Spaying mama cat

My mother is wanting to get her female cat spayed, and her kittens are about 7 weeks old. She thinks she may already be pregnant, as she ripped through a screen in one of our windows when the kits were a couple weeks old. The vet won't do spays in the 2nd trimester, and told my mom that before they could do it, that she had to let her milk dry up, so basically be away from babies for 2 weeks. I've never heard of this and was wondering if anyone knew the reasoning behing it? We're praying she's not pregnant again.

Also, in trying to find ways to keep the kittens off of her, my mom wondered if wrapping her belly with an ace bandage would work. Or is that just silly? She's still nursing her babies often, and they're eating solid food really well. Any ideas?

I would try separating her from the kittens. They are kind of young to be without her, but if you can separate them so they can't nurse at all, she will start to dry up.

The kindest way to do it (IMHO) would be to put her in a separate room for 4 hour periods of time. Then let her be with the kittens to nurse and play, and take her away again. Day to day, you can see how they are doing, and give her longer times without nursing, until she isn't nursing at all.

I foster, and have taken kittens from their Mom at 7-8 weeks. If you ease into it, it should be fine. It isn't very healthy if she is preggers for her to be nursing, too. Takes a lot out of her. I would also schedule the spay for 2 weeks from when you start the weaning process...you can always move it back further if she isn't dried up yet. Or the vet can give her a shot to help dry her up quicker after the kits are done nursing.

Yay to your Mom for making it a priority to get kitty spayed!

I also have a cat with 5 week old kittens. I was told to get her spayed when they were 6 wks or so but it seems from your message above that I should wait a few more weeks and then start separating them? they are starting to eat solid food (kmr & wet) and are overall very healthy.

Originally Posted by Twinka

I also have a cat with 5 week old kittens. I was told to get her spayed when they were 6 wks or so but it seems from your message above that I should wait a few more weeks and then start separating them? they are starting to eat solid food (kmr & wet) and are overall very healthy.

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Twinka...have your kittens started weaning?? Typically weaning occurs between 6-8 weeks, so once weaning has occurred is when you should take your cat in to be spayed. In this case, Beckiboo is recommending that the OP should seperate mom and kittens so her milk dries up and she can get to the vet because the cat could be pregnant again and her vet won't spay until she has stopped lactating.

Katie

i am not sure they have started weaning yet. they are starting to eat solid food but they are still often attached to mom. How long should i wait? mom is pretty safe in the back room, so i am not concerned about her getting pregnant again, so i can wait as long as she needs.

Originally Posted by Twinka

i am not sure they have started weaning yet. they are starting to eat solid food but they are still often attached to mom. How long should i wait? mom is pretty safe in the back room, so i am not concerned about her getting pregnant again, so i can wait as long as she needs.

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Then I would wait until you have placed the kittens if you are sure she won't get back outdoors.

Katie

I think I have homes for all of them. I am thinking of keeping one.. this is the first (and perhaps only) time I have ever done this. All my cats came to me older, so I am pretty sweet on these kittens. So I kind of want to keep one (though the last thing I need is another cat... sigh. I am hoping to be able to hang onto mom in some way, I am just not sure if she will ever warm up to deal with our household (three cats, two big dogs). It is an awful lot of noise, and activity. But we are going to work on her.. she deserves a shot at something better than a short life on the streets. (I type this with my 19 yr old male purring on my lap.. guess he is glad he did not have a life on the streets).