First cat heat, or estrus

It will no doubt be easy to tell when your young female cat reaches sexual maturity and goes into her first estrus, or heat cycle. This usually occurs when an unspayed female cat is about six months old, and signals that your pet is ready to look for a mate.

Signs of heat in cats

You may notice that your cat becomes very affectionate, rolls around on the floor and seems unusually restless when in heat. Felines in their estrus cycle will exhibit increased vocalization. This howling and calling is an attempt to attract potential suitors. As she becomes more and more frustrated, your indoors-only cat will probably try her utmost to escape. Unless they are spayed, sexually mature female cats can come into heat multiple times each year depending on climate and other factors.

When to spay and neuter

Considering the millions of animals euthanized at shelters annually, it is irresponsible to let your pet mate with the opposite sex when there already are too many animals and not enough homes. Contrary to what some people believe, there are no health benefits in allowing your cat to have a litter before she is spayed. In fact, the rigors of giving birth and raising a litter definitely take a toll on a female cat, and can lead to premature aging and, in some cases, death. Humane organizations recommend spaying or neutering your cat as early as 2 months, if possible.