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Do Boy Cats Go Into Heat

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Home»Cat Health Articles»How Often Do Cats Go Into Heat The Estrous Cycles in Cats Explained

Unlike female dogs, female cats do not cycle at regular intervals in a year. Cats tend to come into heat depending on the season. The mating season in cats can be determined by a variety of factors, and they range from the length of daylight to whether other cats in heat are present in the environment. If there are 10 hours of daylight available and other conditions are at optimum levels, a cats hormonal system is activated. The queen, therefore, starts the reproductive cycle.

But how often does a cat, whether male or female, go into heat? And what else should you know if you are a cat parent? Find out the answers to these questions in the paragraphs below.

When Is There Something Else Wrong With My Cat

If you find that your spayed cat displays some of the signs of being in heat listed above, you need to look for other reasons why your cat is acting the way they are.

These signs may include not urinating in their litter box or meowing a lot more than usual.

After checking the common reasons for not urinating in their litter box , you should take a closer look at your cat and:

  • Make sure that your cat isnt hurt If your cat is in pain, they may also try to alert you through meowing or even yowling. Check to see if you can find what is wrong before taking them to the vet. However, if you find them hiding , you can be sure that they are feeling very under the weather and they need a vets attention as soon as possible.
  • Make sure that your cat doesnt have a urinary tract infection If your cat has been spayed and they suddenly lick at their genitals, it can be a sign that they have a urinary tract infection. This can be very serious, so get them to the vet as soon as you can.

Now that you know what to look out for when your cat goes into heat and what you can do to calm them down, you can start to speak to your vet about the options you have like spaying that will not only help your cat, but also help you keep your sanity during cats mating seasons.

How Often Do Male Cats Go Into Heat

Male cats do not undergo heat cycles. However, they achieve sexual maturity about the same time as their female counterparts if they are not neutered, as early as four months but generally closer to six months.

As he reaches reproductive maturity, you may observe behavioral changes in your male kitten, such as urine marking, pungent-smelling urine, and attempts to get outside to locate a mate.

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What Is Heat Like For Cats

While it’s logical to assume that a cat in heat will have the same physical symptoms as a woman having her period, the reality is very different. First, cats do not shed the lining of their uterus. So contrary to popular belief, heat should not involve vaginal bleeding. If your female cat is bleeding, contact your vet. Since human females shed the lining of their uterus every month, cramping, bloating, and related symptoms can be present. Cats do not experience cramps or other physical symptoms, despite their howling and need for attention during this time. Instead, a surge of hormones will make your cat extraordinarily eager to mate. She may rub against you, pace back and forth, and assume a mating position if you pet or stroke her. You may notice your cat loses her appetite during this period, as well, or she may lick her genitals often and mark her territory by spraying. She may also attempt to run out the door, escaping to find a mate. This is all normal behavior during heat.

What Are The Other Benefits To Spaying And Neutering Your Cats

Do Male Cats Go into Heat?

In addition to preventing pregnancy, the procedures have other benefits to both male and female felines. Dr. Marty Becker says, Intact males are at greater risk for testicular cancer and prostate disease. Intact females have a higher risk of mammary and uterine cancer and serious uterine infections. Intact females who are allowed to roam will often fight with other females, and they incur the same risk of injury and disease as males. And, of course, having a litter is risky for females, especially if they are still no more than kittens themselves.

For those concerned about the cost of spaying and neutering, the ASPCA offers an online resource to locate free and low-cost spay/neuter programs near you.

Read more about cat sounds on Catster.com:

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What Happens During The Spaying Procedure For Female Cats

Spaying a female cat is a quick process. It includes the following procedure:

  • The female cat will be anesthetized using a face mask after putting on a heating cushion for comfort.
  • The cats blood oxygen levels and heart rate will be monitored throughout the spay procedure to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
  • Following this, the area around the surgical incision is shaved and sterilized. The veterinary surgeon can remove the uterus, reproductive tract, and ovaries from the female cats abdomen through this incision.
  • After this, the incision is stitched using dissolvable stitches. Skin staples or adhesives are sometimes utilized as well. This will take near about an hour.
  • The veterinarian will deliver an injection to counteract the effects of the anesthetic after the spay procedure. In most cases, this injection takes action in as little as 15 minutes.
  • Following the procedure, the veterinary surgeon will enlighten the pet parent on the proper administration of pain medication after the female cat is awake and can walk around. This will help to reduce any post-surgical discomfort.
  • The pet parent will be given a detailed post-operative care plan to keep their cat calm and quiet so that healing may proceed as quickly as possible.
  • How To Calm A Cat In Heat

    The cat heat cycle is a normal and healthy part of the life of every cat. Being in heat is not typically painful. However, you may want to help calm your cat while she is in heat. Here are several ideas to calm a cat in heat:

    • keep your female cat away from male cats
    • let her sit on a heat pack, warm towel, or electric pad or blanket
    • try catnip
    • use Feliway or other synthetic cat pheromones
    • keep the litter box clean
    • play with your cat

    After getting neutered, Beta thankfully no longer tries to mate with his sister or any other cats around. And thanks to the Tractive GPS cat tracker I can always keep an eye on his whereabouts right in the smartphone app and retrieve him if needed.

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    Can I Spay My Cat While She Is In Heat

    Yes, you can have your cat spayed while she is in heat, but many vets will advise waiting until her heat cycle is over.

    During a cats heat cycle, her reproductive organs become engorged with blood. This makes spaying a more time-consuming operation, and depending on the facility, may cost more than a spay done when a cat is not in heat.

    If your number one priority is to not have a pregnant cat, you should get your cat spayed as soon as possible, even if she is in heat.

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    There are products out there that interfere with a cats hormonal cycle, but because of the associated health risks, most vets dont recommend them unless absolutely necessary.

    A far better option is to spay your kitty.

    Spaying alleviates discomfort and stress from frequent estrus, minimizes hormonally-induced behaviors such as urine marking, and helps to prevent some serious health problems like certain cancers and potentially fatal infections of the uterus.

    Of course, every pet is an individual. So, when you make an appointment, your veterinarian can answer all of your questions and help you make a kind, informed decision for your furry BFF.

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    Can You Spay A Cat In Heat

    Spay or ovariohysterectomy, is a regular operation, means neutering of the female cat. The process involves surgical removal of the cats uterus and ovaries and is to be performed only by licensed veterinarians. Spaying is best done before your cat attains maturity, which is when the cat is about four or five months old. Cats spayed after coming into heat are likely to instinctively exhibit symptoms like spraying as though they are in heat. Spaying reduces the influences sex hormones on the cats behavior and prevents the feline from going into heat.

    A cat in heat can be spayed but veterinarians will generally advise against it. The additional blood circulation when a cat is in heat can lead to excessive bleeding during the invasive abdomen surgery, endangering the life of the cat. The veterinarian will advise you on the care that the cat requires after spaying. A cat will usually recover from a spaying surgery within two weeks.

    Male Cats Spray Urine

    Probably the worst offense attributed to male cats is the habit of urine spraying. Males spray their territory as a warning of the boundaries to other cats. Toms also spray as an advertisement of their sexual prowess when seeking females to mate with. An anxious cat may also spray to comfort himself by spreading his own scent.

    That said, urine spraying is not always behavioral by nature. A case of kidney stones can drive a cat to spray in an effort to pass the blockage and gain a little relief. Likewise, a urinary tract infection can also lead to disturbing urinary behaviors.

    If your cat is spraying, get him checked out by a vet to rule out medical problems and clean up after him with a product like NOse Offense to help remove his scent. Neutering may also help if the spraying is related to mating behaviors. Some owners also find pheromone diffusers and sprays like Feliway can help reduce spraying.

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    How Do I Know When My Cat Is In Heat

    Common behaviors of cats in heat include:

  • Increased vocalization. Youre probably used to a few well-timed meows from your pet, but when a cat is in heat, their vocalization goes into overdrive. Cats will howl, cry, and meowoften and loudlyas a way to attract male cats.
  • Increased affection. Cats in heat can be extra affectionate with their humans. When theyre in heat, cats love to be pet, stroked, and scratchedparticularly on their back and rear. So, if your cat is all of a sudden more snuggly and affectionate than usual, it could be a sign theyre in heat.
  • Spraying urine. This seems to be another signal to male cats that female cats are in heat.
  • Rubbing their face on you or other items around the house. Like spraying, cats rub their face on things to spread their scent. If you notice your cat rubbing their face on your jeans, your couch, or your floor, it could be a sign theyre trying to spread their scent far and wide in hopes of attracting a mate.
  • Putting their hindquarters in the air. If your cat puts their tail end in the air and gives it a little wiggle, its another way to signal that theyre on the market for a mate.
  • What Is A False Pregnancy In Cats

    When Do Male Cats Go into Heat?

    In cats, false pregnancy develops when they have been induced to ovulation but have not conceived. A phantom pregnancy, also known as pseudocyesis or pseudopregnancy, happens when a fully grown female cat shows all of the pregnancy symptoms without really being pregnant.

    False pregnancy usually occurs six to twelve weeks after the cat is in estrus or heat cycle. The only way to know if a bit of fur baby is pregnant or is experiencing a false call is by taking it to the vet.

    As false pregnancies can resemble severe illnesses, its critical to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible in case of any doubt.

    In case of false pregnancy, the female cat may exhibit some basic signs of undergoing gestating. For instance, their mammary glands may expand with milk, pink nipples, behavioral changes, etc.

    Furthermore, in some cases, even after being spayed, a female cat may show indications of false pregnancy or pseudopregnancy.

    This often results due to an incomplete spay operation, in which ovarian tissue remains inside the cats body, and the condition is called ovarian remnant syndrome. This necessitates a second operation to remove the leftover ovarian tissue.

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    Is There A Specific Breeding Season For Female Cats

    Most animal species have a designated breeding season. Seasonal changes in daylight hours or temperatures are frequently responsible for this. This applies to domestic cats as well as the wild and feral members of the Felidae family.

    The female cats body will go into heat when the temperatures are higher, and there are 14 to 16 hours of daylight. At the same time, during winter, a feline will be less likely to go into heat because the sunlight is lesser.

    If she does go into estrus, it will most likely be less regularly until the warm season arrives.

    How Can You Prevent A Cat From Going Into Heat

    The only way to prevent the heat cycle from repeating over and over again, along with the distress it causes both you and your pet, is to have your female cat spayed. It is a myth that cats should be allowed to go through one heat cycle or even to have one litter before spaying. Early spaying is widely regarded as the most ethical course for pet owners to take, in light of the millions of animals who are euthanized at pet shelters each year. Its simply irresponsible to bring another litter of kittens into the world when there are already too few homes for existing animals.

    Spaying is considered major surgery because it involves entering the abdomen to remove both ovaries and the uterus, yet the procedure is safe and routine when performed by a qualified vet. And although its possible to perform the surgery at any time of the estrous cycle, most veterinarians decline to spay cats in heat because the engorged blood vessels in the reproductive organs create an increased risk of heavy bleeding.

    Thumbnail: Photography by karamysh / Shutterstock.

    This piece was originally published in 2012.

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    Cats In Heat: What Exactly Happens

    The symptoms of cats in heat can try the patience of even the most loving pet owners, which is why veterinarians recommend having female cats spayed before the first heat cycle occurs. Cats in heat have entered the phase of the feline reproduction cycle thats characterized by her receptiveness to males and to mating. This phase is also known as estrus. In the world of cat breeding, unspayed females are known as queens.

    Q: Do Cats Stay In Heat After Mating

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    A: No. If a female cat breeds during her heat cycle, she almost always becomes pregnant. This is because cats are induced ovulators and the act of breeding stimulates their body to ovulate .

    Ovulation generally will occur if a female cat mates three or four times in a 24-hour period. The symptoms of the estrous cycle will subside within a day or so.

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    Male Cats Engage In Fighting

    Fighting is not strictly a male behavior, but males do seem to receive the most attention for getting into scrapes with other toms they encounter. This is mainly due to a desire to defend or gain territory, but breeding behavior also drives males to spar with each other. Sometimes these fights are more about posturing, but on many occasions, these boys will do some significant damage to each other. Keep your cat at home is the best way to eliminate fighting with other cats.

    When During Her Heat Cycle Can My Cat Get Pregnant

    Because cats are induced ovalators , a cat can get pregnant at any time during the days in which she is in heat.

    For the eggs to be released , however, a female must mate three to four times during a 24-hour period.

    Once ovulation is completed, the cat will go out of heat within a day or two.

    As a female cat can mate with different tomcats during the time in which she is in heat, a litter of kittens may have several different fathers.

    Cats are also indiscriminate when it comes to mating, which means that inbreeding can easily take place, with, for example, siblings mating with siblings.

    This means that your cat can still get pregnant no matter what relation an unneutered male has to it.

    Cats will continue to go through heat cycles their whole lives if they are not spayed. A cat with a lifespan of 15 years can give birth to up to 180 kittens during their lifetime!

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    A Quick Guide To Male Cat Behavior: Traits And Personality

    Cats make excellent pets and are suitable for all kinds of houses, however, before adopting a cat, you should know about the behavioral pattern of your furry friend. This is crucial, especially in case of tom cats, as they can be unpredictable at times in exhibiting affection and aggression. This article will make you aware of some interesting facts and traits about your tom cat.

    Cats make excellent pets and are suitable for all kinds of houses, however, before adopting a cat, you should know about the behavioral pattern of your furry friend. This is crucial, especially in case of tom cats, as they can be unpredictable at times in exhibiting affection and aggression. This article will make you aware of some interesting facts and traits about your tom cat.

    Contrary to popular belief, it has been observed that male cats are more affectionate and cuddlier than female cats. Male cats are seen as being more friendlier than the rather aloof and independent female cats. While their competitive behavior can make male cats more aggressive than their female counterparts, these are generalizations and there can be exceptions. It is generally believed that a cats behavior depends on its personality. Following is a list of unique traits which are particularly found in male cats.

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