Anyone who has recently purchased or adopted a female cat will be quite bewildered by the behavior of the first heat of the cat.
In fact, it is a new moment not only for those who have decided to open the doors of the house to a new little friend, but also for the cats themselves who, since it is precisely their warmth, will not be used to feeling certain sensations and not even to behave in a way as strange as it is new.
In this article, therefore, let’s see together how to behave in the case of the first heat of the cat: becoming aware of this delicate phase in the life of the domestic feline is important both to help it in this phase of its sexual maturity, and to be able to identify the best time to the sterilization.
When does a cat go into heat for the first time?
But even before seeing how it manifests itself and what are the best attitudes to adopt in the case of the first heat of the cat, it is good to know when this fateful moment arrives: in principle, both males and females experience heat around 6 months.
However, this indication has exceptions, since some specimens live it to 4 months (in particular with some pedigreed breeds such as Siamese and Burmese cats), others to 18.
To this it is good to add an important indication: although the future of heat means that the kitten is ready to conceive, the females should however not mate until they reach, at least, one year of age, preferably up to two years of age. age.
How long does a cat’s first heat last?
Once the females begin to be in heat, the time in which she is fertile is five to ten days.
In subsequent times, then, the reproductive cycle will repeat on a regular basis unless conception occurs or the kitten is not sterilized.
How to understand the first heat of the cat?
Unlike dogs or us humans, cats they have no menstrual cycle: therefore, since it is an estrous cycle, there are no visual findings such as blood losses that allow us to understand that the kitten is in her heat period, even if it is the first heat of the cat.
Even the cycle itself in a cat works differently from that of other animals, such as dogs: the cat, in fact, never ovulates unless she mates with a male.
It is, in fact, one of the so-called species a induced ovulation (that is, induced by the male) and, for this reason, the egg of the cat always remains in the ovary and begins to produce estrogens which will make her go into heat.
So what are the symptoms of the first heat of the cat?
This condition is easily recognized thanks to the behavior of the female. Indeed, it will be evidentincreased desire to be pampered and caress and it will roll persistently on the ground.
Unmistakable, too, the typical location which it assumes when you stroke it on the back: with the bottom up and the paws slightly apart.
In addition to this, the female emits a loud meowmore like a moan, repetitive and sometimes very loud, is agitated, restless, tends to rub people and things more than usual, tries to escape, instinctively looking for a cat to mate with, wants to play more often and purrs insistently.
What to do at the first heat of the cat to help her?
The watchwords are “don’t panic”. It is, in fact, a natural phase in the life of every living being and for which one should not be frightened or behave differently than usual.
Only, it is good to keep in mind a few more precautions which, from the moment of the first heat of the cat, can also be applied to the other times in which the kitten will be looking for a partner (unless you have decided to sterilize her).
First of all, therefore, it is good to put yourself in the perspective that cats in heat do not suffer: certain strange behaviors, in fact, are motivated by the manifestation of certain instincts that press to get out and which must be satisfied in terms of procreation.
The two possible options
Of course, calming a cat in heat is difficult, so there are two options:
- if this does not create problems, let the cat mate (at the end of which she will have a pregnancy lasting two months) so that after giving birth the cat will not go into heat for another month, approximately, because she will be nursing;
- take precautions so that the instinctive behavior of the kitten does not harm anyone, especially the cat.
Precautions to take
Among these, let us always remember:
- close doors and windows to prevent him from running away from home to mate;
- prepare a hot water bottle to calm her down;
- show her your affection and closeness with cuddles and caresses;
- ask your vet for advice if the symptoms start to get too bothersome for the cat herself.
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Article reviewed by:
Francesco Reina
Veterinary assistant