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Domestic cats are 'seasonally polyestrous' which means they have multiple estrous cycles during a breeding season. The breeding season is usually between March through September.  Their behavior will change drastically and is a key indicator of when they are in heat.

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When does a female cat have her first estrus cycle?

Cats have their first estrous (reproductive) cycle when they reach puberty. The estrous cycle is better known as a cat's heat cycle. On average, puberty, or sexual maturity, first occurs in cats at about six months of age, but this can vary slightly by time of year.

"The estrous cycle is better known as a cat's heat cycle."

Each cycle consists of several stages; the stage called estrus refers to when the female is sexually receptive, or in heat.

How often does a female cat come into heat?

Cats are seasonally polyestrous, which means that they have multiple cycles during the breeding season. The breeding season will vary according to geographic and environmental factors such as temperature and the number of daylight hours. In the Northern Hemisphere, cats usually cycle from January until the late fall. Cats that live in more tropical regions or mainly indoors however, may cycle all year round.

How long does estrus last?

Each heat generally lasts several days with the average length being six days. If the queen (an unspayed female cat) is not mated during estrus, she will go out of heat for a short period of time. Therefore, the complete estrous cycle of a cat can range from anywhere between one to six weeks, with the average cycle length being about three weeks.

What are the signs of estrus?

It is not common to observe vaginal bleeding from a cat in heat. The most notable signs of estrus in cats are behavioral. Most cats become very affectionate, even demanding; they persistently rub against their owners (or objects such as furniture), constantly wanting attention. They roll on the floor. When stroked along the back or spine, they raise their rear quarters into the air and tread with the back legs. They also become very vocal. These behavior changes often become annoying to owners, and sometimes owners think their cat has some unusual illness.

Some female cats will urinate more frequently or may even spray urine on vertical objects ( marking) when they are in heat. The urine contains both pheromones and hormones, both of which act as signals of her reproductive status to other cats. This is the reason that queens in heat attract intact (unneutered) male cats. In some cases, this may be the first indication that a young cat has reached puberty.

Tomcats (unneutered male cats) that have never been seen before in your yard or neighborhood will appear. They may spray urine on the house to mark the territory (and female) as theirs or may even attempt to enter the house to mate with the female.

At what stage of the estrous cycle is the cat able to get pregnant?

The queen can be bred at any time when in heat. Cats are induced ovulators, which means that the act of breeding stimulates the release of eggs from the ovaries. Most females require three to four matings within a 24-hour period for ovulation to occur. It only takes a minute or two for cats to mate, and cats may mate multiple times in a short period of time. Queens may mate with several different tomcats during this time, so it is possible that a litter of kittens may have several different fathers. Once ovulation has occurred, the queen will go out of heat within a day or two.

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).

How can I prevent my cat from becoming pregnant?

The best way to prevent your cat from becoming pregnant is to have her surgically sterilized (an ovariohysterectomy or spay operation) before she has her first estrous cycle. Since it can be difficult to predict when this first cycle will occur, most veterinarians recommend performing an ovariohysterectomy when a cat reaches six months of age.

Should I let my cat have an estrus cycle or a litter of kittens before spaying her?

There are no valid reasons for letting a cat have an estrous cycle or have a litter of kittens before being spayed. Cats can become pregnant on their very first estrous cycle, increasing the chance that an accidental breeding may occur. Cats are indiscriminate, so a brother cat may breed with its sister, a father may breed with his daughter, and a son may breed with his mother.

A common myth is that female cats will become more friendly and sociable if they are allowed to have a litter of kittens. This is not true, and only serves to contribute further to the serious problem of cat overpopulation.

Contributors: Ryan Llera, BSc, DVM; Cheryl Yuill, DVM, MSc, CVH

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The estrous cycle in cats occurs seasonally and is variable with the amount of daylight. Most cats become very affectionate, even demanding when in heat. They persistently rub against their owners (or objects such as furniture) constantly wanting attention and they become very vocal.

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The article below discusses and observes if female cats exert active mate choice in multifemale-multimale groups. Data showed that females would mate with multiple males in a single estrous period while still being selective to who they mated with. Read article for further details.

https://content.ebscohost.com/ContentServer.asp?T=P&P=AN&K=11772010&S=R&D=a9h&EbscoContent=dGJyMNLr40SeprQ4y9fwOLCmr1CeqK5SsKm4SLKWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGuskmwr7VLuePfgeyx43zx

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"Rut" is a period of sexual excitement that intact male cats go through during the springtime. This diminishes to a much lower level during fall. During the "rut" period, males spray urine by backing into vertical objects, treading with their hind legs, and twitching the tips of their tails. This behavior is also correlated to a higher activity of fighting among outdoor toms.

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Both male and female cats will call when they are ready to mate; this can be loud and is known as caterwauling. It is an unusual meow and can sound like they are distressed or in pain. Video below shows an example!

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Phoebe howling 24/7 to her boyfriend..cant wait for the spaying! Update: Phoebe escaped for a week before her spaying, go to my "Phoebe & Kittens" videos to see the consequence of letting a cat in heat escape lol

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Female cats (queens) will get familiar with male cats (toms) by licking, sniffing, being overly affectionate, and searching for each others genitals.

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The mating process can become violent between the two cats if the queen is not ready to be mounted. This happens when the queen is in the first stage of the "heat" cycle and not willing to receive a willing tom.

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The tom will put his front paws on each side of the female. The tom will hold on to the females neck with his teeth as he moves up and down with his back feet. The female may scream out after withdrawal due to male cats having barbed penises.

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Estrogen Sensitive Neurons & Sexual Behavior in Queens:

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Estrogen Sensitive Neurons & Sexual Behavior in Queens:

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The article explains multiple experiments dealing with placing implants of hormones in different parts of the brain. The conclusion that the article came to was that audioradiographic examination of the brains of mating animals revealed that certain neurons in the region of these implants show a selective affinity for labeled estrogen. This is directly involved in the expression of sexual behavior.
http://www.jstor.org.libproxy.lib.ilstu.edu/stable/pdf/1708821.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Acaba2c140d28d1856ba67f3b589afdc9

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'Flehmen' Response is a Sensory Influence for Sexual Behavior in Toms:

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'Flehmen' Response is a Sensory Influence for Sexual Behavior in Toms:

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"Sniffing or touching the 🤬 or urine of an estrous female with the tongue often stimulates a 'flehmen' response by the male, an upward curling of the upper lip. Flehmen appears to facilitate the movement of chemical substances through the nasopalatine ducts and into the vomeronasal organ, where olfactory neurons relay information to the hypothalamus of the brain" (Price 117).

Price, Edward O. Principle and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior. CAB International, 2008.

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Intermale aggression, which is controlled by testosterone, can be violent and even take precedence over sexual behavior. Territorial male cats become increasingly irritable and protective of their areas during mating season. After the initial intermale encounter, following meetings usually do not involve fights. The courting males do not fight around estrous females. This system generally allows all healthy males a chance to mate an estrous female, with territorial males having the best opportunity.