My kitten is hiding in dark corners. What does "in heat" mean?
Hello. A cat that is going into heat, is going through her estrus cycle. This is in preparation for becoming pregnant. Female cats, in particular, will vocalize loudly & will sometimes demonstrate unusual behaviors such as rolling, paddling with the hind legs, lying with their back legs & tail high in the air, going into spaces & areas not normally utilized. All these are signals that a female cat is ready to mate with a male cat. Once Mittens has been fixed ( spayed ) this will stop. Otherwise, she will cycle in & out of heat until she does manage to become pregnant. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025