At What Age Do Female Cats Go Into Heat

According to several other sources the oldest cat to give birth was kitty a cat who gave birth to two kittens at the age of thirty.

Here s how you ll know when she s in heat. Male cats do not go into heat. Cats who don t mate can go into heat as often as every two to three weeks during the breeding season. If you plan on having your cat spayed and are just waiting until she s old enough you may want to adjust that timetable.

Female cats may start their heat cycles at a very young age and as polyestrus beings are doomed to continue these heat cycles for life. Cat estrus begins as animals reach sexual maturity usually at about six months of age although some cats will go into heat as early as four months and others as late as 10 to 12 months. Female cats queens can go into heat as early as six months. Therefore early spay and neuter is being advocated to reduce the changes of younger kittens becoming pregnant and contributing to the overpopulation problems.

Your sweet leggy kitten could be in hormonal turmoil well before she hits the 6 month mark. While a cat in heat technically means that the cat is ready for mating it s not advised to breed a kitten or allow her to get pregnant during her first heat. They simply sniff out the females who are in heat. Male cats are born ready just kidding.

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Unlike a feral cat that must compete for food and experiences the short days of winter a house cat has the luxury of plenty of food and artificial light. A cat s first heat usually occurs during puberty which is between six and ten months for a kitten. The average female cat will first go into heat or cycle between 6 9 months of age but heat cycles can start as early as 4 months of age and as late as 12 months. However there are kittens as young as 4 months old showing sexual maturity and if mated will become pregnant.

March 29 2019 references approved an unspayed female cat will become sexually mature between the ages 5 and 12 months depending on how well fed she is and the day length. The average of 6 8 months of age is often given but an individual can may be. Non spayed female cats can start going into heat or estrus as early as four months of age. This first heat cycle is associated with puberty and a cat can get pregnant during any of its heat cycles including the first one.

Traditionally it is believed that female cats go into heat at around 6 months of age. It will be different with each cat.