My female cat is acting strange. What are the signs of her being in heat?

The signs you see when a cat is in heat are mostly behavioral. Many cats become very affectionate, demanding constant attention, and rolling on the floor. If you stroke their back, they will raise up their rear end. They also become very vocal. Some female cats will spray urine to mark their territory. If Tom is allowed outside, you will see male tomcats in your yard, and they may try to enter your home to mate with her. If you don't want kittens, I recommend getting Tom spayed as soon as possible.

Hi and thanks for posting! Vocalizing is very common and a normal behavior in female cats who are in heat and who are ready for mating. Vocalizing is thought to be a behavior used to attract a male to mate. She may continue to vocalize frequently until she comes out of heat or until she is bred. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

A female cat in heat will: arch her back, vocalize (meow) a lot, rub her face and body on everything in the house and become super affectionate. A car with worms will scoot her rear end and lick her rear end a lot. She may also start to urinate outside the litter box because of the stress from the worms, if not treated right away.

Hi and thanks again for your question. I think in this case there are basically two possibilities: either she did not go into heat (that can happen anytime up to the 18th month or she went and she showed few signs. It is not common to observe vaginal bleeding from a cat in heat. The most notable signs of estrus in cats are behavioral. Most cats become very affectionate, even demanding; they persistently rub against their owners (or objects such as furniture), constantly wanting attention. They roll on the floor. When stroked along the back or spine, they raise their rear quarters into the air and tread with the back legs. They also become very vocal. These behavior changes often become annoying to owners, and sometimes owners think their cat has some unusual illness.

It does sound and look like Eevee is in heat. Increased vocalization, ‘presenting’ her genitalia /arching her back, and often increased affection are typical signs of estrus/heat in cats which typically first starts after 6 months of age. Each heat cycle lasts around 5-6 days and unspayed cats typically come back into heat every 2-3 weeks. The ASPCA and many shelters offer low cost spay options such as mobile spay/neuter clinics that may be an option. If not, there is nothing that you need to do other than keep her away from intact male cats unless you want kittens in about 2 months’ time! Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not common to see blood during a cats heat cycle. Usually you notice behavioral signs- more vocal and more attention demanding. Female cats can also go into heat many times a year if they sense an intact male cat is around. Kisses to Percy!

Hello! That behavior does sound like classic in heat, or estrus, behavior for cats. If Bean bean is acting otherwise normally but overly affectionate and vocal, it is likely only due to her heat cycle. I do caution that keeping cats intact without breeding them can cause a serious uterine infection called pyometra. If Bean bean becomes lethargic, reclusive, uninterested in food, or showing any general signs of illness, such as vomiting or diarrhea, I would recommend taking her into a vet to be seen. She is at a high risk for developing the infection until she is spayed. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! :)