Cats Menstruation

                                Cats Menstruation

Cats are polyestrous, which means heat cycles happen periodically during their fertile years. 1 These cycles may start as early as four-months-old and will continue until a cat is either bred or spayed. Heat cycles in cats can last several days, up to two weeks, and repeat themselves every two to three weeks.

Like most female mammals, cats go through physical cycles that prepare their bodies for fertilization and birth. In humans, this cycle is called "menstruation." In felines, it is called "estrus." When female cats are experiencing estrus they are said to be "in heat" and are hormonally receptive to both intercourse and reproduction. Cats can go into heat in late kittenhood, making it necessary to spay them if a pregnancy, and the responsibility of raising and finding good homes for kittens, is unwanted. 

Female cats have period cycles just like dogs and humans. However, these cycles are slightly different for felines.

For starters, the female cat’s periods are called estrus cycles instead of menstrual cycles and they occur when your precious furball is in heat.

What Is The Estrus Cycle?

Your furball’s very first estrus cycle will happen when your kitten reaches sexual maturity, which typically occurs shortly after she’s reached six months of age. The heat period, or the estrus cycle, is when your female kitty can mate, ovulate, and become pregnant with baby kittens.

Do Cats Menstruate Or Bleed During The Estrus Cycle?

Unlike human women or female dogs, it’s uncommon for a female cat to bleed during her estrus cycle. However, there are a lot of visible changes which you’ll witness in your feline.

Cats also get extremely demanding and affectionate when they’re in heat. They may even become impatient to the point where they become destructive. They may pee on the carpet or urinate on other parts of your furniture.

This behavior is prompted by the need to mark territory and release hormones and pheromones, which will signal to all the male cats out there that she’s in heat. If your pet doesn’t mate, the cycle will continue for around a week and will repeat itself approximately every three weeks.

How Will The Estrus Cycle Effect My Cat?

Apart from marking its territory and spraying pheromones on furniture, your pet will also express other notable behavioral changes.

How To Prevent Cat Periods

Of course, your best option, if you are not a breeder, is to have your cat spayed. This surgical sterilization will prevent your feline pal from experiencing estrus cycles and from getting pregnant.

You can spay your cat anytime, regardless of age.

One final note…Some pet parents claim that if you allow your cat to have kittens at least once before spaying, it will make her more amiable and social. But this is not true. Bearing or not bearing kittens before being spayed doesn’t affect a cat’s behavior.