Why it happens
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Calling for a tom
The loud, drawn-out cry, sometimes like a crying child, is meant for tomcats that may be far away. She calls day and night, especially by windows and doors.
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Rolling and rubbing
A cat in heat rolls on her back and rubs her head and sides on furniture, legs and the floor, leaving her scent. Owners sometimes take it for pain, yet the cat looks not distressed but unusually affectionate.
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The mating posture
Stroked along the back, she presses her front half to the floor, raises her rear, moves her tail aside and treads with her back legs. It is an inborn mating posture, not weak legs.
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It comes back every few weeks
A heat lasts about a week, and if she is not mated, it starts again a few weeks later. Heats come mainly from early spring to autumn, but a cat living under indoor lighting can come into heat in winter too.
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The first heat comes early
The first heat can start in a very young cat, sometimes before she is even half a year old. She suddenly behaves differently, and owners fear she has fallen ill.
How to tell heat from pain
A cat in heat eats, plays, seeks out people and loves being stroked, and the yowling and rolling come in waves. A cat in pain does the opposite: she hides, does not want to be touched, sits hunched, eats less and may growl or bite. If she cries while squatting in the litter box, or keeps going back to it but passes almost nothing, it is not heat but an emergency for the vet.
What helps
- More play and attention A wand or feather toy helps her burn off energy, and calm stroking, if she wants it, helps her settle. The heat will pass, and patience will see you both through it.
- A warm, quiet bed A cat in heat looks for warmth and closeness. A warm bed or blanket in a quiet spot helps her relax between bouts of calling.
- Safe windows and doors While the heat lasts, keep doors firmly shut, do not leave windows open without a sturdy screen and do not let her onto an unsecured balcony. A cat that escapes can get lost, be hit by a car or come home pregnant.
- Away from tomcats If there is an unneutered tom in the home, keep the two apart during the heat. Even a brief meeting can end in kittens.
- Discuss spaying with your vet Whether and when to spay your cat is something to discuss with your vet, who will weigh up her age, health and living situation. Do not try to stop a heat on your own or with products meant for people.
Related product categories
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When it is a question for a vet
See a vet if the cat seems to be in pain, hides or stops eating, if there is discharge or blood from her genitals, she licks herself constantly, drinks more or her belly is swollen, if she cries in the litter box or squats without passing urine, or if signs of heat appear in a cat that has already been spayed.