How to Calm a Cat in Heat
Recognize that your cat is in heat., Isolate her from male cats., Give your cat something warm to sit on., Use catnip only if it calms your cat down., Test whether herbal remedies are effective., Use Feliway in your home., Keep her litter box...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Recognize that your cat is in heat.
Make sure that the behavior your cat is expressing actually means that she’s in heat and not sick.
An unspayed cat in heat will vocalize a lot, be restless, rub against people and objects, and roll around on the floor.
If you stroke her lower back, she'll respond by raising her pelvis and shifting her tail to one side.The normal breeding season for cats is between spring and late summer.
She will likely go into heat during this time of year.
Decide if your cat's in heat or sick.
If she's acting restless, but not rubbing herself against everything and lifting her tail to the side, she may be in pain.
Take her to the vet to find out what's going on. -
Step 2: Isolate her from male cats.
When she's in heat, your cat will grow even more excitable in the presence of males.
Do not allow her outside at all, and close all windows and lock all doors, including pet flaps.
To keep her calm (and prevent her from getting pregnant), you need to keep her away from all male cats.
Isolation will also keep her safe — she may try to escape your home if she senses a male outside.If you have a male cat in the same house, find a friend or hire a cat sitter to take him in for a couple weeks.
If the two cats stay in the same area, they'll both act wild, and almost certainly end up mating.
If male cats are visible through a window, cover the window with curtains or a piece of cardboard. , Although success is not guaranteed, some people find that giving the cat a heat pack or a warm, wet towel to sit on keeps her still and calm.A microwavable heat pack may be the easiest option, since you can quickly reheat it once the cat starts acting up again.
An electric heat pad/blanket is also a good choice. , Cats respond very differently to catnip.
Some relax and quiet down when given catnip, but other become energetic and aggressive.If you don't know how your cat responds to catnip, avoid this method.
It may make the situation even worse.
Note that this is only a temporary fix, but it might buy you an hour or two of peace. , There are many herbal remedies on the market intended to calm cats.
Some cat owners report success, but there is no single remedy that works on every cat.
Furthermore, your cat may not respond to any of these products.
Buy a collection of small samples and try several different remedies.
Once you've found a product that works for your cat, buy it in larger amounts.
Follow the instructions on the labels.
They may tell you to add the remedy to the cat's water, rub a few drops into the cat's fur, or use as an air freshener.
Do not use products intended for humans, which likely use higher dosages. , Feliway is a synthetic cat pheromone that has a soothing, calming effect on cats.It takes a couple weeks of exposure to begin calming cats down, though, so it's not an immediate fix.
If you know your cat is unspayed, you might consider plugging in the Feliway diffuser at the beginning of breeding season (spring).
That way, whenever she goes into heat, the Feliway will already be built up in her system. , Cats often scent mark with urine to attract males when they are in heat.
By keeping her litter box clean at all times, you might encourage her to use it instead of scent marking your home.
If she scent marks anyway, clean and de-odorize the area immediately.
Leaving the smell of urine behind will only drive her to keep doing it.
Don't use cleaning products with bleach.
The ammonia in them is also found naturally in urine, and the smell will encourage her to mark that spot again. , Playing with your cat can distract her temporarily, but she'll often go straight back to howling after you're done.
Petting, scratching, or brushing her lower back can be more effective, if your cat is already calm enough to let you do so. -
Step 3: Give your cat something warm to sit on.
-
Step 4: Use catnip only if it calms your cat down.
-
Step 5: Test whether herbal remedies are effective.
-
Step 6: Use Feliway in your home.
-
Step 7: Keep her litter box clean.
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Step 8: Play with your cat.
Detailed Guide
Make sure that the behavior your cat is expressing actually means that she’s in heat and not sick.
An unspayed cat in heat will vocalize a lot, be restless, rub against people and objects, and roll around on the floor.
If you stroke her lower back, she'll respond by raising her pelvis and shifting her tail to one side.The normal breeding season for cats is between spring and late summer.
She will likely go into heat during this time of year.
Decide if your cat's in heat or sick.
If she's acting restless, but not rubbing herself against everything and lifting her tail to the side, she may be in pain.
Take her to the vet to find out what's going on.
When she's in heat, your cat will grow even more excitable in the presence of males.
Do not allow her outside at all, and close all windows and lock all doors, including pet flaps.
To keep her calm (and prevent her from getting pregnant), you need to keep her away from all male cats.
Isolation will also keep her safe — she may try to escape your home if she senses a male outside.If you have a male cat in the same house, find a friend or hire a cat sitter to take him in for a couple weeks.
If the two cats stay in the same area, they'll both act wild, and almost certainly end up mating.
If male cats are visible through a window, cover the window with curtains or a piece of cardboard. , Although success is not guaranteed, some people find that giving the cat a heat pack or a warm, wet towel to sit on keeps her still and calm.A microwavable heat pack may be the easiest option, since you can quickly reheat it once the cat starts acting up again.
An electric heat pad/blanket is also a good choice. , Cats respond very differently to catnip.
Some relax and quiet down when given catnip, but other become energetic and aggressive.If you don't know how your cat responds to catnip, avoid this method.
It may make the situation even worse.
Note that this is only a temporary fix, but it might buy you an hour or two of peace. , There are many herbal remedies on the market intended to calm cats.
Some cat owners report success, but there is no single remedy that works on every cat.
Furthermore, your cat may not respond to any of these products.
Buy a collection of small samples and try several different remedies.
Once you've found a product that works for your cat, buy it in larger amounts.
Follow the instructions on the labels.
They may tell you to add the remedy to the cat's water, rub a few drops into the cat's fur, or use as an air freshener.
Do not use products intended for humans, which likely use higher dosages. , Feliway is a synthetic cat pheromone that has a soothing, calming effect on cats.It takes a couple weeks of exposure to begin calming cats down, though, so it's not an immediate fix.
If you know your cat is unspayed, you might consider plugging in the Feliway diffuser at the beginning of breeding season (spring).
That way, whenever she goes into heat, the Feliway will already be built up in her system. , Cats often scent mark with urine to attract males when they are in heat.
By keeping her litter box clean at all times, you might encourage her to use it instead of scent marking your home.
If she scent marks anyway, clean and de-odorize the area immediately.
Leaving the smell of urine behind will only drive her to keep doing it.
Don't use cleaning products with bleach.
The ammonia in them is also found naturally in urine, and the smell will encourage her to mark that spot again. , Playing with your cat can distract her temporarily, but she'll often go straight back to howling after you're done.
Petting, scratching, or brushing her lower back can be more effective, if your cat is already calm enough to let you do so.
About the Author
Carl Long
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Carl Long brings 5 years of hands-on experience to every article. Carl believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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