Feline Feels – It’s That Time of The Year
‘In heat’ means when the cat is fertile and ready to mate. But there are so many things you need to keep in mind to take care of your
kitty when she is in heat. Read on to know more about it.
Puberty hits us all real hard! The same holds true for your cat as well. If you are the pet-parent of a cat, you need to keep in mind that she’ll go through heat cycles and it is your responsibility to relieve her pain and bring her the maximum comfort. Cats usually go in heat during spring and autumn and the period may last from a few days to a couple of weeks. Usually they hit puberty between the age of 6 – 10 months.
If she isn’t able to mate during the heat, it can be an uncomfortable few days for her. Your cat can howl, growl, and may demand extra affection. Unless you are planning to mate your cat, it is best to get her spayed. You can talk to your vet to know more details.
Signs to look out for
When your cat is in heat, there are certain signs that she might show. Know them so you can help her and ease the pain.
- Restless
- More vocal
- Low crawls and moans
- Looks for extra affection
- Does extra grooming
- Try to escape outdoors
Being extra affectionate and rubbing against you or the furniture can one of the identifying signs of cats being in heat. They may also spray urine on the walls or furniture as their indication of availability to the mate. A lot of indoor cats desperately try to o outdoors during the heat period.
Just like when we ladies are on periods, we need extra comfort and that ‘me space’, cats also need their time when in heat. Female felines do have monthly cycles, but it is quite different from humans. In humans, we bleed out the uterine wall and that’s when our period occurs. In cats, the uterine wall is reabsorbed rather than bleeding it out. Shedding small amount of blood is normal for cats. But if there is excessive bleeding, you must contact your vet at the earliest.
‘Purr’ in some love
The heat cycle is a completely normal and healthy part of a cat’s life. She can be a little uncomfortable but not typically painful. As a pet-parent you can do a few things to calm your cat in heat –
- Get your cat spayed (ideally it should be done before or around the time of the first heat cycle)
- Allow her to sit on a warm blanket or provide her a heating pad (but only in supervision)
- Keep the litter box clean
- Talk to your vet for recommendations of supplements
- In a multi-cat household, try and keep the female cats away from male cats
As important as it is to get your female cats spayed when they reach maturity, you should also get your male cats neutered for their general well-being and to avoid any unwanted pregnancy. Do not allow her to roam outside during this period.
Lots of care and a little more patience will help you and your feline pass that time smoothly!