cats/heat

Question
How can you tell if your cat is in heat, and how long does that last?

Answer
Proestrus:  The cat becomes affectionate, restless, her appetite increases and her body undergoes changes in preparation for ovulation and pregnancy.  The vulva begains to swell.

Estrus:  The cat becomes almost unbearably affectionate. She moves her hind feet as if "paddling" and she cocks her tail to one side.  Her appetite diminishes and she cries a lot.  If she does not mate during this cycle, she goes into a maneuver in which she looks like she is swimming on her back.

Mediestrus:  This is a period of quiescence until the next heat cycle.