How to tell if your female cat is in heat

If you are a cat owner, you know the wonders that you experience as a pet parent. You get to care for them and you get to experience their love in return. They are beautiful looking creatures and are also known for being smart and cheeky. If you do not own a cat of your own, you also get plenty of opportunities where you can take care of them and spend quality time with them. Nothing brings more joy than ensuring that you can spend plenty of time with cute little cats. 

 

Despite their rather charming qualities, cats are also famously known for liking the privilege of their own personal space often. While this is not received well by some people, it is important to understand that their space should be respected as they wish. Despite their shaky reputation, cats are extremely loving, caring and loyal when it comes to the people they adore but because of the space they enjoy, they might sometimes prove to be hard to read. They might withdraw and their body language might not convey explicitly about the things that they are going through. While they are extremely independent and self-sufficient in solving their predicaments, there are some stages of life that you, as a pet parent, might have to support them through. One of these times is while they are in heat. 

 

If you own or are in the presence of a female cat, they go through a period of time when they are fertile and ready to mate. Their first onset of heat will be when they hit their puberty (which is usually around when they are 7-10 months of age). After this, if they do not get pregnant they will experience it again in 2-3 weeks. So as a cat parent, how can you tell if your cat is in heat? Thankfully, despite their independent behavior, there are some signs that you can identify if they are going through heat. Here are some of those signs – 

 

1. Mating Call – Cats usually have a distinct mating call that they use called the trill-meows that they hope will bring in a mate for them when they are most fertile. It almost sounds like a human baby crying out mixed with the meows of a cat.

 

1. Position – Usually when they are in heat, they lie in a particular position while sitting. Additionally, they also end up crouching with their front legs and having their backside in the air and with their tails upright exposing their genitals.

 

1. Marking her territory – Sometimes, even trained cats end up peeing around in your house as a way to call their male counterparts during their heat. This is also their way of marking their territory definitively.

 

1. Lessened appetite – This might end up being worrying for most pet parents. Female cats often lose their appetite when they are experiencing heat. However, it is important to know that if the reason for the loss of appetite is just the heat, it will go back to normal levels as soon as the heat is over.

 

1. Space/ Increased affection – This might truly depend on your cat and how they like to behave usually. Some cats really like their space and would love to be left alone during their heat while some cats end up being extra affectionate and cozy with you. They might also end up rubbing their body against you, the side of the furniture or sometimes even toys.