Contents
- 1 Why is my female cat so vocal all of a sudden?
- 2 How do you calm a female cat in heat?
- 3 How long do female cats stay in heat?
- 4 How do I stop my female cat from yowling?
- 5 Why do female cats meow so much when in heat?
- 6 Why is my cat being so clingy and vocal all of a sudden?
- 7 Why are female cats so vocal in heat?
Why is my female cat so vocal all of a sudden?
Cat Excessive Meowing and Yowling: Why Cats Meow Why do cats meow? The reasons change as they grow from kittens into cats. Kittens meow to their mothers when they’re, cold, or scared. But once cats get older, they use other vocalizations – such as yowling, hissing, and growling – to communicate with each other.
Meowing is reserved for their communications with people. Of course, the amount of meowing varies by breed and even cat. Oriental breeds, especially Siamese cats, are known as great “talkers,” so anyone who doesn’t like meowing probably should steer clear of these breeds. And some cats just seem to like to hear their own voices, while others seem to want to carry on a conversation with their owners.
If your cat is talking a little more than you’d like, try to figure out the cause first. Once you know the reason, you can then work to get your cat to meow less. Cats meow for many reasons, from the serious to the attention-seeking. They include:
Illness. The first step is a thorough checkup by your veterinarian. Numerous diseases can cause a cat to feel, thirst, or pain, all of which can lead to excessive meowing. Cats also can develop an or, both of which can result in excessive vocalizations.Attention seeking. Despite what some people think, cats don’t like being alone a lot. Cats often meow to initiate play, petting, or to get you to talk to them. If you want to cut down on attention-seeking meows, stop responding when it happens. Only give them attention when they are quiet. If they start to meow again, look or walk away. But don’t ignore your pet. Spend quality time each day with them, playing, grooming, and talking to them. A tired pet is a quieter pet.Wants food. Some cats meow every time someone walks in the kitchen, hoping to get a bite. And many cats become very vocal when it gets close to their feeding times. If this is your problem, don’t feed your cat when they cry. Wait until they are quiet to put down food, and don’t give them treats when they meow. If this doesn’t work, get an automatic feeder that opens at set times. Now kitty will meow at the feeder and not you.Greeting you. Many cats meow when their people come home, or even when they just meet them in the house. This is a hard habit to break, but look at it as kitty saying they are happy to see you.They are lonely. If you pet spends too many hours a day alone, think about getting a pet sitter to enrich your pet’s life. Put a bird feeder outside a window they can watch. Leave foraging toys out with food inside. Get them a kitty condo and rotate different toys that you leave out for play.A stressed cat. Cats that are experiencing stress often become more vocal. A new pet or baby, a move or changes to the home, an illness or the loss of a loved one can turn your cat into a talker. Try to discover what is stressing your pet and help them adjust to the change. If that’s not possible, give your cat extra attention to help soothe them.Aging cats. Cats, just like people, can suffer from a form of mental confusion, or cognitive dysfunction, as they age. They become disoriented and often cry plaintively for no apparent reason, especially at night. A nightlight sometimes can help if your cat becomes disoriented at night, and veterinarians often can prescribe that help these symptoms.Cats that want to breed. If your cat isn’t spayed or neutered, then you’re going to hear a lot more noise. Females yowl when in heat, and males yowl when they smell a female in heat. Both can be maddening to live with. Getting your pet spayed or neutered will prevent this.
Don’t ignore it without making sure there’s no problem. Although you don’t want to reward meowing, sometimes cats meow for good reason – they can’t reach their litter box, they’re trapped in a room, the water bowl is empty. Check on them when they meow to determine if it’s something you can safely ignore or a problem that must be corrected right away.Don’t punish a cat for meowing. Hitting, shouting, and spraying cats with water rarely work to quiet a meowing cat in the long run, but all those actions will make your cat distrust or even dislike you.Don’t give in. If your cat is used to getting what they want from meowing, they are going to meow more, and louder, when it quits working. In other words, it will probably get worse before it gets better. Just keep rewarding quiet behavior and ignoring meowing, and eventually, they’ll get the idea.
: Cat Excessive Meowing and Yowling: Why Cats Meow
Do female cats get vocal when in heat?
1. She is more vocal than normal – Also known as “calling,” your cat may wail, moan or meow more than usual while she is in heat. Her cries may sound distressed – and may even keep you up at night. Consider this: If you have a naturally noisy cat, look for other signs to help you determine if she is in heat.
How do you calm a female cat in heat?
Home Remedies For Cats In Heat – There are many ways you can help your cat whilst she is in heat, and the top three home remedies are pheromone diffusers, catnip and L-theanine.
Pheromone diffusers: releasing the happy and content pheromones into the air is an excellent way to calm your pet. Catnip: For many cats, catnip has a calming effect which can help cats oin heat relax for short periods. L-theanine: This is an amino acid which is found in tea leaves and has been found to have a relaxing effect on both animals and people.
How long do female cats stay in heat?
How long does estrus last? – Each heat generally lasts several days with the average length being seven days, although it can range from 1 to 21 days. If the queen (an intact female cat) is not mated during estrus, she will go out of heat for a short period of time, usually about seven days, but it can range from 2 to 19 days.
What are female cats in heat like?
While your cat is on heat it’s likely she will become very affectionate, ‘flirty’, start ‘calling’/meowing loudly (it can even sound like she is in pain), rolling around, arching her back and moving her tail to one side.
How do I know if my cat is in her first heat?
August 21, 2019 Cats reach sexual maturity (and can breed) from around four months old – and make no mistake, a female cat coming into heat can be an unnerving experience for any pet owner. If you’re unsure what to expect, call Bayswater Veterinary Clinic on 020 7229 2040 to book an appointment with one of our friendly nurses, to ask about your cat’s cycle and discuss neutering.
- A cat in heat doesn’t just comprise one long period; there can be many short periods repeated every 10-14 days or so. Cats don’t ovulate until they’ve mated, so this period of heat cycles can be lengthy
- Longer days can trigger reproductive activity, leading to many kittens being born in March, April and May
Four signs your cat is in heat:
- Flirtatious, extra-affectionate behaviour
- Rubbing and rolling on the floor
- Extreme vocalising, yowling as if in pain (this can be very alarming!)
- Raised hindquarters, moving the tail from side to side
If you’re considering having your pet neutered, the team at Bayswater Veterinary Clinic is happy to help with any queries or concerns that you may have – so feel free to contact us,
How often do female cats go into heat?
How Long Does a Cat Stay in Heat? – If an indoor cat isn’t spayed, she’ll go into heat every two to three weeks, each cycle lasting about three to five days, says Vahrenwald, the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center in Denver, Colo. The heat cycles will continue until your cat is either spayed, which Vahrenwald recommends, or she gets pregnant,
Is it painful for a cat in heat?
Are cats in pain when they’re in heat? – The cat heat cycle is a normal and healthy part of the life of every cat. Being in heat is not typically painful for cats, although they may feel some discomfort or agitation. When your cat in heat makes a loud, howling sound, you may assume they’re in pain.
What triggers female cats to go into heat?
Typically, female cats will start to go into their estrus cycle or heat cycle by six months of age. Certain environmental factors like temperature and access to potential mates can cause it to happen sooner or later. Certain breeds—like Siamese cats —may go into heat as early as 4 months, while other breeds may not go into heat until around 10 months of age.
How do I stop my female cat from yowling?
Meowing and Yowling The cat’s meow is her way of communicating with people. Cats meow for many reasons—to say hello, to ask for things, and to tell us when something’s wrong. Meowing is an interesting vocalization in that adult cats don’t actually meow at each other, just at people.
Kittens meow to let their mother know they’re cold or hungry, but once they get a bit older, cats no longer meow to other cats. But they continue to meow to people throughout their lives, probably because meowing gets people to do what they want. Cats also yowl—a sound similar to the meow but more drawn out and melodic.
Unlike meowing, adult cats do yowl at one another, specifically during breeding season. When does meowing become excessive? That’s a tough call to make, as it’s really a personal issue. All cats are going to meow to some extent—this is normal communication behavior.
To greet people. Your cat can be expected to meow in greeting when you come home, when she meets up with you in the house and when you speak to her. To solicit attention. Cats enjoy social contact with people, and some will be quite vocal in their requests for attention. The cat may want to be stroked, played with or simply talked to. Cats who are left alone for long periods of time each day may be more likely to meow for attention. To ask for food. Most cats like to eat, and they can be quite demanding around mealtimes. Some cats learn to meow whenever anyone enters the kitchen, just in case food might be forthcoming. Others meow to wake you up to serve them breakfast. Cats also learn to beg for human food by meowing. To ask to be let in or out. Meowing is the cat’s primary way to let you know what she wants. If she wants to go outside, she’ll likely learn to meow at the door. Likewise, if she’s outdoors and wants in, she’ll meow to get you to let her back inside. If you’re trying to transition a cat from being indoor-outdoor to living exclusively indoors, you may be in for a period of incessant meowing at doors and windows. This is a difficult change for a cat to make, and it will very likely take weeks or even months for the meowing to stop. Elderly cats suffering from mental confusion, or cognitive dysfunction, may meow if they become disoriented—a frequent symptom of this feline version of Alzheimer’s Disease. For more information, please read our article on, To find a mate. Reproductively intact cats are more likely to yowl. Females yowl to advertise their receptivity to males, and males yowl to gain access to females.
Take Your Cat to the Veterinarian A cat who meows a lot should be checked thoroughly by a veterinarian to ensure a medical condition is not the cause of the cat’s distress. Numerous diseases can cause cats to feel unusually hungry, thirsty, restless or irritable—any of which is likely to prompt meowing.
Even if your cat has a history of meowing for food, you should still have her checked by your veterinarian. As cats age, they’re prone to developing an overactive thyroid and kidney disease, and either one may result in excessive meowing. Helping Your Cat Be Less Vocal Before you try to curb your cat’s excessive vocalizing, you need to determine the cause.
Look at the circumstances around her meowing and make note of what seems to get her to stop. It may help to keep a log book so you can look for any patterns in when she becomes especially vocal. Once you identify when she’s likely to meow excessively, try these suggestions to help her control her vocalizations:
If your cat meows to say hello, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to do much to change things—you have an especially vocal cat who is telling you how glad she is to see you!If your cat is meowing for attention, teach her that you’ll only pay attention to her when she’s quiet. Resist the urge to shout at her or give her any form of attention, even angry attention. Instead, be patient and wait for a brief moment of silence. Immediately give her the attention she craves. If she starts to meow again, walk away, and only return to her when she’s quiet. If you’re consistent, she will catch on.If you believe your cat cries out of loneliness because you spend too much time out of the house, consider having a pet sitter come partway through the day to visit and play with her.If your cat meows at you for food, stop feeding her when she cries! Feed her at prescribed times so she learns that it’s futile to ask for food at other times. If that doesn’t work, buy an automatic feeder that you can schedule to open at specific times. At least then she’s more likely to meow at the feeder than at you! This is especially useful if your cat wakes you up in the morning to be fed—she’ll switch from bothering you to sitting and watching the feeder, waiting for it to open.If you’ve recently placed your cat on a diet, consult with your veterinarian about high-fiber diet foods or supplements that can help your cat feel satisfied with her reduced intake.If your cat isn’t prone to gaining weight, consider leaving dry food out for her all the time so she never has to feel hungry. If you feed a high-fiber diet food, your cat can feel full without taking in too many calories. Check with your veterinarian before trying this.If your cat is meowing to get you to let her inside/outside, consider installing a cat door so you don’t have to serve as her butler. The ASPCA recommends that cats be kept exclusively indoors to protect them from danger and disease. If you have a cat who’s accustomed to going outside and you want to keep her in, she’s likely to go through a period of meowing at doors and windows. There’s no easy way to get through this, but as long as she never gets outside again, she will eventually adjust to her life indoors and stop meowing so much. Another option is to build an outdoor cat enclosure so she can spend time outside but remain safe.If your female cat isn’t spayed and she periodically meows excessively, she may be in heat at those times. Female cats in heat typically become increasingly affectionate, rub against you more, purr, roll around on the floor—and meow a lot. This lasts four to ten days. An unspayed female cat who isn’t bred by (doesn’t have sex with) a male cat will continue to come into heat every 18 to 24 days throughout the breeding season (roughly February through September in the Northern Hemisphere). Indoor cats may continue to come into heat all year round. The best way to reduce excessive meowing caused by the heat cycle is to have your cat spayed.If your male cat isn’t neutered and he periodically meows excessively, he may be hearing or smelling a female cat in heat. He is likely to pace and meow relentlessly throughout the time the female stays in heat. Unless you can completely prevent him from being able to detect females in heat, the best way to reduce excessive meowing in an intact male cat is to have him neutered.If your cat is elderly and has just started meowing excessively, make sure to have her evaluated by your veterinarian for medical conditions, sensory deficits and cognitive dysfunction. Medication may alleviate her discomfort.
What NOT to Do
Do not ignore your cat when she meows. The one exception is if you know for certain that she’s meowing to get you to do something she wants. In every other instance, it’s safest to assume that something’s wrong—she may not have access to her litter box, or her water bowl may be empty, or she may be locked in a closet. Always make sure that her needs are met before assuming that she’s just being demanding by meowing at you.Do not scold or hit your cat for meowing too much. While these punishments may send her scurrying at first, they are unlikely to have a lasting effect on her meowing behavior. They may, however, cause her to become fearful of you.
: Meowing and Yowling
Why do female cats meow so much when in heat?
Download Article Download Article An unspayed female cat comes into heat every three to four weeks, and she’s not usually quiet about it! This period, when she’s most receptive to getting pregnant, can last for up to seven days. This means you might have a highly hormonal cat on your hands for one week out of every three.
- 1 Calm her loud meowing. When a cat’s in heat, she advertises the fact to increase her chances of finding a boyfriend and having kittens. One way she does this is by vocalizing incredibly loudly and constantly. To an inexperienced owner, it may seem like she’s in pain, but this is perfectly normal behavior. You can either choose to deal with the extra noise, or try to calm her down.
- Try plugging in a Feliway diffuser before your cat comes into heat. This synthetic feline pheromone surrounds her with safe, familiar scents. Pheromones are chemical messengers — a similar idea to the pheromones a female gives off to advertise she is in heat. But the ones in Feliway might have a calming, soothing effect on her.
- It doesn’t work immediately, but the pheromones build up the cat’s sense of well-being over a couple of weeks. As such, it’s best to plug the diffuser in early and leave it running constantly in the background, so she gets the benefit by the time she comes into heat.
- 2 Deal with scent marking. Not all female cats do this, but some mark their territory with urine. Urine has potent scent markers that she uses to attract mates. Again, there’s nothing you can do to stop this behavior without getting her spayed, so you just have to make do. A few things you can do to make life a little easier include:
- Making sure she has a clean litter box at all times. Hopefully her house training will lead her to use the box instead of marking in the house.
- Deodorize immediately if she does mark. This will discourage her from returning to that spot to mark it again.
- Use an “enzymatic” cleaner to completely remove the urine odor. The enzymes in these products break cat urine down better than any other cleaner. Allow the product to air dry for best results.
- A home-made alternative is to dilute some biological washing powder in water. Use this to clean the area, then rinse it with water. Clean again with a solution of bicarbonate of soda. Finish by rinsing one last time.
- Always test cleaning products on a small, hidden patch of fabric before treating a marked patch for odor.
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- 3 Be prepared for clingy behavior. Your cat goes on a massive hormonal roller coaster,which changes her behavior when she’s in heat. One difference is that her body language and social behavior might change quite a bit.
- She might seek out company far more than usual.
- She may demand that you rub her lower back. When you do, she might flirtatiously hold her tail to one side to better expose her genital area.
- She may ‘commando crawl’ across the floor by flattening her front half against the floor, then crawling with her rear end pushed up in the air.
- She is also likely to squirm and roll around enthusiastically. When combined with the loud crying, it might look like she’s in pain. Don’t worry — she’s just flirting.
- There’s nothing to be done about this behavior. It’s perfectly normal, and as long as no males are able to reach her, she’ll be fine.
- 4 Give her extra attention. Tire her out with regular play sessions. This may lessen her energy and help her to settle down and sleep instead of writhing around and yowling. Some female cats enjoy an extra fuss or even a massage when they are in heat. But don’t be surprised if she starts acting flirty with you and presents her backside!
- 5 Don’t change her feeding routine. Many female cats don’t eat properly when they are in heat. This can cause them to lose weight and body condition, which worries their loving owners. But don’t try to make up for her lack of appetite with higher calorie cat food. This will only supply her with even more energy to cry and call.
- Instead, leave large amounts of her regular cat food available for free-feeding. She can snack whenever she feels like it.
- 6 Decrease the stress on your other cats. If you own more than one cat, think of how stressful it is for the others to have a calling female in their midst for one week out of every three. This can be unsettling for them. The Feliway diffuser you use to calm the behavior of the cat in heat will also make your other cats feel better.
- Again, Feliway takes a couple of weeks to build up in your cats’ systems, so plug in the diffuser before your female goes into heat.
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- 1 Keep her indoors. If your cat is normally allowed to wander outdoors, you have to put a stop to it as soon as you realize she’s in heat. While she’s indoors, you can control whether or not male cats have access to her. While she’s outdoors, every male in the neighborhood is going to be drawn by her yowling and scent marking. She is very likely to get pregnant.
- 2 Isolate her from your male cats. If you own an un-neutered male cat, he will likely be drawn to her like a magnet when she’s in heat. You must keep all males away from her until her heat has passed.
- Keep either the male(s) or female isolated in a separate room.
- Spruce the room up so the isolated cat doesn’t grow anxious. Put a litter box in there, along with a comfortable bed, food, and plenty of toys to keep them occupied.
- 3 Lock your doors and windows. Even if you keep her inside, the neighborhood males will still be able to hear her yowling and smell her scent marking. You may notice a suspicious increase in tomcats lurking around your home.
- Leaving doors or windows open, even with mosquito mesh acting as a barrier, can be dangerous. A determined male will claw through the mesh to reach your female, and she can get pregnant without even leaving the house.
- Block off any cat flaps in your doors.
- 4 Consider spaying her. Rescue centers are over-flowing with unwanted kittens and cats. It’s morally questionable to let your cat get pregnant for no good reason. Spaying female cats can be done at any stage in their hormonal cycle. If cost is an issue, many cat rescue or welfare societies offer vouchers towards the cost of surgery. Your local veterinary clinic will be able to point you in the right direction to make inquiries.
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- Question Can a cat be spayed when she is in heat? Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Veterinarian Expert Answer Yes. Unlike dogs, it’s fine to spay a female cat when in heat. The surgery is considered safe, despite the slightly greater blood supply to the womb, and when the ovaries are removed, she will come out of heat.
- Question How long does a cat stay in heat? Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Veterinarian Expert Answer A female cat stays in heat for around 3 – 5 days. If she doesn’t mate and fall pregnant, she is likely to come back into heat once every three weeks.
- Question How long does a female cat stay in heat for the first time? Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Veterinarian Expert Answer If she’s not mated, the heat lasts between 1-7 days, with an average being around 2-3 days. Be prepared for this to repeat again in 2-3 weeks time, and possibly all year round if she lives indoors.
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- Remember that your cat will meow loudly at night and be more affectionate.
- Remember that your indoor cat may make an effort to escape and go outside to mate. Take care to keep her safe indoors. This will help prevent her from getting pregnant, injured or lost.
- If you want to breed your cat, you may need a license and special equipment.
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Take her to the veterinarian if she bleeds. Although you may be tempted to compare her heat to human menstruation, they’re very different processes. Cats should not bleed when they are in heat.
Advertisement Article Summary X To deal with a female cat in heat, start by keeping her indoors and away from any male cats to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Then, be prepared for clingy behavior, which is normal and reflects your cat’s need for more attention.
Is a cat in heat the same as a period?
In a sense, yes, cats do have menstrual periods. In felines it’s called ‘oestrus’, but many people just refer to it as being ‘in heat’. Only unspayed female cats go through these cycles but rather than shedding the old womb lining like humans do, they reabsorb it, so bleeding is a very rare side effect.
Why is my female cat yowling non stop?
Listen to Your Cat’s Meows – With these various reasons for excessive cat meowing in mind, you can better listen to and understand what your cat is trying to communicate with you. Commonly, cat’s excessive meowing is either a call for attention or to let you know that they are anxious, scared, or lonely.
- However, other times it can mean that they are in pain or have a health issue on the rise and may need to see a vet to ensure they have good cat health,
- One way you can stay on top of your cat’s health and not worry about decoding each meow is through PrettyLitter,
- PrettyLitter monitors your cat’s health and can detect both minor and significant changes in their health based on urine.
This lightweight litter changes color based on alterations in pH levels and chemicals within your cat’s urine and, in doing so, can help you become aware of a health issue s before it g et s serious. However you choose to address your cat’s meow, be sure to give them the love and attention they need without overdoing it. Sources:
Why is my female cat being so clingy and vocal?
Separation anxiety can cause clinginess – Separation anxiety in cats often leads to clingy behavior.1 You may notice other signs of destructive behavior while you’re gone, like excessive meowing, destroying things in the home, excessive grooming or peeing or pooping outside the litter box.
Enrich her environment by hiding treats for your cat to hunt while you’re gone or leaving her in puzzle feeders.Set out interactive toys.Make the window entertaining. Set up a bird feeder outside a window or put a comfy window perch at a prime viewing spot.Change up your cues when leaving (such as gathering your keys earlier). Make a quiet departure so it’s not a big deal.Leave a radio on for background noise or leave on a TV channel designed for cats.Try a calming diffuser made especially for cats.Train your kitty with short departures that gradually get longer.Talk to a professional. Your veterinarian may recommend anxiety medication.4 A pet therapist could even help.Give your kitty plenty of playtime when you’re home, which can help build confidence.
Why is my cat being so clingy and vocal all of a sudden?
Stressful environment – New family members are stressful enough for cats, but lots of other things could stress your cat out, too. Clinginess could be a sign that your cat trusts you but not others. Pay close attention to your cat’s behavior when certain people or pets walk into the room.
If they scurry in the presence of a regular visitor, you know there’s a problem. Any number of other factors could contribute to, For example, cats don’t like thunder or fireworks any more than dogs do. The sheer number of guests that come over for the holidays might increase your cat’s anxiety and force them to stay by your side for protection.
Try to see things from your cat’s perspective and determine what’s causing them trouble. Sudden clinginess from independent cats might be a welcomed change of pace for you as the owner. However, keep your furry friend’s feelings in mind and realize that an underlying issue is likely to blame for the change.
Why are female cats so vocal in heat?
Signs a Cat Is In Heat –
- Vocalizing
- Urine spraying
- Attention-seeking behavior
- Demanding or pushy behavior
- Rolling on the floor
- Raising hind end into the air
- Wiggling hind end when the back spine is stroked
- Begging to go outside
- Rubbing its face on things
The first thing most people notice about a cat in heat is how much it vocalizes. Crying, meowing, and yowling are all often loudly heard from a cat in heat. These vocalizations are to get attention and let other cats know that they are in heat. In addition to the noises, a cat in heat will also seek out attention and affection from its owner and other people.
They love to be pet and stroked, especially down their backs and hindquarters. When pet, a cat in heat will often wiggle its hind end, its legs may tap dance, and its tail will be held high into the air. It may also rub its face on its owner and furniture excessively to spread its scent. Other signs that a cat is in heat include it rolling on the floor, begging to go outside (even if it is an indoor-only cat ) by scratching at the door and even spraying urine.
A cat will back up to a wall or other vertical object, wiggle its hind end, and spray urine to let other cats know it is in heat. A rush in hormones during the heat cycle causes a cat to have all these exaggerated behaviors and they stop once a cat is no longer in heat.