I was given the most beautiful main coon kitten and right away I put her on the SPCA waiting list to be spayed for cheap because every vet here is over $300 and the SPCA does it for $55 no tax. However almost 3 weeks ago she got out during the night for about 3 hours and this last week I've been paranoid she might be pregnant. When I took her in for her first shots a month ago the vet said she was 7 months old so shes about 8 months now... If she is pregnant I can defenetly care for the kittens and find them loving forever homes but I'm worried about risk factors associated with her young age... Is there anything I should know? I'm not looking for a debate on the symantics of why I should have gotten her spayed as soon as I got her or to be reminded that caring for the kittens will cost more money and energy than the actual operation would if I went to a vet right away... What I need to know is any precaution/risk factor that may be involved with her early pregnancy so I can ensure to raise the healthiest kittens possible. Please help?
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Risk associated with early pregnancy? Help?
- Thread starter juli4n
- Start Date
You dont mention the third alternative, spaying NOW. Which is entirely feasible, but as you said, its your decisions and your wishes.
To your question: The physical risks for young mothers are greater, but not dramatically so. With a little luck, she may deliver without big troubles.
The more real risk is she being a young mother, she will not know what to do. At least, not in the beginning. So you MUST be there and assist her at the delivery, being prepared to take the kittens out of the sacs, cut off the cords, dry off them, keep them warm, and soon enough, feed with bottle and stimulate, etc.
With a little luck, her maternal instincs may kick in, full in or partly, perhaps even during the serie of deliveries.
Not so few young mother DO end as great, loving, caretaking moms.
But you cant know for sure, and must safequard all possibilites.
Good luck!
To your question: The physical risks for young mothers are greater, but not dramatically so. With a little luck, she may deliver without big troubles.
The more real risk is she being a young mother, she will not know what to do. At least, not in the beginning. So you MUST be there and assist her at the delivery, being prepared to take the kittens out of the sacs, cut off the cords, dry off them, keep them warm, and soon enough, feed with bottle and stimulate, etc.
With a little luck, her maternal instincs may kick in, full in or partly, perhaps even during the serie of deliveries.
Not so few young mother DO end as great, loving, caretaking moms.
But you cant know for sure, and must safequard all possibilites.
Good luck!
*if* she is pregnant her nipples will probably be enlarging and changing colour about now - pinking up. They will have been tiny pale little things that are hard to find. Not all cats do this but it's quite obvious if they do.
I second spaying her ASAP. $300 is less than raising a litter of kittens and a lot less than the cost of an emergency section if she has problems kittening. How long have you had her? e.g. how long has she been on the waiting list for spaying, and how much longer would she have to wait? Have you rung the SPCA and explained she got out and might be pregnant? Finally if you had only just got her when she got out, have you considered she might have been given away because she was pregnant?
I second spaying her ASAP. $300 is less than raising a litter of kittens and a lot less than the cost of an emergency section if she has problems kittening. How long have you had her? e.g. how long has she been on the waiting list for spaying, and how much longer would she have to wait? Have you rung the SPCA and explained she got out and might be pregnant? Finally if you had only just got her when she got out, have you considered she might have been given away because she was pregnant?
Please consider that not only the cost of the litter is by far greater, if you have to bottlefeed, you need to feed them every 2 hours night and day... So you would have to take a lot of time off work and have practically no sleep or life for 5-6 weeks...
Even if all goes well, it will be way more expensive than 300 quid ...
Even if all goes well, it will be way more expensive than 300 quid ...
Good advice from everyone so far. Also keep in mind that there may be resources around you other than the SPCA. Call them and explain as others suggested and ask if there are any other low cost places around where you live. In addition, $300 is not necessarily outrageous for a spay depending where you live but have you shopped around at vets at all? Even where I live in a major urban area you can find vets who will do a basic spay for $200-$225 fairly easily, and (while gas is its own separate issue) if you are willing to drive a bit past the suburbs here places for spays can be found for even less. Granted this is in the USA- I know that, for example, in Canada spays tend to be more.
Also consider calling around to shelters. In this way I have the advantage of living in a major urban area, but there are at least 3 shelters I know of here who offer low cost spays.
As to your question about complications, it is as Stefan Z says. However, I also want to say that it may be harder than you think to care for the kittens and find them good forever homes. If you are lucky, mom will do the majority of the work at first, but if you are unlucky, you may be looking at bottle feeding every few hours. It will also be far more expensive than you think to raise the kittens to an age where they can be responsibly adopted, and far harder than you think to find forever homes for them, I am afraid.
Good luck whatever happens and please feel free to post if you need more advice at any time.
Also consider calling around to shelters. In this way I have the advantage of living in a major urban area, but there are at least 3 shelters I know of here who offer low cost spays.
As to your question about complications, it is as Stefan Z says. However, I also want to say that it may be harder than you think to care for the kittens and find them good forever homes. If you are lucky, mom will do the majority of the work at first, but if you are unlucky, you may be looking at bottle feeding every few hours. It will also be far more expensive than you think to raise the kittens to an age where they can be responsibly adopted, and far harder than you think to find forever homes for them, I am afraid.
Good luck whatever happens and please feel free to post if you need more advice at any time.
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Re cheap spaying, here some adresses, in USA at least:
cheap spaying:
If you are in the U.S. , the ASPCA has an online database. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter
Or here is a hotline number that will find you a low cost clinic in your area 1-800-248-7729
www.spayusa.org
the same places can probably help you with discounted veterinary help other than spaying too.
cheap spaying:
If you are in the U.S. , the ASPCA has an online database. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter
Or here is a hotline number that will find you a low cost clinic in your area 1-800-248-7729
www.spayusa.org
the same places can probably help you with discounted veterinary help other than spaying too.
