Every three to four weeks, a female cat that hasn’t been spayed will go into heat, signaling her readiness to mate. Typically, this entails writhing, yowling, and attempts to attract or flee with male cats. Although managing a restless, agitated cat may appear daunting, it’s not quite as difficult as you may believe. In addition to providing some long-term heat prevention strategies, we’ve provided a ton of quick suggestions and tips to help your cat in heat.
How to Help Your Cat in Heat
Recognize that your cat is in heat.
Check to see if your cat’s behavior indicates that she is truly in heat and not ill. When in heat, an unspayed cat will vocalize frequently, become agitated, rub up against people and things, and roll around on the floor. She will raise her pelvis and adjust her tail to one side in response to a stroke on the lower back. Cats typically reproduce from the beginning of spring through the end of summer. It’s conceivable that she will become pregnant at this time of year. Determine whether your cat is ill or in heat. She might be in pain if she exhibits restless behavior without rubbing herself against anything or moving her tail to the side. Find out what’s going on by taking her to the veterinarian.
Isolating your cat from male cats will help her when she’s in heat.
Your cat will become much more agitated around men when she’s in heat. Close all windows and lock all doors, including pet flaps, without ever letting her outside. You need to keep her away from any male cats to keep her calm (and stop her from getting pregnant). She will also be safe if she is kept apart, since if she detects a man outside, she might try to flee your house.
Find a friend or pay a cat sitter to take care of your male cat for a few weeks if you have him in the same home. The two cats will act wild and almost certainly mate if they remain in the same location. Cover any windows that have male cats visible through them with drapes or a piece of cardboard.
Give your cat something warm to sit on.
Some people discover that giving the cat a heat pack or a warm, damp towel to sit on keeps her still and peaceful, but success is not always assured. The simplest choice might be a microwaveable heat pack because you can easily reheat it whenever the cat starts acting up once more. Another excellent option is an electric heating pad or blanket.
Use catnip to help your cat when it’s in heat.
Catnip affects cats in very diverse ways. When administered catnip, some people calm down and become relaxed, while others get animated and hostile. Avoid using this technique if you are unsure of how your cat will react to catnip. It can worsen the condition. Although this is simply a short-term solution, it might buy you an hour or two of tranquility.
Try herbal remedies
There are various herbal calming products available on the market for cats. Although some cat owners claim success, no one treatment is guaranteed to help every cat. Furthermore, none of these items might work on your cat. Purchase a variety of little samples so you may test out numerous different treatments.
Buy more of a product once you’ve found one that benefits your cat. Observe the directions printed on the labels. They can advise you to use the remedy as an air freshener, massage a few drops into the cat’s fur, or add it to the water. Avoid using products made for humans because they probably require bigger dosages.
Use Feliway in your home
A synthetic cat pheromone called Feliway has a calming, soothing effect on cats. It’s not a quick treatment, though, as it takes a few exposures to start calming cats down. If you are aware that your cat is not spayed, you can think about turning on the Feliway diffuser before breeding season (spring). In that manner, the femara will be ready for use in her body whenever she enters into heat.
Keep her litter box clean
When they are in heat, cats frequently stain their bodies with urine to attract males. You could entice her to use the litter box instead by making sure the litter box is clean. If she did leave scent traces, clean and deodorize the place right away. She’ll continue to do it if the urine odor is left behind. Avoid using cleaning supplies that include ammonia. Urine naturally contains ammonia, so the smell will prompt her to mark that location once more.
Play with your cat
Playing with your cat can briefly divert her attention, but after you’re done, she’ll frequently start screaming again. If your cat is already relaxed enough to allow you to pet, scratch, or brush her lower back, the results will be better.
Long-term Ways to Help Your Cat in Heat
Spaying will help your cat the most with heat
A cat’s ovaries are removed during spaying, which stops the heat cycle. Additionally to lowering her risk of developing some cancers and other disorders, it stops her from becoming pregnant.
Look for affordable spay services if you can’t afford the surgery. As a result of the decrease in the number of stray cats, many clinics offer this treatment at a discounted rate. Search the databases on the USDA website for your region. Even after the operation, there is a slight possibility that any remaining ovarian tissue will cause the cat to get pregnant. In this case, speak with a veterinarian.
Wait until after the heat is over before spaying
Even when your cat is in heat, a veterinarian can conduct the spaying procedure at any time in her hormonal cycle. The risk of higher blood loss exists at that time, though. The operation is feasible, but seek assistance from a knowledgeable veterinarian.
As a final resort, use hormonal therapy
Prostaglandin and estrogen can be used to interrupt a cat’s heat cycle, but this medication has harmful side effects, such as tumors and uterine infections. Use this action only if spaying is not an option due to the risks involved. Always have a thorough discussion with a veterinarian, who will need to prescribe the hormones and provide instructions on how to administer them. The hazards might not be worth the calm temperament, even if the cat cannot be spayed for medical reasons.
