What is Cat Heat?
To process of being in heat or estrous cycle is a phenomenon during which cat remain sexually active and ready to mate. This is a normal process under the influence of hormones. It can be seen several times during a season. This stage lasts for 7 but can exceed up to 14 days, your cat will come in to first heat after 9th months but some literature tells that first sign of heat can occur at 6th month of age.
What is Estrous cycle ( Heat in Cat )?
Unlike dogs, female cats do not cycle at regular intervals throughout the year. Cats tend to go into heat depending on the season. The breeding season in cats is determined by a number of factors, including the duration of daylight and the presence of other cats. When there are 10 hours of daylight and other conditions are optimal, the hormonal system is activated and the queen begins the reproductive cycle. The natural reproduction period of cats in the northern hemisphere is from March to September. Long-haired cats are more sensitive to light and temperature than short-haired breeds. Cats with artificial lighting can get in heat at any time of the year, while domestic cats under intermittent light have unpredictable heat cycles.
Throughout the breeding season, queens enter and exit the heat several times, but not always at regular intervals. They may have continuous heat cycles in early spring (an average of 14 to 21 days from the beginning of one cycle to the beginning of the next), followed at the end of spring by more distant cycles. Each queen sets her own normal rhythm.
Puberty in Cats
Most cats reach puberty and have their first heat cycle between five and nine months, sometimes earlier. However, we do not want her to get pregnant until the queen is physically and mentally ready. Persians, as a breed, are considered to be late-maturing and can not reach puberty before one and a half years of age.
The estrous heat cycle or cat’s reproductive cycle has four distinct stages: anestrous, proestrus, estrus and metestrus.
Anestrous
This is where the queen does not enter heat and her ovaries are inactive (inactive). This would be the period without sexual activity. In most parts of the United States, this would be from late September to mid-January. The low light and short duration of daylight are a major factor in suppressing heat cycles during the winter months. Cats kept indoors can be stimulated using artificial light sources that lengthen Queen’s day. If the light levels are similar to those observed during the peak breeding seasons of early spring, they begin to cycle.
proestrus
Is used to describe the stage of estrus immediately following the anestrus. At this stage of the heat, the ovaries become active in follicle formation. It lasts from one to four days. Unlike the bitch, the queen’s vulva grows only slightly and appears slightly damp, but no discharge comes from hormonal changes. The queen shows an increased appetite and agitation, pronounces short, low calls and displays more affection than usual for her owner. This is described as the period during which the cat comes into heat, but is not yet ready to be raised. Hormones such as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen help promote egg development during this phase.
estrus
Is it the period of the heat cycle when the cat is able to become pregnant. This is what breeders call the heat or the call, because the queens can be very noisy and meowing in heating. The length is variable but usually lasts from 10 to 14 days. During this period, the queen will insist that the owner will notice changes in behavior and other physical changes in the female. The queen “in heat” will vocalize and urinate frequently. She will seem too passionate in rolling, rubbing and adopting the breeding posture with her head and forepaws flush with the ground and the rump area held high. As the desire to mate manifests itself, its cries become alarming – they resemble those of a suffering animal. This “call” will attract toms from near and far. Unlike the bitch, the queen usually has little or no visible vaginal discharge, either in the proestrus phase or in the estrous phase.
metestrus
Is this the moment immediately after estrus. The woman will not pay attention or accept the male at this time and will return to herself.
Reproduction or copulation proper takes place during the estrous phase. Copulation usually lasts 10 seconds or less, but although the time is short, most females reproduce repeatedly over a period of 24 to 48 hours, which ensures that the male’s sperm is present and that Queen’s eggs are ovulated. Queens are “induced ovulators”, which means that the act of reproduction stimulates the female to release (ovulate) her eggs. Repeated reproduction ensures that ovulation with copulation occurs up to 36 times in 36 hours. In other mammals (dogs, cattle and humans), ovulation occurs even though reproduction does not occur. A non-elevated cat will not ovulate, but will usually come out of heat within 10 to 14 days. The bitches will be anestrous for four and a half months, but the queen who is not induced to ovulate by breeding will become in heat every two to three weeks (or earlier) until breeding and ovulation occur. occur.
Queen’s problems in heat
Queens have very few reproductive problems, but when they are, this is often related to lack of ovulation. This is a problem with submissive queens, extremely shy, intimidated. There is little oestrous behavior and little copulation, unlike the queen who seeks the male. This lack of count leads to the absence of ovulation and pregnancy despite a fertile male.
Treatment
Young males often do not breed if the shy female does not exhibit reproductive behavior. An experienced male will often help and reproduce despite the shyness of the female. HCG can be given when copulation has occurred and sperm is present. Check sperm by collecting vaginal discharge on a slide. In the presence of sperm, veterinarians induced ovulation with 250 IU of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) administered IM.
It is possible to artificially induce ovulation in cats with vaginal stimulation. A clean rectal thermometer can be inserted slightly into the vagina to induce ovulation and thus “knock out” the queen out of heat. This is usually done to synchronize queens for embryo transfer or with AI when collecting eggs for embryo transfer.
When does a female cat have her first estrus cycle?
Cats have their first estrous cycle when they reach puberty. The estrous cycle is better known as the cat’s heat cycle. On average, puberty or sexual maturity occurs for the first time in cats at around six months of age, but this may vary slightly depending on the time of year.
“The estrous cycle is better known as the cat’s heat cycle.”
Each cycle has several stages. the stage called oestrus is the time when the female is sexually receptive or in heat.
How long does Cat heat last?
Each heat usually lasts several days, the average duration being six days. If the queen is not mated during oestrus, she will no longer be in heat for a short time. Therefore, the complete estrous cycle of a cat can range from one to six weeks, the average duration of a cycle being about three weeks.
What are the signs of Cat heat?
Cat show unique type of signs during heat which will help you out in figuring your cat is in heat.
- Extreme affection
- Cat will move around you, will rub her body around you, rub her against furniture and other inanimate objects, will ask for your attention.
- She will vocalized more than usual.
- She will rolled her body on the floor.
- When you will touch her from back, she will Raised her tail in the air
- She Will ask to move outside, will usually depict behavior of sitting near to main gate(home entrances), where they can see male cat.
- They will start urinating frequently, through urination they releases pheromones(hormones) which will attract male cats.
What to do if Cat in heat?
You should arrange a Tom for your cat if you want litter from her. But if you don’t want litter from your cat then the best procedure is go for Overiohysterectomy. After this surgery your cat will not come to heat again.
Some people suggest the use of injection for suppression of heat but they are highly dangerous don’t ever go for them they will cost you your cat’s life.
How long does pregnancy last in a cat?
Pregnancy in the cat lasts approximately 64 to 71 days with an average of nine weeks (63 days).
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