Buying a kitten is an important event that you need to approach with all seriousness. In addition to the selection of care products, special food and filler for the tray, it is also important to take into account some features of behavior. In a specific case, this is a period of estrus in a cat. In animals, puberty occurs much earlier than in humans, but because many owners, having acquired a female pet, are not ready for such an event.
What is estrus?
In science, this process is called the reproductive estrous cycle (hereinafter referred to as REC). It manifests itself in a change in the physical and emotional state of the cat and occurs during sexual arousal.
The first period of estrus does not exceed three days in duration and allows the animal's body to adapt to the appearance of such stress in the future. However, the excited and unprepared owner immediately wonders what to do if the cat is in heat.
Often, information about this can be found on the Internet or from a veterinarian before or after acquiring a pet. Also, information on this period must be provided to the owner by the breeder from whom the animal is purchased.
Further in the article you will be able to find out all the necessary information regarding what to do in a cat’s REC and how not to harm its health.
When does this cycle begin?
The earliest age of estrus in cats is 10 months from birth. At the same time, depending on the individual characteristics of the body, the appearance of REC may occur within a period of 7 months. Such variation depends on the stage of formation and development of internal organs, and therefore on the willingness to have offspring.
Sometimes a pathology can occur, due to which the first estrus occurs 4-5 months from birth. In the case of mating with a cat at such an early age, pregnancy and subsequent childbirth are quite possible. However, the best answer to the question of how to help a cat with estrus at such an early age is sterilization. This will help to eliminate health problems, and also eliminates possible life threats.
Attention! Despite the fairly early puberty of the animal, it is better not to mate in the first estrus. Veterinarians recommend waiting until the cat reaches the age of one year, which will allow her to give birth to healthy offspring.
Signs of REC
Often, when buying a furry friend, the owners do not have a clue about how the first estrus of a cat goes. And when faced with it, they have no idea how to respond to a sharp change in behavior in an animal. It is possible to determine that the pet has begun the period of sexual hunting, by the following signs:
- the animal begins to roll on the floor;
- when stroking the back, the cat practically lies on the floor, begins to sort through its hind legs and throws its tail to the side;
- there is a decrease in appetite;
- excessive tenderness;
- persistent demand for attention from the owner or complete disregard for his presence;
- one more standard sign in cats during estrus is discharge; in this regard, she often licks herself in the tail area;
- persistent meowing, turning into a rather irritating howl;
- during this period of time, the pet begins to rub about all the things in the house, and if it does not affect fluffy rocks in any way, then in the case of representatives such as the Canadian Sphynx, this manifests itself in the form of red spots or scratches in the neck or muzzle;
- the animal is persistently trying to leave the house and go outside.
How long does a cat's estrus last?
The period of REC in cats is usually divided into several stages, each of which can last from a couple of days to several months. Specifically, the following four stages of sexual hunting are distinguished:
- Proestrus. This part of estrus lasts for one or three days. A characteristic behavior is the sharp appearance of anxiety in the animal. It begins to scream regularly, trying to attract a partner. However, even despite the fact that during this period cats begin to be actively interested in their “girlfriend”, mating does not occur due to the fact that the cat herself does not allow “grooms” to come to her. At the same time, the appearance of a male in the house leads to an early termination of this period.
- Estrus. The answer to how long the estrus lasts in cats during this period depends on the presence or absence of a male in the house. The standard length of the stage is 5-7 days. At this time, the animal allows individuals of the opposite sex to not only stay on their territory, but even to bind themselves. However, her behavior can be completely unpredictable and even inadequate. If during this period a cat appears in the house, then its (period) duration will be reduced to a couple of days.
- Diestrus (also known as metestrus). The course time is from 2 to 20 days. Interest in “suitors” falls, and the female tries to drive them away. In the case of ovulation and subsequent fertilization, pregnancy begins. It is also possible the onset of "false pregnancy." In such situations, breeders say the cat is "empty." If mating is unsuccessful, heat will resume after some time.
- Anestrus. This period is also known as sexual rest. The estrus does not occur for a long time. Most often this happens in summer or winter.
Regularity
Now you know how long the estrus lasts in cats. And how often does it happen? It is a reasonable question. The answer to it is often a fairly common opinion that much more REC occurs in autumn or spring and occurs with a frequency of one or two weeks. At the same time, science has put forward the view that the duration of daylight affects the level of sexual activity.
The cessation of estrus occurs during pregnancy, and the resumption occurs 3-4 months after the birth of the offspring. If all kittens died before / during / after birth, the onset of estrus occurs a little earlier.
There are cases when the REC may begin on the second day of feeding the cubs.
The dangers
How often can estrus in cats result in health problems? The answer is often enough. The phenomenon of “false pregnancy” has already been mentioned. It occurs if fertilization has not occurred after ovulation of the animal. One of the reasons for this result may be infertility of the cat. A fairly frequent repetition of the mating process with such an animal, and therefore, obtaining this result, can lead to inflammatory processes, diseases of the reproductive system, and even oncology.
To avoid such problems, both partners should be checked in advance. And if it is not planned to get offspring from a cat, sterilization will be the best solution.
What to do if a cat is in heat?
The onset of estrus always guarantees inconvenience to both the pet and the owner. To avoid various troubles during this period, it is worthwhile to prepare in advance a list of actions that must be performed in order to make life easier for everyone. The sequence of these actions depends on the purpose for which the animal was acquired. Two main categories are distinguished.
Breeding
The breeding animal was purchased for breeding. In this case, it is necessary to act depending on what kind of estrus it is. If the first, then it is better to skip it, allowing the pet to adapt to this condition. In the second and subsequent estrus, it is necessary to find a healthy cat and mate, thus allowing the cat to calm down.
Attention! When buying a cat for breeding, regular fertilization should be avoided. After the birth of kittens, it is recommended to take a break of six months or a year to avoid the appearance of various diseases and complete moral and physical exhaustion.
Pet ("for yourself")
The second case is when the pet was purchased as a pet. In this situation, you need to know how often and how long the estrus lasts in a cat in order to provide timely assistance in overcoming the accompanying stress. When breeding animals is not planned, you can use one of the following tips:
- Use hormonal drugs that stop estrus. The use of such drugs is not allowed more than 2 times a year. Violation of such a regime or a poor-quality product can lead to malfunctions in the body or even the appearance of a tumor of the ovaries or uterus.
- Resort to sedatives. During estrus, the cat can be given drugs such as “Fospasim”, “Cot-Bayun” and others. But the results of their action are not manifested in all. And some may even cause allergic reactions.
- Distraction from stress. When the use of various drugs for sedation is impossible due to health problems of the animal or because of the desire not to harm him, then it is worth resorting to various kinds of activity. If you play with the cat before going to bed, you can ensure that she calmly snoozes all night without harming herself and others.
- Sterilize the animal. This operation will completely stop the appearance of estrus.
Attention! When sterilizing an animal, complete removal of the uterus and ovaries is necessary. A simple bandaging of tubes will lead to the fact that the cat will continue to demand a "groom", but will not be able to become pregnant and subsequently give birth to offspring. At the same time, her condition worsens significantly.
Summary
Caring for animals is a rather complicated process. The pet requires sufficient attention and quality care, along with a full member of the family (not in vain they are often compared with children). And the reproductive estrous cycle is one of the integral parts of his life. In this material, answers to questions such as: how long the estrus lasts in cats, how it manifests itself, what to do to calm the animal at this time, and others, were disclosed as detailed as possible.
Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you obtain all the necessary information about this process from a professional veterinarian.
Good luck