Approved by Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM Cat In Heat? Here’s What You Need To Know
Cat in heat? Uh oh! Follow our tips to be prepared for your cat's mating behavior and know what you can do to best help your feline friend.
If you have a female cat who hasn’t yet been spayed, you’ll have to deal with the heat cycle sooner or later. Also referred to as being ‘in season’ or in estrus, a cat in heat means that your feline friend is fertile, ready to mate and make some adorable kittens. Yes, your cat could become pregnant during this time, as nature intended! But as a responsible pet parent, it’s important to know how to recognize the signs of heat in cats plus what to do when your cat is in heat.
Key Takeaways:
- The heat (or estrus) phase in cats is when intact females (queens) can become pregnant and have kittens.
- Cats usually go into heat for the first time anywhere around 3-18 months old – already as kittens.
- Cats in heat are often more affectionate and restless, and may eat less and vocalize more than usual. They might also urinate more frequently or try to run away.
- Unless you plan to breed your cat, it’s best to spay your cat in heat.
Know everywhere your cat goes
See where they are in real-time, no matter how far they go. Get alerts if they roam too far home. Make sure they’re getting enough exercise and rest throughout the day. Set daily goals that fit your furball.
Cat in heat: what’s that?
If you’re new to the concept, a cat in heat refers to when a female feline is ready to mate (have sex) and fertile (can become pregnant). Similarly, female dogs also go into heat. This is also known as the estrus phase of her sexual cycle.
What age do cats go into heat?
Female cats tend to get their first heat at around 5 to 10 months old. However it can also start as early as 3 months, or as late as 18 months old.
Signs of a cat in heat
A good indication that your cat may be in heat is if she’s still intact – that is, she hasn’t been spayed yet. Cats no longer go into heat once they’ve been spayed. Additionally, your cat may show you that they’re in heat when they’re acting a bit funny – or doing the following:
- Increased vocalization
- Restlessness
- Crawling low to the ground
- Arched back
- Moving tail to the side
- Excessive licking/grooming
- Increase affection towards people, objects or other animals
- Loss of appetite
- More escape attempts
So whether your cat is walking funny, rubbing up against you and furniture in your home, or taking extra special care of her lady parts, you most likely have a cat in heat on your hands.
Cats in heat will try to mate – and don’t obey any rules
Of course, if your female feline outright shows that she’s ready to mate – it’s safe to assume she’s probably in heat.
“A few years ago, I had the pleasure of raising two adorable baby kittens from infancy. We fed them with a bottle and helped them grow into big healthy, teenage cats. But at some point, my young cats started acting funny. The first time I realised my young cats were in heat was when they attempted to mate with each other – although they were brother and sister.” 😨
— Chelsea, Marketing Manager at Tractive and cat enthusiast
Yes, this can and does occur; especially among cats who are not exposed to many other cats in the wild. While in heat, their strong, natural mating instinct will cause them to try to mate with any and every cat of the opposite sex nearby. And these kitties don’t obey any rules about how humans think they ‘should’ behave!
How long are cats in heat?
The cat in heat or estrus phase – when the cat is ‘calling’ for a prospective mate – can last anywhere from 1 – 7 days.
- If your feline friend doesn’t mate, she’ll likely go into heat again a few weeks later.
- The whole cycle lasts about 3 weeks
- It may continue year round or only from February – October.
The Estrus Cycle Explained
Here are the four stages of the cat in heat cycle:
| Phase 1: Proestrus 1-2 days | In this stage, the female cat (known as the queen 👑) might attract male cats (that are unneutered). However, she will not be ready for mating yet. In this stage, which lasts 1-2 days, cats do not show any typical signs of being in heat. |
| Phase 2: Estrus (heat) 3-14 days | Next, the unspayed female cat enters the heat stage, also known as estrus, oestrus or estrous. For up to a week, she will be receptive to mating and attract the attention of male cats. This is also when she will display the signs of heat. And in case things get hot and heavy, hormone production will be stimulated, which leads to ovulation. Cats may mate several different times during this stage before becoming pregnant. When a female cat does become pregnant, her kittens can have different fathers. |
| Phase 3: Interestrus 1-3 weeks | In case the cat has not mated or become pregnant during estrus, she will enter the phase of interestrus, or the period between heats. She will display no specific signs of being in heat. In a few days or up to 3 weeks, the cat will go into heat again. The cycle of proestrus, estrus, and interestrus repeats throughout the mating season. |
| Phase 4: Anestrus 2-3 months | The last stage is called anestrus – this is a dormant period for the cat’s reproductive system. She will not experience any estrus activity, as mating season is often seasonal. The heat cycle tends to last from spring to fall, when the light of long days stimulate your feline’s hormones. During the shorter-day seasons of late fall and winter, your cat may not go into heat at all. However, artificial lighting may cause your cat to go into heat all year. |
What to do when your cat is in heat (and how to calm a cat in heat)
When your cat is in heat, you may want to help keep her distracted and safe from male cats and other outdoor dangers or prevent unwanted pregnancies. Or if she seems excited or agitated, you may want to help calm her down. Here are several steps you may want to take:
- Understand that your cat is in heat
- Keep your female cat away from male cats
- Let her sit on a heat pack, warm towel, or electric pad or blanket
- Use Feliway or other synthetic cat pheromones
- Try catnip (only if it calms your kitty down)
- Consider herbal remedies
- Keep the litter box clean
- Play with your cat
- Spay your cat to prevent future heat cycles
How to prevent your cat in heat from running away
Being in heat and struggling with their mating instincts is one of the prime reasons why cats run away. So watch out – your female cat may roam when in heat, looking for her next mate! Male cats also have a tendency to explore their grounds, looking for females in heat.
💡This is where monitoring your cat’s whereabouts with the help of the Tractive GPS & Health Tracker for cats really comes in handy.
“Tractive saved my British Shorthair when he was in heat and went wondering a good mile away – we found him within 10 minutes”
— Jamie, Great Britain (Source: Trustpilot)
Preventing pregnancy in cats in heat
The safest way to avoid unwanted pregnancy in female cats is to have them spayed as soon as they reach sexual maturity. And it’s important to get your male cats neutered too, to avoid them causing unwanted pregnancies in your neighborhood queens.
- Get them spayed or neutered
- Keep them indoors – and ideally, occupied with toys and treats
- Build your cat an enclosure that’s secured from the elements (and other animals)
- Keep your female cat away from male cats
As cute as they are, dealing with a litter of kittens you aren’t prepared for can triple or even quadruple your responsibilities as a cat grandparent.
FAQs
How often do cats go into heat?
As long as a female cat is not spayed, she may go into heat as often as every two to three weeks. Cats can have multiple cycles during their breeding season, which is generally during the warmer months. However since most felines in North America and Europe live indoors in comfortable environments, they can come into heat year round.
Can male cats go into heat?
No, male cats don’t go into heat. Intact male cats reach sexual maturity around the same time as females – around four to six months of age. After that they can mate with females at any time. So they may start marking their territory or running away in search of a mate. That’s why strapping a GPS cat tracker to your male (or female) cat is always a good idea, to keep an eye on them at all times.
Do cats bleed when in heat?
No, female cats don’t bleed or have a period like women do. Rather than shedding the uterine lining like women do every 32 days or so, cats and some mammals reabsorb the old uterine-lining rather than bleeding it out.
If your feline friend experiences vaginal bleeding, it can be a sign of an infection or other health problem. So be sure to visit your vet in that case.
Can you spay a cat in heat?
Yes, you can spay a cat who still has their heat cycle – it’s recommended. A good age to spay your cat is when they’re 4-6 months old, but you can also spay older cats. Spaying your cat will prevent unwanted pregnancies, and decrease the risk of certain infections and tumours related to the feline reproductive system. Plus, it helps fight overpopulation.
Are cats in pain when they’re in heat?
No, estrus is typically not painful for cats, although they may feel some discomfort or agitation.
They may make a loud, howling sound. But rest assured, the increased vocalization (known as “caterwauling”) is just your cat’s way of attracting a potential suitor.
Article Sources
- Little, Susan E.. “Female Reproduction.” The Cat (2012): 1195–1227. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4377-0660-4.00040-5
- Tavernier, Chloé et al. “Feline vocal communication.” Journal of veterinary science vol. 21,1 (2020): e18. doi:10.4142/jvs.2020.21.e18
Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.
This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr. Alleyne began his career at a no-kill animal shelter before becoming a licensed veterinary technician. He graduated from Cornell University Veterinary College in 2006 and completed an internship at Purdue University.
Now practicing in Georgia, Dr. Alleyne specializes in soft tissue surgery and ultrasounds. He also writes pet health articles on his website, “The Animal Doctor Blog” (www.anmldrblog.com).
