16 week old kitten acting like she's in heat?

Our 16 week old kitten has been licking her "area" for the last four days and for the last two days she's been making these shrill like noises, not exactly a yowl but almost there and rolling around the carpet. She's too young isn't she? The other cat we have didn't go into heat until she was 7 months old this just seems too soon.

This is her

I should say she's also extremely tiny in person (only two pounds and very petite) if she is in heat I'm a bit hesitant to have her put under because of her size.

Yep, I had one go into heat at 16 weeks, and have heard reliable accounts of females going into heat at 14 weeks. Some girls are early bloomers. So that's probably it!

If she's healthy she should be OK to have surgery. But that is very small for her age so talk to your vet about it.

Thank you for the advice. She is a very little animal. She had such a difficult time putting on weight when we first got her over a month ago that I had to resort to feeding her high fat friskies three times a day as her vet food wasn't allowing her to gain. She managed to put on a pound. I wanted to get her up to four pounds before the spaying to be safe. I'm still a bit afraid for her, she's just so little. She's healthy and playful but she has a fragility about (malnourished kitten. The home we got her from was a dump).

She is really darling and wonderful of you to rescue her. Absolutely, she could be going into her first heat cycle. Kittens can be spayed at two pounds so I would get her in this week for her spay since she is almost four pounds. She looks nice and plump in that photo!! Adorable.

^ oh she's not 4 pounds yet, she's only 2.5 currently. She looks pudgy in the picture but it's only the angle lol.

She was yowling today and "presenting" so now it's no secret what's going on, she's definitely in heat. Sigh...

sunflower89 said:

^ oh she's not 4 pounds yet, she's only 2.5 currently. She looks pudgy in the picture but it's only the angle lol.

She was yowling today and "presenting" so now it's no secret what's going on, she's definitely in heat. Sigh...

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It is alright to get her spayed now though. She looks very, very healthy. Your vet will be able to reassure you even more on this. OR you just wait it out and have her spayed after this heat cycle passes. BUT - don't let her out of your sight OR the house!!!!! please. If it were me, I would get her spayed asap, though. She should be just fine. We do kittens at the shelter when they hit the two pound mark and are even younger than your baby girl.

Oh I've been guarding her constantly. I've even been locking her in the bedroom with food and litter so she won't run out whenI leave in the morning (she's tried three times to run for the door). I talked to the vet and they're ready to do her within two weeks for the spaying.

sunflower89 said:

Oh I've been guarding her constantly. I've even been locking her in the bedroom with food and litter so she won't run out whenI leave in the morning (she's tried three times to run for the door). I talked to the vet and they're ready to do her within two weeks for the spaying.

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Oh yes - keep that little one under full-time watch! Young as she is - the confusing change in her and the hormones can take over and she could easily escape out that door! It would be SO much worse for her health to become pregnant right now at four months of age as opposed to getting her spayed asap. GOOD LUCK with everything and keep us posted on your little cutie pie. :rub:

Well you've got a right little sex-kitten there.
The sooner you get her spayed the better.
Good luck.