Oh my!!!
We've only once had a female, guess I was lucky to have had her fixed before being in heat was an issue. I grew up on a farm, though, and agree that a cat in heat makes some awful noises!
Now we only have Six (Fr. for six - he has six toes on all his feet, dd was taking French when we got him). AKA sixie, pink-nose, buddy, baby... You get the idea. He's my pal, he does not know he is a cat.