when to get cat spayed after kittens

I've got kittens everywhere at the moment!

My 2 lovely cats have just had their second litter each and so I have 11 kittens and 2 cats at the moment! They're all doing really well, the kittens are now 5 weeks and 3 weeks old and are all in a big box together by choice! Both mums are charing the feeding and will happily groom and feed any kittens!

I want to get the cats spayed now, 2 litters is plenty and I went and asked the vet about it. He said they can't be done until the kittens are fully weaned and all their milk has dried up. Kittens will hopefully be weaned by about 6-7 weeks but I remember last time it took ages for their nipples to go down and all the milk to dry up. Probably 2 or 3 weeks. I'm a bit worried they will get pregnant again in the meantime....especially as tom cat (father of all the litters) is constantly hanging around and if either the cat flap or any door or window is open, he will nip in! He's really friendly but I don't think it would be fair to let them have any more kittens. They're going out in the garden now for short period of time (cat flap on one-way, once you're in you're trapped!) They don't show any signs of being on heat but I know last time one of them disappeared off for a couple of days, that was the only sign of her being on heat. I don't want to keep them in all the time as they are very keen to get outside and they need a bit of time off the kittens too!

Any ideas what the best way to go is?

Thanks

Wow, your house must be crazy!
Yes, you should definatly keep them away from Mr. Tom, because even now they can get pregnant again. As hard as it is(I know, easier said than done ), your going to have to wait the couple of weeks until the milk goes away For the Mama with older kittens, you may want to try to get it so that she isn't feeding the younger ones, so then when her older ones are weened she won't still get milk so she'll dry up faster.
Sorry I couldn't tell you to much more
Good luck with your kittens!

Do not let them outside, cats can get pregnant even when not in heat - and that usually involves a fight with the determined tom cat.

I wouldn't spay them until at least 10 weeks, just because they start on solid foods they still need some milk from mum.

I would be finding the owners of the tom and asking they neuter him, or just taking him in myself to prevent more kittens in the neighbourhood.
Don't let him in your house or around your girls until they are fixed.

I agree with waiting 10 weeks. However, I'm not sure why the vet said their milk had to dry up first. Just getting them spayed will cause the milk to dry up (hormonal changes) which is why you need to wait until the kittens are weaned. Definitely keep them indoors and away from the tom. Cats have been known to get pregnant within days after having kittens.

First of all get Tom neutered NOW - he can still get them pregnant when nursing kittens and can get them pregnant for up to 2 months after being neutered.

Keep mom cats inside at all time and do NOT allow the male to be inside at all until he is neutered and the mom's spayed.

If you have to get mom's done earlier, let her only nurse till 6-7 weeks then separate them for a week and have her spayed right after. Again keep her and the Tom away from each other at all times.

No excuse for having multiple litters!

My vet said the mama cat can be spayed when the babies are 9 weeks old. But I suppose it depends what the vet is comfortable with. If you don't want any more litters you should keep them in until they're spayed. Might be hard to do but it's better than 10 more kittens!

Thanks for the advice, its going to be really hard keeping them in, they're very active cats who are usually out all day by choice, and in at night not by choice!!

Tom cat isn't mine so can't get him neutered!! Don't know who he belongs to, he's always around here, is a very well fed and friendly cat but has no collar and when he disappears off i can't see where he's gone! Definitely doesn't belong to anyone in my road......

Is very crazy here at the moment, a constant cycle of litterbox, feeding and cuddling! Would post some pics if I could work out how to.......

We're definitely keeping one of the kittens, and have homes lined up already for a few more when they are big enough, but at the moment just enjoying that playful stage!

I wonder, is it entirely thrue the moms cant be spayed already?

I have some rememberances I read about moms spayed days after delivery. And they continued to nurse and give milk. the trouble possibly during the first day when they were freshly operated...

I cant swear about it, but continue to look out about that info... Try to get second opinion from another vet too...


About the tom cat.
A. He CAN be homeless. Successfull semiferals often do seem healthy and well-fed, yes thick. Or if you want, being healthy and rather thick helps them to keep their health...

B. You can try to set on him a collar, with a casing and a message from you. Where you ask the owner to contact you.
This is a common advice in such situations.

C. You CAN take him in and let him be neutered anyway. If you dont know the owner, he dont know you either... And letting a fertile male go out reglarly is irresponsible. So he cant complain too much even if you would find you. You will of course deny.
Besides, there is a good chance, as the owner is irresponsible, he will not even notice the cat is now neutered.... The sack is still there you know.

The main drawback is you must pay for it from your own pocket.


Last: Good your kittens have him as father. Much of behavior-genetics comes down from father. Thus also being a friendly, gentle male.
So, choosing a father-cat. Good if he knows what to do and how, AND good if he is a gentle male who courts, not rapes...
It is almost as with people.

Will agree on just taking Tom for a short visit to the vet to be neutered. Better then letting him continue to produce kittens with your cats and other females!

keller had a c-section and was spayed at the same time. It hasn't had any affect on her milk supply. I think once the kittens are big enough to be away from momma for a few hours you could do it, of course if your vet agrees.

I know cats CAN be spayed while nursing, but I think most vets don't like to do it because it can interfere with normal mama cat/kitten interactions (kittens want to nurse, but the incision is sore, so mama cat gets up and leaves, kittens don't get enough milk, etc.). But definitely ask your vet. That's the only person whose opinion matters here, because he/she will be doing the spays.

A couple of years ago when my mute cat had back to back litters, I got desperate and called vets and found out there is a way to spay nursing moms , just many dont do it cause it is more work .. but it is called a keyhole spay and they go in through the side of the momma cat therefore not disturbing the milk glands. i think it cost us 50 more but the piece of mind was worth it. I am planning to get savannah done this way too.

Why don't you neuter the tom cat in the mean time?

Our cat Dusty Springfield was spayed when her kittens were very, very young. She wasn't supposed to be. Its a very long and incredible story that I won't get into now. We spent the next two weeks very worried about the kittens irritating and possibly opening the incision. Luckily she healed beautifully, but it wasn't nice for anyone, especially her.

Ugh we have colony cats here, plus fertile owned cats wandering about!! I made sure to block offer any possible access to the hole in the floor (where she got out). I know most of the toms here, and most of the fertile females too. Do whatever you can to keep him out and keep her indoors! I am placing a secondary door up to block the backroom... gives us the chance to get in the door without fighting her back. The vanity has been permanently closed off (the hole is underneath). I do not intend to allow it to happen again..

Btw LOVE the idea of the collar with message.

My cat was in labor all night and hadn't given birth by morning so I took her to the vet, he did a  $900 c-section cause she had a dead baby in the birth canal and then delivered 5 babies.  However, without my permission, he spayed her at the same time and I brought her and surviving babies home and she successfully nursed the remaining 4.  

Laura Hoffman said:

 
My cat was in labor all night and hadn't given birth by morning so I took her to the vet, he did a  $900 c-section cause she had a dead baby in the birth canal and then delivered 5 babies.  However, without my permission, he spayed her at the same time and I brought her and surviving babies home and she successfully nursed the remaining 4.  

Click to expand...

I'm sorry the vet didn't ask you first.  It is possible that the uterus needed to come out because of infection.  it also may be for the best, as having multiple litters or heat cycles isn't healthy for cats.  She now also doesn't have to have surgery again.  

How are the kittens and mom now?

The vet was a dog; he made me feel so guilty for not spending the $900 (which pretty much bankrupted me) because he looked me straight in the face and said, "I can do a C-section or the mother and babies will die"; what a jerk.  The mommy and babies are all grown up now but I never went back to that vet.  

It sounds like his bedside manner was HORRIBLE but he may have been right about the procedure saving your cat and kittens.  Glad you found another vet that you're more comfortable with.