cat - almost a year old

[PEATBOG]

my cat (who thinks it is a 'baby' - has suddenly started crying and almost howling all the time. She crouches down and has no problem being held or with her eating.

Any ideas..

thank you

[woofgang]

Has she been spayed? It sounds to me like she might be in season if other wise healthy

[smudge]

I would have suggested the same as woofgang.

[smudge]

Yes - our little 'Smudge' used to do this before we had her spayed. (She's up in Heaven now though).

[PEATBOG]

Thank you all so very much.. I thought we were doing something wrong.. No she has not been spayed but we shall take steps to get it done as soon as possible.

Our baby is also called Smudge!

women!

(what an excellant site - will keep using.. thank you)

[smudge]

That's ok PEATBOG.

Our 'Smudge' was a Russian Blue & was adorable. She lived until she was 13 years old. We keep a photo of her on a chest of drawers - so she's never far from our minds.

What colour is your cat?

[PEATBOG]

Our Smudge 'Baby' was a feral cat she was found in a well - she is white with a smudge of tortiseshell colouring. She is devoted to our daughter - follows her like the pied piper! It took a long time to get her confidence... now she just drives us nuts! We have recently moved house and she has not yet been in the garden and we have a pond full of frogs! So that will be fun!

[PEATBOG]

How long do they stay in 'season'?

[Clare A]

It's a bit indeterminate, PEATBOG. Usually until they accept a mate, which they make great play of resisting at first! Oestrus (season) can end after a week or two, but will quickly resume if there's been no mating, and will repeat until there has. That's why they're such prolific breeders - as bad/good as rabbits, depending on how you look at it! Other tell-tale signs of being ready to mate are rolling from side to side while 'chirruping', and alternately repulsing and seeking the company of male cats, even being soppily affectionate to human companions. A female can bear the offspring of more than one male in the same litter. Gestation is nine weeks. They can become pregnant as young as five months.