Spaying a new kitten

Hello everyone!
I have a 8 week old kitten my husband and I found and decided to bring her inside. We have a male cat as well that is about a year and a half old. My question is at what point would be a good age to have the cat spayed and if we do not get her spayed right away at what age will she go into heat? And when she does will our male cat act as though he had not been fixed? Any answers would be a big help

For most of your questions, compare with this thread:   http://www.thecatsite.com/t/281213/how-do-you-know-if-a-cat-is-in-heat-and.

The real question is, your resident is a fertile tom, yes?

Is he a stud, or havent you got yet to spay him?

The easiest solution is to begin and neuter him (if he isnt a stud).   Asap.

There is also another complication:  the probability is quite big he may think she is  a visiting lady, just unusually small.  And as she cant defend herself, he will mount her.  If this is really deadly, I dont know, I dont think so,  but this is surely highly unpleasant for her.

-   So, if you dont want to spay him as yet, you must supervise them the whole time they are toghether.  When you cant supervise, you must keep them separated.

So this is another good reason for neutering him.    If it is very important for you to keep him as a stud, you can try and get some Pill  (I know Pill isnt used in USA, but common in Europe).   And give it to him, two / week I think.   It cools him down, but he still can do his stud duty when he meets an adult female in full heat.

The Pill isnt  totally safe, but less dangerous then the long term  injection.

I know, our oldest resident was a working stud once upon a time.  When his young son come 12 weeks old, he welcomed the kitten, but was tensed.  And suddenly the penny fell down and he recognized the situation: it must be an unsusally small visiting lady!   As luck were, my wife saw what was going to happen, and threw him out into another room.   The next day we took him to the vet and he got this injection.

After this he was an exemplary father, protector and friend to this kitten.   But also got a sore in the neck / shoulders, where the injection was done.  The sore tended also to become worse when he ate fish.   The sore disappeared firstly when he got neutered two years later.  And the fish allergy disappeared too. 

Good luck!

I am not sure where you live but here in the USA a kitten has to be at least 2 pounds to be spayed or neutered, which is what they usually weight at 8 weeks old. You don't spay a male cat it is called neutering spaying is for females. it sounds as though your male cat is already neutered so when the female goes into heat, he will not care.

furrmomma3313 said:

 And when she does will our male cat act as though he had not been fixed? Any answers would be a big help

Click to expand...

Oops, I was perhaps reading a little too hasty.  Sorry!  So your male IS fixed?   Some males remember what they are "supposed to do".  Especielly if they were fixed as fully adult.    He shouldnt spray, unless he is territorial.  But when a female cat is in heat, most dont care, but some, yes they do remember, and are doing more or less succesfull mounting.   Some dont remember how they shall mount, but remember it was somthing with biting.  So they do bite. In flanks or whatever...

It is calmest to have them both spayed and neutered - fixed.