I have two cats, both 1 1/2 years old, not yet neutered, I would like them to complete their biological cycle begore I do this. ANyways, the male cat does this sort of spray thing, which I found out to be normal so that he can mark his territory, however, I saw the female doing it too, she can actually do it!!! It doesn't smell as strong, but I just never heard of this before... so is this normal?
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strange female?
- Thread starter dadada
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Yes, female cats can spray as well.
An intact female cat will also spray to attract a male for the purpose of mating ... may I ask why you feel it necessary to allow them to "complete their biological cycle" before altering? Do you plan to breed them?
At their age they are both adult so there is no reason not to neuter them.
Isn't the average age cats reach sexual maturity about 6 months? These cats are three times that age. You can get them speutered now and they will be ok. If you wait too long, they will take longer to recover. If they just recently started spraying then getting them speutered now will probably put a stop to that.
Why? They are already mature. You are lucky that you don't have any babys yet! The female is probably spraying to mark her territory b/c the male is doing it. Get them both spayed/neutered ASAP. This will hopefully stop your problem.
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to answer your question... well, I feel all living things have the right to reproduce since that is one of the reasons they are living, to pass on their genetic material, not just so that they can be cute little pets. So it is important to me, to "respect this right", after all they never asked to be shielded from a more "natural life" by being domesticated and being placed as pets in a house. THe female cat, who is called lemur by the way, has had anticonceptives shots, I just wasn't ready to take care of her and any kittens if she did have them, I think I will let her get pregnant now. The male, barely goes out, I'm really not sure why, he just likes being inside, so I'll give him probably 1 or 2 months before I actually neuter him. Also I think it is a terrible, although necessary thing, to have the cats desexed... I mean, much of their drive to live, and behavior comes form all the hormones associated with the reproductive organs. So, I know every body is really pro spaying the cats, because of overpopulation and stray cats suffering, in a way I am too, but in another way, I just feel its so mean to do this, that is why I decided to allow them some time as normal cats...
Did you know that if you don't neuter/spay your cat that it is actually at a greater risk have health risks such as cancer? And that many female cats have difficult pregnancies that could require surgery or result in death of her our her kittens? I'm sorry, I don't think you should allow your cat to get pregnant or keep a cat without fixing it unless you are a breeder. I think most people on this board agree.
Additionally, my cats are all spayed and neutered, and I haven't noticed anyone having lost their drive to live or losing any happiness.
Additionally, my cats are all spayed and neutered, and I haven't noticed anyone having lost their drive to live or losing any happiness.
Isn't it worse to let the cats reproduce and then take it away from them? Then they'll spend the rest of their lives thinking, "wow, i wish i could still reproduce". if you're considering your cats' feelings on reproduction, i think it would be better that they never know what they're missing.
Cats are not like humans with emotions for babies. They are driven strictly by hormones. Its crueler to let them come into heat and the males are frustrated by not mating. And its much healthier to have them spayed/neutered.
You are not doing your cats any favor by keeping them whole.
You are not doing your cats any favor by keeping them whole.
Please note the Rule #2 that you agreed to on joining these forums:
All animals have a drive to live whether or not they have sex. It is untrue and unfair to equate the human drive for sex (and apparently that equating to the drive to live) to that of cats. They don't think the same way we do. It's absolutely misguided to think that they will just lie about depressed once they are desexed. In all actuality, their enjoyment in life rises once the biological drive to find a mate is removed. Going into heat is physically painful for females, besides the other potential medical issues it presents.
As you are not a responsible breeder with the genetic histories of these cats, nor do you have a mentor to assist you with any issues that may arise, please get both of these cats neutered as soon as possible. Don't put them through this master plan of yours. They won't suffer for not reproducing, but they may suffer greatly for having kittens.
Your thinking, that companion animals are somehow not complete unless they have mated and reproduced, has been scientifically disproven for years. The logic might hold up if there was a shortage of cats, but there is certainly no shortage. Just ask the 3-4 million, yes MILLION, cats and kittens that are killed in US shelters each year. Not to mention the potentially millions of ferals cats and kittens in the US alone.
All animals have a drive to live whether or not they have sex. It is untrue and unfair to equate the human drive for sex (and apparently that equating to the drive to live) to that of cats. They don't think the same way we do. It's absolutely misguided to think that they will just lie about depressed once they are desexed. In all actuality, their enjoyment in life rises once the biological drive to find a mate is removed. Going into heat is physically painful for females, besides the other potential medical issues it presents.
As you are not a responsible breeder with the genetic histories of these cats, nor do you have a mentor to assist you with any issues that may arise, please get both of these cats neutered as soon as possible. Don't put them through this master plan of yours. They won't suffer for not reproducing, but they may suffer greatly for having kittens.
Thank you for explaining your position on this. It is true that animals, if left surgically unaltered, do possess the instinct to reproduce for the purpose of continuing their line. However, what they do not possess is the ability to make a reasonable choice - as the primary caregivers of our companions, it is up to ~us~ to make those choices for them based on intelligence, compassion, maturity and responsibility.
As a breeder, I understand the mating process with cats a little better than most. It can be very violent and even injurious to the cats. Females have been known to become abscessed from the bite wounds inflicted by the male during the process. Males have been seriously wounded from the scratches and bites from the female as she is writhing in agony during the "afterglow". Unless the cats are confirmed free of the normal feline health issues, these wounds may even spread infectious diseases, many of them life-threatening to both adults and potentially produced kittens. Even the gestation period can be uncomfortable ... females can and do experience the nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness during the first few weeks of pregnancy. They sacrifice valuable physical resources by diverting them to the kittens in utero. Delivery also isn't without problems; sometimes, kittens are born needing immediate assistance or intervention. Unless you are a seasoned, very experienced and knowledgable person when it comes to reproductive issues in felines, you may not be adequately prepared to deal appropriately with the possible eventualities.
Are you able to address the question of genetics within your cats' lines? Do you know what, if any, hereditary health issues you might be reproducing? What is the genetic relationship between your cats? Are they related and if so, how closely?
My point here is that most pet owners do not possess the experience, knowledge and yes, even financial resources to be sufficiently prepared to breed. There is much, much more to it than simply allowing two cats with functioning reproductive systems to mate. People can acquire the knowledge required easily enough, but then one would have to decide how best to use (or not to use) that knowledge. Is it for the betterment of your cats, their quality of life, their health or is it not for the best for them? And if you can somehow persuade yourself into believing it is for the best for them to reproduce, then you must come up with a ~valid~ reason how it is for the best. With all due respect to you, the reasons you gave are not ones I see as being valid ones. As valanhb has already accurately commented, the idea that cats must have one litter before sexually altering them has been debunked in just about all corners of the veterinary community. Vets don't believe this anymore, why should you?
Dadada... the folks who have posted here are absolutely 100% right. I hope you will understand that the strong tone they've taken is not meant to be insulting to you -- it results from the fact that they feel so DEEPLY about this issue.
Please don't be put off by the passion of our responses. I hope you will take this opportunity to learn more about the realities of feline reproduction... and I profoundly hope you will have your kitties spayed and neutered right away. Believe me, they will be far, far happier and healthier for it!
All good wishes...
Please don't be put off by the passion of our responses. I hope you will take this opportunity to learn more about the realities of feline reproduction... and I profoundly hope you will have your kitties spayed and neutered right away. Believe me, they will be far, far happier and healthier for it!
All good wishes...
I would like to add a note. I probably would have had my precious Felix neutered even if I'd had the choice (SPCA), but I really don't have a problem with you choosing not to. Certainly, be sure you provide homes for any kittens, and be prepared for spraying, etc...But there are cats all over the world who are perfectly fine without being desexed. I have lived in a country without vets, and our cats were all fine. One of the females had to be 8 or so, and she was still thriving after who knows how many kittens and years of living outdoors. We knew nothing about cats' birthing processes, but she did! They know what to do on their own...it's beautiful.
I was going to say the same thing. In a way you might be rendering them shorter lives and unneeded illness. Plus what would you do with the kittens when they were born. There are many cats/kittens already out their that need happy homes. My cat seems much happier since he was neutered. He is still as vibrant and playful as he was before he had the surgery.
All that I want to add is that my female cat goes into heat every other week for about a week and that it is horrible for both her and us. She's uncomfortable and crys and moans and rubs all over us. It's hard to walk around the house when there's a cat that following you around with her hinny raised! Then again if they're a year and a half old you've probably been through all of this and I'm amazed that she's not already pregnant.
As far as I know, anti-contraceptives don't stop the risk of pyometra or cancer (uterine, mammary), so you could be cutting your female's life short (and neither are pleasant diseases). Yes, all animals are built to reproduce, but they were all built to survive outside, so not all survived, this is something that we altered when we domesticated them, so we have to alter their reproduction as there are already too many animals needing homes.
