Cat Heat and Breeding Behaviors

I don't understand her strange behavior. Why does she act like this?

Thanks so much!

~~ Cindy

Expert Reply

Hi Cindy,

Cats are interesting, aren't they? You never quite know when their moods will change. They can appear to quietly enjoy your stroking one minute, then bury their teeth and claws in you the next.

The hormone swing cats experience during a heat cycle makes their behavior even more unpredictable. Many times it results in extremely affectionate behavior toward people, but occasionally a cat will reject one of its usual companions.

My theory is that although your cat usually likes your mom quite well, she views her as one of the girls, so when she's in heat she considers your mom competition. You on the other hand seem to play a different role in kitty's scenario. Regardless of your gender, your cat is treating you more like a breeding partner. She has a use for you when she's in heat, and when she's out of it she has far less tolerance for your presence.

Of course, it's just a theory, but if you want to put your cat on an even keel, consider having her spayed. Spaying will eliminate the up and down hormone cycle, and it usually makes most cats calmer.

Thanks for your question~~ Kelly

Siblings Fighting or Breeding?

I have a female and male cat that are brother and sister. Neither of them have been fixed yet, and lately I've had to keep them separated because a few weeks ago he tried to mate with her.

We don't want her to become pregnant, but we haven't had the extra money to get either of the cats fixed. Anyway, I managed to stop her brother before he did much of anything, but ever since then his sister has been really aggressive towards him.

In the past, they always used to play, run around and sleep together, but now she seems reluctant to do so. When they are fighting, her ears are back, her eyes are wide, her fur is on end and her claws are out.

Her brother is twice her size, and he tends to bite her at the base of her ears, upper neck/chest, and most commonly on the back of her neck between her shoulder blades. She reacts with loud hissing and growling that I can hear two floors up when they are in the main part of the house. Although she fights back, he just won't leave her alone.

Is this play fighting or has she grown to dislike her own brother? I'm worried about her because she seems stressed.

~~ Tamara

Expert Reply

Hi Tamara,

I believe you're right and that your female cat is stressed. The fighting sounds like it may be the real thing, not just for play. It might also be related to the fact that she's actually coming into heat every two weeks now, which is normal for sexually mature females. Breeding behavior frequently resembles combat.

It's essential to get at least one of your cats spayed or neutered, or else sooner or later you're going to wind up with kittens. I recommend you call your local animal shelter to find out if they know of any low cost spay/neuter clinics in your area. Depending on the program, you may qualify to have part or all of the veterinary fees covered for both cats.

I'm sure this will put a stop to all the fussing and fighting.

~~ Kelly