Do cats bleed when they go into heat

When does a female cat have her first estrus cycle?

Cats have their first estrous (reproductive) cycle when they reach puberty. On average, puberty, or sexual maturity, first occurs in cats at about six months of age, but this can vary slightly by the time of year (length of daylight hours).

The estrous cycle is better known as a cat's heat cycle. Each cycle consists of several stages; the stage called estrus refers to when the female is sexually receptive, or in heat.

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 geography 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 because of the increased number of daylight hours.

How long does estrus last?

Each heat generally lasts several days with the average length being seven days, although it can range from 1 to 21 days. If the queen (an intact female cat) is not mated during estrus, she will go out of heat for a short period of time, usually about seven days, but it can range from 2 to 19 days. Therefore, the complete estrous cycle of a cat can range from anywhere between one to six weeks, with the average cycle length being about three weeks.

What are the signs of estrus?

The most notable signs of estrus in cats are behavioral. Most cats become very affectionate, even demanding; they persistently rub against their owners (or objects such as furniture), constantly wanting attention. They roll on the floor more often. When stroked along the back or spine, they raise their rear quarters into the air and tread with the back legs. They also become very vocal. These behavior changes often become annoying to owners, and sometimes owners think their cat has some unusual illness.

"The most notable signs of estrus in cats are behavioral."

Some female cats will urinate more frequently or may even spray urine on vertical objects (marking) when they are in heat. The urine contains both pheromones and hormones, both of which act as signals of her reproductive status to other cats. This is the reason that queens in heat attract Tomcats (intact male cats). In some cases, this may be the first indication that a young cat has reached puberty. Tomcats that have never been seen before in your yard or neighborhood will appear. They may spray urine on the house to mark the territory (and female) as theirs or may even attempt to enter the house to mate with the female.

At what stage of the estrous cycle is the cat able to get pregnant?

The queen can be bred at any time while in heat. Cats are induced ovulators, which means that the act of breeding stimulates the release of eggs from the ovaries. Most females require three to four matings within a 24-hour period for ovulation to occur. It only takes a minute or two for cats to mate, and cats may mate multiple times in a short period of time. Queens may mate with several different tomcats during this time, so it is possible that a litter of kittens may have several different fathers. Once ovulation has occurred, the queen will go out of heat within a day or two.

"...it is possible that a litter of kittens may have several different fathers."

How long does pregnancy last in a cat?

Pregnancy in the cat lasts approximately 64 to 71 days with an average of 65 days (nine weeks).

How can I prevent my cat from becoming pregnant?

The best way to prevent your cat from becoming pregnant is to have her surgically sterilized (ovariohysterectomy or spay operation) before she has her first estrous cycle. Since it can be difficult to predict when this first cycle will occur, most veterinarians recommend performing an ovariohysterectomy when the cat reaches six months of age.

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 of accidental breeding. 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 the overpopulation of cats.

Living with a cat in heat can be complicated. In this article we explain how to recognise the symptoms, how long they last, and if your cat’s on heat what you can do to make life better both for her, and for yourself as well.

What is 'heat', and how long does it last in cats?

Heat is a female cat’s 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 cat’s 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 cat’s 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, we’ll explain all the changes you’ll notice in a cat in heat, and what to do if your own cat is in heat.
 

How do you know that your cat is in heat?

Although cats don’t bleed when they’re on heat, the signs are pretty clear:

• She’s very affectionate (even overly so). She rubs herself against you, the furniture and the 
• She meows a lot, both day and night. When you have a cat on heat, the most frequently asked question is what to do to stop this.
• She tries to get your attention, rolling on the floor at your feet.
• When you touch her, she arches her back, stretches out her front legs, and raises her tail.
• Due to stress, her appetite may decrease.
• She tries to get out into the street to look for a mate (don’t let her, unless you want to grow your feline family!).
• She may spray the house with urine, to leave a scent trail aimed at toms.
   

Your cat is in heat: How to best look after her

If your cat’s in heat, then what to do to get her (and yourself) through these days is essential information. It’s a question of experimenting to find out what works best for you, but all the advice below will help:

• Making lots of fuss of her, brushing her and playing with her can help to keep her occupied. 
• Warmth can calm heat related behaviour. A warm quiet room, putting a blanket, or one of those bean bags that you warm in the microwave next to her can help.
• Cat pheromone sprays, diffusors or collars (these mimic pheromones secreted by cats to calm themselves, among other things) will help to reduce stress.
• It’s good idea to clean out her litter tray more often, and to remove any traces or urine she may have left around the house, as if not this can encourage her to spray more. Enzymatic cleaners are very good for getting rid of odours.

These tips will help to moderate your cat’s behaviour when she’s in heat. But what do you do if you don’t want to have kittens? The best thing to do is to sterilise your cat as soon as possible, as in this way as well as avoiding the inconveniences we’ve mentioned above, and having kittens, you’ll reduce the probability of mammary cancer (by 95% if you do it before her first heat cycle, and by 85% if it’s done between the first and second cycles).

If you do decide to sterilise your kitten, there are specific foods that will help you to keep her healthy at this new stage of her life.

Understanding what it means to have your cat in heat, and what to do to calm her down can help both of you to get through these days in the best way possible. Although as previously mentioned, if you don’t want kittens, sterilisation is the best option.
 

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