The mating season in cats refers to a period when both male and female cats, having reached puberta (puberty) and not been neutered or spayed, are open and ready for mating. In male cats, the mating season is not limited to specific dates; once they have passed through puberty and entered adulthood, they are ready to mate at any time. Female cats, on the other hand, enter the mating season in defined periods, unlike males. Based on this, female cats are more commonly discussed when talking about the mating season.

Pubertas(puberty) in Cats

Puberty is a transitional phase between childhood and adulthood, occurring both in humans and animals.

During this period, cats transition from childish behaviors to more adult-like behaviors, and they begin to develop sexual characteristics. Both their bodies and psychology prepare for adulthood during this transition.

When do cats reach puberty?

There is no certain answer to this question, factors such as the cat’s breed and the season in which it was born affect the answer to this question. For example, some cats may reach sexual maturity as early as 3-4 months, while in some long-haired breeds, this age may extend up to 18 months. However, in most cats, the average age for puberty is around 6-9 months. Additionally, cats may experience irregular sexual cycles influenced by artificial light.

Male cats that reach puberty are ready to mate, but female cats only accept mating during specific periods. This time frame is called estrus. As mentioned, it occurs in defined periods, and this cycle is referred to as the sexual cycle.

Estrus in Cats

Cats are seasonal polyestrous animals, meaning they go through multiple estrus cycles. Unless pregnancy or pseudopregnancy occurs, the estrus cycle repeats throughout the breeding season. Increased daylight plays an important role in triggering sexual cycles. The highest level of estrus activity occurs during the months of February and March. Generally, the period from September to January is when estrus activity and mating do not occur.

Pseudopregnancy: This is when a female cat believes she is pregnant, even though there has been no fertilization after mating.

Unlike most animals, cats exhibit induced ovulation rather than spontaneous ovulation. This means that ovulation is triggered by the male cat’s mating behavior.

Ovulation: Medically, ovulation refers to the process of releasing an egg, and “provoked ovulation” refers to ovulation induced by mating and occurring reflexively as a result.

How long does the estrus period last in female cats?

The length of the estrus period in cats can vary from cat to cat, but on average, it lasts about 7 days.

How can we recognize when cats are in estrus period?

As mentioned, when cats reach sexual maturity and have not been spayed or neutered, they will exhibit typical behavioral signs associated with the estrus period. While there may not be significant changes in these behaviors, they can vary from cat to cat.

These behaviors are primarily as follows;

Desire to go outside: Cats that are normally curious about the outdoors may show an interest in going outside. However, cats in estrus may exhibit this behavior more frequently as they seek to find other cats, mate, and spread their scents.

Being louder than usual: During this period, cats may produce much more noise than usual, and this sound can be compared to crying or moaning. The increased vocalizations continue throughout the estrus period.

Increased rubbing behavior: Cats in estrus may display more rubbing movements than usual in order to gain attention and spread their scent more effectively.

Typical Estrus Behavior in Cats

Mood changes: During this period, cats may exhibit different moods compared to their usual behavior, such as being more playful, aggressive, irritable, or even more hostile.

Male cats marking with scent: Male cats mark territory by spraying. While scent marking can be due to medical issues, in this case, it is not medically motivated but rather a behavior to signal to females for mating purposes.

Mating in Cats

Mating, also known as copulation or coitus, is the process where the male cat’s sperm enters the female’s vagina. For mating to occur, it is important for the animals to see, hear, smell, and physically interact with each other. Before mating, the male cat experiences an erection.

Typical Mating Behavior
A common behavior following mating in females is rolling, which is a typical post-copulation action.

This blog post has been verified by Res. Asst. Dr. Aslıhan BAYKAL.

Sources:

Banks DR, 1986. Physiology and endocrinology of the feline estrous cycle. In Morrow DE, Ed; Current Therapy in Theriogenology. WB Saunders Company Philadelphia, USA, pp; 795.

Istanbul Cerrahpaşa University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2023-2024 lecture notes.

MAE Vet Fak Derg, 2 (1): 75-84, 2017 DOI: 10.24880/maeuvfd.290848