7 mo kitten's first heat cycle. Advise welcomed.

[Americano Blue]

My cat, well kitten, named Sophie, is going threw her first heat cycle and is being very....vocal. She is also rubbing on everything in the house. Any advice on making this easy for both cat and humans???

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Cats don't have heat cycles like dogs or people. They are induced ovulators, meaning any time a male mates with the female queen, he stimulates her to ovulate and she can become pregnant. Therefore, the only way to alleviate her behavior is to have her spayed. Unless you spay her, she will continue the behavior until a male shows up to mate with her and she gets pregnant. The behavior will quickly resume after she has the kittens.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My cat, well kitten, named Sophie, is going threw her first heat cycle and is being very....vocal. She is also rubbing on everything in the house. Any advice on making this easy for both cat and humans???

Is there a reason you would want to keep the cat intact? In the short term, ear plugs - the cat is only doing what it's hormones are driving it to do, so disciplining would be misguided, pointless and unfair to the cat (not saying you would, but many folks do reach a point of frustration and decide to do all sorts of things to make the cat stop calling). In the long-term, spay the cat.

 

[Americano Blue]

We were gonna get her fixed, but never got around to it. Both our other cats are fixed so we kind of forgot that she wasn't. I guess we better call the vet....

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

We were gonna get her fixed, but never got around to it. Both our other cats are fixed so we kind of forgot that she wasn't. I guess we better call the vet....

You will probably need to ride this cycle out - many vets prefer not to perform an alteration during a heat as there are added risks involved, and those that do perform spays during a heat (or as an abortive procedure after an unwanted mating) will generally charge more to do so. Consider this as that experience that is going to help you to never forget again with any future female cats - I wouldn't wish a cat in heat on my worst enemy (have had a few due to rescues and fosters that always seem to manage a heat cycle prior to their alteration appointment).

 

[Americano Blue]

You will probably need to ride this cycle out - many vets prefer not to perform an alteration during a heat as there are added risks involved, and those that do perform spays during a heat (or as an abortive procedure after an unwanted mating) will generally charge more to do so. Consider this as that experience that is going to help you to never forget again with any future female cats - I wouldn't wish a cat in heat on my worst enemy (have had a few due to rescues and fosters that always seem to manage a heat cycle prior to their alteration appointment).

okay

 

[Americano Blue]

The cat had been spayed!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The cat had been spayed!

- here's to a much quieter and more enjoyable life ahead for you and the cat, lol.

 

[Allears]

Be sure to keep her indoors for at least two weeks after spaying, if she was in heat when she was spayed. Her hormones won't have settled yet and the tom cats will still smell her and try to mate her.

Spaying also helps prevent infections of the uterus and mammary cancer in cats.

 

[Americano Blue]

Be sure to keep her indoors for at least two weeks after spaying, if she was in heat when she was spayed. Her hormones won't have settled yet and the tom cats will still smell her and try to mate her.

Spaying also helps prevent infections of the uterus and mammary cancer in cats.

Okay! Thanks for the advice!

- here's to a much quieter and more enjoyable life ahead for you and the cat, lol.

Yay! Well she's a calico so hopefully she'll mellow XD