Conference misery::feline

    Have her altered.  More peace for you, for her, and she'll be
    less prone to health problems.
    

    I had the same problem with my female untill we had her nuetered.
    It was really a wierd situation.  Because both cats were adopted at the
    same time, but from different litters, My wife and I see them as
    brother and sister.
    Now it's  a bit sick to turn on the light in your room and find bother
    on top of little sister!!!!

Yes, i plan on having here altered when she comes out of heat. My question is 
how long does heat last? I understand the spaying is more difficult and costly 
while the female is in heat. My patience is weakening....

/james

    You need to talk to your vet.  A female may cycle repeatedly
    into heat with just a short delay between cycles esp. if there is
    an unaltered male in the vicinity (even one outside.)  The vet will
    want to make arrangements for you to bring her in promptly when she
    goes out of heat.  Spayng during heat can be done, but it is more
    difficult and more expensive because the internal organs are swollen
    or something.
    

    From "The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook"
    
    (this is paraphrased)
    
    The four phases of the heat cycle are:
    
    Proestrus.  This is the first stage of heat.  It lasts from one to
    three days.  
    
    Estrus.  The second phase of the reproductive cycle is the period of 
    sexual receptivity.  It lasts from four to six days if the queen is
    mated, and ten to 14 days if she is not.
    
    Metestrus.  The third phase of the reproductive cycle is the least
    distinct.  Some people include it in the estrus phase because it is of
    short duration (24 hours).
    
    Anestrus.  The fourth stage of the sexual cycle is a period of 
    reproductive rest.  It lasts until the beginning of the next breeding
    season (about 90 days).
    
    There is a way to bring a cat out of heat but I won't go into it here.
    I think it's best left up to the vet (although I'll admit to using it
    on Amelia when I lived in a "no pets" apartment and she went into heat
    which triggered visits of 4 little male cats to my front door to see
    if she could come out to play)
    
    I believe the problem with spaying during a heat cycle is that the 
    organs are swollen and there's more potential problems with excessive
    bleeding.  But, I couldn't find anything on this in the book to confirm
    it.
    
    Jan
    
    P.S.  Can you tell I'm at home with my reference books close at hand?
    

Interesting.

I could have sworn she went out of heat in about 9 or ten days. Then there was 
a period of her being mean-swatting at my dog and play biting. Then it's back 
into heat with her incessive crying and constant rubbing. I now understand how 
so many cats end up outside and pregnant. It is very difficult living with a 
cat in heat and my patience wearing thin. /james

    My experiences go from one week to three weeks in heat with three
    different females. Generally the heat goes away after a time, If it
    seems to go downwards, consult your vet to check out if cat is still in
    heat. If yes, the operation can be dangerous to the cat. The vet has
    the possibilities to plan the best time for neutering then.
    
    Do not loose patience, please... the poor cat is in need of your
    friendship.
    
    Best wishes.
    
    Nat

    
    We had intended getting Elsa spayed before she went into heat for the
    first time but we left it too long and had to endure just over two
    weeks of what you are going through at the moment.
    
    The funny part was that she kept throwing herself at Floyd our neutered
    Tom.  She would roll in front of him making little noises and big eyes
    at him.  He wasn't the least bit interested and kept walking away in
    disgust.
    
    I'm sure you can't have too long left and I'm sure you will do what we
    did and get her seen to straight away so that there is no chance of a
    re-occurance.
    
    Kirsty
       

    Long and short answer.  Some female cats never go out of heat until
    bred or spayed.  My vet charges a bit more for a cat in heat, but
    having had two that would not go out of heat, I understand what you are
    going through.  At that it is far cheaper and kinder to everyone than
    spaying a pregnant cat and I had one that went right back into heat two
    weeks after having kittens.  (mom used to raise siamese cats many years
    ago)  
    
    Some cats will go into heat and come out of it in a couple of weeks, and
    not go back in for a while.  I haven't been that lucky.  I try to get
    mine in as soon as they are big enough that the vet will operate.  
    
    meg