Why Do Female Cats Spray When In Heat And How To Stop It
Why do female cats spray when in heat? Female cats in heat will spray strong-smelling urine all over the house to attract males. Its their way of telling male felines that they are available to mate. Sometimes, your cat may try to spray you as a form of marking. For indoor cats, spraying might be followed with the urge to go outdoors to seek a mate. They may attack your door or try to escape in every chance they get. The only solution to stop this is to get your female cat spayed once it reaches sexual maturity.
Cats spray their urine as a form of communication. Aside from females, its also observed among unneutered male cats. Unlike normal urination, cats produce a small amount of urine when spraying. They usually douche their urine on vertical surfaces, but its also common to find sprayed urine on the floor, couch, and furniture.
Phases Of Heat Cycles In Cats
A cat goes through five phases during a heat cycle:
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Proestrus: Only lasts one to two days; typically no change in behavior
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Estrus : Lasting an average of seven days , this is the stage where you will see behavioral changes in your cat. This is also the stage where your cat will be receptive to male cats and can become pregnant.
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Interestrus: This period occurs if a cat has not ovulated. It lasts 13-18 daysuntil proestrus starts again.
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Diestrus: Occurs when a cat has ovulated
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Anestrus: This is the absence of any heat cycle. It can occur as a result of fewer daylight hours .
Q: How Often Do Cats Go Into Heat
A:;Cats are seasonally polyestrous, which means they can go into heat many times throughout the breeding season. Since feline pregnancy is so short, cats can have more than one litter of kittens;in a breeding season.
Typically, a cat may go through two or three heat cycles;in one season. In some geographic regions, the feline breeding season;may be year-round.
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How Can You Keep Your Cat From Going Into Heat
Clearly, some of these behaviors can be problematic for a pet parent. Not to mention that if your cat gets pregnant, youll have a whole other issue to tackle. So, the question is, how can you keep your cat from going into heat?
The only way to keep your cat from going into heat is to get them spayed. According to the ASPCA, you can spay kittens as early as eight weeks. Ideally, youll have them spayed before their first heat, which happens around five months.
Spaying will not only keep your cat from going into heat , but it can also support their long-term health. Spaying your cat before her first heat can help lower her risk for both uterine cancers and breast tumors, according to the ASPCA.
Male & Female Cats In Heat What You Need To Know
The term in heat means when a cat is ready to mate, which can be a daunting thought for any pet owner. If youre wondering what to do when your cat is in heat, call Best Friends Vets on 01202 485880 to book an appointment with a nurse. Talk to our team about your cats cycle and discuss neutering.
Our vet Stefan recommends neutering your kitten at four to five months of age to prevent unwanted pregnancies . If your cat is allowed outside at this age without being neutered, theres a good chance that he/she will mate, and kittens will be on their way. When it comes to cats in heat, here is everything you need to know.
How often cats are in heat and at what age
Female cats reach sexual maturity and can breed from about 4 months old. They will then come into heat every year around February to October. Female cats have many short periods roughly 2-3 weeks apart. They do not ovulate until they are mated, so this period of heat cycles can be lengthy. Older queens can still have cycles, albeit fewer, until they are spayed. Longer days can trigger reproductive activity, leading to many kittens being born in March, April, and May.
A male cats critical heat season is usually September to March. However, a tom that has reached full maturity can mate with a female cat whenever she allows it.
How to tell if your cat is in heat symptoms & behaviour:
How to care for a female cat in heat
Benefits of neutering
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How Often Does A Female Cat Come Into Heat
Cats are seasonally polyestrous, which means that they have multiple cycles during the breeding season. The breeding season will vary according to geographic and environmental factors such as temperature and the number of daylight hours. In the Northern Hemisphere, cats usually cycle from January until the late fall. Cats that live in more tropical regions or mainly indoors however, may cycle all year round.
What Is ‘heat’ And How Long Does It Last In Cats
Heat is a female cats fertile period, the part of her reproductive cycle when she tries to get pregnant. You cat will usually have her first heat at 6-9 months, although for some kittens it can be as early as 4 months, or as late as 12, depending on when they were born. This is because generally cats only go in heat during the months with the longest hours of daylight.
Normally, from spring until autumn your cat will go into heat every two or three weeks, although if she lives indoors, she may have unpredictable heat cycles throughout the year due to the artificial light.
A female cats reproductive cycle is divided into different stages, which may be longer or shorter depending on each individual cat:
- Proestrus: at this stage, which lasts for 1 or 2 days, your cats behaviour starts to change.
- Heat: this is the time of greatest change, when your cat will be desperately seeking a mate. Heat usually lasts for between 2 and 6 days, but can last as long as 12.
- Interestrus: the 8-15 day period between two heats.
- Anoestrus: this is the resting stage, which usually lasts for the 3 or 4 coldest months.;
Now that you have the basic information, well explain all the changes youll notice in a cat in heat, and what to do if your own cat is in heat.;
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Signs Of Estrus Or Cats In Heat:
Even if youve never been around cats in heat;before, youre very likely to know something is going on with your pet the behaviors she uses to get the attention of a potential mate will no doubt get your attention as well. The signs of cats in heat or cats experiencing estrus can mimic signs of pain or distress in your cat, and include the following:
How Often Do Cats Come On Heat
Cats are known as a polyoestrus species. This means they can come on heat multiple times in a calendar year .;
Female cats will generally continue to come on heat until they are mated and become pregnant.; Oestrus lasts for 7 to 10 days and there are 3 possible outcomes:
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Should You Spay Your Cat To Keep Her From Going Into Heat
If you want to avoid the extra cat pee appearing around your house , the inquisitive male cats looking for a mate, and the expense of an unplanned litter of kittensyes, spaying your cat is a good idea. In addition to the issues that crop up around your house if your cat is not spayed, consider the implications on a larger scale. Overpopulation is already an issue, and the rapid ability at which cats are able to reproduce makes spaying your cat well;worth the cost of the procedure.
Vahrenwald points out that unaltered cats can have up to three litters a year. That’s a lot of cats, but it quickly leads to even more. Cats have no qualms about incest, so litters of kittens can result in even more kittens without spaying and neutering. According to the Spay and Neuter Action Project, two “unaltered” cats mating can end up with 400,000 descendants in six yearsand that’s why animal advocates point to TNR programs as a way to help reduce feral cat populations.
Cats who are not spayed “Really can create a population explosion,” Vahrenwald says. Talk to your vet for more information about how and why spaying and neutering can help your cats live happier, healthier lives.
Do Female Cats Have Periods
Female cats do have a monthly cycle, but one which is quite different from female humans.; Rather than shedding the uterine lining like human women do every 32 days or so, cats and select mammals;reabsorb the old uterine-lining rather than bleeding it out. This takes place during the estrus cycle described below.
A small amount of blood may be shed during the heat cycle of your cat but it is more common for a female cat with a period to display the signs of a cat in heat above. Contact your vet if you notice worrisome bleeding in your female or male cat.
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How Many Heat Cycles Per Breeding Season
Typically, a house cat will go into heat a few times a year. Because house cats enjoy safe, healthy lives with plenty of available resources such as food and water, they are fertile and naturally go into heat more often .
Feral cats go into heat less frequentlyusually around twice per year. In colder climates, it tends to occur when the seasons change to spring and fall; and in warmer climates, it tends to concentrate around the summer months.
How To Handle Cats In Heat:
If you dont want kittens, keep cats in heat indoors. If cats in heat do get out, theyre more at risk for contracting infectious diseases, such as feline leukemia, from any infected male cats that they attempt to breed with.
Remember that responsible cat breeders carefully screen and select the male cats they breed with their queens, not only to ensure a purebred pedigree, but also to prevent such transmission of disease.
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Make Sure Your Cat Stays Away From Male Cats
Do not allow your cat to go out while she is in the heat to prevent cat pregnancy. Keep her calm and prevent her from going out as it will result in mating with male cats. She will try and escape if she finds out the presence of any male cat nearby and can even attract it towards her. So, it will be a proper way to put on the blinders and shut down the doors and windows to protect her from mating.
Should I Let My Cat Have An Estrus Cycle Or A Litter Of Kittens Before Spaying Her
There are no valid reasons for letting a cat have an estrous cycle or have a litter of kittens before being spayed. Cats can become pregnant on their very first estrous cycle, increasing the chance that an accidental breeding may occur. Cats are indiscriminate, so a brother cat may breed with its sister, a father may breed with his daughter, and a son may breed with his mother.
A common myth is that female cats will become more friendly and sociable if they are allowed to have a litter of kittens. This is not true, and only serves to contribute further to the serious problem of cat overpopulation.
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Spend More Quality Time With Her
Try to distract your cats mental condition by giving her new toys and playing new games with her. Female cats are usually more energetic and active during their heat, and this can be the right time to introduce them to new toys and games. Interactive games like reaching a feather that you have hung from a twig will keep your cat active and her mind diverted. A scratching post can also be a nice way to soothe the cat, as she is antsier during her heat phase.
Female cats that are not sterilized may fall into false pregnancy, which is why it’s important to recognize the symptoms.
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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Use Catnip Only If It Calms Your Cat Down
Catnip is a herb of the mint family. Some cats calm down and relax when given catnip but other cats react in a totally opposite way. It can cause some cats to become aggressive and energetic. Remember, this may also make the situation worse for some cats. So, it is necessary to note whether it is working for your cat or not. If it does, its great for you!
Above all, remember that heat in cats is a natural process and you can not do anything about it but to keep patience. It is easy to get frustrated but with these helpful tips, everything can get sorted out for some time.
Ashton Blagden is working as a Community Manager at Dealslands.co.uk. He is the type of geek who loves to write about Pets and Health Care tips also. When He has leisure time, He utilizes that time in writing.
How Often Do Cats Go Into Heat
Heat refers to the stage in a female cats reproductive cycle where she is fertile.
Reproductive cycles occur during oestrus season the time period during the warmer months of the year where the cat undergoes their reproductive cycles. During oestrus season, cats can experience heat cycles every 2-3 weeks, but this can vary depending on the individual cat. ;
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What To Expect When Your Cat Is In Heat
Like most female mammals, cats go through physical cycles that prepare their bodies for fertilization and birth. In humans, this cycle is called “menstruation.” In felines, it is called “estrus.” When female cats are experiencing;estrus;they are said to be “in heat” and are hormonally receptive to both intercourse and reproduction. Cats can go into heat in late kittenhood, making it necessary to spay them if a pregnancy, and the responsibility of raising and finding good;homes for kittens, is unwanted.;
How To Deal With A Cat In Heat
Cats in heat can exhibit behaviors that often make them less enjoyable as pets. Cats that are unspayed will go through multiple heat cycles every year and run the risk of becoming pregnant every time.
Spaying your female cat will ensure she doesnt have an unwanted pregnancy and eliminate the unpleasant side effects of going into heat.
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