A female cat/kitten can become an adult in the age of 4-8 months, it varies breed to breed and highly depends on the environment too. Getting into heat, becoming sexually mature, adulthood or estrus cycle in cats and even feline estrous cycle are the alternative words for the same situation.
How do you know when your cat is in heat?
Female cat in heat signs are quite similar in all cat breeds. If you have noticed signs that your cat is in heat (most probably), you can schedule an appointment with her vet.
Before discussing the heat signs, we should point out the common factors which can affect cat heat signs. Usually, Estrus or Estrous cycle in cats are seasonal but it depends on few other factors too. Such as:
- Food
- Light
- Health
Wildcats get into heat lesser than a home cat due to following reasons:
- Artificial lights at home,
- Getting plenty of luxury foods without any efforts at home
- Being healthy cat, due to well-fed
While for wildcats, the situation is totally opposite, they have to find the food to feed themselves, they can see and feel natural sunlight to guess the season and finally, they are weak due to hard efforts in search of food and not getting properly on-time food.
Signs of a cat being in heat:
The question is: How do you know when cats are in heat? Or how to tell if your cat is in heat? The answer is as simple as noticing your cat’s behavior. There are behavioral changes in cats which can be considered as signs of a cat in heat. Signs of female cats in heat are as follows:
1- Vocalization or Calling:
“Calling” is another term frequently used for the cats being in heat period. And, that’s because queens or female cats can become very vocal which sounds like distressed and plaintive. Vocalizing can be quite persistent and very loud.
This is one of the signs of heat in cats but how can you tell a cat is in heat if one is chattery enough and frequently meowing all the time? Simply, notice if other signs of a female cat in heat present in her.
2- More affectionate:
Your cat might not be that much affectionate typically as she can become when her heat cycle gets started. There will be a noticeable behavioral change in your kitty.
Notice if this extra affection isn’t normal. Such as Kitty rubbing around your ankles. She loves if you rub her under chin or cheeks, else she can try to do same by rubbing against furniture etc.
If she it’s her normal behavior usually, you can consider it one of the cats on heat signs.
3- Kitty’s tail:
One of the very common and valid signs a female cat is in heat can be noticed by her tail. She will keep tail at one side. Especially if you will rub her back over tail base and pelvis. Sticking her bottom in the air by keeping her tail at one side to make it easier for mating.
4- Restless Behavior:
Very noticeable restless behavior which can put you in doubt if she is suffering from some severe pain in her bottom area. A restless behavior showing as she is unable to settle her down. This considered one of the very common signs of female cats in heat.
5- Crawling:
This is strange crawling behavior and cats don’t show in normal days. Such as keeping their upper body, flattens on the ground while the bottom stays up in the air. And crawling in the same posture along the floor.
6- Getting disappeared:
This is common in even homely cats that they can get adventurous while in heat. If they don’t get any response for their calling, they can go out in seek of one for themselves.
It is recommended that if your cat isn’t spayed or you don’t want to go for spaying your kitty while same time you don’t want kittens. Keep her locked in her heat period which will be really hard for you, obviously.
7- Uncommon Licking:
While cats are in heat, they lick their vulva more than usual as it can become swollen. As this is very uncomfortable for your cat so it can take her longer to clean that area. Cats are clean by nature. There can be slight swelling so you might be unable to see any physical change but excessive licking is one of the signs that a cat is in heat.
8- Wailing and rolling:
Wailing and rolling simultaneously on the ground is one of the very noticeable signs your cats in heat. No doubt, if you don’t know “what are the signs of a female cat in heat” It can make you panic to schedule an appoint with her vet. While this is normal behavior and isn’t sign of pain in your cat but a symptom of a cat being in heat.
Question: What are the seasons of signs of a cat on heat usually?
Answer: Spring and Autumn are most common seasons for cats to go into heat.
Question: How long female cats stay in heat?
Answer: Generally, signs of cats in heat last as short as 2 days and as long as 6 days.
Question: How often cats get into heat?
Answer: Cats heat cycle reoccurs in an average of 21 days.
Question: How many times a year does a cat go into heat?
Answer: Usually two times a year but a healthy homely cat go into heat by every month.
Question: Do cats bleed when in heat?
Answer: No, it’s not common and not part of the heat in cats equation. If your cat is bleeding, get her to vet ASAP.
Question: Can a cat be spayed while in heat?
Answer: Spaying cat during the heat is possible but not recommended by many vets. Also, spaying surgery is way harder in heat than in normal days so you can be charged more for extra efforts & time.