I spayed feral cat in heat

Hi all...I'm new to this group.

I am feeding 6 feral cats and feeling overwhelmed with it!  I was so excited when I trapped one of the females this past week and got her spayed and the Humane Society.  Then I go pick her up and they tell me she was in heat and needs to be kept away from males cats for 2 weeks!!!  One of the cats I am feeding is a male cat and has already produced cats with her.  So I went out and bought a large dog crate and I am keeping her in the crate in my garage.

I feel bad because it gets down to 28 degrees here at night and it's cold in the garage.  I also don't know how long I can keep her in the crate.  She is extremely skittish so it's totally out of my control when I let her out.

Any advice?  I have become emotionally attached to these ferals and I feel so sorry for them.  My next goal is to trap the 2 kittens that I am guessing are about 4 months old.  I don't know if they are male and/or female but one of them looks pregnant now!!

Help!!!!

Thanks, Rebecca

I don't know why they said she needs to be kept away from males? Maybe they think the males will mount her and cause injury? Anyway, most feral caretakers release females after 1-3 days regardless of whether she was in heat or pregnant or anything. So I think she'll be OK if you release her sooner. Try to keep her as long as you can, but if she seems stressed it's best to let her go so she doesn't hurt herself trying to escape. Is the Humane Society accustomed to dealing with TNR ferals or do they mostly do pet cats?

Good for you for having the ferals fixed! It's really the only humane way. Although kittens can get pregnant as young as 4 months, I doubt they're pregnant yet; usually in areas that have cold winters, outdoor cats get pregnant starting in January. It may be worms. Although with the odd weather that's been happening all over, their cycles may have gotten messed up :/. At any rate, do try to trap them soon! And try to get Daddy Cat too---who knows how many females he's getting pregnant?!

Agreeing with Willowy.

Why they said this 2 weeks, it MAY have been they are unusued to ferales yes. As it would be a standard recommendation for your home pure inside kitty.   Ferales are more tough, they must be to survive. Those made not of tough wood dont survive even their childhood.

That is why you can usually let them out after 1 day if necessary, 3 days although recommended feels like luxury..

Although. Another though is the vet perhaps didnt managed the operation really well, and she get heavy strained on...  So she will need a longer reconvalescation.

So play it by the tune and ear. Let her be there as long as it is possible (who know, she perhaps maybe even get socialized!), but if you do notice she seems to be well, and is stressed - you CAN let her out.

OK, so you buyed this dog cage, to have her in 14 days, but with any luck it will be perhaps 3 days.

Overdone, a cost you could spare yourself?  Money thrown away?

Nay, such a dog cage is always very useful for a cat rescuer / caretaker. Sooner or later you will need it again.  So it was an investmen which will very soon repay itself in full.

Tx for caring!

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!

Of the 35 cats I TNRd only around two were in heat.  Those two were 'fixed' at different, unaffiliated low cost s/n centers.  The vet tech never said to keep the cat(s) indoors for two weeks.

Agree with StefanZ.  If you have lined the crate with paper, look at the paper and make sure there isn't an abnormal amount of blood, discharge.  If you're able to feed the cat, is she eating, etc.?

And too much stress is bad too--let the cat be your guide.

Thanks so much everyone for your replies!  It really helps to hear your opinions!

The Humane Society told me to keep her away from males for 2 weeks because the males could hurt her.  They can still smell her in heat and they could be aggressive with her and hurt her.

She seems to be doing OK in the crate.  She is eating and pooping and peeing.  I am so proud of her :-)  The only stress she is showing is that she cries some.  I am keeping the crate cleaned out and giving her fresh water and food.  She has a little cat bed in there and a few towels and a little liter pan.

Someone I work with told me the dog crate would be a good investment....especially since I want to TNR the other ferals that have decided to hang around here.  And I am involved with so many cats right now.

Thanks again for your help!  I jokingly told a friend of mine a while back that I needed to find a support group for people caring for numerous feral cats.

Well, my female feral that was spayed while in heat is still in the crate in my cold garage.  It's in the 40's here during the day and in the 20's at night.  

She seems to be doing ok..... still eating and pooping and peeing.  She gets in the back corner of the crate whenever I clean her litter pan or give her food/water.  I have to check on her often because she will kick litter into her water bowl.  She cries some but that's the only sign of stress I see.  She will start crying loudly after she goes to the litter pan.  

It's cold in the garage but not as cold as it outside and we've also had a lot of rain, with more expected.  She's been in the crate for one week now with another week to go if I follow the recommendation of the Humane Society where she was spayed.  It feels so cruel to me to keep her confined but it's the safest thing to do.  I know I will worry about her after I let her out.

10 days is usually sufficient, if you think 14 days is too long for her.

She is meowing a lot tonight and is being loud!!!  I'm sure she wants back to her normal territory.  This is so tough trying to figure out what's best for her.

I would say 4 days is long enough to let her go now.

rebecca cats said:

She is meowing a lot tonight and is being loud!!!  I'm sure she wants back to her normal territory.  This is so tough trying to figure out what's best for her.

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This may be a sign she's feeling good and ready for freedom?   I'd worry too but it is different rules for ferals - maybe getting a second veterinary opinion over the phone might  make you feel better.

When we tell they ferales are sometimes so stressed it is best to let them out, even if it is prematurely - we mean some ferales do trash about. Literally. Hurting themselves and being high stress into extremis.

In THESE cases we recommend them to let them out...

Meowing isnt so bad, so dont worry.  Although, as she seems to be meowing more and more, and wants out, it is probably time anyway.   

Good luck!

I'm a member of a TNVR group in Canada, as well as a caretaker.  I've never heard of keeping a female feral cat confined for 2 weeks because she was in heat prior to surgery (not to say the advice was incorrect, just that I've never heard or read any advice like that).  If her incision looks like it is healing well, if she's eating and drinking well, and otherwise seems fine, then the cat is usually released a day after surgery.  (After surgery, cats need to be kept in a warm area as they can't regulate their body temperature - they can get chilled easily.)  If outdoor temperatures are below freezing at time a female is spayed, I would keep her confined and warm for a few days and then release if all seemed well with her. 

If you have a feral cats rescue/TNR group in your area, contact them for their opinion, and support.

I let her out today.  She was confined for 10 days.  I just felt that it was time.  She has been hanging around the house, sitting on the patio looking in, meowing, and rubbing up against the door.  But when I go out and try to greet her she moves away from me.  I have tried talking to her and reaching out to her several times and she runs off every time.

It was sunny today but tonight the low is going to be 28 degrees.  I will be worried about her but I think it's better for her than being confined in the crate.

rebecca cats said:

I let her out today.  She was confined for 10 days.  I just felt that it was time.  She has been hanging around the house, sitting on the patio looking in, meowing, and rubbing up against the door.  But when I go out and try to greet her she moves away from me.  I have tried talking to her and reaching out to her several times and she runs off every time.

It was sunny today but tonight the low is going to be 28 degrees.  I will be worried about her but I think it's better for her than being confined in the crate.

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That's progress though!! With ferals, you really can't do any approaching, you just have to let them come to you. You can try to lessen the gap though. Placing yourself at closer intervals with food, to see how close they can tolerate. But you want as little running away as possible, because in their own head, if they are running, it reinforces that they should be scared of you. *nods*

If she is looking inside at you, it sounds like she is beginning to trust you.  Just take it slow,  you did a wonderful thing for her to get her spayed.   Now you can feed her and keep her safe.  Do you provide any type of shelter for her?  Ferals love straw to nestle into,  and she may even one day go back inside of your garage at night,  she knows she can be safe there.    As long as you are feeding and providing some shelter, she should stay around.  Good luck!!