My Cat Mating or not?

Just me again My own cat got pregnant (Keller in my siggy) and I just couldn't bring myself to abort the babies. It was a big mistake I feel. She was very miserable pregnant and it really made her tired and grumpy. She is 3 years old and I was told she was spayed when I adopted her. She is deaf so I had to worry about whether or not she would care for her babies properly. She ended up needing a c-section...boy that was expensive She didn't enjoy the kittens, it was just more work for her. She is now recovered and getting nice and fat...and very affectionate. If I could do it again I would have had an early spay done. You can always foster a litter of kittens for a shelter, they usually bear all the costs and find them good homes that is the best!

I brought in my cat. She's curled up on the couch fast asleep... no howling or anything. I am definitely spaying her, she's just too small and delicate. But I am worried about her weight... how big should she be at 5 months? She's just so small. All my other tabbies at this age were bigger and plump. :/

I replied to your other thread RE her weight.

How much does she weigh? Please keep her locked inside until you get her spayed (preferably afterwards too)

After she is spayed she will really fill out.

^She will fill out after her spay.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by meminikitty

I brought in my cat. She's curled up on the couch fast asleep... no howling or anything. I am definitely spaying her, she's just too small and delicate. But I am worried about her weight... how big should she be at 5 months? She's just so small. All my other tabbies at this age were bigger and plump. :/

Click to expand...

Hi,

if she's oherwise fine and healthy there shouldn't be any problems spaying her. Just remember- you can spaye hamsters, rabbits and male mice- and I'll be she weighs more than a mouse

By the way, younger cats usually recover from a spay much much faster then an older cat

Congrats on your decision, by the way. If you'd really like to have kittens one day (which I could understand) fostering can be really rewarding!

regards,

Christine

You need to find a vet to do an emergency spay! She cannot wait till November as she could be in serious trouble being pregnant at only 5 months old. The kittens inside are taking ALL the nutrients from her own development.

Even if she survives a pregnancy, she would need an expensive c-section to deliver, the kittens could be deformed, or they could die. She won't know what to do or how to care for them as she's a baby herself.

It would be like a 9 or 10 yr old child having a baby!

Kittens as young as 4 months old have been known to breed and get pregnant and at that age she could DIE.

I took in a kitten who couldn't have been over 5 months old. When her belly started to grow I knew she was way too young to be pregnant, and assumed it was caused by having been so malnourished and then eating all she wanted.
Three weeks later she gave birth to six kittens. The first was still born and horribly deformed. The next four looked normal, but died in the next four days. As we took the first two out of the box to bury them we realized they were sharing one umbilicle. Same thing with the next two. The one who survived was fine, but it was all a severe drain on the Mama.

When you asked if spaying would hurt the fetuses, did you mean would it cause them pain?
I once had to spay/abort a very pregnant rescue as her physical health would not have permitted her to birth and nurse the kittens, and the vet explained that the kittens would feel nothing, when the uterus was removed from the mother they would simply go from sleep to coma, to death, no fear or pain involved.
It was probably an easier passing than most stray cats are lucky enough to get but still a hard decision to make.

Most vets will spay a cat in heat or pregnant. It is a little more difficult, and carries a higher risk, so you may find that the cost is higher. You may need a full service vet rather than a spay clinic, but you would also need one if you allowed such a young kitten to carry the litter to term and complications arose in the delivery.

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

At 5 months old that would be like a 10yr old having a baby, not good at all.

Click to expand...

I have to agree. We took in Peaches & she was in such bad condition we didn't know she was pregnant until a week & a half before she had the kittens (WAY to late to spay). She's a good mom but it's terrible watching her weighed down with responsibilities when she should just be a kitten! I miss watching her chase crickets all over our porch and birds out the window (at least I got her running around with the laser pointer last night while the babies were sleeping).

Peaches was supposedly born March 25th, so our best guess is that she's around 5-6 months right NOW. I WISH we'd known she was pregnant, I LOVE Pink & Mango (her babies) but I would not have hesitated for a second to spay her early if I'd had the chance.

Thanks everyone for the great replies! After reading through this, I have decided to most definitely get my cat spayed. Last night she was shrieking and trying to get out, I suppose she wanted to mate. Once she's spayed, she won't be in heat, right? She seemed to be in torture last night but I refused to let her out. I didn't sleep all night though. So I'm thinking she'll act this way until her appointment on the 18th which will suck but it is for the best.

Originally Posted by meminikitty

Thanks everyone for the great replies! After reading through this, I have decided to most definitely get my cat spayed. Last night she was shrieking and trying to get out, I suppose she wanted to mate. Once she's spayed, she won't be in heat, right? She seemed to be in torture last night but I refused to let her out. I didn't sleep all night though. So I'm thinking she'll act this way until her appointment on the 18th which will suck but it is for the best.

Click to expand...

Nope she will not be in heat EVER after she is been spayed and she will be a lot happier and healthier

That's very good to know! Because last night she acted as if I were killing her, I'm sure the neighbors aren't too happy. lol

Originally Posted by meminikitty

That's very good to know! Because last night she acted as if I were killing her, I'm sure the neighbors aren't too happy. lol

Click to expand...

yep that's what they do when they are in heat. It shouldn't last more than another few days, and by the 18th she'll be way over it and the spay should go fine.

Keep us posted!

Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

After she is spayed she will really fill out.

Click to expand...

Sometimes they don't fill out though. Dusty was spayed a year ago and she is still very small. Her sister, Rusty, who was spayed the same time is huge! Bur your little girl will be much happier after she is spayed. She won't go through the crazies anymore. At least the in heat crazies. My girls still get a little crazy when they are chasing each other around the apartment.

Thanks everyone! And I am really angry with myself right now My cousins came over and Minnie bolted out. It's been about an hour now and she hasn't returned. :/

The only real concern is her getting hurt just from being outside, either way the spay will take care of it if she's going to find a boyfriend.

Got any tuna laying around?

No worries! I found her! Well... my neighbor did, but I have her back now What a naughty little cat, she'll never set foot outside again!

Nah, she's not naughty. It's instinct, she can't help it. Keep that spay appointment on September 18, and then you won't have as much trouble keeping her inside!

I would also be asking the vet to test for diseases she has possibly picked up from the neighbourhood toms.

Keep her shut in a bedroom if you need to, to make sure there's no chance of her getting out again.

Originally Posted by missymotus

I would also be asking the vet to test for diseases she has possibly picked up from the neighbourhood toms.

Keep her shut in a bedroom if you need to, to make sure there's no chance of her getting out again.

Click to expand...

Yes, she's in my bedroom now. I cannot wait until the 18th. And oh, yes, thank you for bringing that up, I will ask for the tests to be done.