24/07/2026
🐈 An unneutered female cat is known as a queen, originally from Old English, and having kittens is known as ‘queening’. When a queen is in season (or ‘in heat’), you won’t normally see any blood spotting. If she does not become pregnant when in season, the uterine lining is largely reabsorbed back into the body.
A fascinating feature of the female cat’s reproductive system is that they can have repeated cycles throughout the breeding season, only releasing an egg if mating occurs. This increases the chances of pregnancy while avoiding unnecessary use of energy.
It is understood that the timing of the reproductive activity is triggered by an increase in day length. ☀️ Why? In the wild, better weather brings new life, meaning more food is available for the mother and her kittens.
🐾 Rubbing against surfaces, rolling on the floor, marking, and making a loud rising and falling noise indicate your unneutered female cat has reached sexual maturity and is seeking a mate.
Cats are naturally very efficient breeders. Did you know female, and male cats can reach sexual maturity from as early as four months old? 🐱 That’s why we recommend neutering at this age to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Learn more about neutering your cat 👉 https://icatcare.org/articles/neutering-your-cat
Understand more about cat pregnancy 👉 https://icatcare.org/articles/cat-pregnancy
