Cats in heat are a topic of much concern for many cat parents. But what should you do if your cat is in heat? This blog post will cover all the basics, from how to tell if your cat is in heat and when it’s happening, to what other cats may be doing during that time. We’ll also talk about some things that you can do as a pet owner to help minimize any potential problems with an unspayed or unsocialized female kitty.
The first step is identifying the problem. Cats in heat are easy to identify because they will have a bloody discharge from their vulva, be more vocal than usual and generally act differently than when not in season. Cat parents must know how to tell if their female kitty is going into heat to not mix up this natural process with a urinary tract infection.
The most common time for cats to go into heat is between January and August. In general, a female cat will be in the season about every two months. That means the majority of times that your kitty could potentially be going into heat are during winter or summertime when they’re more apt to spend some time outdoors and exposed to male stray or roaming cats.
To help protect your cat from any potential unwanted interactions with other animals that might be in the area, it is recommended to keep your female cat indoors as much as possible.
This will also help protect your cat from any potential interactions with unneutered male animals that are in the area.
Some people may think that if they keep their female cats indoors all of the time, it won’t be possible for them to ever go into heat and reproduce. That’s not true! Female cats can become pregnant anytime, even when they’re kept indoors, your cat can get pregnant even if she only goes outside on occasion.
What should We do if Our cat is in heat?
If you know that your female cat is in heat, there are a few things to help minimize the potential problems it can cause. First of all, if possible, get her spayed! This will drastically reduce any risks associated with this natural event for cats. Secondly, consider keeping male animals indoors when she’s in season and be mindful of other cats in the area.
Cats in heat can be harder to control than usual, so they may run into things or scratch at the furniture more frequently. If you have a male cat that is not neutered and your female kitty happens to go into heat while he’s outside of the house, it may cause her problems when she comes back inside.
Lastly, keep an eye on any changes in behavior from your female cat during this period. Cats going into the season will often act differently, such as becoming vocal, being more affectionate with their owner, and sometimes exhibit behaviors like spraying urine around or scratching up objects within reach (even if those items are usually off-limits).
Inheat, cats can be burdensome to their pet owners, so cat parents must know what to expect when this time comes around.
