Research overview: estrous cycle length variation across felids

The interval between successive estrous periods varies considerably among cat species and depends on whether ovulation has occurred. This overview surveys data on follicular phase duration, interestrous intervals, and how reflex ovulation lengthens the cycle by introducing a luteal phase or pseudopregnancy. It compares the relatively short, repeating cycles of domestic cats with patterns documented in larger and wild felids through noninvasive hormone monitoring. The review highlights how housing, season, and social context modulate cycle length and how undetected ovulation can produce apparent irregularity. Quantifying these patterns is essential for predicting estrus, scheduling matings and inseminations, and diagnosing reproductive abnormalities in managed populations of nondomestic cats.