Is my cat in season?
As the days start to lengthen towards spring time, female cats respond by starting to come into season. This means that they are attractive to tom cats and are able to become pregnant.
Signs to watch for
Signs include being very vocal, flicking their tails in the air and pushing their bottoms upwards while playing. You may see or hear other cats around the property when your cat is in season, but this is not always the case - Just because you can't see or hear it, doesn't mean it's not happening.
Young female cats can have a first season as young as four months old and are able to get pregnant also at this very early age.
This “on heat” behaviour will last for an average of seven days and will be repeated after 10-14 days if no mating takes place. These seasons will occur right through the breeding season, well in to the summer if she is not speyed (de-sexed).
There are many reasons that speying your female cat makes sense: It prevents unwanted pregnancies and unwanted kittens in often, very young mothers. It also prevents the spread of some of the nastier feline viruses such as feline leukaemia virus, that may be passed on during birth or nursing.
Female cats may be speyed from 5 months of age onwards. This is a day trip for them with a morning drop off and afternoon pick up. Cats that are currently in season or have an early pregnancy can also be speyed. This stops any seasonal behaviour and unwanted toms hanging around. It is definitely recommended as part of responsible cat ownership!
If you have any questions regarding feline de-sexing or want to book in a spey please contact one of our clinics for help and advice.