I think she's in heat

eagleeye

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My kitty Lusa is about 6 1/2 months old. Our vet wanted to wait until the end of November to spay her because of her repeated URI problems (she was a stray). Well, she had a URI flare over Thanksgiving (runny green discharge from her nose) and was on antibiotics for a few weeks.

Lusa is trilling a lot, being much more affectionate than usual, and is putting her rump in the air. I'm almost sure she's in heat. Does it seem too early for her?

Her behavior started to change yesterday. I called the vet's office today but they're closed for Christmas. I was hoping she wouldn't have to go through a heat cycle at all and the vet seemed to think we'd be OK to wait for the spay until January.

Lusa's strictly an indoor cat. Please everyone put out good vibes for us that she doesn't try to get out the front door. She's never tried so far.
 

epona

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She's not too young to go into heat, some cats can be as young as 4 to 5 months! Make sure you keep her in until her spay appointment.
 
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eagleeye

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Oh my goodness that's young! That's what I was afraid of.

My husband and I will be extra careful about opening the front door. I'm so nervous.
 

beckiboo

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Please know that she WILL try to get out the door! To be safe, you can shut her in a room, so there will be two doors between her and the outdoors. She will cry, but it is for her safety...if she gets out, she will not only get preggers, but may not be able to find her way home. I always shut foster kitties in a bedroom until they are spayed...it is not worth taking a chance.

Go do some reading on the pregnant kitty board, and you will find lots of posts from people who's kitty got out accidentally....

Good for you trying your best to get her spayed early, and keeping her inside!
 

charmaniac

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Just to let you know, if she does get out, you can be 100% sure that she will get pregnant.
 
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eagleeye

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Would anyone know how long Lusa will be in season (I'm sorry to ask such newbie questions)? She seems more like herself today.

I called the vet's office and they told me that we'll have to wait for month before she can be spayed. That'll take us to the end of January. Please send Lusa good vibes that her health will be stable enough until then.
 

gayef

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If this is her first estrus, then it may be of a very short, mild duration; a few days at most. The darker, cooler, winter months are not typically when cats go into estrus, however, in an indoor-only environment, the light and temperature are more in keeping with their needs. She may stop cycling for a few months or she may continue to cycle in and out every few weeks. As she continues to cycle, each estrus will become stronger and longer in duration as the urge to procreate becomes an almost frantic need.

If you can keep the end of January appointment, that would be really good. I might suggest speaking to your vet about giving her antibiotics pre-operatively as a prophylactic to ensure her continued good health on the day of the spay procedure.
 

jennyr

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Why does the vet want to wait a month? A similar thing happened to my Persil, she had an emergency operation which meant she couldn't be spayed at the right time, and then went into heat. It only lasted three days, and the vet was OK with her going in the next week.
 

proudkittiemom

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hmm..nope ur kittie isnt too young to go into heat..I thought my Stormie was and she was going on 4 months into 5 months and yet we called at the begining of December for a spay appointment and the earliest they had was the 3rd of January so I already went through a heat cycle and as I type I am in one ugh....its tiring, and its also bout the only time she goes downstairs
although when she is in heat I am able to brush her
and yes the first heat did only last a few days I am hoping that she isnt still in heat when ever its time to go get fixed!!! Now I am afraid to leave her alone tomarrow night because its new years eve and everything and I usually go out and my mom said she can watch the kitties but when shes sleeping is usually when i am up
and same with the kitties, so idk!!!! I feel so bad that she went into heat so early, and like u I though we had time and when we first got her she also had a bad URI and it was ongoing it would go away and come back, but now we are doing much better
and so now lets hope it stays that way
!! And please just watch the door she will try to get out!!! If it wasnt for me making a post like you I wouldn have known as much as I did and boy do I think I dislike the heat more than her
So make sure you keep a good eye on her I am keeping my fingers crossed for you
that every things goes well !!!
 
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eagleeye

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Originally Posted by jennyranson

Why does the vet want to wait a month? A similar thing happened to my Persil, she had an emergency operation which meant she couldn't be spayed at the right time, and then went into heat. It only lasted three days, and the vet was OK with her going in the next week.
I talked to another vet tech when I scheduled her appointment and found out that the rule for waiting a month was for dogs, not cats...So, Lusa is scheduled for the 18th for her spay. The vet's going to give us the prophylatic antibiotics to give her 5 days pre-op.

Thanks for the advice, everyone
 
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