Do cats have menstrual periods?

If we have ever lived with a dog that we were not to castrate, surely when taking a cat home we will wonder if our new furry has her period or not. And of course, while in some animals it is something typical of females, in others ... no. In which group is the feline?

Well, If you want to know if cats have a menstrual period, then we are going to talk to you about it.

How is the zeal of the cats?

To answer the question of whether or not they have a menstrual period, we must first know what the heat of cats is like, since this way we will better understand how the reproductive system of our furry "works". Well. The heat of cats is governed by seasonal cycles, which coincide with spring and fall, which is when the weather is pleasant enough for the pups to have a greater chance of survival.

They can have their first heat between 6 and 8 months of age, but this will depend a lot both on the climate (if it is warm, they can have it even with 5 months), on their own development and if there are more cats at home.

Phases of heat

The reproductive cycle is divided into four phases:

• proestrus: lasts between 1 and 3 days. It will be when we see that she is much more affectionate than normal, although we may also notice that she eats less and / or that her meows are sharper and shorter.
• Estro: it is the zeal itself. It lasts between 4 and 6 days. It is when the cat is receptive to the male. In the event that mounting does not occur, it will last between ten and fourteen days.
  The cat will meow desperately for us to let her out of the house in search of a cat.
• metaestrus: lasts about 24 hours. In this phase, the cat aggressively rejects the approach of other cats that want to mount her.
• Anestrus: is the sexual decline of the cat. It lasts until the next reproductive cycle, which can be two weeks later or 2-3 months if the pregnancy has occurred and if the weather conditions are suitable.

Do cats have a period?

No. In order for them to have it, they would have to ovulate, that is, the ovaries would have to produce eggs regularly, which does not happen. In fact, they only do it if riding occurs. For this reason, we will not see - or should not see - any trace of blood.

What can happen is that they mark with urine, something that can be avoided / controlled if we take it to castrate.

Tips for when your cat is in heat

As we have seen, cats do not have periods but they do go through periods of heat and the cycle can be very striking. Cats have a seasonal heat, and it always tends to coincide in spring and autumn. As we have mentioned above, it goes in phases and now that you know them it will be easier to know what phase it is in taking into account the symptoms that your cat presents.

It will be their behavior that warns you if they are in one phase or another, and it will be from 6-8 months (sometimes before) of your cat's life when she begins to have heat. When it goes through these phases, your pet requires you to pay special attention.

To make the passage of heat easier for you and your cat and that the phases do not end your patience, we are going to give you some tips to take it better. Your cat deserves your love and all your attention, so take note of everything that we are going to comment on below.

Create a relaxed atmosphere

This means that the environment of your home It should have a relaxed climate and that your cat feels comfort inside to the family. Now that you know that your cat does not stain because she does not have the rule in herself, you must be vigilant in case she marks the territory with ruin.

In this sense, this is what you will have to watch the most. So that there are no problems, it is best if your litter box is always clean. If your cat continues to urinate in areas other than the litter box, there are sprays prepared for this.

You will have to spray with the spray those areas where your cat urinates (and should not do it), so that when you try again, you feel repulsed by the smell of the spray and give up your intention to mark territory where you should not.

Avoid stress

Following the first point of advice, it is important that you know that a cat in heat that does not have a male, may feel some stress. The good news is that you can avoid it and alleviate it with the climate of relaxation and tranquility at home.

You can put a warm blanket or some other element of comfort that generates tranquility and relaxes. Of course, in addition to taking all this into account, it is also very important that your cat feels your extra affection. So pay even more attention to him, pamper him and be aware of all the love he needs so that his stress goes into the background.

Be very careful if you don't want an unwanted pregnancy

If you do not want your cat to become pregnant and you have not neutered her yet, you should limit her freedom of movement in the heat phases.

Depending on the space you have in your home and if you allow more or less freedom of movement outside your home, this may be easier or more difficult for you. If in your case, your cat can come and go when she wants because she has no limits in the environment, you will have to limit their exits whenever I'm in heat.

If you don't, it is very likely that a male in the area will come to the place where your cat is to "mount" her. If this happens, you will inevitably get pregnant and in a few months you will have kittens in your home. If you don't want this to happen, limit her outings or simply make an appointment at the vet to have her treated. and you do not have to worry about this particular aspect.

We hope it has been useful to you.