A cat's is known as ‘calling’ or being ‘in heat’ when she is in oestrus. Your cat will display several behaviours during this time involving sound, scent, taste & touch.
If you have never experienced it before, then believe me, you almost certainly will know when your cat is calling, though it’s also true to say that there are some cats who we refer to as having a ‘silent’ heat & who do not display nearly to the same degree the outward signs witnessed in most others. For those of us with silent cats, it’s the deep knowledge of their human in understanding their cat which will allow them to spot their subtle signs.
One of the giveaway signs to look, or more accurately listen out for in an un-spayed female cat is that she will ‘call’ - hence the term ‘calling’. This calling can at its peak go on all day as well as all night but generally its more noticeable & intense after dark. She may meow constantly or she may make a sound that is totally unusual to her, more like a plaintive caterwauling yowl. I have a cat exercise wheel & my dear Noodle, during heat, night after night for hours on end she would walk this wheel keeping up the same relentless pace just meowing over and over again. I used to imagine her with little leg warmers nd head phones as if in the gym on a treadmill. I miss that girl.
Another clear indicator is your girl will becoming more affectionate or demanding of you than is usual - hard to imagine ‘more’ of this in an Sphynx but it’s true! The female will often wind around your legs or be under your feet continually asking you for a fuss. With her hormones ramping up somewhat relentlessly she looks toward her human to please just soothe her somehow.
Taking her attention away from her needs does help & fortunately the Sphynx cat is always willing to play, or or snaffle some treats however, this easing is short-lived, her hormones driving her to call loudly & demand solace now!
I noticed with my Noodle who was my first Sphynx, that in her very first heat which coincided with a trip to visit my mother who had electric storage heating that she began seeking out heat on her nether regions quite directly (Noodle that is, not my mum!) onto the hot radiator. Evidently the heat application soothed her. It was at this point anxious to help her at home where I don’t have storage heating, & to avoid injury being caused to her delicate skin that I invested in the first of my heat mats. Tip: With a heat mat, you must apply an extra cover to it since they are designed for animals with their own fur coats!
Some females spray urine using their scent to advertise their readiness to mate. This is very similar to the spray marking that is so well known of the un-neutered male. These strong smelling burst of urine are heavily laced with chemicals which are used by cats as way markers from which they can both smell & taste the messages left by others of their species. If your girl backs up to a wall or furniture with her tail raised up & then squirts to scent mark she is just trying to tell all of the nearby tomcats where to find her & that their services are urgently required.
If you examine your girl you may note that her vulva is slightly enlarged. You’ll almost certainly have noticed she is licking there much more frequently. It is currently more sensitive than normal & she is easily aroused & will be producing a lubricating fluid from her vagina, the bodies way of preparing for mating & so she is needing to keep herself clean.
Unlike in dogs (& humans!) a cat does not bleed when she’s is in oestrus because no egg is released which on;y occurs during the act of mating itself. For more on this fascinating fact, please visit the Sire(s) page and look for the heading ‘Mating’.
When you are giving your frisky lady some attention you may notice she will lift her bottom in the air & will hold her tail down & off to to one side - this a natural instinct designed to provide the male clear access. When she is deep into her oestrus giving her any physical attention can have her enter the ‘frog pose’ position where she sinks down with her body low to the ground, tail to the side & her hips flattened out giving her this frog-shaped appearance.
These sounds, scent & touch reactions become more & more urgent as the heat phase plays out & touch will often illicit the above pose in a hairpin trigger like response which has been honed by millions of years of evolution since during a mating once she has accepted the male he will take command by taking a firm mouth hold of the flesh around her chest & neck. He then mounts her & treads his back legs on her raised rump & back & it is this that caused her to sink down & adopt the ‘frog’ position for copulation to occur. Although these days cats can be fertile through the year (due to our heated and well-lit homes) in nature, fertility will be at its peak for cats from early spring when it is triggered by longer daylight hours. This coincides with the fact that other species will also be reproducing thus by the time her kittens are born, her natural prey species would also be plentiful keeping her & her kittens well fed. She would then stop calling as the days shorten as less hunting opportunities would exist which would provide the sustenance she needs.
A calling phase can last for around 7-10 days and it is repeated in cycles every 14-21 days. In peak season when cycles are repeating every 14 days & lasting for 10 they are hardly ever not in call. It’s the relentless way that nature ensures that species survive.
A cat who is in heat must not be allowed out. Yes Sphynx are indoor cats but their hormones are on high alert & they will have picked up the scent markers of the local willing Tom cats & be driven to find a way to seek them out. Equally the toms will undoubtedly have picked up hers too and will not be far away. Sadly despite campaigns ongoing year on year there are many unneutered male cats both pet as well as freaks who are roaming around outdoors & who can so easily impregnate your girl if she were to escape now. Given a few hours she may in fact have met more than one Tom & impregnated by each & every one of them.
How to stop a cat on heat
There are no home remedies which can be used to stop a cat from coming in to oestrus. The only ways to stop the cat from calling is to
- either have her mate and become pregnant,
- see your vet for having her Spayed/Neutered or
- have the vet fit her with a hormone implant called Suprelorin - made by Virbac.
Neutering (spay - female/ castration - male)
If you do not intend to breed from a cat (of any pet breed, male or female) you should have him or her neutered.Neutering is the best option for all non breeding animals for several reasons not the least of which is putting a halt to your females' repeated incessant calling.
Neutering avoids the possibility of any accidental or indiscriminate breeding and therefore reduces overpopulation of the species such as is caused by so many unwanted litters which more often than not end up at an animal rescue centre or are abandoned and left to go feral - if they survive abandonment at all.
An neutered cat (both sexes) is much less likely to roam or wander because they are no longer driven to by hormones that would make them go as far and wide as is necessary for them to seek out mating opportunities.
A neutered cat will not need to spray to mark their territory or to advertise their whereabouts to others. As mentioned above, while it’s it mainly tomcats who spray, but it’s not uncommon for females to spray too.
An neutered cat (both sexes) is much less likely to roam or wander because they are no longer driven to by hormones that would make them go as far and wide as is necessary for them to seek out mating opportunities.
A neutered cat will not need to spray to mark their territory or to advertise their whereabouts to others. As mentioned above, while it’s it mainly tomcats who spray, but it’s not uncommon for females to spray too.
A neutered cat with no roaming needs is a much more settled & is in the best interests of your cat because neutered animals live for longer & have a healthier lives (for females please see Pyometra, below)
Suprelorin
Suprelorin implants contain the drug Desolorin & the effect can last for several weeks its action suppressing hormone production thus in female cats by temporarily halting oestrus interrupts/delays calling/mating behaviours.
The implant can be used in both sexes & in both cats and dogs. Essentially it’s action providing a temporary 'chemical castration' or 'Chemical Spaying'. Advertised as being temporary, reversible & safe for long term use, Suprelorin can be useful for an owner if for any reason a surgical neutering is not an option. The use of an implant is considered as a temporary measure & can be quite useful for a breeder who may need to 'rest' a cat or dog in their breeding programme. However, it is also noted that its effects can last longer than expected which may mean (if used) your cat not becoming active again when you had planned,
Uses of this drug are:
- to delay the onset of adulthood/sexual maturity. This would provide more thinking time should a pet owner be unsure if neutering is the right choice for their animal.
- to test whether lowering testosterone production permanently (by castration) will have a positive/desired outcome on the behaviour of their animal (usually used this way in male dogs)
- to provide non surgical neutering (no need for castration)
- to treat certain other health issues arising in cats & dogs.
Pyometra
If a female cat is allowed to have repeated heat cycles (oestrus) without mating & experiencing pregnancy over an elongated period of time she is highly likely to develop a serious infection of the uterus called Pyometra - a term which literally means pus in the womb.
Pyometra is considered serious. In severe cases can be life-threatening. It needs to be treated quickly & aggressively. Often this may mean womb removal - ultimately spaying the cat.
Pyometra is considered serious. In severe cases can be life-threatening. It needs to be treated quickly & aggressively. Often this may mean womb removal - ultimately spaying the cat.
A secondary infection, Pyometra occurs as a result of hormonal changes within the reproductive tract. It presents with a range of signs/symptoms from the very obvious; a thick pus of creamy consistency discharging from the vulva, to the more subtle, a simple loss of appetite
This exact thing unfortunately happened to my beautiful Prunella in spring 2024. She had no litter in 2023 because I was having an important surgery with a long strict recovery. I’d originally planned to spay her however, I then quite reluctantly kept her whole because a dear friend had told me how desperately important it was to have a kitten specifically from her since she is a direct relation to one of her own cats now of quite a great age. So, time passed and Pru was mated in the spring of 2024 but quickly afterwards became very poorly. Rushing her to the vet, everything stopped for emergency surgery which revealed her to have a Pyometra that was “the largest intact Pyometra” my vet had ever come across. On its removal it was found to be completely full of pus. Just a couple more hours delay would have undoubtedly resulted in rupture & sepsis would have rapidly set in from which there would have been no coming back. Luckily, despite a rocky few days during which Pru had incontinence that was feared permanent, she came through & is now enjoying her 7 year old life as a very spoiled, healed so much loved matriarchal retiree!
Breeders & Neutering
Neutering is carried out by vets of breeders of pedigree cats & is usually carried out before a kitten is released to its new owner. The neutering procedure for both sexes is quick and simple & generally happened when kittens are about 8-10 weeks of age. By 12 weeks of age when a kitten can leave for its new home, they are fully recovered & there is no sign at all of the operation ever having been carried out. The operation will safeguard the future health of the kitten, prevent indiscriminate or inappropriate breeding and, as an aside serves to safeguard the breeder's business interests.
Proudly Pro-Neutering
If you buy a kitten (be that a moggy or a pedigree) if your kitten has not already been neutered, if you do not plan to breed it is absolutely necessary & in their best interests to neuter before they reach sexual maturity at around 20 weeks.
