For owners, the most annoying time is when their cat is in heat. Cats often meow excitedly in the middle of the night for no reason, and their emotions are unstable. They may suddenly become irritable and scratch people. However, there is no doubt that going into heat is a phenomenon that every animal goes through, and it is also an inevitable process in the process of reproduction.
While spaying/neutering can protect owners from the various problems associated with a cat's heat cycle and prevent the creation of stray cats, its adoption rate is not high. Most owners desire their pets to be healthy and healthy, or they want their cats to have offspring, but they also feel that spaying/neutering is a painful process for the cat. A cat from overseas went viral online after waking up and staring at its belly in disbelief following its spaying procedure. Therefore, most pet cats still need to go through the heat cycle. So, for the sake of our cats' future generations, how can we accurately determine if a cat is in heat?
Female cats enter their estrus cycle when they are six months old. Cats do not have a fixed estrus cycle (meaning that cats can go into heat multiple times a year, while dogs usually only go into heat twice a year), meaning that female cats can be fertilized at any time of year, although spring is often considered the "peak season for giving birth". 
Symptoms of estrus:
1. Your cat will seem more affectionate.
Even if your cat is normally affectionate, she will be even more so during her heat cycle. She will constantly rub against you and like to chase other small animals in the neighborhood. If you also have a male cat that can reproduce, the female cat in heat will try every means to get close to him.
2. She often maintains a mating posture, which involves lowering her head and sticking her buttocks out high. Her hind legs move back and forth, and she places her tail to one side to expose her vulva.
3. She will occasionally make strange noises to attract the attention of the opposite sex.
4. She might urinate all over your house.
Not all female cats in heat behave this way; only some will exhibit these symptoms. You might find it annoying, but you should know that this is simply instinct. She's doing this to mark her territory and attract male cats.
5. She may experience a decrease in appetite.
This also varies from cat to cat. If your female cat has a poor appetite, you need to make sure she eats something so she doesn't go hungry. If she usually eats dry food, try giving her some canned food, as she may be changing her taste. However, don't worry too much about her not eating; she might have eaten something while wandering around outside. If she really refuses to eat anything, seek help from a veterinarian.
6. She will keep licking her genitals, which may be due to swelling or discomfort in that area, or bleeding.
7. A series of changes will also occur in the external genitalia of female cats.
Vulvar changes can be divided into four stages: Stage 1: pubic hair just begins to separate, external genitalia swell, and labia slightly split; Stage 2: pubic hair completely separates, vulvar swelling is obvious, labia are clearly divided into two large lobes, and there is a small amount of white mucus; Stage 3: vulva is severely swollen and everted, clearly divided into four lobes, with a large amount of mucus; Stage 4: vulvar swelling gradually subsides, vulva atrophies and dries, and pubic hair gradually becomes brush-like again. Mating is usually most successful during the second and third stages.
Pet cats kept in homes tend to show more obvious signs of being in heat. If a female cat doesn't get the opportunity to mate during her heat cycle, the heat can last for up to 20 days. When a cat is in heat, owners need to choose a suitable mate for her in advance and allow them to spend time together beforehand.
Of course, I must remind you that tens of thousands of stray cats are born every year due to uncontrolled heat cycles. Unless you are a full-time cat owner, I really recommend that you have your cat spayed or neutered.
