Greetings! As you probably noticed, we didn't write a column last week. That's because we allowed Mama to go on vacation. She's been so good to us that we figured she deserved some time off. Besides, she was visiting some of our cat and dog friends (and their humans), and we got a chance to show off how well we have her trained.

We're sad to report that there's still no sign of Sinéad. She's been missing for a month now, and although Mama's still sort of hopeful that she may come back when it gets cold, we're all starting to adjust to life without her. Our whiskers still quiver a little when we think about our sister, though. We really, really want her to come back! And so does Mama.

We have been thinking about adopting a kitty friend, and Mama found a really sweet boy named Mikey at the Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League in Rockport, Maine. He's a 12-week-old black and white kitten who's very kind and loving; he's a special needs kitty, because he only has one eye. Mikey's out on foster care now while he gets his health back, but we've both told Mama that if Mikey's foster home doesn't become a forever home, we'd welcome him here. And speaking of the Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League, they've got so many kittens that they're having a half-price adoption special on kittens through the month of September.

And speaking of kittens, let's get on to this week's letter ...

Dear Siouxsie and Thomas:

How long do you have to wait after a mother has had kittens to have her spayed? Also, how often do cats go in heat?

Thank you,
Karen

Siouxsie: Most vets will tell you to wait until the kittens are fully weaned before you have a mother cat spayed. This will generally be around 12 weeks (3 months) after the kittens are born.

Thomas: Generally a cat that is spayed will stop producing milk. We think this is due to a combination of the lack of hormones (spaying is the removal of the uterus and ovaries, and the ovaries are crucial to hormone production related to mating, pregnancy and motherhood) and the stress of surgery.

Siouxsie: Not only that, but just imagine how much it would hurt to have kittens pulling on your teats and climbing all over you when you've got an incision on your tummy!

Thomas: It's advisable not to let kittens to go new homes until they're at least eight weeks old; that way they're almost fully weaned and they've gained the benefit of learning all their "cat skills" from their mother during their critical socialization period of 2 to 7 weeks of age.

Siouxsie: Speaking of weaning, we do want to let you know that you might start seeing little tiny kitten teeth here and there. We cats do lose our "baby teeth" starting around 6-8 weeks of age, and our adult teeth begin to grow in. So don't freak out if you see little teeth. Just save them for the kitty tooth fairy. Tee hee hee!

Thomas: Now, on to the subject of heat, or estrus as it's known to veterinarians. In temperate zones, such as most of the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, feral cats are sexually active for about nine months of the year. During the three darkest months (October to December in the northern hemisphere and April to June in the southern hemisphere), cats tend not to go into heat.

Siouxsie: The sexual activity cycle is related to the amount of light in the day, so in domestic cats, who are exposed to artificial light, cats can be sexually active all year round.

Thomas: The estrus cycle lasts two to three weeks, and the female cat is sexually active for one week of that time. That one week is the time when the female is said to be "in heat."

Siouxsie: A cat will begin to roll around and call a day or two before she goes into full heat and is at her most receptive.

Thomas: On days three to four, you'll see your cat start to press her body to the ground and raise her tail; at that point she's fully ready for mating.

Siouxsie: On days five to six, if the cat has successfully mated she will ovulate.

Thomas: And then, on day seven, estrus will end.

Siouxsie: However, if a female cat doesn't get mated, the estrus cycles get shorter and shorter until the cat seems to be almost constantly in heat. This is very stressful for the cat, because the powerful need to mate becomes agonizing and she can't get her mind off her desire. She'll try to escape, she'll call and yowl, she'll rub suggestively against any surface, and she may even start urine-marking in hopes of attracting an eligible tomcat.

Thomas: Mama says she knows humans who seem to be in heat all the time, too.

Siouxsie: Of course, the constant heat-related behavior is stressful for humans, too. Some cats, particularly those with Siamese or Oriental heritage, are much more vocal and demonstrative in their mate-seeking behavior. If you've lived with a Siamese cat in heat, you'll know that unless you're a breeder of Siamese cats, you never want to experience that again!

Thomas: We've written some other columns about the birds and the bees, kitty style, and you can find a list of them here.

Siouxsie: And here are some columns about spaying and neutering, where you can learn more about the procedure and what it involves.

Thomas: Thank you for being a responsible cat caretaker and wanting to get your cat spayed. Good luck, Karen!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail us at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the material in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.