What is estrus
The period during which the behavior of an animal changes dramatically is called estrus, or estrus. At this moment, the process of ovulation begins in the eggs, and conception becomes real.
The following signs signal the beginning of the cat's walking period:
- There are sudden changes in mood. The cat can be overly affectionate, and a few minutes later aggressive;
- The pet meows loudly, calling for a male;
- Transparent discharge appears, the cat licks itself more often;
- Goes to the toilet more;
- Appetite decreases, some cats may refuse food altogether;
- Due to the reproductive instinct, many cats strive to get out of the room, so during the period of heat it is important to close all doors and windows;
- Gait changes appear. The cat bends its front paws and lifts its tail high.
The listed signs during estrus can be observed individually or in combination.
Veterinarian advice
The duration of a cat's heat usually lasts about a week. During this period, she behaves inappropriately: she screams loudly, rolls on the floor, pesters the owner, considering him a sexual partner. To alleviate the animal’s condition, veterinarians advise:
- Bathe your pet. While she licks the skin in the house, silence is established, and her stress is relieved.
- Organize active games. Exercising with a new interesting toy, climbing and jumping will distract the animal from nervousness for a while.
- Feeding in small portions improves general condition and digestion.
- Providing more attention gives the animal confidence and relieves nervousness. You need to talk to the cat kindly, stroke her head and belly, but do not touch her back and croup.
- Reduce lighting - this will help the estrus stop faster. You can close the curtains in the room.
- Use sedatives to calm, but not affect the cessation of estrus: “Stop Stress”, “Cat Bayun”.
In addition, sterilization is allowed, but you just have to wait until the estrus ends. Doing this procedure during estrus is very dangerous for the health of the animal.
When cats start walking
The main question that worries cat breeders is at what age does a pet go into heat for the first time?
Several factors influence when a cat matures:
- Breed;
- Finding a male nearby;
- Dimensions of the animal;
- Cat color;
- Season.
On average, a cat begins to go into heat for the first time at 6-8 months . However, the process is quite individual and may not start for longer. The start of estrus before one year is considered the norm.
If your pet does not go into heat before the age of 1 year, this is a deviation and you should immediately seek the help of a veterinarian.
The phenomenon known as “erased estrus” is common. In this case, the process of sexual interest is almost not manifested. Most often occurs in unhealthy cats.
How to prepare your pet
Finding a cat suitable for mating with a Scottish pet is not the only thing her owner should worry about. It is recommended to treat both animals for fleas and worms shortly before the mating procedure. Don't forget to also have all the necessary vaccinations. Decide in advance where the pets will be mated. The place you choose should be clean, dry, spacious and warm.
Please also take into account the fact that mating Scottish cats is a lengthy process and can take about two days. That is why, when going on a trip with your pet or pet, take the following things with you:
- toilet tray with filler;
- bowls for food and water;
- usual food.
Don't forget to trim your cat's claws shortly before mating. The thing is that during the mating process she can show aggression and scratch the cat. As a rule, it is the owner of the cat who must come with her to someone else’s territory, since she will not allow a male to approach her on her own. Remember that a new place is stressful for a cat, so upon arrival, do not rush to take it out of the carrier bag. If some time has passed and the animals are still aggressive towards each other, place them in different enclosures so that they can get to know each other better without harming each other.
Breeding straight-eared and fold-eared cats of the Scottish breed is a process that requires a number of preparatory measures. Follow the basic recommendations to make the procedure as easy as possible.
Stages of estrus in cats
There are 4 stages of estrus in cats, each of which is characterized by specific behavior. It should be remembered that it is advisable to match a cat with a male at the second stage, that is, 5-7 days from the start of estrus.
- Proestrus . The initial stage, characterized by restless behavior of the animal (it begins to rub against furniture, bend its front paws). Duration is up to 3 days.
- Estrus . Actually the estrus itself, which can last up to 10 days. During this period, all signs of estrus appear, sexual hunting occurs and the search for a male for fertilization occurs.
- Interestrus . At this stage, there is a decrease in sexual activity, especially if mating has occurred. The cat has a neutral attitude towards cats, perhaps even with aggression. In some cases, a false pregnancy may occur due to the physiological characteristics of the female.
- Anestrus . The final stage, when the instincts fade and the cat returns to its previous life.
Puberty
Cats become sexually mature when they reach 7–10 months of age. The end of puberty for your furry pet ends with the first heat. The time of its onset is related to the length of daylight hours and the physiological characteristics of the animal. Sometimes maturation is delayed and occurs only after a year or a year and a half. In this case, hormonal changes are possible, which is a deviation from the norm. On the other hand, a four-month-old kitten can leak and even become pregnant, which also indicates improper physiological development of the pet.
Usually such a cat is sterilized so that this feature is not inherited. The duration of a cat's first heat can only last about two days. The first birth is possible at the age of one year, when the body is fully prepared for bearing and giving birth to kittens.
How many days does a cat walk?
One of the main questions that arises for cat owners is how long do they walk? There is no clear answer to this question, since many factors influence the duration of estrus .
The duration of the period depends on:
- Age;
- Time spent without a cat;
- Living conditions;
- Environment, weather, time of year;
- Nutritional features;
- The physical condition of the cat;
- The nature of the pet's body.
In pets, estrus most often lasts from 5 to 10 days. The first estrus may be short-lived . With age, the duration increases, as the pet’s hormonal background forms and changes. In different breeds, a duration of up to 20 days can be observed.
Estrus requires constant monitoring by the breeder. You need to know how long your pet normally goes into heat.
If deviations occur and the heat lasts too long, this may indicate the presence of an ovarian cyst or tumor. A visit to the veterinarian is required to undergo an ultrasound examination.
Rules for choosing a partner
It is recommended to knit a Scottish Fold cat following the recommendations of experts. The effectiveness of the process largely depends on how thoroughly you approached the process of choosing a cat. To avoid any difficulties in the future, consider the following points:
- It is desirable that the male has a similar color to the female. In this case, the offspring will exhibit basic species characteristics;
- It is not recommended to mix colors. As a result, you can get culled offspring whose, for example, eye color does not match the shade of the coat, and this is already a violation of the standard. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to worry about the health of the kittens, but you are unlikely to be able to show them at exhibitions;
- It is not recommended to adopt a cat if their ears are pinned back - this defect can result in serious health problems in furry babies. Some breeders, out of ignorance, do not adhere to this rule. As a result, there is a high risk that the kittens will be born too weak and will not live long;
- It is desirable that a couple in which at least one pet has relevant experience participate in mating.
Knowing who you can or cannot breed a Scottish cat with, you can competently prepare for the process itself and, as a result, get healthy offspring.
How many times a year does a cat walk?
The frequency of estrus depends on whether the cat has given birth or not. As a rule, cats after giving birth go for walks once every two months, and sometimes once a year. It is impossible to give a definite answer to the question of how long after giving birth the estrus will begin. As a rule, this happens after a month, but it all depends on the specific breed and the nature of the birth.
If the cat has not given birth, estrus occurs quite often - once every two weeks or month. If the owner wants to reduce the frequency of festivities, you can allow the animal to reproduce, or contact a veterinarian to prescribe hormonal medications.
Duration of estrus in different cat breeds
The duration of estrus directly depends on the breed of the pet.
British women are known for the rarest periods of festivities. The first heat occurs at the age of 7 months. Over time, the regularity of ovulation and its duration are disrupted;
Scottish women are famous for their early puberty - at 5 months. The duration of estrus is up to 6 days, the frequency is several times a year.
Representatives of the British Shorthair breed
The British have an individual and unique character. These are smart and independent animals who know their worth. It should be borne in mind that British cats may not show any sign if something is bothering them. Therefore, the owner needs to be especially attentive when the pet reaches puberty, and this happens at 7–9 months. Her behavior begins to change. She becomes more sociable with men, neglecting the mistress of the house. The darling likes to welcome guests of the stronger sex in the apartment, rub against their shoes, play with socks and beg to be caressed.
In addition, the British woman often moves with her bent legs, licks under her tail, and meows loudly. All these signs indicate that she has entered estrus. The duration of estrus in a British cat is approximately a week. The intervals between these periods are different for everyone, but in most cases, if pregnancy does not occur, it takes from 15 to 20 days. During a period of special condition, it is not recommended to give the animal drugs that interrupt or suppress estrus. They can lead to hormonal imbalance and the formation of tumors.
What to do if your cat doesn't walk
One of the deviations is the absence of estrus in a mature cat. Besides a visit to the veterinarian, there are several ways to help your pet:
- If there is a pet in the neighborhood who is in heat, he needs to be housed. As a rule, cats leak at the same time.
- If there is a cat nearby, it is also advisable to bring the animals closer together. If there is a male, the maturation of the egg will occur faster.
- If the cat is healthy, you can give vitamins and homeopathic remedies.
If there is no heat: reasons
The absence of estrus at all is a sign that some kind of malfunction has occurred in the cat’s body. The complete or temporary absence of sexual heat is influenced by the emotional mood of the cat and illness. The most common reasons:
- breed characteristics;
- lack of thyroid hormones;
- hormonal disorders;
- “atrophying” of natural instincts if the domestic cat has never encountered its own kind (other cats);
- congenital absence or underdevelopment of the ovaries;
- there is estrus, but with erased manifestations (outwardly it is practically not noticeable);
- any pathologies of the ovaries (neoplasms, cysts);
- hermaphroditism - instead of ovaries, the cat has underdeveloped testes.
In any case, if, according to external signs, a cat older than one and a half years is not in heat, this is already a reason to seek advice from a veterinarian. Especially if it is a purebred animal and is bred for breeding purposes.
Sterilization
The only way to make life easier for the cat and yourself is sterilization, which involves removing both the uterus and ovaries. As you know, empty heats without mating have a bad effect on the cat’s health, leading to the development of pyometra and uterine cancer. Unfortunately, pyometra is an all too common disease among cats of all ages, directly related to hormonal levels, sex life and childbirth. It is very important to monitor the condition of the cat both during heat and after it ends. Increased temperature, dark vaginal discharge, weakness, lethargy – these are things that should alert you. Often a cat hides in dark corners, refuses to eat, or tries to run away from something. She is actually trying to escape from the pain in her vagina, thinking that someone is hurting her. Having noticed such manifestations, you need to urgently go for an ultrasound of the genitourinary system. Delay may cost the animal's life. Inflammation of the uterus develops very quickly, in a matter of days.
If breeding is not planned, the best solution would be to sterilize the cat. It may seem like this is unjustifiably causing pain to your pet, but in fact, this is the most humane and, in fact, the only way to help the cat.