What is estrus
The period during which the behavior of an animal changes dramatically is called estrus, or estrus. At this moment, the process of ovulation begins in the eggs, and conception becomes real.
The following signs signal the beginning of the cat's walking period:
- There are sudden changes in mood. The cat can be overly affectionate, and a few minutes later aggressive;
- The pet meows loudly, calling for a male;
- Transparent discharge appears, the cat licks itself more often;
- Goes to the toilet more;
- Appetite decreases, some cats may refuse food altogether;
- Due to the reproductive instinct, many cats strive to get out of the room, so during the period of heat it is important to close all doors and windows;
- Gait changes appear. The cat bends its front paws and lifts its tail high.
The listed signs during estrus can be observed individually or in combination.
Main reasons
There are several reasons for this phenomenon. Usually they are based on instincts and behavior patterns provided by nature.
Sexual hunting
Young cats most often leave home in the spring due to sexual heat. Due to changes in hormonal levels, their body requires mating with a cat. At such moments, neither windows, nor doors, nor high fences can stop the pets. They go in search of their soulmate. Usually cats do not return home until the partner agrees to contact. If absent for a long time, the animal may become lost in space and time and not find its way home. Cats also sometimes leave the house to satisfy their natural needs. After a spree during estrus, get ready for the appearance of kittens soon.
Curiosity
Cats are inquisitive animals. This especially applies to kittens and young pets who are exploring the world around them.
Their attention is easily attracted by any objects and actions: a leaf falling from a tree, a butterfly or bug on the window, a rustling branch, etc.
In a fit of curiosity, the cat forgets about caution. He may jump out of a window or run outside the area in pursuit of an object, and only after a while discover that he is in an unfamiliar place
Sometimes finding your way home doesn't become impossible. An angry dog that chases the cat can make the situation worse. At first he experiences severe stress, and then gradually comes to his senses and looks for a new place to live.
He may jump out of a window or run outside the area in pursuit of an object, and only after a while discover that he is in an unfamiliar place. Sometimes finding your way home doesn't become impossible. An angry dog that chases the cat can make the situation worse. At first he experiences severe stress, and then gradually comes to his senses and looks for a new place to live.
Unfavorable atmosphere
Cats react acutely to the situation in the house
Most representatives love attention, care and affection from their owners. If an animal is beaten or abused in other ways, there is a high risk that it will wander away from home.
If there is an unfavorable atmosphere in the house, for example, frequent scandals, disagreements between family members and other problems, the pet will go in search of another place to live.
Loneliness
If other animals (puppies or kittens) appear in the house, the owners’ attention usually switches to them. The cat experiences loneliness, feels unwanted, so it leaves home in search of a better life.
A similar situation can arise at the birth of a child.
Before death
Furry pets often leave their homes before their death. To understand why cats leave home to die, it is necessary to study the behavior of their wild relatives. Lions are considered the strongest and largest representatives among cats. They live in prides. Young lionesses and lions obtain food and care for their offspring, providing them with protection from other predators.
When an animal begins to get sick or grow old, it cannot fully perform its duties, so it has to eat leftovers. Due to its weakness, it becomes a target for hyenas and other predators. In order not to bring trouble to the entire pride, sick and old lions and lionesses voluntarily leave the “family”. This way they give way to the young and protect them from attacks by predators. Natural instincts sometimes awaken in cats, and they leave their family and owners in order to protect them from perceived danger.
There is another explanation why cats leave home before they die. Some scientists believe that pets look for a secluded place to restore their strength and then return back. Although in most cases they go to Rainbow in a secluded place, and the owners do not even manage to find their corpse for burial.
When cats start walking
The main question that worries cat breeders is at what age does a pet go into heat for the first time?
Several factors influence when a cat matures:
- Breed;
- Finding a male nearby;
- Dimensions of the animal;
- Cat color;
- Season.
On average, a cat begins to go into heat for the first time at 6-8 months . However, the process is quite individual and may not start for longer. The start of estrus before one year is considered the norm.
If your pet does not go into heat before the age of 1 year, this is a deviation and you should immediately seek the help of a veterinarian.
The phenomenon known as “erased estrus” is common. In this case, the process of sexual interest is almost not manifested. Most often occurs in unhealthy cats.
Escape Prevention
The departure of a beloved cat from home is accompanied by worries and worries on the part of the owners. Anxiety increases even more if the pet is absent for a long time. In most cases, escape can be prevented.
- In order not to lose your beloved pet during the mating season, you can resort to sterilization (castration). This operation is harmless and is performed in a veterinary clinic under general anesthesia. It makes it possible to rid the animal of attraction to the opposite sex.
- There are special medications (drops and tablets) for cats that interrupt sexual desire. But contraceptives do not always pay off. Also, it is worth considering that all medications have side effects. Therefore, before giving the drug, you should consult a veterinarian.
- Try to create conditions so that the pet cannot leave the house. Strictly monitor the front door; it is advisable to install a protective net on the windows.
Stages of estrus in cats
There are 4 stages of estrus in cats, each of which is characterized by specific behavior. It should be remembered that it is advisable to match a cat with a male at the second stage, that is, 5-7 days from the start of estrus.
- Proestrus . The initial stage, characterized by restless behavior of the animal (it begins to rub against furniture, bend its front paws). Duration is up to 3 days.
- Estrus . Actually the estrus itself, which can last up to 10 days. During this period, all signs of estrus appear, sexual hunting occurs and the search for a male for fertilization occurs.
- Interestrus . At this stage, there is a decrease in sexual activity, especially if mating has occurred. The cat has a neutral attitude towards cats, perhaps even with aggression. In some cases, a false pregnancy may occur due to the physiological characteristics of the female.
- Anestrus . The final stage, when the instincts fade and the cat returns to its previous life.
How many days does a cat walk?
One of the main questions that arises for cat owners is how long do they walk? There is no clear answer to this question, since many factors influence the duration of estrus .
The duration of the period depends on:
- Age;
- Time spent without a cat;
- Living conditions;
- Environment, weather, time of year;
- Nutritional features;
- The physical condition of the cat;
- The nature of the pet's body.
In pets, estrus most often lasts from 5 to 10 days. The first estrus may be short-lived . With age, the duration increases, as the pet’s hormonal background forms and changes. In different breeds, a duration of up to 20 days can be observed.
Estrus requires constant monitoring by the breeder. You need to know how long your pet normally goes into heat.
If deviations occur and the heat lasts too long, this may indicate the presence of an ovarian cyst or tumor. A visit to the veterinarian is required to undergo an ultrasound examination.
Methods of castration
All surgical methods of castration are divided into bloody and bloodless. Bloody methods are classic operations, which in turn are divided into two types: open and closed operations. Bloodless methods are so named because the scrotum is not opened during the operation, and castration occurs by destroying the vas deferens, the appendage of the testis, or the testis itself.
Public method
Open castration is the main method. The scrotum is stretched so that the skin is well stretched over the testes. An incision is made parallel to the body, cutting through the skin and the general vaginal membrane. The testis is taken out and the common tunica vaginalis is cut off from the epididymis with scissors.
Holding the testis with one hand, the other hand pulls the scrotum to the inguinal ring so that the spermatic cord can be extracted as much as possible. A ligature is placed on the cord as close to the ring as possible. The cord is cut a centimeter closer to the testis. Then the wound is sutured. The second testis is removed in the same way.
Private method
Closed castration is used for animals with an intravaginal hernia or with wide inguinal rings, as well as for old cats. The scrotum is stretched so that the skin is well stretched over the testes. Only the skin is cut so that the overall tunica vaginalis remains intact. After which the latter is disconnected from the wall of the scrotum.
Then the common vaginal membrane together with the testis is turned 180°C, stitched with a silk thread and a ligature is applied as close to the inguinal ring as possible. Then the testis and appendage are cut off a centimeter below. The wound is then sutured. The second testis is removed using the same method.
Vasectomy
Sterilization using a gentle method involves partial bilateral destruction of the vas deferens, as a result of which the animal’s sperm do not enter the penis. In this case, the vessels and nerves are not touched, which is why the testes continue to function, and the animal survives the operation much easier.
Advantages:
- The testes continue to function.
- No major surgery is required.
- General anesthesia is not needed; local anesthesia is sufficient.
Flaws:
- Great cost.
- Careful care is required after surgery.
- Not all veterinary surgeons can perform a vasectomy.
- The cat will not stop marking his territory and behaving aggressively.
Non-surgical options
There are a number of non-surgical methods of castration without removing the testicles:
Castration by irradiation. It assumes the effect of radiation on the testes and appendages of the animal, which leads to an immediate decrease in sexual activity. The dose is chosen on a personal basis, based on size and age. It is not used now because testicular cancer often occurs after irradiation.
Chemical castration. Substances based on megestrol acetate are injected into the cat's body by injection or orally in tablet form. The drug has a great influence on the regulation of sexual behavior and suppresses sexual desire.
Chemical castration on implants. A method of suppressing reproductive capacity with the prospect of further resumption. A Suprelorin implant is injected into the skin. There is no allergy to the implant, since it is biologically inactive. The main active ingredient is deslorelin, which reduces sexual desire over a long period. Infertility appears 6 weeks after the injection. The use of implants is not popular enough due to limited production and significant price.
Microwave castration. Castration occurs when exposed to microwave rays. The result in this case, as with the surgical method, will become eternal. Microwave irradiation also requires anesthesia, since this process, although painless, requires long-term and absolute immobility of the cat. The method has been tested on farm animals, but has not yet gained popularity in veterinary clinics, since there are no studies on long-term consequences, and a microwave emitter is also required.
Advantages of chemical methods:
- Reversibility of the result.
- No preparation needed.
- There is no rehabilitation period.
- There is no risk with anesthesia.
Flaws:
- Reversibility of the result.
- It is necessary to constantly monitor the intake or effect of the drug.
- The risks have been little studied.
How many times a year does a cat walk?
The frequency of estrus depends on whether the cat has given birth or not. As a rule, cats after giving birth go for walks once every two months, and sometimes once a year. It is impossible to give a definite answer to the question of how long after giving birth the estrus will begin. As a rule, this happens after a month, but it all depends on the specific breed and the nature of the birth.
If the cat has not given birth, estrus occurs quite often - once every two weeks or month. If the owner wants to reduce the frequency of festivities, you can allow the animal to reproduce, or contact a veterinarian to prescribe hormonal medications.
Duration of estrus in different cat breeds
The duration of estrus directly depends on the breed of the pet.
British women are known for the rarest periods of festivities. The first heat occurs at the age of 7 months. Over time, the regularity of ovulation and its duration are disrupted;
Scottish women are famous for their early puberty - at 5 months. The duration of estrus is up to 6 days, the frequency is several times a year.
Sterilization
A pet during the “hunt” can cause a lot of inconvenience to its household members - the animal does not let you sleep and screams at night. And in the future, if it is not planned to breed her regularly, empty heats can greatly harm the cat’s health: such animals often develop various inflammatory processes in the reproductive organs, neoplasms and cancerous tumors.
You should not use chemicals that regulate sexual desire - they will do much more harm than good. Various herbal remedies can come to the aid of owners, however, the effect of their use is quite short-lived - furry beauties quickly get used to them and stop reacting.
In rare cases, it happens that a cat walks after sterilization. This happens in a situation where the animal has not completely removed all the ovarian tissue or left the uterus, and the necessary hormones continue to be released. To determine the cause, you need to take hormone tests - the animal may need another operation.
What to do if your cat doesn't walk
One of the deviations is the absence of estrus in a mature cat. Besides a visit to the veterinarian, there are several ways to help your pet:
- If there is a pet in the neighborhood who is in heat, he needs to be housed. As a rule, cats leak at the same time.
- If there is a cat nearby, it is also advisable to bring the animals closer together. If there is a male, the maturation of the egg will occur faster.
- If the cat is healthy, you can give vitamins and homeopathic remedies.
