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If you’ve ever been within earshot of cats when they’re mating, you’re probably wondering why it sounds more like a fierce feline fight\u2014complete with screaming and clawing\u2014rather than convivial kitty canoodling. But while this caterwauling can be unnerving, it’s not a cause for alarm (although the female cat certainly has reason to yowl!).\n<\/p>\n
We spoke with a certified cat behavior consultant and a veterinarian to get the lowdown on these literal scream queens.\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n For some cats, the shrill cries can begin before mating even occurs. To explain what’s going on will require a quick discussion of the birds and the bees and the kitties.\n<\/p>\n According to the Merck Veterinary Manual<\/a>, unspayed female cats (also called queens) can enter their first heat, during which they’re receptive to males for mating, as early as 4 months of age. Queens can be in heat multiple times per breeding season, which typically lasts from February to October for indoor cats, give or take a few weeks (which, as you’ll notice, is almost the entire year!).\n<\/p>\n When in heat, Merck says that queens will demonstrate characteristic mating behaviors like rolling, rubbing against objects, kneading her back feet, and\u2014you guessed it\u2014yowling with gusto. You can think of these as feline marketing tactics designed to attract a male partner.\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In addition to experiencing heat cycles, Pam Johnson-Bennett, CCBC, author and owner of Cat Behavior Associates<\/a>, explains that cats are induced ovulators, meaning the ovaries aren’t stimulated to release eggs without the act of breeding. And unfortunately for the queen, this ovulation stimulation is caused by the male cat’s penis, which Johnson-Bennett says has spiny barbs that painfully scrape the female cat’s vagina during copulation\u2014hence the screaming. In addition to yowling, the queen will likely put up a fight and try to scratch at and run away from the male cat, who will be holding her firmly by the neck with his teeth.\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cat mating tends to be a straightforward and efficient (if not exactly quiet) process, but problems can arise.\n<\/p>\n “As always, any abnormal discharge or lethargy would warrant a vet visit,” says Laura Moon, DVM, of Green Hills Veterinary Clinic<\/a> in Moberly, Mo. “There’s also the rare case where a female cat may have been aggressively bred and they may strain from discomfort, causing their rectum or vulva to prolapse, or protrude out.” This, says Moon, is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention.\n<\/p>\n What isn’t a cause for concern: your cat wanting some space. Merck<\/a> notes that it’s normal for the queen to require some “alone time” away from the male cat after breeding, during which she will roll around and groom herself.\n<\/p>\n Why Do Female Cats Scream When They’re in Heat? <\/span> <\/h2>\n
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Why Do Female Cats Scream When They’re Mating? <\/span> <\/h2>\n
Signs Your Female Cat Needs to Visit the Vet After Mating <\/span> <\/h2>\n