Female cats that have not been spayed will enter their first estrous cycle (reproductive cycle) when they reach puberty, becoming receptive to mating opportunities while becoming vocal and more affectionate; often rubbing against people or furniture as they get excited to reproduce.
Felines in heat can become very vocal and anxious; unfortunately, however, this discomfort can lead to escape attempts and be difficult for owners to cope with. There are ways you can help ease their suffering!
Estrous cycle
Female cats enter heat when their ovaries produce progesterone, stimulating egg production and setting off her reproductive cycle, including an estrous phase characterized by increased sexual attraction to male cats during this fertile time period known as estrus phase. Most cats enter their first heat cycle around six months old while some can become pregnant as early as four months of age; usually an estrous cycle lasts several days to several weeks with most incidents taking place between spring and autumn.
Proestrus phase of a cat’s estrous cycle typically lasts several days or up to one week and includes vocalization and body language cues such as rubbing against people or furniture and stretching her genitals, in addition to spraying strong-smelling urine. At this point, she also becomes more affectionate towards pet parents by frequently rubbing against them and their clothing; some cats can become aggressive during this phase and attempt to mate with any male that comes near.
If a cat fails to successfully mate during her proestrus phase, she will move into her luteal/diestrus stage of her cycle and implant ovules into her uterus; roughly 84% of embryos survive this time around. At this stage she can become more aggressive or experience loss of appetite; she may also experience some minor bleeding but nowhere near what would occur during human menstruation.
After the luteal/diestrus stage has ended, the ovules revert back to their undeveloped state and a new progesterone cycle begins, followed by an estrus phase and so forth – this cycle repeats until sexual maturity or spaying takes place.
Though no way exists to stop the cycles from occurring, veterinarians recommend having your cat spayed early in life in order to reduce her chances of pregnancies. Most cats will remain polyestrous (in season) until either spayed or gestating naturally – thus having her spayed early could prevent unwanted kittens being born into your home.
Although impossible to be certain of, most veterinarians believe that estrus is likely painful for female cats. Their enlarged ovaries and sensitive vulva may contribute to discomfort during this time. High hormonal levels could also lead to other health complications in a queen cat, including decreased immunity and an increase in infectious risk. If you notice that she seems uncomfortable or seems acting strangely, contact your veterinarian. Experienced veterinarians can quickly assess and diagnose any problems, providing an appropriate plan of care that will prevent further complications. In addition, diagnostic tests may include radiography or ultrasound scanning of your cat’s ovaries to make sure nothing abnormal exists there.
Proestrus
Cats typically enter heat cycles multiple times each year, lasting several days to three weeks each time. Learning to recognize how a cat’s hormone levels change during this internal state can help you identify when she will go into another cycle.
Cats who have not been spayed can become pregnant during their initial heat cycle. This internal state, commonly referred to as heat, can be both confusing and overwhelming for pet parents. Learning more about your cat’s heat cycle and frequency will allow you to better prepare for her season while making plans to spay her before any unwanted pregnancies take place.
Female cats that enter their estrus cycle will exhibit sexual behavior to attract unneutered male cats (also called tomcats). She may rub against people, objects and other cats in an attempt to find a mate; vocalize in ways reminiscent of mating; spray urine onto upright surfaces and appear larger than usual during this stage.
Estrus lasts anywhere from one to seven days and, if a cat doesn’t find love during that period, she will enter interestrus – where the lining of the uterus sheds less heavily than menstruation in humans and light bleeding may occur, usually unnoticeable by pet parents. Cats during estrus often display aggressive behaviors and bite their genitals at this time.
Proestrus phase cats tend not to respond well to potential partners; while they still yowl and engage in other sexual behaviors, they won’t be ready to breed yet – making it hard for you and other cats or children to cohabitate together.
Once her estrus cycle ends, the cat enters luteal/diestrus phase when fertilized eggs are deposited in her uterus and begin developing into embryos; depending on whether she was fertilized during her estrus cycle or not. If she was successful at mating during estrus cycle then gestation stage is triggered which lasts throughout pregnancy and into part of postpartum period.
Unless a cat becomes pregnant during her estrus cycle, she will reenter her interestrus phase and repeat this cycle until either becoming pregnant or getting spayed. Once she completes the interestrus phase, a cat enters its resting phase – which typically lasts one to three weeks – as part of her natural reproductive cycle. This resting period allows her to recuperate with lower estrogen levels until her next heat cycle arrives. A cat’s cycle length depends on her breed and individual traits. Though cats can experience multiple heat cycles per year (known as polyestrus), most will only go through two at most each year. February through October is typically when unspayed female cats go into heat around every 2-3 weeks.