Cat in heat?

I recently became a cat owner; how do I know if she is in heat and is there anything I should do?

Valdette Müller, veterinary sister and owner of shingavet.co.za, replies

Unspayed female cats will eventually reach a fertile period, an occurrence that extends well into old age. Hormonal changes that prepare cats for breeding (a process called estrus) begin at between six and 10 months. Since cats are efficient reproducers, their estrus or heat cycle can occur every 12 to 22 days, at which point your cat can successfully mate with healthy suitors.

As there’s no easy way to measure a cat’s hormone levels at home, changes in her behaviour can be a sign that she’s in heat. Apart from mating calls and excessive grooming, look out for the following:

Overly affectionate Immediately preceding estrus, your female cat may become unusually affectionate. She might rub herself against furniture, objects around the house such as stuffed toys, other cats or dogs, and even you.

Marking her territory Similar to male cats, a female in heat might spray vertical surfaces with urine. When she does this, she will back up to the surface of her choice, raise her quivering tail and spray. To the untrained eye, this looks like a sign of distress. Don’t be alarmed as this is normal behaviour for a cat in heat (although a nuisance to you!).

Loss of appetite Your cat might exhibit a noticeable decrease in appetite. Monitor her as this behaviour should last no more than two weeks.

Need to escape When in heat, instinct will drive your cat to escape to where potential suitors lie in wait. During this time, it’s not unusual for an indoor cat to run away for more than a day and up to a week, or more. Do not let her outside at all while in heat; close all windows and doors, including pet flaps. To keep her calm (and prevent her from getting pregnant), you need to keep her away from all male cats. You can distract her with play to divert her from her instinct to mate.

Unless you’re a professional breeder, avoid letting your cat mate. Our country has a major stray population problem, so spaying and neutering are highly recommended. Most vets suggest spaying your female cat at no later than six months of age.

CONTACT shingavet.co.za