To fix or not to fix?

I have a kitten named Muffin who is almost 2 years old. She was a feral cat who was taken away from her mother too early and is an extremely nervous cat. it took months for her to trust me. we haven't fixed her yet because it makes me nervous. i think it would traumatize her beyond repair (she hides the whole day after i vacuum) but i also know that there are a lot of benefits to fixing her. i have 2 other females who are fixed. should i wait until she is older or will it be too late? do i even NEED to fix her? i appreciate any feedback!

My personal experience with ferals is that they will calm down after you spay them. I strongly suggest that you get her fixed and you might see a change in her behavior for the positive. Spaying also has positive long term medical benefits such as reduction in uterine, ovarian and breast cancers.

I have to agree that spaying this feral will calm her down and not traumatize her beyond repair, so get that notion right out of your head. I have been rescuing ferals for years and the first thing that happens to them is they get fixed, if they are of age. I have only had one bad experience, with a big male who trashed the surgical room and I was told never to bring him back to the clinic! LOL They thought they had put him under, but they goofed and he woke up and flew off the table and raced up and down the cabinets and stuff- totally thrashed the room and made all the surgeries that day delayed. He has never been back to the vet and he will be 10 years old soon- he is my healthiest cat!

Spaying your female will prolong her life- because it will cancel out the possibilities of certain cancers and other illnesses that fertile females can get. It also is very uncomfortable for her to go into heat, adds a lot of stress on her body.

I got a bunch of girl ferals fixed this past year and they have all been much happier and calmer after they got fixed. One turned out to have FIV but she made it through being fixed fine and she is still healthy and not showing any signs, so I would say that is a big yes to getting the kitty fixed!

I agree with the others. It's best to get her fixed.

It can help with calming her down and not to mention stop those heat cycles as well. I've only ever had one female cat and went through a part of a heat cycle with her and I've never felt so helpless. There wasn't anything I could do that would relieve her and I wasn't interested in breeding.

Just make sure that your vet knows that she is very timid and has a feral history. Do mention that she has had contact with humans for two years.

You have already gotten lots of nice advice! Definitely spay your kitty. She will be calmer (think of the stress she goes through with each heat!) & healthier - without the risk of uterine infection or cancer & a reduced rate of breeast cancer.
Deb E

What a beautiful girl! My experience with ferals is limited to one semi-feral now ex-tom, so I can only comment re the benefit of spaying. I had one lovely cat who I didn't spay until she was 7, she later in life developed mammary cancer - one the possible effects of never being spayed or being spayed late. I'd hate for your girl to go through that, or through a pyometra (uterine infection).