Philippines: Spaying pregnant strays

Hi everyone. Sorry if this is on the wrong board.

I live in the Philippines and planned to spay the stray female cats in my neighbourhood as soon as the little one we've adopted stops nursing. There are at least two females who we feed, and the stray population will become a problem if they keep breeding - not to mention the suffering of the infants who often don't survive.

However, our local vet has told me that (thanks to the Philippines' strict anti-abortion laws) we would need to confine the female cat indoors for a month (or at least keep her away from males!) so they can do a pregnancy test. They're not allowed to perform the operation otherwise, or they risk losing their licence.

Are there any Filipinos here, or expats in the Philippines, who can confirm whether this is common, or if I can probably just find another clinic that's happy to spay possibly pregnant females (even ones who are obviously pregnant, just in case)? If I needed to, I could always lie about them having been indoors for a month. They're probably not pregnant anyway, but it's only a matter of time until they 100% will be, again and again.

(It's also strange that a country where cockfighting is still legal and popular, and where animal rights in general are a big problem, decides to "care" over this one issue).

Thanks

That is strange.  Makes me wonder if it is the vet, not the law.

There is actually a rescue from the Philippines who posts but I am unable to remember their name.  I will ask a few others and see if we can get you guys connected.

I think calling around and asking other vets what their policy is would be a good idea. Perhaps you will find a vet who shares your concerns and will spay immediately. Just make sure any kittens are weaned first.

You might also ask for a group discount since you will have several cats to spay. While you are at it, you may want to get neighborhood males and male kittens neutered, as males are as much a part of the problem as well.

As you said, the females will be pregnant again soon regardless, and spaying will terminate any conceptions before the kittens are viable. Thank you for caring!

To be entirely fair, quite a few westernes has similiar feelings about spaying.  I remember a lenghy tread, where the TS wanted to spay, but was anxious to have us assure her the cat couldnt be inpregnated.  Because not even a verry early pregnancy, a week perhaps, not visible at all to anyone, wasnt ok for spaying...

Question: is this vet willing and skilled to spay during a heat?  Its normally not recommended, because its more difficult and more dangerous.   But here it would be the proof they do wish.

Yes, try calling other vets to see what they say. I can't imagine the law would extend to animals---if there's no law preventing the killing of animals after birth, it would be bizarre if there was a law about doing it before birth! It may just be that vet's policy. Even in that case, I could understand not spaying an obviously pregnant cat, but waiting around to see if a cat is pregnant when it's not obvious is just overzealous, imo.

@Thekittykeepers

Do you have any advice? Hope all is well with your rescue.

talkingpeanut said:

@Thekittykeepers

Do you have any advice? Hope all is well with your rescue.

Click to expand...

Thank you!  I could not remember their names!

Thanks so much for the replies.

I've since seen on the website for PAWS Philippines (the main animal rescue group) that they do spay pregnant females, just for a small additional charge. I've asked them if they have a local clinic in my city as I couldn't find that info, but no reply yet.

I might get the male cats done too, but the females are the priority. I know, not very fair! But really, toms could wander in from anywhere.

The very explained that it was the law, but it might just be her own views as she does seem to be very sentimental and caring. In fact, she's currently caring for our blind kitten for a week (the only surviving child of one of the strays we found - six weeks old, the mother started attacking him and not nursing). He needs antibacterial ointment applied to his eyes several times a day, a Victorian collar to stop him rubbing, and other things we're just not qualified to provide right now.

I do respect her views on abortion, of course - just dishonest if she made me think there's no option (or rather, the option of keeping a stray female indoors for a month, which is just totally impractical).

I feel like this is a bit of a ticking time bomb - especially as adopting other kittens would be difficult since blind Wilbur needs special care. I'll ask around any other vets we see, try to resolve it as soon as I can!

Yes, the females are the priority, as males can't get pregnant . And, yep, a tom can wander in from miles away so neutering the males isn't effective population control unless you live on an isolated island. But once the girls are done, it would be good to get as many males as possible---it really improves their quality of life, because they fight less and wander less after neutering. But only after the girls.

Success!

This morning we took the first (of several) female cats to be spayed.

This local charity (for Davao City) put us in touch with one of the vets they work with, who offer a discounted rate to encourage the spaying of local strays.

Other big cities presumably have similar charities, the big one being PAWS in the Manila area.

I don't think the females are pregnant, but they didn't insist on all that one-month-confinement/pregnancy-test demand that's just unreasonable!

Spaying cost 1,000 pesos (plus 300 for anti-rabies + anti-worming), and confinement is 100 per day, however many days will be needed.

The cat was no trouble in the carrier... but she did do a wee, which I cleaned up before we left the house. And then a poo, during the taxi ride. The driver was a cat lover, so he didn't mind. Just had to crank open the window.

This is great news.  Thanks for the update!

Ah, the females got the best again!

WilburPH said:

 
Success!

This morning we took the first (of several) female cats to be spayed.

This local charity (for Davao City) put us in touch with one of the vets they work with, who offer a discounted rate to encourage the spaying of local strays.

Other big cities presumably have similar charities, the big one being PAWS in the Manila area.

I don't think the females are pregnant, but they didn't insist on all that one-month-confinement/pregnancy-test demand that's just unreasonable!

Spaying cost 1,000 pesos (plus 300 for anti-rabies + anti-worming), and confinement is 100 per day, however many days will be needed.

The cat was no trouble in the carrier... but she did do a wee, which I cleaned up before we left the house. And then a poo, during the taxi ride. The driver was a cat lover, so he didn't mind. Just had to crank open the window.

Click to expand...

Great.  Tx for telling this - so we can retell to other visitors from Phillipines.

Ferales have usually a good healing meat, above average.   Per definition, these without do perish before they become adult.   And this means, their  healing time is typically shorter than for family girls.  If necessary, even 24 hours may be enough.  (for example, if you know they have small kittens outside, and you dont know exactly where - so you must release momma as soon possible.  OR you do afford to spay her, but dont have anywhere to keep her afterwards).

Still, good they can get vet care and recovalescent time for an almost symbolic payment.  swell.   Give them a BIG purraise from us, will you??

Vaccine against rabies is very useful.   While rabies  unusual in USA and Europe, its not unusual in the southern countries - Philiphines includes, I imagine.  Hundreds and thousand humans die from it every year.  Very few from cat bites, other animals are more often rabies carriers, but whom wants to risk anything??

Deworming good, but a ferale gets new worms quite soon.   but again, a successfull ferale does have some tolerance for worms.

But a vaccine against distemper would be good to get, if they have such to give.

Hallelujah! This is very good news! Let us know how this spay goes.