How to Help Female Cats in Heat
A female cat reaches sexual maturity as early as the age of 4 months. After this age, she becomes capable of mating, breeding and producing kittens. A female cat goes into heat around every 4-5 weeks, and this period continues for as long as an entire week. A cat in heat is easily recognizable by the way she howls, writhes, screeches, and makes attempts to attract male cats. The way she behaves can be frustrating, embarrassing and irritating for the humans around her. So, unless you spay your female cat, here are a few steps you can take to help a female cat in heat. Read this oneHOWTO article to find out how to help female cats in heat.
Calm her with physical contact
Try to get more physical with your female cat while she is in heat. Spend more time with her, let her sit on your lap and gently brush her coat. Allow her to sit near you on the couch or over an arm of your chair. Keep a blanket or a soft towel in your cat’s favorite places so that she can snuggle in. Try to comfort her by letting her stay near you. Groom her a few times in a day with a rubber brush, grooming glove or a soft brush.
Spend more quality time with her
Try to distract your cat’s mental condition by giving her new toys and playing new games with her. Female cats are usually more energetic and active during their heat, and this can be the right time to introduce them to new toys and games. Interactive games like reaching a feather that you have hung from a twig will keep your cat active and her mind diverted. A scratching post can also be a nice way to soothe the cat, as she is antsier during her heat phase.
Female cats that are not sterilized may fall into false pregnancy, which is why it's important to recognize the symptoms.
Try to keep her away from male cats
During her heat cycle, the female cat will become even more irritable in the presence of male cats. So, try to calm her by isolating her from them. Close all doors and windows, even pet flaps, to keep her inside. If your cat can see male cats out of a window, try to close the window and put curtains to block the sight. Doing this will not only keep her calm during her heat, but will also prevent any unwanted pregnancy. If she comes close to a male cat, they will eventually end up mating for sure.
Give her hormonal supplements
Certain hormones are produced inside a female cat’s body during her heat cycle, due to which she develops unusual actions and behaviors. You can typically calm her down by introducing hormonal inhibitors and supplements into her system. These supplements will balance out the hormones in her body, thus keeping her calm considerably. You can easily find these hormonal supplements at pet stores, but it is better to consult a veterinarian beforehand.
Use catnip herb
Giving catnip herb to your female cat during her heat cycle can be actually helpful in calming her down. But remember, some cats may react more aggressively as a result of the herb, because of which it is advisable to use the herb in very small quantity initially. If the cat calms down with the herb, you can increase the dosage and help the situation.
Let her mate
One easy way to calm a female cat in heat is to let her mate with a male cat. You can either take her to a professional pet mating expert, or let her mate with the nearby male cats around your house. But before you let her do that, you need to understand the consequences. She may become pregnant and you should be ready to take care of her during her pregnancy. You also need to get ready to welcome her offspring. If not, then ask your veterinarian to give her a birth control solution.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Help Female Cats in Heat, we recommend you visit our Pets category.
