The reproductive estrous cycle, or estrus, includes four stages: proestrus, estrus, metestrus and anestrus.
The signs of one of them may overlap with the other. The duration of each stage is individual for each animal. Therefore, it is not always possible to determine the timing for coverage. Unlike dogs, cats do not bleed during heat. You can determine whether a cat is in heat by her behavior and slight swelling of the genital mucosa.
Proestrus
The onset of estrus, or its first stage, lasts 1-2 days and can be noticed by the owner by the cat's more restless behavior. The most subtle indicator of this stage is the cat. You may notice that the cat has a slightly enlarged and moist vulva. Increased appetite and restlessness are also noted. She makes low, guttural cries and fawns on her owner more than usual. She is attractive to cats, but does not yet allow them to approach her. Proestrus is characterized by a period of courtship, during which the very presence of a cat nearby stimulates the activation of hormone secretions in the cat, which leads her to a real estrus.
- Signs of estrus in cats
- Signs of estrus in cats
Main reasons
Why do cats show their butts? Knowing this allows us to learn a lot about our little furballs. Decades of close contact with them have allowed us to develop a deep, almost symbiotic connection. Understanding the language of cats, who are no longer just mouse hunters but an integral part of the family, allows us to improve our relationships with them.
Some views may seem at least curious and atypical. In reality, every cat choice has a purpose. Anyone who has one in their home will feel restless while watching a movie while sitting comfortably on the couch. The classic is the cat who comes and puts himself in a position to show off his butt.
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Apart from laughing at the irony itself and disagreement from those who do not like certain revelations and statements, this is an attitude that should not be taken lightly. In fact, the butt is a very important communication tool, and when an animal raises its butt up, there is a very specific reason.
It releases and retrieves information about the environment and those who commonly inhabit it or who pass through it. In fact, we never forget that dogs and cats have an extremely developed sense of smell, which allows them to be aware of many aspects that are beneficial to their lives and, especially if they live in the wild, to their survival.
Estrus
The second stage of the estrous cycle is estrus, or estrus itself, the stage of sexual receptivity. Breeders talk about it as a calling cry to a cat, or a hunt. It can last from one to twenty-one days, with an average duration of 5-7 days. The most favorable days for coverage are the 3rd and 5th days. Although this factor is very individual for each cat (some of them do not ovulate until the 9-10th day). Depending on the cat's temperament (most often determined by its breed), it demonstrates its condition in different ways. One cat becomes “noisy”, constantly meowing loudly; the other, presenting a pitiful sight, lies spread out - suffers in silence, only occasionally “quacking”, evoking universal sympathy with her unhappy appearance.
Cat, March, heat
But both of them become more intrusive and affectionate, rubbing against objects and clearly staring at all male representatives (cat, owner, guest). They roll around on the floor, and if you stroke the lumbosacral region of a cat with your hand, a contraction of the perianal region may occur, the cat falls on its front paws and, as it were, “tramples” with its hind paws, moves its tail to the side and rolls around on the floor. The animal's appetite is reduced or absent. There is frequent urination.
At the peak of estrus, the cat often screams as if it is suffering from unbearable pain, this is the call that worries all the cats in the area.
To determine if your cat is ready to be coated, gently hold her and run your hand along her back, from her neck to her tail. If yes, then she will raise her pelvis up, move her tail to the side and begin to stomp on one place with her hind legs. There is also a so-called “erased” estrus, which passes with invisible or muted signs. The same estrus that makes ordinary cat owners very happy and greatly upsets breeders planning to have purebred kittens.
Signs of estrus in cats- Signs of estrus in cats
Why did this behavior appear?
Many, as a rule, say that raising the butt while stroking the back is a fairly clear sign that the pet trusts and appreciates the person. She understands that she is becoming vulnerable, but at the same time she feels safe because she trusts the person who commits such actions.
As a rule, this behavior manifests itself in childhood, when the kitten is just beginning to become an adult. His mom had to lick and clean him before he could do it on his own. When cats are petted or scratched on their backs and hindquarters, they feel as if they were groomed by their mother.
It is important to note the following: in those places that she sticks out during stroking there are quite a lot of nerve endings, so these actions can often be associated with the most common desire to get more pleasant sensations. Moreover, they like itching and stroking so much that they do not allow their owners to remove their hand from them.
According to scientists, the concentration of nerves in these places causes a sensation similar to tickling. However, for some it is unpleasant. Therefore, some cats may like such scratching, while others may not.
Interestrus (metestrus)
The third stage of the reproductive cycle is metestrus. It lasts from 2 to 19 days, with an average of 8 days. During this period, the cat is no longer interested in the kitty. Now she aggressively drives the cat away when he tries to cover her. The further development of the cycle depends on whether fertilization has occurred. If ovulation has occurred, the cat's sexual instinct fades. If there was no mating, after 1-2 weeks the cat will enter a new cycle, starting with proestrus. If sexual intercourse causes ovulation, but fertilization does not occur, a false pregnancy may occur, lasting 35-45 days.
If the outcome is favorable, fertilization of the egg occurs within 24-48 hours after coating. Some cats ovulate within 12 hours. In most cases, the ovaries release four eggs, but there have been cases of 12 kittens being born at once.
After 58-74 days, the cat gives birth to cubs. However, if a cat loses all her kittens during childbirth, then estrus will occur much earlier, and sometimes it happens that the first sexual cycle can occur even on the second day of lactation. Estrus may return several times during a cat's pregnancy.
First heat. When does a cat start asking for a cat?
The first heat in domestic felines occurs after the animal has completed puberty. This occurs at 6-10 months. The period when a cat begins to ask for a cat cannot be confused with anything else. Problems associated with estrus are familiar to every owner and evoke only negative memories for everyone. All this is due to the fact that cats very clearly express their desire to mate. It can be noticed by the following signs:
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Scientists explain why you shouldn't pet cats often
Animal behavior experts have discovered that cats release stress hormones when they are petted. In other words, cats do not experience pleasure from the caresses of their owners, but rather suffer from them, some are only able to tolerate unpleasant touches, writes The Daily Mail. “Our data shows that the most stressed cats are those that stoically tolerate their owners’ caresses without resisting or struggling,” said Professor Daniel Mills from the University of Lincoln in the UK.
Why does a cat meow and raise its butt?
It is often difficult to recognize what a cat wants to tell us through its behavior. Meows, tail swishes, and butts can mean both “Hello” and “Get out of here.” Cats are easy to misunderstand, but with a long “neighborhood” you can still determine what exactly these fluffies mean.
Another way cats communicate is by raising their butts. This behavior is considered normal between pets, but the owner may be surprised when his pet jumps onto his lap to get his dose of affection and suddenly exposes his furry rear end.
It’s worth putting yourself in your cat’s shoes. When meeting each other for the first time (after the hissing is over, of course), cats usually sniff each other's faces and necks to greet each other. This can be compared to nodding to a stranger when you first meet. Cats leave their pheromones on each other, which indicates friendship. This allows you to get rid of feelings of aggression and fear.
As soon as cats begin to feel more comfortable in the company of another cat, they move on to sniffing the entire body. It's like a human handshake - "Nice to meet you." Odors remain in these places after butting with another cat, grooming or stroking the owner, so such sniffing allows the animals to learn more about each other.
The last stage is “acquaintance” with the area under the raised tail. This allows the cat to recognize the scent of its new friend. Animals that keep their tails down and don't want to be sniffed so closely can be compared to a shy person hiding their face.
The raised tail seems to say, “I’m ready to get acquainted and do not pose any threat to you.” Therefore, combining this action with the opportunity to sniff the rear end is equivalent to giving the person an enthusiastic hug or kiss on the cheeks in greeting.
But does a cat really show his furry backside to his owner and meow, expecting him to sniff him? Most likely no. Cats are quite smart, and no matter how much they love their owners, they perfectly understand that this is a person in front of them, and not another cat.
Such behavior on the part of the pet is a sign that he completely trusts his owner and allows him to get to know him better. For a person, this is a huge compliment and a sign that the pet simply adores him! Therefore, you should treat such behavior with understanding and even a degree of joy: you are a true friend to your cat.
Based on materials from: www.thesprucepets.com
Language of the body
But now we are talking about, in general, banal things. But some cat habits and signals still remain a mystery to many owners. Let's take the tail as a pipe. It seems to be a sign of a good mood, especially when it is combined with a blissful, relaxed expression on the face. But this does not always happen - sometimes the “pipe tail” performs an important communicative function.
Experts unanimously say that meowing is intended mainly for people - cats deliberately “agreed” to do it so that we, the unreasonable ones, would understand it more clearly. When two cats meet on the street and greet each other, they always use their sense of smell. The smell emitted by an animal can reveal a lot about its owner. And what, excuse me, is the most odorous area of a cat’s body? That's right - the one under the tail. Cats sniff each other - this is a form of handshake. Not exactly aesthetic and hygienic, but quite digestible for the mustaches themselves. The tail is raised, the animal is open for communication.
Pet aggression
Cat after sterilization: care at home
After recovering from anesthesia after surgery, the animal experiences stress and pain, which will cease to manifest itself only after a few days. The main sign of postoperative discomfort is the manifestation of aggression. The animal scratches, bites, growls and hisses. It reacts sharply to any noise and behavior of others. Even attacks on people are possible. In this case, you need to consult a veterinarian on what to do. Most likely, the animal will need to organize a separate room where no one will disturb it for several days.
Why do cats need tails?
Nature does not tolerate excesses; it implements every decision with some intent. And the seemingly simple and somewhat childish question “Why do cats need tails?” can throw anyone into a stupor.
The problem here is not so much the reasons why cats have tails - there are more than enough of them - but the fact that it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question posed. But first things first.
For reference: the tail is a completely natural extension of the cat’s spine.
What are the reasons why cats raise their butts when you pet them and other body movements?
For an animal, body movements are a type of communication with the world that surrounds it.
If the owner of an animal pets him, and the kitten sticks out his butt, crawls closer, squints his eyes and purrs, he is showing the highest degree of his pleasure.
It happens that the owner starts petting the cat, and he suddenly presses himself to the floor, wags his tail, meows - this means that he doesn’t like the affection, something is irritating the animal, or he’s just not in the mood to play. But if stroking causes a reaction of sticking out the butt, there is no doubt that the pet is in a good mood and that he is quite happy with life.
Calming a cat in heat
In one of the sections of the article, signs were described by which one can determine whether a cat is in heat or not. However, there are also furry pets whose estrus is either not accompanied by such signs at all, or they pass completely unnoticed. By the way, there are also cat owners who manage to ignore these signs.
However, if the animal is in mating season, there are sedatives for cats in heat, which are listed below:
- Isolate the cat in a room with food and water, a tray and a bed, and let it out only in the evening.
- Turn on classical music (Beethoven, Bach), since a number of studies have proven the calming effect of certain melodies on both humans and animals.
- Apply pheromones. While they may not help most cats, they do have a positive effect on some furry pets.
- Homeopathic remedies may help.
- Suprastin, which is a hormonal agent, has proven itself well.
- The most effective and harmless remedy is the use of herbal sedatives.
- Other hormonal drugs that can be purchased at pet stores and veterinary pharmacies. However, before doing this, you should definitely consult a specialist to know their correct dosage and method of use.
Let's move on to consider medications that prevent cats from going into heat.
Other cat signals
An animal's eyes are an important tool for expressing its emotions towards a person.
Cats show emotions by:
- torso;
- tail;
- eyes;
- ears;
- head;
- mouth.
Experienced breeders say that a sitting kitten with a wagging tail expresses a playful mood. He feels especially good when, when stroking, he lifts his butt up, sticks his butt out, presses his ears back and squints his eyes. To invite a person to play with him, the cat may start swinging on the floor. But such a reaction may also be evidence that the cat has overate or been poisoned. Then he screams more often and jerks the back of his body away from touch. Before jumping, the pet often sits down, presses itself to the floor and begins to wag its butt, so it aims for a more accurate landing.
If while walking the pet begins to trample, this indicates that the kitten is preparing a place for sleep and is going to lie down there. When cats sit and protrude their eyes, they are trying to catch the smallest changes in the world. If a pet sits peacefully on its butt, then a person begins to stroke it and the beloved animal fights and bites without biting the skin - this is just the furry’s desire to play, this is how he behaves with his relatives.
