How do cats behave when they are in heat?

[annie0000]

I have had cats before, though not for many years. Our 6 month kitten is behaving realy oddly, she is going to get spayed on Friday and went in for a check at the vet yesterday. Today she is lying at the top of the stairs meeowing the house down, seems reluctant to stand up and is arching her back, however she doesn't seem in any pain and can run around quite happily if you throw a toy for her. She has also just come down stairs, doesn't seem bothered if I pet her back and legs and jumped up and down from the desk. Then she goes back to lyinging on her side and pulling herself along the carpet as if she can't stand up.

I am 99% sure that she is perfectly okay, but would being on heat make her behave like this?

[carmalee]

sounds like it to me

[annie0000]

Thanks carmalee, my other half was persuading me to go to the local vet hospital with her as he was sure she had broken her back - I was sure it wasn't so serious, but every cat I have had has always been spayed, so I have never seen a cat behave like this. No wonder she has been desperate to get out. Friday can't come quick enough now!

[carmalee]

every cat is different - I've had them that convince the world they are being abused on a regular basis - meowing, howling etc etc - others just quietly get on with their 'season' and you'd barely know they are on heat. your cat is moving around so it's unlikely she has a broken back but I appreciate how difficult it must be if you're not used to it.all the symptoms point to her being in season- back arching, meowing and pulling herself along the carpet are trypical in signs she is looking for a mate. she's trying to be coy! hope this is right.

[annie0000]

She has just spent a couple of minutes racing up and down the stairs, so pretty sure she is fine - she is trying to entice my husband up the stairs I think. Maybe she thinks he is a boy cat! Presumably when she is spayed this will stop.

[carmalee]

or your husband will be exhausted! trust me. the cat's fine

[JonnyBoy12]

Your cat's 'in' heat? I always thought cats went 'on' heat!


Signed The Grammar Police.

[dot.hawkes]

Open your back door tonight and if there are about 6 tom cats sitting in your garden making a god awful whining sound she is definately on heat

[annie0000]

Jonnyboy - can be either - check before you criticise and get a life!

Everyone else thanks for your help - No nocturnal visits last night. I have rarely ever seen another cat round here.

The cat definitely fancies my husband though. It has spent all day following him around and showing of it's backside whenever he stops to pet it.

Poor Cat - I bet it has no idea why it is doing it - it's still a baby itself.

[Kleiber]

annie, I've been through the same with Mischa (7 months old). She's very noisy (wakes me up in the middle of the night, meowing loudly) and very affectionate when she's in season. It's happened twice now - both times when I had her booked into the vet's to be spayed! It usually only lasts about a week, though, in a cat as young as ours are, but bear in mind that the vet won't spay her if she's in season. I hope your little one is over it by Friday! (Mischa's being spayed on Friday, too - 3rd time lucky, I hope!!)

[dustypuss]

let her out the back door to night . Then if she starts putting on weight around her tummy in the next few weeks then yes she was on heat ;-)

[Kleiber]

That's a daft answer, dustypuss - I had you down as being more sensible than that. K

[annie0000]

Hi Kleiber - she seems okay - she is not trying to get out as much and the meowing has stopped and she isn't rolling around with her bottom in the air so hopefully she will be fine. She went into the vet for her pre op last Friday and must have been okay then - so if a week is usual then the timing should be okay - hopefully!

[Kleiber]

Keep in touch, annie - we can compare notes on how our little darlings are doing after their ops.!! If they're anything like Cleo was after she was spayed, they'll be totally spaced out for most of Friday evening, but fine (normal? Is there such a thing for a cat??) by Saturday. I just hope we don't get too much snow up here tonight and that I'll be able to get Mischa to the vet on Friday. She's a lovely wee thing, she's only got 3 legs & about 2 inches of tail. She was horribly ill-treated as a tiny kitten and she came to us at about 5 weeks old, just after we'd lost little Monty. She was very frightened but soon learned that I'm a complete softie for cats and now she's a right little madam! She sleeps under the duvet, snuggled up to me, like a little, furry hot-water bottle - great in this weather!! K x

[annie0000]

Hi Kleiber, your gimpy puss sounds really cute - well done for saving her. We are cruel parents, Lucy is not allowed upstairs at night - she has the run of the kids playroom, kitchen and dining room - she causes too much mischief upstairs.

How did Mischa get on?

Lucy is absolutely fine - she doesn't seem to be bothered in the slightest - I am busy trying to keep her quiet and she is louping about all over the place! she escaped in the car on the way home and when we got home, she walked in demanding to be fed, visited her litter tray and washed her paws then she has really just behaved as normal. She usually likes a game of football (she's the goalie) in the evening, but we have given that a miss and I have just had to get her down from inside the boys wardrobe as she obviously thought that was a good place to hide.

We got her microchipped today as well, so I am now �115 lighter! Back to Vet on Wednesday for her post op review.

[Liffey]

A really good vet would prefer not to spay a cat in season, your cat will not know if she is a he or a she, which isnt the end of the world, they should ideally be spayed between their second and third season but its easier said than done i know and an early spaying is preferable to an unwanted litter, what i really wanted to say though is please do get her insured if you havent aleady, if you insure with marks and spencers you can speak to an experienced vet nurse out of hours if you are concerned about anything. they are a bit more expensive than petplan and more than but the cover is excellent and they pay vey promptly without quibbling (in my experience)

[annie0000]

Thanks for the advice liffey, I have been dithering about the insurance and kept changing my mind which to go for. Our local vet is actually the vet hospital for the region, so it is staffed 24 hours which is great. I am really comfortable with the care so far. I'll go check out M&S