Each heat generally lasts several days with the average length being seven days, although it can range from 1 to 21 days. If the queen (an intact female cat) is not mated during estrus, she will go out of heat for a short period of time, usually about seven days, but it can range from 2 to 19 days.
Another question lots of feline owners ask is “does a cat in heat feel pain?” Though cats may seem uncomfortable and irritated while they're in heat, it isn't usually painful; if you think your cat is in pain, it may be an idea to have them checked out by your vet.
How Often Do Cats Go Into Heat? Once estrous cycles begin, cats may go into heat as often as every 2-3 weeks. Cats are seasonally polyestrus (also spelled polyestrous), meaning they can have multiple cycles during their breeding season. Breeding season would normally be during warmer weather and longer daylight hours.
If your female cat isn't spayed and she periodically meows excessively, she may be in heat at those times. Female cats in heat typically become increasingly affectionate, rub against you more, purr, roll around on the floor—and meow a lot. This lasts four to ten days.
Can you spay a cat in heat? Spaying a cat while they're in heat is not ideal because during this time the blood vessels in their ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes become enlarged. This can make surgery more difficult and your cat's recovery time longer.
Extra Petting and Brushings During Heat Cycle
For some cats, a little extra attention may help ease the stress of estrus. Give your feline friend some extra attention around the home when she's in heat, and you may find that it calms her down and keeps her stress levels manageable.
Do cats bleed when they're in heat? In the vast majority of cases, cats don't bleed when they're in heat, although it is possible. Blood in their urine or around the genital area could be a sign of a urinary tract infection, so if you do spot any blood, be sure to contact your vet right away.
While your cat is on heat it's likely she will become very affectionate, 'flirty', start 'calling'/meowing loudly (it can even sound like she is in pain), rolling around, arching her back and moving her tail to one side. She will try hard to find a male cat, and male cats will be equally keen to reach her.
Do not allow her outside at all, and close all windows and lock all doors, including pet flaps. To keep her calm (and prevent her from getting pregnant), you need to keep her away from all male cats. Isolation will also keep her safe — she may try to escape your home if she senses a male outside.
We recommend having your female cat spayed before her first heat cycle. Allowing your cat to have a litter of kittens would contribute to the problem of pet over-population.
Some cats exhibit what is called “silent heat.” The cats are in heat, they develop follicles on their ovaries and are fertile, but they show no behavioral signs of being in heat. These cats will allow a male to mate with them. Silent heat is more commonly seen in cats who are lower down in the social hierarchy.
Female cats go into heat every two to three weeks during mating season, which can last from spring to autumn - although, with changes in climate, many cats are now coming into season at any point of the year. Every heat cycle lasts an average of six days.
For cats: It is generally considered safe for kittens as young as eight weeks old to be spayed or neutered. To potentiially avoid the start of urine spraying and eliminate the chance for pregnancy, it's advisable to schedule the surgery before your cat reaches five months of age.
Female cats in heat (in the estrus cycle) exude a powerful sex pheromone that can be sniffed or "scented" by a male even at a distance of a mile away.
Evan Ware, Medical Director of University Animal Hospital, says a cat in heat deserves the royal treatment. He recommends extra brushing and cuddling (if your cat is into it). Basically, any bonding time that soothes your queen is a good idea.
Why do cats meow at night? Your cat might meow at night because they feel bored, unstimulated, lonely or just want to go outside. If your cat won't stop crying at night even when they have plenty of play time, other causes to consider are thyroid or kidney disease.
Signs of heat will resolve within 24-48 hours of ovulation, which will occur only if a female cat in heat mates. Otherwise, the average cat will be in “heat” for seven days (ranging from 2-19 days). This cycle can repeat itself every two to three weeks, as long as there are extended daylight hours.
Non-surgical sterilization for dogs, cats and small animals — Calcium chloride dihydrate solution is a chemical sterilant for male animals that is administered via intratesticular injection. It can be obtained through a compounding pharmacy or in pre-measured doses that can be mixed onsite.
Smell Transfer
Cats recognize each other (and us) by scent. Raising the butt is your cat's way of getting their anal glands closer to your nose so you can get a whiff of their pheromones.
Your cat is expressing her affection for you.
Your cat's licking may be an affiliative behavior, which is a friendly, altruistic behavior. Mothers groom their kittens, and cats may groom one another, which is called allogrooming.
First, cats do not shed the lining of their uterus. So, contrary to popular belief, heat should not involve vaginal bleeding. If your female cat is bleeding, contact your vet. Because a human female sheds the lining of her uterus every month, cramping, bloating, and related symptoms can be present.