Feral in heat?

ellen13

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I've been caring for ferals for 10 years now and believe it or not, I don't know what a cat sounds or acts like when she is in heat. A new cat showed up about 6 months ago and I can't tell if it is a male or female. It tries to chase off my other ferals and lately it's been very vocal. I can't describe the noise she (?) makes but its very loud. She seems to do it whenever she sees me or another cat and will sit on my deck and look in the door and just holler away. It drives my inside cats crazy. I keep telling her if she is in heat, she's barking up the wrong tree because all of my boys are neutered. Is this the way a cat acts if they are in heat? I've tried trapping him/her a few times to get it sprayed/neutered but I haven't had any luck yet.
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by Ellen13

I've been caring for ferals for 10 years now and believe it or not, I don't know what a cat sounds or acts like when she is in heat. A new cat showed up about 6 months ago and I can't tell if it is a male or female. It tries to chase off my other ferals and lately it's been very vocal. I can't describe the noise she (?) makes but its very loud. She seems to do it whenever she sees me or another cat and will sit on my deck and look in the door and just holler away. It drives my inside cats crazy. I keep telling her if she is in heat, she's barking up the wrong tree because all of my boys are neutered. Is this the way a cat acts if they are in heat? I've tried trapping him/her a few times to get it sprayed/neutered but I haven't had any luck yet.
Immediately preceding oestrus, your female cat may become unusually affection, and rub her hind quarters against furniture, other cats, and/or her favorite human.
The Queen (name for female cats of breeding age) will vocalize loudly. This "calling" may go on for several days, unless she mates.
She will assume a mating position: head down, forelegs bent, rear quarters raised to expose the perineum ( this raised posture is called lordosis), with the tail raised and held to the side of the body. Her rear legs will tread rhythmically, as if walking in place.
Queenie may also spray vertical surfaces with a strongly scented fluid. She will accomplish this by backing up to the surface and raising her tail high. The tail may quiver, and she may perfom the rhythmic treading described in step four.
 
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ellen13

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Originally Posted by TNR1

Immediately preceding oestrus, your female cat may become unusually affection, and rub her hind quarters against furniture, other cats, and/or her favorite human.
The Queen (name for female cats of breeding age) will vocalize loudly. This "calling" may go on for several days, unless she mates.
She will assume a mating position: head down, forelegs bent, rear quarters raised to expose the perineum ( this raised posture is called lordosis), with the tail raised and held to the side of the body. Her rear legs will tread rhythmically, as if walking in place.
Queenie may also spray vertical surfaces with a strongly scented fluid. She will accomplish this by backing up to the surface and raising her tail high. The tail may quiver, and she may perfom the rhythmic treading described in step four.
Hi Katie,

Thanks for your reply.

This cat has been vocalizing for about a week now. I've never seen the cat assume a mating position or spray anything, but I only see the cat when it comes around in the evening.

I'm going to try and trap him/her next weekend and take it to Petworth. The last thing I need right now is a litter of kittens.

Ellen
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by Ellen13

Hi Katie,

Thanks for your reply.

This cat has been vocalizing for about a week now. I've never seen the cat assume a mating position or spray anything, but I only see the cat when it comes around in the evening.

I'm going to try and trap him/her next weekend and take it to Petworth. The last thing I need right now is a litter of kittens.

Ellen
Hi Ellen..that sounds like a great plan. BTW...did you read the article about the new clinic that Alley Cat Allies is opening in Oct.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...083101915.html

http://www.readexpress.com/read_free..._neuter_ce.php

Navy Yard to Get Regional Spay & Neuter Center Map It: Eastern Market Navy Yard THE WASHINGTON HUMANE SOCIETY and Alley Cat Allies, an organization that advocates reducing feral cat populations, are partnering up to launch the region's first-ever low cost animal spay and neuter center. The facility, to be located near the Washington Navy Yard and Barracks Row at 1001 L St. SE, will open Oct. 4.

The National Capital Area Spay and Neuter Center's goal is 75 animal surgeries a day, seven days a week, according to an announcement. The animals will come from the Washington Humane Society's in-house animal shelter and the D.C. Animal Shelter, which the society also runs.

Along with the new facility, the Humane Society plans to expand its efforts to work with various communities and organizations to trap, then spay or neuter outdoor cats.

And at the Navy Yard, the center will be far away from angry Cleveland Park parents who were outraged when John Eaton Elementary School's cafeteria was used as the site of a special two-day cat sterilization clinic in February 2005. The school was "probably was not the best place to carry out that service in hindsight," Jim Collier, the chief of the D.C.'s Health Department's bureau of environmental quality, said at the time, as quoted by The Post's Ylan Q. Mui.

File photo of the Washington Humane Society's Georgia Avenue facility by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post
 
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