DOGS
• A female dog that has not been neutered will go into heat on a regular basis.
• During her heat, her body prepares itself to mate, and then to produce a litter.
Female dogs in heat may:
• Experience mood changes, including becoming more aggressive and/or more touchy
• React more easily and loudly to other dogs, including chasing them
• Attack humans who are with other dogs
• Exhibit a frantic determination to find male dogs to mate with
• Attempt to run away from home in order to find mates
• While male dogs don’t go into heat, they certainly react to female dogs who are in heat.
• Their reactions to female dogs in heat can be dangerous and destructive.
In response to female dogs in heat, male dogs may:
• Exhibit aggressive behavior towards other male dogs
• Attempt to run away from home in order to find the female dog/s in heat
• Mount and/or hump humans who are with other dogs
• Mark their surroundings with urine in order to secure territory
CATS
• As with female dogs, female cats will go into heat at periodic intervals.
• The critical difference is that cats are capable of going into heat at a very early age.
Female cats in heat can exhibit the following potentially harmful behaviors:
• Yowl loudly and continuously
• Attempt to escape the confines of their home in order to find mates
• Urinate all over the home
• Like male dogs, male cats respond to the various signals given off by female cats in heat.
• This can cause changes in their behavior that might be harmful to their homes, their humans, and/or their environments.
Male cats affected by female cats in heat can do the following:
• Run away from home in order to find female cat/s to mate with
• Scent-mark various parts of their home and other locations
• Get into fights with other male cats
This story appeared in Animal Scene’s February 2017 issue.
