calling all cat owners!

[python.princess]

my cat gypsy, is going into her first heat. it's been a long time since i've had a female cat so i have a couple questions!

#1~ what age do they usually hit their first heat? she's almost a year old now.

#2~ how long does it usually last?

#3~ do they bleed like dogs do?

#4~ is there any way to get her thru it faster?????

EDIT: forgot one.... how often do they get it?

[SatanicIntention]

Keep her VERY confined and get her spayed soon. Cats in heat are probably the most annoying thing in the world.

Not trying to pry, but is it just a financial situation why she's not fixed yet? Some spay/neuter clinics offer discounts if you're in a bind, or even at the shelter they may give you a coupon to get her fixed for free. They can be fixed at 3-4 months of age.

[python.princess]

it's not so much that we can't afford it but there's always something else that we need to spend our money on. no prob keeping her confined. whenever we open the door she runs away from it! lol! she's never seen another cat since she came to us!

[SatanicIntention]

Well letting her go into heat can just predispose her to uterine infections(pyometra), ovarian cysts and other things(yay false pregnancies). Honestly, I would make it a priority after she comes out of heat to get her fixed, even if it means getting a coupon from the local animal shelter. She'll be a much healthier kitty for it

[frankykeno]

Watch her, she can and will sneak out while in heat. Call around your community, you'll be likely quite happily surprised to find there are programs for low cost spay and neuter. Try the cat rescues, etc. and they'll direct you to something so as soon as she's out of heat you can get her fixed.

[RockSolid]

In my effort to try and be helpful, I found this site. I don't know how reliable it is, but it might be worth checking out. Good luck with everything.

[Jay_Bunny]

#1: Cats can go into heat as young as 7 months old, but I have been told it is possible as young as 5 months old. They don't normaly produce healthy young unless they are 7+ months.

#2: A site I just read says a cat can remain in heat anywhere between 3-20 days but lasts, on average, 5-8 days. My fiance's cat was in heat for several days, got outside and got pregnant, so we don't know from personal experience since she mated within the heat's duration.

#3: I'm pretty sure they do not bleed like dogs. If they do, it is very little. My fiance's cat did not as far as I am aware. Symptoms of a cat in heat is rubbing on furniture and people, constant meowing at doors, windows, and at people, constant activity, trying to find a way out of the room they are being confined it, or trying to find a way out of the house. Even the shyest of cats will try and get out in order to mate. The constant meowing is probably the worst. They will meow until pigs fly while in heat.

#4 There is no way to make a cat go through a heat faster. Its going to happen at its own pace. The best thing to do is to confine the cat to a room away from all outside exits. Tightly lock and secure all windows and possible exits to the outside. She will complain but it really is for her own good. You will just have to wait it out.

#5 The site I was reading says it can be as soon as 3-14 days after the end of her heat cycle to start the next. My fiance got Kalie fixed as soon as the kittens were weaned.

I know a lot of people are telling you to get her fixed and the truth of it is, getting her fixed is probably the most important thing you need to do for her. Not only is being intact not good for her health (cancer, reproductive problems, ect), the risk of pregnancy is very high. I hear owners all the time say, "I won't let her get outside." Well I'm here to tell you that eventually, the cat will get out. Ours did and she was pregnant within 24 hours of getting out. Little more than 2 months later, she gave birth to 4 beautiful boys. But, pregnancy and birth can be a risk to the mother. They can die during the birth, develope complications and you could lose the kittens as well. IMO, spend the money, get her fixed. The local SPCA here does spays for around $40. Contact your local SPCA or other shelter and try and find a place that does low cost spays.

Good luck with her and invest in some ear plugs.

[Snakeman]

when my cat was in heat....oh man it was horrible.she would do these meows that were straight out scary. it sounded like she was saying "whoa" over and over and it was especially anoying when it was nighttime.and i think she bled quite a bit because i sopt a pretty big spot of blood on the carpet.eventually we got her spayed and we havent had a problem since

[slartibartfast]

They don't bleed like dogs do, but they will howl and wail and roll around and be generally unbearable for quite a while.

Cats are reflex ovulators, which means that they don't ovulate until they achieve copulation. Your vet can do a little trick with a q-tip that should help settle her down faster. (Yes, that is exactly what it sounds like, please don't try it at home.)

And to reiterate what everyone else said, please do get her fixed ASAP. Make it your first budgeting priority (after essential bills, of course).

If she gets pregnant, every kitten you bring into the world and find a home for means that somewhere another kitten will die at a kill shelter because it doesn't have a home. Pet overpopulation is a huge problem and hundreds of thousands of perfectly nice animals die every year because there just aren't enough homes for them all. Please don't contribute to that...get your girl fixed as soon as possible.

[python.princess]

yes, everybody, i know i need to get her spayed. and, no, there are no programs around here to help... i live in the poorest county in this stupid state. really, the only reason we haven't done it yet is because something else always comes up.

my apartment is pretty much escape proof. in order to get out, she'd have to rush not only one, but two doors. at the front and back entrances, there are doors at both the bottom and top of the stairs. pregnancy is the least of my worries with her!

so far she's not too bad... just a little whinier (not much) and a whole lot lovier! she's not sticking it in our faces at all but can't get enough rubdowns... usually she'll let you rub her for about 20 seconds before attacking but she doesn't seem to want to play at all! i know she'll get worse but right now, it's alright... kinda nice actually! lol