I know it’s weird to even think about it, but I am sure even you have wondered if male cats want to mate with female cats who have not yet started their estrus cycle.
“Heat” in a cat is that time when they are ready to start mating in order to produce offspring. Logically, any cat who is not in heat would not like to have any intercourse just for the sake of it.
This article will clear up your doubts regarding when cats mate and how to stop any unnecessary mating behavior.
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Will A Male Cat Mount A Female Cat That Is Not In Heat?
A female cat who is not in heat would not let a male cat mount her.
However, the kitten’s age is important. Even four-month-old kittens can experience their first heat.
Signs may not be immediately apparent, but some cats become loud and aggressive, while others may just begin rubbing up against people and objects to indicate their territory.
The scent of the female also alerts a male that the cat is ready to mate. The exact age at which a cat will go into heat can vary.
Do Female Cats Have To Be In Heat To Mate?
Yes, a female cat has to be in heat in order to mate.
Silent heat is a condition that some cats show. The cats are in heat, have follicles growing on their ovaries, and are fertile, but they don’t exhibit any heat-related behaviors.
These cats will participate in male mating attempts. Cats who are lower in the power pyramid are more likely to exhibit silent heat. If your cat is pregnant but you haven’t noticed any indications of heat, she probably went into silent heat.
Excessive vocalization, becoming extremely friendly, rubbing her head and neck against people and objects, wriggling and rolling around, and adopting the mating stance are all indications that a cat is in heat.
Additional indicators of a cat in heat include a rump in the air, tail deflected to the side, back arched downward, and making “treading” motions with her back legs.
Interesting Read: Can A Cat Get Pregnant When Not In Heat?
Do Female Cats Menstruate?
Female cats do experience monthly cycles, although they are very dissimilar to those experienced by female humans.
Cats and certain other mammals either reabsorb the old uterine lining instead of bleeding it out like human women do around every 28 days, or they shed the old uterine lining. This occurs during the estrus cycle.
While your cat may occasionally bleed throughout the heat cycle, it is more common for a female cat with a period to show signs of being in heat. If you see concerning bleeding in your female cat, call your veterinarian.
Do Cats Only Mate When In Heat?
Yes, cats mate only when they are in heat.
From about 4 months of age, female cats can reproduce and reach sexual maturity. Then, they will reproduce annually between February and October. Female cats have many brief cycles that are spaced 2-3 weeks apart.
This period of heat cycles might go on for a long time because they do not ovulate until they are mated. Before being spayed, older queens might still have cycles.
Longer days can stimulate reproduction, resulting in a large number of kitten births in March, April, and May.
The crucial heat season for male cats typically lasts from September to March. However, a mature tom can mate with a female cat whenever she agrees when he is between 6 and 12 months old and has attained full maturity.
Here are some of the symptoms and behaviors a cat exhibits when they are in the heat:
- Extreme yowling or vocalizations made it sound painful. Male and female cats will occasionally make an odd-sounding call to one another.
- Females are extremely flirty and friendly, arching their backs, stroking, and rolling around on the floor.
- Although they might be forceful and demanding, male cats in heat are also more attention-seeking.
- Raise the hindquarters while swaying the tail.
- Cats in heat can travel further because they are eager to leave the house in search of a partner.
- Male cats will increase their urine spraying and fight more.
- In times of heat, female cats may bleed.
Also, check out Do Spayed Female Cats Still Have The Urge To Mate?
Can A Male Cat Force A Female To Mate?
Cats’ sexual behavior is a fairly filthy business.
A male cat would not force a feline unless she is in heat. But if she is, then the tom would surely like to mate with the queen.
A male cat waits for the right time to pounce on a female, bite her in the neck, and pin her to the ground while he introduces himself inside the female cat.
The feline will scream and roll away as he retreats, and if he doesn’t get far enough away soon enough, she might hit him.
Surprisingly, the female will suffer such ravishes repeatedly from several suitors when she is at the height of estrus, despite the fact that it sounds like a very unpleasant experience.
You might also like to read about Why Do Female Cats Attack Males After Mating?
Can A Male Cat Mate Anytime?
A matured tom can mate with a feline anytime he wants, as long as the female cat allows him.
A healthy tomcat has strong natural instincts to defend its territory and look for a mate, which might lead to actions that some may deem anti-social.
Did you know: Male cats do not have a “heat cycle.” The only cats with this characteristic are females. The sexual maturity of male cats, on the other hand, occurs at about five months. If they are not neutered, male cats will react to females who are in heat.
Experienced males may run directly to a female in heat and mount her in as little as 16 seconds. Males with less experience are more careful and may deliver a gentler mating cry to her while also giving her a quick sniff.
It typically takes one to nine minutes to mate. After mating, the male leaves and doesn’t interact with the female again.
Interesting Read: Can A Pregnant Cat Mate Again?
Why Do My Male Cats Keep Trying To Mate?
Male cats mount one another in an effort to establish dominance and keep trying to mate. This is referred to as sexual aggression by animal behaviorists.
Cats who have been neutered will help gradually reduce this behavior. After neutering, the male’s testosterone levels must drop for a few weeks before there is minimal to no sex or dominance urge.
However, you should both be aware that neutering a male cat does not convert him into a kitten. Despite the relatively low amount, males still have some sex hormones flowing in their blood.
Just like humans, male cats have an X chromosome and a Y chromosome, while female cats have two X chromosomes. As the cat with an X and a Y chromosome grows within the uterus, testosterone bathes its developing brain, altering its chemistry and structure permanently.
These changes are fully activated by the enormous surge in testosterone at puberty, and neutering has no effect on them.
Interesting Read: Do Cats Stay In Heat After Mating?
How Do You Stop A Male Cat From Trying To Mate?
The only way to prevent a sexually matured male cat from mating is by spaying him.
Here are some ways to take precautions against the activity:
Desexing
Desexing eases the burden on crowded animal shelters and on you by preventing unwanted or unplanned kitten births. It balances out your cats’ emotions and lowers their risk of contracting illnesses like cancer.
Isolation
Isolating your cats would be the next best option if you can’t afford to neuter them just now or if your next appointment with the vet is still many weeks away.
If you don’t want an intact male and an intact female to mate, you must physically keep them apart. Even though it might seem like a simple idea, carrying it out would be challenging.
Cats will do anything to get their way with a mate.
Delay Heat In Females
Your female cat may receive an injection called Delvosteron from your veterinarian ( birth control for felines). The injection contains a unique hormone that suppresses the estrus cycle and is generated from progesterone.
On average, the injection reduces heat for five months. Your cat cannot become pregnant while it is active, nor will it experience heat symptoms.
Female cats that are not in heat won’t allow male cats to mate with them, hence they are unable to become pregnant.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do cats mate to become pregnant?
Till the female’s heat cycle is over, they will literally keep on mating. An average cat’s gestation lasts 60 to 70 days. She might become pregnant again after weaning her kittens once she gives birth to them.
The male is lacerating the queen’s insides during the process, which is excruciatingly painful because of the male’s barbed penis.
Simply because there are too many cats and kittens and not enough suitable homes eager to take them in, thousands of them are put down every day in animal shelters.
There are countless free or low-cost desexing clinics, so there is no reason not to have the surgery done. Don’t let your cat experience this. Neuter and spay all of your animals.
Final Words
That’s all you had to know about heat and mating behaviors in cats, what causes them, and how to prevent them.
Unless you want to take up the burden of parenting several untamed kittens, it’s better to get your fluffball neutered or spayed.
Let us know in the comment section how you handled your cat’s heat cycle.
Must Read: My Cat Doesn’t Want To Mate: Reasons & Solutions
