My kittens first heat!!

I have a 7 month old kitten, who we have not had neutered yet, that has gone into heat for the first time. I have always heard that if you allow a cat to go into heat then get them fixed they could have really bad behavioral problems if we get her fixed with out letting her have her first litter. My husband and I want to know if this is true because she is the most loving cat we have ever come across and don't want to mess that up. Please let me know if this will be a problem.

Thanks,
CK

I'd say it's not true. Go ahead and get her fixed. My cat Ariel was fixed after she had her first heat and has no problems. She's never had a litter either.

Please get her spayed now. There is no reason to let her have any kittens. It will change her personality for the BETTER. And its healthier to have the spayed now.

I am getting Zelda fixed next week. So I wanted to make sure before I took her in. Thank you very much for getting back to me so quickly.

I am glad you are going to get her spayed, but some vets wont spay if she is still in heat - it is actually better for their health to be spayed before their first heat, they are 200 times less likely to develop mammary cancer later in life, and it is an old wives tale that they need to have a litter first - they dont think like we do, and it can end up being worse for them when the babies are taken away.

For reasons beyond my control, two of mine went into heat before I could get them spayed, but it certainly didn't change their personalities in any way.

Please make sure to notify the vet who is spaying her that she has gone into heat. There is more blood & it is "more risky" than when they aren't in heat. One vet around her won't spay a cat in heat - so that is another thing to consider. (I personally found another vet to spay the cat in heat as she needed to be fixed ASAP)

This is a vet blog by a Miami veterinarian. Here she states spaying a cat in heat is NOT a problem, it's over weight dogs.

http://www.dolittler.com/index.cfm/2...ay.heat.season

I had a rescued stray spayed while in heat last year. Hope this helps.

I would agree that it's best to have her spayed ASAP. I have a similar dilemma; a feral 10-month-old female I've taken in goes tomorrow morning to have the deed done, and I'm not 100% positive she's not pregnant! I don't know what happens if she is.

Originally Posted by threecatowner

I would agree that it's best to have her spayed ASAP. I have a similar dilemma; a feral 10-month-old female I've taken in goes tomorrow morning to have the deed done, and I'm not 100% positive she's not pregnant! I don't know what happens if she is.

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Most vets will spay her anyways, especially if she is not far along.

Okay, this may sound gross, but.....you can let your cat be around a neutered male & he may mount her. Once she is mounted (supposedly even if penetration does not occur), she will ovulate & go out of heat and can be easily spayed. My vet recommended this for Andrea - JC would climb on her & then get off. They did that for a couple of days & then she went out of heat & I got her spayed right away. Even tho the males are neutered, the scent triggers some remote response in their brain. Joey simply wasn't interested. I was most worried that JC would start spraying, but that didn't happen either.

Originally Posted by pixiegirl98

I am getting Zelda fixed next week. So I wanted to make sure before I took her in. Thank you very much for getting back to me so quickly.

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Great to hear, she'll thank you for not putting her through another heat cycle!

Originally Posted by threecatowner

I would agree that it's best to have her spayed ASAP. I have a similar dilemma; a feral 10-month-old female I've taken in goes tomorrow morning to have the deed done, and I'm not 100% positive she's not pregnant! I don't know what happens if she is.

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They won't know until they get in there, and by then the anesthetic generally aborts any babies. It sounds horrible, but for a feral cat that's the best option. Good on you for helping her out!

I would get the 10mo done regardless, as even if she is pregnant, at that age there is a good chance pregnancy and birth will be very hard on her - I always warn the vet there is a possibility, and it has only happened once, ironically the vet had shaved more of this cat as she had a nick on one ear, but she wasn't obviously pregnant until she was opened up, by which point it was too late.
I haven't got time to read the blog, but I am surprised at a vet saying it isnt an issue, as the blood vessels are engorged and there is more blood, so it is trickier

There is no truth to that at all. My female cat was older than a baby kitten too when she got spayed and she was even sweeter after she was spayed. She is the sweetest cat ever, and everyone always comments on how friendly and loving she is
As an aside I think she was a better pet too after being spayed since she wasn't so obsessed with doing annoying in heat behaviors and I didn't have to worry about her every getting pregnant, and if she would die during pregnancy or have problems, the extra vet bills, if I could find good homes for the all the kittens, and all of that. I feel it helped her mentally not being in heat all the time since cats stay in heat a long time, some seem to never go out, and also physically since her risk for certain problems was lower since she was spayed.

Hey all.. i've been gone for a while, so sorry school and work is just too much.
Kizzi just went into heat today. I didnt know what was going on so i rushed her to the vet, just for them to tell me she is in heat. They are soo booked that her surgery is schedule for friday next week (today is thursday)..
I do not know what to do. she is crying and soo uncomportable. is there any way to help her. I want to go to sleep, but she wont let me. I am soo worried about her. help please!

If it's her first heat, chances are it will be fairly short. You can try putting her in a cool, dark room with some Feliway to see if it will settle her some.

And be very careful opening doors, she will very quickly try to get out when in heat.

thank you for posting a reply.. she actually sneaked out when i got home, but i caught her before she got a chance to run.
but the noises she makes, is it calls for male cats or is she in pain?? she keeps crying and get louder and louder by the minute. its 11pm and i do not know how to calm her, also i live in an apartment and i have no where to put her.

your cat is just calling out to males. and a heat is usually uncomfortable for cats but not painful. one thing i always do with my baby when she is in heat is simply spray her backside with a little water. it distracts her and she just cleans herself

Originally Posted by catsknowme

... you can let your cat be around a neutered male & he may mount her. Once she is mounted (supposedly even if penetration does not occur), she will ovulate & go out of heat and can be easily spayed ...

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This is not true. It is the act of copulation itself which causes the ovulation to occur, not the act of mounting. Even if it were true, she wouldn't go out of heat unless the ovum were fertilized and attached to the lining of the uterus.

Originally Posted by catsknowme

My vet recommended this for Andrea ...

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I am sorry, but your vet was mistaken.

Originally Posted by catsknowme

JC would climb on her & then get off. They did that for a couple of days & then she went out of heat & I got her spayed right away. Even tho the males are neutered, the scent triggers some remote response in their brain ...

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Yes, there is a scent response, but if the "act" itself was not completed with your cats, then your girl was just ready to come out of estrus when she did. It had nothing to do with the boy mounting her.

According to a poster at the shelter I volunteer at, every heat cycle a cat goes through before getting spayed decreases the medical benefits of getting it spayed, and after about 2 years, there's virtually no medical benefit to it. There's the inability to reproduce and not having to deal with a cat in heat benefit, but no reduction in cancer or any other ailment.