cat in heat—help

Right now, I am very upset. Two months ago, we adopted...well, rescued a beautiful little calico that was living on the streets near a friend's house. Of course, we took her to the vet as soon as we could get an appointment. The vet checked her over and asked if we had seen any signs of heat. At that time, we didn't. This was about 2 weeks after we brought her home. The vet felt her belly and felt what she thought was a "scar." She also thought our little baby was over a year old. Well, we had her back to the vet on Friday, for a booster shot and a quick check over. At that point, everything was fine. The vet again asked if we had seen any signs of "heat." No, was the answer. That is until Saturday morning. Now, she's in heat. I'm upset, because had I known she wasn't spayed, believe me...she would have been before this ever happened. How long can I expect this phase to last (a week?). Plus, I realize that she can come back into heat every other week. We've called the vet...and can't get in until August 30th. We are, of course, on a cancellation list (in case someone cancels we can get in earlier), and have put ourselves on the list with the other vet in the office as well. I'm just upset, because I know it's better for them to be spayed before their first heat and I feel horrible that we didn't realize she wasn't spayed.

Welcome to TCS. I found this article:

http://www.talktothevet.com/ARTICLES...sheatcycle.HTM

The female cat has 2-4 estrous periods every year, each lasting 15-22 days.

Katie

Buy a set of earplugs and keep her inside! it is a shame that your vet didn't shave her to look for a spay scar. They can usually find those. There is little you can do to stop the heat cycle. But if she gets outside, she will get pregnant.

Dori went into heat before I was able to get her fixed. Just be patient with her. Remember that she can't help it so please don't get upset with her Have you considered another vet in your area? Maybe we have an overload of vets around here, but when I called to schedule Dori they got her in the next day.

Thanks, everyone. No...she will definitely not get out. She is a strictly indoor cat. We live on a very busy street and even on an ordinary day, we would never let her out of the house.

I'm definitely being patient with her and understanding that she has no real clue what's going on with her. She's actually fairly good about it...she's more of a "chirper" than a "yowler."

There are probably other vets in the area...but other than this mistake I really trust my vet and if by chance there would be any complications, I would feel better knowing Rogue was in her hands.

I've read so many different articles on line about the cycle, I just wasn't sure who to believe. One guy even said 1-2 days...Others say a week...Others say the 15-22 days.

I definitely feel worse for her than for myself.

I didn't get Dori spayed until she was a year old, once she had been in heat for a couple of months she got to where it was every 5 or 6 days. She wasn't too loud either, just very "lovey" during that time. She would meow but as soon as you went into the room with her she would stop. I hated seeing her in heat also.

Even though she sounds uncomfortable, she really isn't in any pain. She just wants a male. Even though she is an inside cat, please guard her well. I have known member's cats who in the heat of the intense cycle clawed their way outside through screens. Nature is a powerful pull sometimes. Good luck, I certainly do not envy you. But at least she isn't yowling! I know you trust your vet, but you really should see if you can find another with a closer appointment. I don't mean to alarm you, but letting a cat go through her heat cycles without mating can sometimes cause problems as well for her health.

I have read about the health issues, too. That's another reason I'm concerned. As I said, we're on a "cancellation" list at my vets with both doctors there. I do believe if my vet were truly concerned about her health, she would offer us another option. She has been my vet for the last 10 years and did everything she could to help my beloved Mr. Fuzzypants before we had to let him go from GI cancer. I also think they feel pretty confident there will be a cancellation before that time.

I've been worried, too about the windows, so when we're home, we're keeping them at a very limited open...just enough to get some fresh air in. When we're not there, they're closed...it's cool here in PA now, so the house stays nice and cool for her. We only use one door in and out, too. There's an inner door and an outer door. One of them is always closed before we open the other one. I certainly don't want to take any chances with my little girl.

Hello, This is my first cat and I adore her to death. I got her the beggining of january from a petsmart adoption place. Shes a 3 yr old tabby i guess they're called. When I bought her they told me she had all of her shots and that she was spayed after her kittens were gone. I guess she had kittens a few weeks earlier or something, dunno. Well she was a really great find for me, never had any porblems until about id say a mounth after we got her( of coarse after the adaption agency's help line and all that were no good) she started going in heat. At first it wasnt bad shed do her thing of crawling and nuzling and the little dance im sure your all familiar with, for maybe a week or so, then itd go away for like a month or 2 then come back stronger. Well now im really concerned, I cant sleep, I got a horney cat thatnow has been in heat almost a month that will not leave me alone for an instant it seems, i try to pet her right away shes back to the dance with her rear all in my face. What do I do? It apperars she had a scar when i first got her, real faint, but not sure, they claim she was spayed. Being im in college I cant afford right now for the vet visit and then the extra 150 or so to get ther spayed. Im willing to get any help I can, she wont let me sleep hardly! Thanks for any help, I really apprecieate all you can tell me!

Patrick

If you can't afford a cat, why take one home?

You can try to work out a payment plan with a good vet. The rescue organization you got her from may be willing to take a look.

I've heard of false heat before, but never saw it myself.

Patric- You said the cat as been in heat for month now? Do you mean a month straight? I don't think that's normal. I know it will become for frequent. Dori started out going into heat once every 6-7 weeks but then it became every 5 or 6. Is it possible you could try to call around a find a low cost spay/neuter clinic in your area. Or maybe find a vet that makes paymen arangements? I know it's an unexpected cost since you thought she was all ready spayed. We have a vet in our area who does a financial check on people and if they make under a certain amount they offer the surgery for no cost. Good Luck!

The adaption orginazation claims that all the cats they have for adaption are spayed and shot(not literally of coarse) I can afford a cat, I just am not expecting that 150 payment right now, She has a vat of food, kitty litter and toys, I but things for her when i get the chance and do as much as I can, I am willing to take her backin but Im just more interested in seeing if its possible a spaying might have failed? Like I said she doesnt constantly go in heat every month, she varies. Im curious as if there are cases where the spaying doesnt work. Dont work, if my cat needs help I will be at the vet to get her what she needs.

Pat

Yea, this is just about pushing into the 4th week, if not borderline, I will definatly start looking into some vets to see what kind of prices im dealing with, i know it doesnt help shes in heat right now as the price will go up, but thats just the way it is, lol. Thanks for the help

Pat- I am not sure how it couldn't work, unless the vet didn't do the surgery properly..... which is possible. I understand about spending $150 that's alot. Dori cost $138. Someone else will probably post with a link that helps find the low cost clinics which can be very helpful


looks like we posted at the same time!

COLORADO
Hamlett Spay & Neuter Clinic of Colorado Springs
2129 East Boulder Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Phone: (719) 475-1800

Humane Society of Boulder Valley
2014 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO
Phone: (303) 443-8102
Low cost spay/neuter clinic for all income brackets, pets and ferals

MaxFund Animal Adoption Center
Low Cost Clinic
1041 Galapago Street
Denver, CO 80204
Phone: (303) 595-3561
Low cost s/n and vaccinations. Open Monday through Saturday

DreamPower Animal Rescue Foundation
Colorado Springs, CO
Phone: (719) 390-7838
Low cost spay/neuter for pets of low income people

Some are probably duplicates:

COLORADO
Planned Pethood Plus
Denver CO
303-433-3291

Humane Society of Boulder Valley
2323 55th Street
Boulder, CO
303-442-4030 ext 680
Low cost spay/neuter clinic for all.

MaxFund Animal Adoption Center
Low Cost Clinic
1041 Galapago Street
Denver, CO 80204
303-595-3561
Low cost s/n and vaccinations for pets of low income people. Open Monday through Saturday.

Every Creature Counts
Lyons CO
303-823-5941
Mobile s/n clinic serving the Denver and northern Colorado areas.

Peak View Animal Hospital
Fowler CO
719-263-4321

Dreampower Animal Rescue Foundation
Colorado Springs, CO
719-390-7838
Low cost spay/neuter for pets of low income people.

Hamlett S/N Clinic
Colorado Springs CO
719-475-1800


Eagle Valley Humane Society
Eagle CO
970-328-7387


Friends of Cedaredge Animal Control
Cedaredge CO
970-856-2319
Volunteer for the Friends group and earn credit per hour toward spay/neuter of a pet.

Patrick, you kitty really needs to be spayed and quickly. There are so many low-cost spaying programs around, even you as a college student should be able to handle it. Letting her continue to go into heat, opens her up for some serious health issues.

http://www.spayusa.org/

Pat, have you contacted the adoption agency and told them what is going on with your kitty? They may be willing to help, or at least set you up with their vet at reduced rates. Where are you in Colorado? I know there are a few low-cost spay/neuter programs here and being a student you would probably qualify for the ones with income requirements. Denver and Boulder I know for sure both have low-cost programs.

There are cases where a spayed cat still goes into heat. That happens when even a tiny bit of the ovaries accidentally remain in the cat. It doesn't happen very often, but it can happen. Doesn't mean the vet was incompetent, either.

Thanks alot guys you helped alot! Ill see what I can come up with for these guys getting m ein as soon as they can and also who wants to do it while shes in heat! Thanks a bunch

Pat

I had my cat scheduled to be spayed exactly a week after she turned six months, and I still didn't catch her before her first heat, so don't feel too bad. You can only do your best, adn you have to trust your vet, so if you were following their advice, well you have nothing to feel guilty about. My girl went into heat right under 5 months old. The first one lasted about a week, maybe eight days, and then she went back into heat again right before she was spayed. It wasn't much fun for me because she's a bengal, so you can imagine how loud she was, but I know it wasn't fun for her either. Still, I was doing what I thought was best at the time on my vets advice, so I'm not going to beazt myself up over it. I secolnd (or third) the advice of maybe looking into another vet in the area.

I would definatly go to a vet asap. There have been cases of cats born with extra ovaries that are not easily noticable by the vet. There could also be extra ovarian tissue left from the spay. I work in a clinic in Canada. While this isn't common, it does happen. It is not always the vets fault. YOu don't know until the cat goes through a heat after spaying. Unfortunatly, it is more expensive to fix the problem because it is now an exploratory surgery. The doctor has to go in and search the entire abdomen to make sure there isn't any material left at all. Usually the cat can not get pregnant because there is no uterus. But it can happen if an intact ovary is left behind. The embryo may just attach to something else in the abdomen.Be careful. And get to a clinic as soon as possible. I have never heard of a waiting list for spays and neuters. We can get them in the same week as when the client calls. Sometimes even the same day! Good luck.
And remember that in getting an animal, there are always unforseen costs. Pet insurance may be something you may want to look into.