How long the estrus lasts in cats: The first signs and deadlines

How long does estrus (estrus) last in cats? How often does this happen? How to prevent complications and when to turn to specialist?

These questions plague many cat owners around the world.

It is important to know about the features of cat menstruation those who met with estrus for the first time.

Indeed, proper care for the animal in many cases involves it health.

Any cat lover before you buy your future pet, has a choice: take a cat or cat – male or a female?

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Of course, a person’s choice depends on many factors and animal features, one of which is estrus in cats.

Physiological processes in the body of the animal, due to which menstruation, in fact, is largely identical to the processes in a woman’s body.

But unlike humans, animals have puberty faster, and as a result, many hosts are unprepared.

On average, the female is ready for mating as early as 10 months, then estrus begins

Content

• 1 When does a cat’s first estrus begin?
• 2 Signs of estrus
• 3 How many days does a cat’s estrus last?
• 4 How to prevent problems during estrus
• 5 Recommendations for the care of a cat during estrus

When does a cat begin its first estrus?

Typically, a cat’s estrus begins at 10 months.

Of course, it all depends on both the breed of the animal and its individual features, such as:

• Temperament;
• Hormonal background;
• General health.

Puberty in the average cat going pretty fast.

For example, a cat can give birth at the age of one year.

During this period, the body of the animal is already fully formed and ready to pregnancy, bearing a litter, direct birth and subsequent feeding kittens.

But the first estrus does not indicate that the cat needs immediately drive with the cat.

Mating animals prematurely can lead to heavy births and death of kittens before their birth.

This is especially true for smaller cats and up to one year.

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The most obvious sign of estrus is discharge from the vulva, but cat behavior also changes

Signs of estrus

The main signs of cat heat are:

• Skating the animal on the floor;
• Loud meow;
• Frequent demand of the owner’s attention, or vice versa, complete indifference;
• Discharge from the vulva.

In order to determine the cat’s estrus in time and be ready for it, you should pay attention to the “indicators”, which precede estrus in its classical understanding and are its initial stage.

Most owners do not think about cat menstruation until it will not start, and then immediately begin to search for the necessary information in the internet.

Sometimes this behavior leads to unpleasant surprises, unnecessary anxiety and discomfort of both the owner and the pet.

That is why the responsible owner must know everything in advance necessary nuances and be sufficiently “savvy” in this issue.

First of all, it is important to understand that such features of estrus as its initial characteristics depend on the breed of the animal.

For example, female scottish fold cat become more playful, begin to purr in a special way, but remain calm, as they have a fairly balanced and flexible character.

The menstruation of a British cat begins less pronounced, moreover, this breed flows much less frequently than most breeds.

Most individuals flow once or twice a year, although sometimes there are females with menstruation.

Don sphinxes and Peterbald estrus begins more pronounced, animals begin to lick themselves.

The most obvious sign of estrus is discharge from the vulva, which the female licks.

The first estrus is usually more problematic than subsequent ones.

How many days does a cat’s estrus last?

In general, the duration of estrus in female cats varies from five up to eight days.

Of course, it’s not a fact that throughout this period the animal will loudly report it.

Usually the most “loud” for the owner is the last days of the cat menstruation: the pet screams at night.

Basically, cat menstruation is divided into the following stages:

• Proestrus is the first stage that proceeds from one to four days. This stage can be described as preparing the body for immediate estrus. At this time home favorite is quite calm, and even more affectionate to the owner than usually. Increased appetite is also observed. Genitals increase in size and the pet can make quiet throats sounds.
• Estrus is the second stage, which lasts for a week. This is directly estrus, during which the animal becomes extremely affectionate, but at the same time sometimes very noisy: riding around floor and meows loudly. At this stage of menstruation, the female abides in maximum sexual arousal and ready to mate on the third to fifth day.
• Metestrus – the third stage, which is characterized by a decrease female sexual arousal level and lasts for three and up to twelve days. Moreover, if she reacts aggressively to cats, then most likely at the stage of estrus happened fertilization.
• Anestrus is the fourth and final stage that occurs in the absence of fertilization. The cat gradually calms down and returns to normal behavior, genitals are decreasing.

In the very first days, the female is especially affectionate and often fond of to the owner.

That is why some owners do not stand it and accept decision to sterilize an animal, especially not intended for breeding.

Veterinarians advise sterilization to the first estrus, which in a cat with a good hormonal background, it is better to do at the age of six to ten months.

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The duration of estrus depends on the breed, as, for example, in cats sphinxes may have several sexual cycles per year, as they belong to polycyclic animals.

Usually the sexual season of this breed lasts eight to nine months. and starts in January.

Scottish Straight estrus strongly depends on the hormonal level of a particular individual.

So, it can vary from three days to ten.

In some cases, the first estrus may differ in duration and severity from subsequent ones, due to the fact that the animal’s body first experiences similar stress.

This affects the behavior of the pet, which becomes more calm in the future when the female “gets used” to estrus.

Sometimes there are delays between estrus or vice versa, lingering estrus.

In such cases, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

Attention to the condition of the pet – the key to a healthy estrus

How to prevent problems during estrus

First of all, cat owners need to understand that difficulties during cat heat arise mainly due to lack of attention to the state of the pet, untimely detecting strange animal behavior.

One of the most common heat problems is called false pregnancy.

In this case, the cat’s body begins to prepare for childbirth, hormonal background changes.

Because of this, within six to seven months after termination the estrus itself, the cat begins small discharge from the vulva – the cat often licks, her belly is enlarged, as if she bore kittens.

In addition, she has enlarged nipples, milk stands out from them, also the temperature of the cat rises, the appetite changes dramatically.

Due to hormonal changes, the animal’s behavior changes and is expressed in factors such as:

• Drowsiness;
• Apathy;
• Rapid nervousness.

The female wears her toys in a nook, like in a nest, clothes and shoes, thinking that these are kittens.

Of course, in order to avoid the development of this problem in a cat, false pregnancy must be identified on as much as possible early stage.

To do this, you need to regularly monitor periods of estrus, you can keep for this, a special calendar for fixing the beginning and end estrus.

The brighter the symptoms of false pregnancy are highlighted, the more it is necessary to take all possible measures for its treatment.

First of all, veterinarians recommend:

• Reduce animal food intake, especially this concerns dairy products;
• Remove all her toys that she perceives as kittens;
• Take the animal for examination by a veterinarian;
• Perform medication based on directions the vet.

It is impossible to sterilize an animal during estrus.

Recommendations for the care of a cat during estrus

Many owners of cats let their estrus run its course, or immediately go to the vet with questions about sterilizing the pet.

In no case can it be sterilized during estrus, only after a certain time.

The most correct in this difficult period for the animal is facilitating the flow of menstruation.

Be patient with excitement and, at times, inadequate cat behavior.

Despite this, a large number of hosts believe that the stormy the temperament of cats must be pacified with the help of various drugs.

In fact, some drugs, such as drops for cats, significantly reduce the discomfort and experience of the animal, but use such medicines very carefully and moderately so as not to harm the body of the pet, invading normal physiological process – it is impossible radically change the hormonal background of the cat.

This is usually advised by the veterinarian, who also establishes the need for sterilization and the period in which it can hold.

The biggest problem that wallets face is discharge from the vulva of the cat, from which spots remain.

Usually, compared to dogs, cats are much more likely to lick. and, as a result, clothes, carpets and sofas “stain” less which are in contact.

But in some cases, this problem may manifest itself especially spicy.

Then experts recommend using special “underpants” for cats that prevent secretions from getting on the surface in home.

But often, this device interferes with the animal, as prevents licking, especially if you do not train a cat to it in advance.

Since the estrus is for the cat, especially if it happens in her first time is stress, owners are strongly advised be patient with the behavior of the animal, in no case punish him so as not to injure his body – because a pet doesn’t understand what is happening to him.

How long the estrus lasts in cats: The first signs and timing

How long does a cat’s estrus last? Usually menstruation in these animals starts at 10 months of age. Of course, it all depends on breed of animal, and from temperament, hormonal background and general health.