Caring for cats has the potential to be a lot of fun. Many people keep cats as pets, and you likely love yours if you have one or two of your own.
Those who have female cats that haven’t been fixed will know that cats will sometimes be in heat. When a cat is in heat, it means that the cat is fertile and ready to mate.
Generally, a female cat is going to be in heat during the estrus cycle. This will last approximately four or five days.
Two or three weeks will pass, and then the cat will be in heat again. This is how the cycle goes.
What does it mean if your cat always seems to be in heat, though? Is it possible for a cat to just stay in heat?
Read on to learn more about this topic. It’ll help you to figure out what to do if you’re having issues with your cat.
Understanding Cats in Heat
It’s natural for cats to go through cycles of being in heat. Female cats start experiencing this once they reach the puberty age.
This occurs when a cat is between six months and ten months old. When cats are in heat, it’s usually pretty easy to tell.
Cats in heat will be far more vocal than usual. Sometimes a cat in heat will cry out at night and this might even keep you awake at night.
The cat might try to get you to let it go outside since it wishes to find a mate. You might notice that the cat will groom itself excessively.
There are all sorts of signs that show you that a cat is in heat. This heat period shouldn’t last for longer than four or five days, though.
If your cat seems to be in heat for longer than this, then it could be a sign that something is amiss. There are a few things that could be happening.
You Could Be Mistaken
The first thing to consider is that you might be mistaken. You could simply be mistaking normal behavior for the behavior of a cat in heat.
Some cat owners might assume that a cat is in heat because it is noisy. Your cat might just be a bit louder than other cats.
Cats have their own personalities, and many of them will do things that you might deem unusual. This doesn’t mean that their behavior is related to being in heat.
If you’re concerned, then you could always ask a veterinarian for advice. The vet will be able to tell you if the cat is in heat or if it just has some personality quirks.
Health Problems
Sadly, being in heat all the time could be a sign of health problems. There are two different things that could be happening to cause your cat to remain in a heat state.
Your cat could have ovarian cysts that are causing it to remain in heat. This occurs when the cysts cause the cat to continually secrete estrogen.
If the cat can’t stop secreting estrogen, then it’s going to stay in heat indefinitely. This is not healthy for the cat, and you’re going to need to get the cysts removed.
A veterinarian will be able to examine the cat to determine what is happening. The vet will check the cat to see if it has cysts on its ovaries, and then a surgery will be scheduled if necessary.
Most ovarian cysts are benign, and this means that your cat’s life shouldn’t be in danger. The cysts will simply need to be removed so that your cat can get back to having a regular cycle.
Another option that is far more problematic involves ovarian tumors. Essentially, ovarian tumors can cause the constant secretion of estrogen in the same way as the cysts.
The difference is that ovarian tumors are more likely to involve cancer. Ovarian tumors secrete more estrogen than normal, and this means that a constant heat state could be a sign that your cat has cancer.
Of course, not all ovarian tumors are cancerous. It’s going to be necessary for the veterinarian to run tests to determine what is going on.
Ovarian tumors can be removed, and in many cases, they must be removed for the sake of your cat’s health. It’s generally best to remove malignant tumors since there is a chance that they could metastasize.
Get Your Pet Spayed
Now you know that your pet could be experiencing significant health issues. Hopefully, this isn’t the case, but it’s hard to say one way or another until you get your pet checked out by a vet.
One thing that you should consider doing even if nothing is wrong with your cat is getting it fixed. You could get your cat spayed so that it won’t be able to reproduce any longer.
This will eliminate the need to worry about whether your cat is in heat or not. Cats that have been spayed will no longer experience periods of heat, and it’ll make your pet a lot calmer.
If you don’t plan on allowing your cat to breed, then it makes sense to have it spayed. In many ways, this is a responsible choice due to how problematic the rising stray cat population is throughout the world.
However, it’s up to you to decide what is right to do in this situation. As a pet owner, you get to choose whether your pets should be spayed or neutered.
Getting a cat spayed isn’t incredibly expensive. It’s actually a convenient way to make your pet calmer and easier to manage.
You’ll be able to discuss the benefits of having your cat spayed with your veterinarian. If you have any questions about the process, then a vet will be happy to answer them for you.
Do your best to make an informed decision so that you can do what’s best for your cat and for your household. If you don’t wish to get your cat spayed, then you’ll just have to get used to the times when the cat is in heat.
Final Thoughts
You have a good idea of why a cat might remain in a heat state constantly now. Sometimes people just mistake regular behavior with the behavior of a cat in heat.
It’s possible that your cat could be constantly in heat, though. If this is the case, then it’s potentially dangerous for your cat.
Your cat could have ovarian cysts or ovarian tumors of some sort. If you suspect that your cat is staying in heat for too long, then you should contact a veterinarian as soon as you can.
Remember that cats are only supposed to remain in a heat state for up to five days. If your cat seems to be in heat for weeks, then that is not normal.
Thankfully, your veterinarian will know what to do. They’ll be able to examine your cat to get to the bottom of what is going on.
You love your cat and you just want to be able to keep it safe. Protect your cat so that it can stay happy and healthy for a long time.
If you’d like to avoid issues such as this in the future, then it might be wise to have your cat spayed. Make an informed decision and continue to keep an eye on your pet.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.