 4 months, however there are also a few that can take up to 11 months.
How long does it happen, does it last and how many times does my cat have heat?
There are variations but, normally, a kitten can have her first heat between 4 months and the first year of age, although this can vary depending on the breed or weight of the cat, this usually lasts around 7 days and can occur between about 3 or 4 times a year. These aspects can vary from one cat to another depending on several factors such as the climate, the number of cats with whom they live and if they are female or male.
Indicators of a cat in heat
Once your cat has had her first heat, it is easy to identify when she will have it again. They do not have vulvar bleeding or swelling like other species but the visible symptoms of a cat in heat are so obvious that you will not be able to confuse when she is.
- The meow is shrill, high-pitched and much more continuous than normal, often increasing at night.
- His body language is more affective. He lies down and rubs against you, against walls and other cats. There are some cats that, when you rub them, raise their tails and arch their body leaning on their front legs as if showing the vulva for a supposed copulation.
- She has some character changes such as becoming more affectionate than usual and rarely intolerant. Sometimes she will lie down on the ground for you to caress her.
- Presents marking behaviors such as urinating little and frequently to call the male through pheromones.
- Trying to escape when a cat is in heat, instinct causes your cat to try to escape when she sees the door slip away. Outside is where potential suitors lie and your need to attract and mate with them becomes apparent. During this time, it is likely that your house cat, if she manages to flee, may not appear for more than a day and up to a week or more. Make sure to seal off all escape routes and keep an eye on her carefully.
- Loss of appetite Although it is rare, it is good to warn you that some cats become nervous or overly anxious during heat and this causes them not to have the necessary tranquility to eat.
How to calm my cat in heat?
Once other causes that may be causing this behavior have been ruled out, the following tips can be followed:
- Be very affectionate with the cat, especially if it demands it, for example stroking and brushing her fur more assiduously.
- Place the cat on a warm bed.
- Avoid any contact, not only physical but also visual, with male cats that may be in the area.
- Try catnip: some cats find it calms, but others have the opposite effect. It is a matter of trying once to see what happens, and repeating or not depending on the results.
- To avoid marking, it is recommended to always keep the litter box very clean, avoid cleaning the house with ammonia (the smell reminds you of urine and you feel the need to mark in that place) and use a Feliway type spray.
We hope that with these tips your kitten goes through heat as well as possible, but in any case, as always, we recommend that if you have any questions, or to solve this issue permanently, it is best that you contact the veterinarian.
