I’ve had a female cat for two months now (I’m not used to cats at all, she just moved herself in and I didn’t have the heart to put her back outside...).
She’s quite young (about 6-8 months old, I think) and hasn’t been spayed yet, so she goes into heat roughly every fortnight. Every time, I make sure she stays indoors while it’s happening so she doesn't run into a local tom...
Except this time, she beat me to it: she disappeared on Monday lunchtime (before her heat had even started) and only came back this morning. (Also, I suspect she wasn’t alone: there’s a cat that’s always hanging around outside my house who ‘disappeared’ on Monday and turned up again this morning too...)
So, she’s definitely in heat this morning: is this a sign that she hasn’t mated, or can they stay in heat for a few days afterwards?
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Reading through your comments, I’m getting the impression that... spaying is the best way forward. Is that right, Lebronzé? 😁
Thanks to everyone for all your really helpful replies.
I’m going to pop into the vet's to see if she has a registered owner, but I’ve already put posters up around the neighbourhood, kept an eye out to see if anyone was looking for her, and posted on the local Facebook group... but no luck. I reckon she’s either been abandoned or she’s run away and they’re quite happy to be rid of her!
I’ll get her spayed as soon as I can... and then I’ll look for a new home for her. Even though I adore her and have gone completely gaga over her these last few weeks, I’ve realised I just won’t have the patience for this long-term (to be honest, when she came back on Wednesday, I felt more disappointed than relieved... 😞)
The best thing is to get her spayed (I think that’s been mentioned already 😀)
Yes, they stay in heat even after mating, simply because a cat's reproductive "mechanism" is all about quantity.
In a single litter, kittens can actually have different "dads". To make sure they get pregnant, female cats (or at least their genetic makeup) will mate with several different males, and each egg can be fertilised by a different one – just like rats...
Also, you should know that once a cat has given birth (this is especially common with moggies), she can go back into heat as soon as 2 to 3 weeks later.
So, the best thing really is to get her spayed (I think I mentioned that already 😉)
Hi there,
Don't stress yourself out trying to work out if there’s a risk or not. It’s impossible to tell. Some cats that don’t even look like they’re in season end up pregnant.
The one and only solution is spaying. The procedure has nothing but benefits for the cat in terms of health, longevity, safety, and calming her behaviour. You’ll also be sparing her from that awful mammary cancer that claims so many unspayed females, sometimes even when they’re still very young.
Hi there, the younger a female cat is spayed, the more it reduces the risk of her developing mammary tumours (90% lower risk before her first heat, 60% after her first heat, and the level of protection decreases further after 12 months and then two years).
Hi, thanks for your replies. Well, I don't think there will be a litter this time, phew! She was in heat until last Monday, so her season must have started again today, or maybe yesterday (I read there are about 9 days between cycles), so there’s very little chance she’s pregnant. I really need to stop putting off getting her spayed! Mind you Kulinda, you mentioned she might be at risk of cancer because of her heat cycles?
Yes, it can lead to mammary tumours if I'm not mistaken (I read that online while looking for info on female cats in heat).
Hi everyone, and thanks for your replies.
So, I don't think there'll be a litter this time, phew! She was in heat until last Monday, so it must have started up again today, or maybe yesterday (I read that there are 9 days between cycles), so there's not much chance she's pregnant.
And I really need to stop procrastinating and get her spayed!
But @Kulinda, you mentioned that she's at risk of cancer because of her heat cycles?
The BEST thing to do is to have her spayed, because with every heat cycle she’s at risk of cancer and her life will be shorter—not to mention the number of kittens she could end up having.
If you want to keep her, it’s really worth considering; otherwise, get in touch with some local cat rescues in your area who will be able to take her in and rehome her.
A female cat will usually accept mating about 1 to 3 days after she starts calling, and her heat will then stop around 6 or 7 days after mating. If she hasn't fallen pregnant, she’ll go back into heat about a month later. If the mating was successful, she’ll be pregnant for about 2 months.
