Is your cat in heat?

You may have heard or read the term, “a cat in heat”. This term is used in reference to female animals only. It means that a female cat is fertile and ready to mate. Many cat parents may be unprepared for the mood swings and behavioral changes that their cat might display during this particular phase. Let us understand what being ‘in heat’ actually means and what you can expect from your cat during this time.

What does it mean when a cat is in heat?
Every female cat goes through the ‘estrous cycle’, similar to a human female's menstrual cycle, when she becomes fertile and ready to mate. This cycle occurs approximately every two to three weeks. During this period of heat, female cats will seek out male cats with whom they can mate. Being in heat is her body’s way of signaling her readiness to breed. This phase of her mating cycle begins approximately at 5 months of age.

What to expect when a cat is in heat?
Being in heat, a cat may display several behavioral signs. Here are some common signs that indicate of your female cat starting her estrous cycle:

1. Excessive sounds: Female cats often start to make strange or funny sounds during a heat period. They may start to “meow” more often or even yowl due to the intensity of the heat period. It is possible that she may be calling out for a mate. 
2. Extra affectionate: During heat, a female cat may rub up against anything, including you. They love to have their hindquarters rubbed against you or a post. At this time, cats are more demanding of attention and may climb or cuddle into you more frequently than they usually do.
3. Want to go out: At such times, indoor female cats express a desire to get out of the house. This might be because they want to find a partner. She may also want to spread her scent outside to let male cats know she’s looking for a mate. 
4. Grooming genitals frequently: A cat in heat may clean her genitals quite often. If this along with several signs occur, it indicates that she’s in heat. If your cat exhibits only this behavior without any of the other signs of heat, a trip to the vet is in order. 
5. Assuming the mating position: Female cats who frequently raise their rear quarters into the air and tread with the back legs are most possibly in their heat period. They may instinctively assume this position when you pet or stroke her because they want to mate. 
6. Walking strange: If your female cat is walking awkwardly, pacing back and forth, crawling low on the ground or even rolling around on the floor, it signals that she may be in heat.
7. Other: Some female cats may isolate themselves, become restless, act aggressive and even lose appetite during their estrous cycle. If your cat displays one or more of these signs, she is most likely in heat.

Point to note- Female cats who have been spayed do not go through heat. Spaying is a process of removing a female cat’s ovaries so that she cannot become pregnant. Spaying your kitten also eliminates the risk of developing mammary cancer when she's older. Additionally, spaying your kitten prevents many different infections and cancers that occur in the uterus and ovaries. Spraying can be conducted when your kitten is 3 to 6 months old. 

A cat in heat can be quite a handful. They can exhibit extreme behavioral changes when they are in heat but this is absolutely normal and nothing to worry about. Consult your vet on how you can make this time easier for her and you. Being in heat is a natural phenomenon for female animals. Being well prepared for the behaviors that accompany this phase will help you recognize when your cat is in heat.