An unsterilized cat can go into heat every 3-4 weeks and does nothing to hide it! The period in which she is particularly fertile - and in which she is therefore more likely to get pregnant - can last up to seven days; this means that you may find yourself with a highly fertile cat for a week out of three. If you don't want her to have puppies, your best bet is to have her spayed by a vet; if, on the other hand, you want kittens, you need to know how to manage its behaviors that accompany the heat phase, such as noisy meows and funny "conqueror" attitudes. But when you don't want her to get pregnant, you need to find a way to stop her.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Manage Your Behavior
Step 1. Calm his loud meows
When a cat is in heat, she "announces" it to increase the chances that a male will find her and mate to procreate; one way to get attention is to utter incredibly loud and constant meows. For an inexperienced owner, these vocalizations might suggest that he is in a lot of pain, but this is actually completely normal behavior; you can decide to manage this aspect by making even more noise or trying to calm the cat.
- Try activating a pheromone diffuser like Feliway. It is a device available on the market that contains synthetic feline pheromones and which spreads familiar and reassuring scents into the environment. Pheromones are chemical messengers; the female in heat gives off similar pheromones to warn that she is in a fertile phase, but those present in Feliway could have a calming and comforting effect on her.
- Usually, these pheromones do not have an immediate effect, but they can stimulate a feeling of well-being in the cat within a couple of weeks; for this reason, it is best to turn on the diffuser in advance and leave it constantly activated, so that the cat can benefit from it even in the period in which it enters the heat.
Step 2. Address the smells it leaves on the territory
Not all cats do this, but some mark their territory with urine; this liquid has a strong odor which can attract males. There is no way to prevent this without surgical sterilization, so you just have to be patient. Here's what you can do to make the situation less overwhelming:
- Make sure he always has a clean litter box; it is hoped that having trained her to do her business in the tub, she will be brought to use it instead of marking the house.
- If you urinate in other corners of the house, it will eliminate the odor immediately; try to discourage her from returning to the same spot and marking the area again.
- Use an "enzymatic" detergent to get rid of the stench completely; the enzymes present in these products degrade urine better than other cleaning solutions. For best results, allow the cleaner to air dry.
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A homemade alternative is to dilute a powdered biological cleaning product in water; use it to sanitize the area and then rinse thoroughly. Clean again with a baking soda solution and finish by rinsing one last time.
Always test the product on a small, hidden area of the fabric before treating a urine stain
Step 3. Be prepared for extremely loving behavior
The cat has to go through an impressive hormonal change, which subjects her to mood swings as if she were on a roller coaster; one difference you may notice is in body language and social behavior.
- He may go further than usual to seek companionship.
- It may make you understand that she wants to be stroked on the lower back; when she does this, she may move her tail to the side to expose her genitals.
- She may crawl across the floor with her front on the ground and her butt up.
- He may also wiggle and roll with enthusiasm. When he associates this with loud moaning, he may give the impression that he is sick, but don't worry - he's just "flirting."
- There is nothing you can do to manage this behavior; it is completely normal and, as long as no male can reach it, there is no problem.
Step 4. Give your best attention
Wear her out by playing with her regularly, so she has less energy, so she should calm down and be able to sleep instead of squirming and "howling". Some cats like a little extra pampering and even a massage when in heat; however, don't be surprised if he starts showing off his butt and acting like he wants to "win you over"!
Step 5. Don't change your meal routine
Many cats do not eat properly when in heat, thus losing weight and their fitness. This factor worries the loving owners a lot; however, don't try to compensate for her lack of appetite by offering her more caloric foods, otherwise you give her more energy to moan and meow.
Instead, leave abundant quantities of the usual food available to her, so that she can eat whenever she wants; this allows her to nibble freely
Step 6. Reduce stress on other cats you own
If you have more than one kitten, think about how emotionally heavy it can be for other cats to listen to the female in heat for a week out of three; this event could stress them. The Feliway pheromone diffuser you use to calm your cat is also useful for other cats.
Remember that this product takes a couple of weeks to take effect on the animal's body, so activate it before the cat goes into heat
Method 2 of 2: Preventing Pregnancy
Step 1. Keep it indoors
If you typically allow her to go outside, you need to stop this habit as soon as you realize she is in heat. While at home, you can check whether or not it comes into contact with a male specimen; when outdoors, every male in the neighborhood is attracted by her meows and her smell and it is therefore very likely that the cat will get pregnant.
Step 2. Isolate her from male specimens
If you have an uncastrated male cat, he is probably attracted to the female like a magnet; you must absolutely avoid any contact with the opposite sex until the heat phase has passed.
- Keep the male or female in a separate room.
- Brighten up the room, so that the isolated specimen does not become anxious; put in a litter box, a comfortable bed, some food and several toys to keep him busy.
Step 3. Lock the door and lock the windows
Even if you keep your kitty in a room, neighborhood cats can hear her vocalizing and scent, so you may notice a suspicious increase in the number of cats that frequent your yard.
- Leaving doors and windows open, even with the screens down, is dangerous; a particularly daring male could break the mosquito net with his claws and reach the female, getting her pregnant without her leaving the house.
- Block all the cat flaps on the doors.
Step 4. Consider sterilizing it
Animal centers are overwhelmed by the number of unwanted kittens and cats; letting your cat have puppies for no good reason is morally questionable behavior. Cats can be spayed at any point in their hormonal cycle. If the veterinarian's fee is a problem, contact animal welfare organizations or recovery centers, which often offer discounts on this type of intervention. Your local veterinary clinic may recommend the facility that best suits your needs.
Advice
- If you want to breed her for the purpose of raising puppies, you may need to obtain a license and special equipment.
- Remember that during the night the cat meows louder and is more affectionate.
- A cat that generally lives indoors may try to escape in order to mate. Take all precautions to keep it safe in the house; doing so will prevent her from becoming pregnant, losing her or getting hurt.
