I've never owned cats before and I have 2 now. One male - Max - 8 months (neutered) and one female - Meisie - 9 months. I've been told she'll be screaming when she goes into season but this hasn't happened yet so not really sure what age she's supposed to go into season/heat?

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Owned by:
Dogs - Charka (Collie x Lab), Kira (Collie x German Shepherd), Kaizer (Collie x German Shepherd), Indiana (Border Collie)
Cats - Max & Meisie
Rabbits - Koda & Cain (Dwarf Lops)
Horse - Jake (Welsh Section D)



* * Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened - Anatole France * *

www.meganameliaphotography.co.uk

Not all cats do the calling so it's hard to say, a cat can come into season at 4+months, susally around 6 months they start but it can vary.

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Made by smudge2009
Gloworm - Run free little man. 23.05.2011-06.09.2011

What happens when she goes into season/ on heat??

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Owned by:
Dogs - Charka (Collie x Lab), Kira (Collie x German Shepherd), Kaizer (Collie x German Shepherd), Indiana (Border Collie)
Cats - Max & Meisie
Rabbits - Koda & Cain (Dwarf Lops)
Horse - Jake (Welsh Section D)



* * Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened - Anatole France * *

www.meganameliaphotography.co.uk

They have been known to go extremely affectionate, rubbing and rolling around on the floor, sticking their behind in the air etc.. there is alot of symptom links on Google if you want a better read x

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Made by smudge2009
Gloworm - Run free little man. 23.05.2011-06.09.2011

Female cats can start to call from the age of around four months. The general signs of calling are a wailing cry, eagerness to go out ( do not let a cat that is calling outside!) affectionate behaviour, rolling around on the floor and going into a semi-crouching position with their bum in the air, especially if you scratch them at the base of the tail. Not all females will wail but usually display the other signs.
A cat does not need to call before being spayed and at the age of nine months I would recommend that your girl is done now before she starts.

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Are you going to breed from her? If not, she should be spayed, as it is not nice to be calling.

Is she pedigree? If so, different breeds mature at different ages, so it depends on that too. Also I know some cats have silent callings too, just to add to the confusion.

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Thanks for your help.

We're not thinking of breeding from her and she's an indoor cat as we live near a main road. She's not pedigree. My problem is she's a really small cat for 9 months and also really nervous of other people so I don't know which would stress her out more?

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Owned by:
Dogs - Charka (Collie x Lab), Kira (Collie x German Shepherd), Kaizer (Collie x German Shepherd), Indiana (Border Collie)
Cats - Max & Meisie
Rabbits - Koda & Cain (Dwarf Lops)
Horse - Jake (Welsh Section D)



* * Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened - Anatole France * *

www.meganameliaphotography.co.uk

If you don't want to breed from her then get her spayed as soon as possible. Indoor cats have a habit of getting 'outdoors', especially when in heat. The vet will weigh her to ensure she is of the correct weight for neutering, which at nine months, if she wasn't, would mean she was seriously underweight.

If she is a small cat and got out, the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy will be far worse in regards to her small frame than the effect of spaying would.

You obviously care for her a great deal and want to do the best by her. Spaying would help her enormously, even if it is only used a precaution for the future.

As to her shyness, she is still young so give her time and space and she will learn to trust you all and be more confident. I have also read cases where in a multi cat household, although from the same litter, one cat is more dominant, although not obvious to the humans, and this leads the other slightly shyer cat to regress further. Maybe you could have some one to one time with her to allow her to come out of her shell a bit more? Maybe without realising, Max is making her more shy?

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definatly get her spayed, mine were origonally indoor cats but after they all had the op we decided that we'd let them out. I wouldnt say its a pleasent experience for the cat in heat

Please get her spayed. My kitten isn't very big and was spayed at 5 and half months with no problems. As Lumboo says, if you don't she will end up getting out.