They say that cats are very fiery animals. It is perhaps for this reason that when cats are on heat, everything becomes a little more complicated. And you must be prepared to live through this period, during which your cat will be simultaneously more affectionate and more intolerable. She will miaow constantly with a sound that you may well find rude.
The period during which female cats are on heat tends to happen more intensely in spring, a time at which there are more hours of daylight and warmth, although if you live in a house with central heating and artificial light, the cat may show signs of being on heat in winter as well. As this can happen several times, at 2-3 week intervals, neutering will be the best way to avoid it.
The mating season is the point in the female cat’s sexual cycle at which she can accept the male who, although always prepared to mate, will present more intense sexual behaviour for a few months. Female cats have their first period on heat when they reach puberty, which generally happens from the age of 6-10 months. From this point on, the female is fertile.
There are several factors that determine the beginning of puberty in cats:
WEIGHT
The weight of the female (she should attain a minimum weight before getting on heat).
BREED
Short-haired females, such as Siamese, manage to reach puberty before those breeds with longer hair (Persians, for example).
EXTERNAL FACTORS
External factors, like the presence of a male in her surroundings or the hours of daylight.