Cats do not have periods like humans. Instead, female cats go through a reproductive phase called the estrus cycle or being "in heat." During this phase, cats do not shed their uterine lining with bleeding; rather, they reabsorb it, so noticeable bleeding typical of human menstruation does not occur. Cats are induced ovulators, meaning ovulation happens only after mating, unlike the spontaneous ovulation in humans. Their estrus cycle usually lasts 7 to 10 days and occurs seasonally, mainly in late winter to early spring, and then repeatedly during the breeding season if they do not become pregnant.