In the cat's body, upon reaching puberty, special physiological processes take place, which are called estrus. This is a natural phenomenon, but owners of furry pets need to know about this period of the animal in order to alleviate its condition. What is the duration of estrus in a cat and what features in its behavior appear, we will consider in this article.
Puberty
Cats become sexually mature when they reach the age of 7–10 months. The end of puberty of a furry pet ends with the first estrus. The time of its onset is associated with the duration of daylight hours and the physiological characteristics of the animal. Sometimes ripening is delayed and occurs only in a year or a half. In this case, hormonal changes are possible, which is a deviation from the norm. On the other hand, a four-month-old kitten can leak and even become pregnant, which also indicates an incorrect physiological development of the pet.
Usually such a cat is sterilized so that this feature is not inherited. The duration of the first estrus in a cat can last only about two days. The first birth is possible at the age of one year, when the body is fully prepared for carrying and giving birth to kittens.
Signs of estrus
During estrus, the cat is controlled by sexual instinct, during which she ceases to control herself. Her behavior is different from usual. The following symptoms are characteristic of it:
- A plaintive draft and rather loud meow. An animal can call a male night and day. Increased irritability depends on temperament.
- Frequent urination, often past the tray. With urine, pheromones are released - substances whose smell attracts cats.
- Behavior changes - it becomes affectionate, constantly rubs its legs, requires that it be stroked, or, conversely, behaves aggressively.
- The gait of the animal changes: movement on bent legs, raising the back of the body, tail tail to the side.
- Appetite decreases.
These symptoms may appear in all cats in different ways, but if a symptom begins to intensify extremely, then the help of a veterinarian is needed. Perhaps the animal has problems with the reproductive system.
Stages
In a cat, the duration of estrus depends on the physiological characteristics, diet, conditions, and duration of daylight hours. This process consists of the following steps:
- Proestrus - lasts 1-2 days. The cat is not yet ready to mate, but an increase in the genitals is already taking place.
- Estrus - begins on the third and lasts about five days. This is the right time to knit. The female attracts the male arching his back, lifting the back of the body and pulling the tail to the side.
- Metestrus is a period of sexual inactivity, it passes within 4-12 days. Any interest in the cat is lost and aggression appears.
- Anestrus is a return to his ordinary life.
If pairing has failed, the cycle resumes after three weeks. If the mating happened, but the cat did not fertilize, then a false pregnancy occurs, which lasts up to 36 days, otherwise you need to wait for replenishment.
Estrus duration
Who decided to have a pet, often wonders: how long does a cat last in heat and how often does it happen? It should be immediately noted that the time of puberty and the duration of estrus are an individual feature of the pet. Only at the onset of this period can you determine exactly how many days your estrus’s heat lasts. In general, the time of estrus lasts 5–7 days, in which transparent, mild discharge can be observed.
When blood appears, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian. The frequency and duration of this phenomenon is affected by age, state of health, the presence of other pets in the house, season, weather, food composition. Domestic cats flow 3-4 times a year, but without a conception, this phenomenon repeats every month, and sometimes more often. Timely mating, pregnancy, childbirth and feeding offspring make it possible to flow no more than 2-3 times a year.
Possible anomalies
As already noted, the first estrus in a cat begins at 6-8 months from birth. Late maturity of one and a half years or early to six months indicate abnormalities and hormonal disorders in the animal. Sometimes the maturation of kittens occurs very early, at 4 months. The duration of estrus in a cat at this age is only 2–4 days. But, despite the short term of estrus, the animal can become pregnant, although this should not be allowed. His body is not yet ready for bearing and having offspring. Experienced owners claim that permanent empty estrus is risky for the animal. Therefore, with the early onset of the estrus period, the cat is sterilized. This feature of the body is inherited. If it is necessary to preserve the breed, they sometimes resort to the normalization of the hormonal background, using medical preparations, after consulting with a veterinarian. The duration of estrus in a cat is about a week and depends on age. But there is another problem when a female estrus comes very late and rarely. In this case, it is necessary to consult with a specialist.
Representatives of the British Shorthair
The British have an individual and unique character. These are intelligent and independent animals that know their worth. It should be borne in mind that British cats may not show any kind if something bothers them. Therefore, the owner must be especially careful when the pet has puberty, and this happens in 7–9 months. Her behavior begins to change. She becomes more sociable with men, neglecting the mistress of the house. The darling likes to meet the guests of the stronger sex in the apartment, rub on their shoes, play with socks and beg to be caressed.
In addition, the British often plays with bent legs, licks under the tail, meows loudly. All these signs indicate that she began a period of estrus. The duration of estrus in a British cat is about a week. The intervals between these periods are different for everyone, but in most cases, when pregnancy does not occur, it takes from 15 to 20 days. During the period of a special condition, it is not recommended to give the animal preparations that interrupt or drown the estrus. They can lead to a violation of hormonal failure and the formation of tumors.
Scottish fold cat
Females of the Scottish breed are not early maturing, and their maturity appears at 8-12 months, and in some cases later. Sometimes there are sexual individuals that mature by 5-6 months. The duration of the first estrus of a cat of the Scottish breed lasts only three days. Moreover, she shows very weak signs of her condition. In some cases, it just becomes a little more affectionate and begins to purr more often, and sometimes more moody. It does not scream and does not raise the ass up. During the first estrus they do not mate; a young cat is not ready to endure and give birth to full kittens.
The cat is brought in for mating with a second or third estrus. Subsequently, the duration of the estrus of a Scottish fold cat lasts about a week. If the darling is not fertilized, then she will be nervous for another five days, and with any deviations longer. During this period, do not pester her with affection. Scottish individuals have very frequent estruses in their youth, with age they become irregular and short in time. If it is not knitted for a long time, serious diseases can occur.
Sphynx cats
In a sphinx cat, puberty occurs at six to seven months. At this time, her first estrus begins. The animal begins to scream loudly and roll on the floor. Her gait becomes completely different, her character is changing. Some become affectionate and kind, while others become evil and aggressive. The duration of estrus in a sphinx cat on average lasts 5-8 days, and sometimes up to two weeks. The frequency of occurrence of estrus is strictly individual, as is its duration. In some, it occurs once a month, while in others - two. Irregular estrus is associated with the lack of fertilization of the female.
The greatest sexual activity in the sphinxes occurs in late winter, early spring. The first pregnancy can occur in reproductive age from a year to one and a half, not earlier than the third estrus. If the owner does not plan the birth of offspring, then after the end of the estrus period, sterilization is performed.
Maine Coon cats
Puberty of this type of pet takes place at 9-16 months. Like any other breed, the frequency and duration of estrus in a Maine Coon cat depends on the personal development of the animal. In pets that live in comfortable conditions, estrus can occur throughout the year. During this period, Maine Coon loses its appetite and drinks a lot, its growth is temporarily suspended. When pregnancy occurs, the female immediately calms down, otherwise she continues to be nervous for another 7–11 days. In the future, Maine Coon estruses come in one and a half or two months, although a longer break between them is also possible.
It is very dangerous if estrus is repeated after two to three weeks or lasts for two to three months. In the first case, it is urgent to consult a veterinarian, and in the second case, the animal must be mated or sterilized. You should never stop or delay estrus using hormonal drugs - this is dangerous to the animal’s health.
Veterinarian Tips
A cat's estrus usually lasts about a week. During this period, she behaves inappropriately: she screams loudly, rolls on the floor, sticks to the owner, considering him a sexual partner. Veterinarians advise:
- Redeem your favorite. While she licks the skin in the house, silence is established, and her stress is relieved.
- Arrange active games. A lesson with an interesting new toy, climbing and jumping will distract the animal for some time from nervousness.
- Feed in small portions - improves overall health and digestion.
- To pay more attention - this gives the animal confidence, relieves nervousness. You need to talk to the cat gently, pat it on the head and stomach, but do not touch the back and the croup.
- Reduce lighting - this will help to stop the heat more quickly. You can close the curtains in the room.
- Use sedatives to calm, but do not affect the cessation of estrus: “Stop Stress”, “Cat Bayun”.
In addition, sterilization is allowed, only it is necessary to wait until the estrus ends. To do this procedure during the oestrus period is very dangerous for the health of the animal.
Conclusion
Now you know how long it takes, how often a cat has estrus, and at what age it starts. Be especially attentive to your pet during this period. The female often ceases to control herself during increased hormonal levels. At first she takes on the owner and has a negative attitude towards the cat, and then the aggression towards the male passes, but she can bite or scratch the owner. The animal should not be punished for this; it is not always able to control its actions.