Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Dealing with her behavior
• Method 2 of 2: Prevent pregnancy
• Tips
• Warnings

A female that has not been spayed will go into heat every three to four weeks, and she will not let that pass quietly. This period when the cat is most fertile can last up to seven days. That means dealing with a very hormonal cat for a week every three weeks.If you don't want your cat to get kittens, it is best to get her spayed by a vet. However, if you want to breed with her, you will need to learn to cope with the behaviors your cat displays when in heat, such as loud meowing and flirtatious behavior. In addition, it is important to ensure that your cat does not become unwanted pregnant.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Dealing with her behavior

1. Calm her when she meows loudly. When a cat is in heat, she will make this known clearly to increase the chances of finding a mate and getting kittens. One of the ways she does this is by meowing very loudly all the time. To someone who doesn't know much about cats, it may seem like she is in pain, but this behavior is completely normal. You can choose to learn to deal with these extra noises or try to calm your cat.
   • Try plugging in a Feliway vaporizer before your cat goes into heat. This synthetic cat pheromone surrounds them with safe, familiar scents. Pheromones are chemical messengers - much like the pheromones that a cat releases to indicate that she is in heat. The pheromones that the atomizer releases may have a soothing effect on hair.
   • This does not work immediately, but over the course of a few weeks the cat will start to feel better because of the pheromones. That is why it is best to plug the atomizer into the socket early and keep it running in the background. This way the cat will benefit when she gets in heat.
2. Do something about scent marking. Not all cats do this, but some cats mark their territory with urine. Urine has strong smells that your kitty uses to attract partners. Again, you can't do anything about this behavior without having your cat neutered, so you'll just have to learn how to deal with it. You can do the following things to make life a little easier:
   • Make sure your cat always has a clean litter box. Hopefully, what you've taught her will make her use the litter box instead of marking places around the house.
   • Neutralize the odors immediately if she does spray urine. As a result, she will be less likely to return to the place in question to mark it again.
   • Use an enzyme cleaner to completely get rid of the urine smell. The enzymes in these products break down cat urine better than other cleaners. Let the product air dry for best results.
   • A homemade alternative is to dissolve some ecological washing powder in water. Use this mixture to clean the area. Then rinse the area with water and clean it again with a solution of baking soda and water. Complete the process by rinsing the area one last time.
     • Always test cleaning products on a small, hidden piece of fabric before treating a marked area to remove the odor.
3. Be prepared for clingy behavior. Your cat goes through a violent hormonal roller coaster that changes her behavior when she's in heat. One difference is that her body language and social behavior can change significantly.
   • She may require attention much more often than usual.
   • She may require you to rub her lower back. When you do that, she can flirtatiously tilt her tail to one side so that her genitals are more visible.
   • She can crawl across the floor by pressing the front part of her body against the floor and crawling with her butt lifted high in the air.
   • She will probably also be squirming and rolling on the floor enthusiastically. If she also howls loudly, it may seem like she is in pain. Don't worry because she's just flirting.
   • You cannot change this behavior. It's perfectly normal and nothing to worry about as long as hangovers can't get near her.
4. Give her extra attention. Make her tired by playing with her regularly. As a result, she may have less energy, will calm down and go to sleep instead of wriggling and howling. Some cats like extra attention or even a massage when they are in heat. However, don't be surprised if she starts acting flirtatious and puts her bottom up.
5. Keep feeding her the same way. Many cats don't eat well when they are in heat. As a result, they can lose weight and look less good, causing concern for their loving owner. However, don't try to address the problem of her poorer appetite by feeding her higher calorie cat food. This only gives her more energy to howl and to ask for attention.
   • Instead, leave a large amount of her regular food. This way she can eat it whenever she wants.
6. Reduce stress for your other cats. If you have more than one cat, just think about how stressful it is for the other cats to have an attention-seeking cat in their midst every three weeks for a week. This can be scary and confusing for them. The Feliway spray that you use to calm a cat in heat will also make your other cats feel better.
   • It takes several weeks for the hormones from the nebulizer to build up in your cats' body, so plug the nebuliser into a power outlet before the cat is in heat.

Method 2 of 2: Prevent pregnancy

1. Keep her in. If your cat is allowed outside normally, you should stop when you notice she is in heat. When she's indoors, you can make sure no hangovers come near her. Any tomcat in the neighborhood will be attracted to her whine and scent markings when your kitty goes outside. Chances are she will get pregnant.
2. Keep her away from your hangovers. If you have a male that hasn't been neutered, he will likely be attracted to her like a magnet when she's in heat. Keep all males away from the cat until she is no longer in heat.
   • Keep the male (s) or female in a separate room.
   • Decorate the room so that the isolated cat doesn't get scared. Provide a litter box, a comfortable basket, food, water and enough toys to keep the cat busy.
3. Close doors and windows. Even if you keep the cat indoors, the neighborhood males can still hear her whine and smell her scent markings. You may notice that there are a suspicious amount of hangovers prowling around your house.
   • It can be dangerous to keep doors and windows open, even if you have mosquito nets on them as a barrier. A determined tomcat will break the screen mesh with his claws to get to the cat, and she can conceive without going outside.
   • Close the cat flaps in your doors.
4. Consider having the cat neutered. The shelters are full of unwanted kittens and cats. From a moral standpoint, it is debatable to allow your cat to conceive for no good reason. Cats can be spayed at any stage of the hormone cycle. If cost is an issue, know that some vets sometimes discount spaying. People on social security or low incomes can sometimes get their cats neutered for free or for a lesser amount. They may be able to tell you more about this at the local vet office.

Tips

• If you want to breed with your cat, you will need a license and special tools.
• Remember that your cat will meow loudly at night and ask for more attention.
• Keep in mind that your indoor cat may try to escape and go outside to mate. Keep her safe in the house. This way she cannot get pregnant, get injured or get lost.

Warnings

• Take your cat to the vet if she's bleeding. You may be tempted to compare her heat to the human menstrual cycle, but these are completely different processes. Cats shouldn't bleed when they're in heat.