frustrated at spaying/neutering- venting

[maverick_kitten]

my vet is refusing to spay Maverick before her kitten is 12 weeks old which means another 6 weeks of her going in and out of heat

the little beast is the worlds loudest cat (fact!) and when she's on heat she's even louder. i have exams in three weeks and who's placing bets thats when she'll decide to get frisky

not only that but i cant get her male kitten neutered before 6 months old. because he is so big for his age i'm sure he will reach maturity before then and either start spraying or get aggressive

i'm terrified that she'll get out again and get pregnant. ironically if she did they'd be able to spay her then.

get so frustrated when i read that you guys in the US can get it done from 12 weeks

 

[yayi]

It's the same here in Philippines. No speutering before 6 months. Although there are probably exceptions.

 

[wellingtoncats]

I don't believe in early desexing - I think desexing at six months is good.

 

[cyclesarah]

It's funny...I am an American living in the UK, and when I adopted my boys, and was told that I could not get them neutered before the age of 6 months, I was TERRIFIED. I had been told horror stories about just what could happen if they matured early. Well, let me tell you...I am SO happy that I waited. I do not think I will ever desex before the age of six months. And as far as your one boy being big...my little bruiser Riley is a BIG BOY (even the vet commented on it) and he was fine. Neither one should any hint what so ever of being aggressive or spraying. Maybe I got lucky...but I think it was healthier for my guys to wait. I understand in that in the States they spay/neuter early because shelters want to ensure that the unwanted litters are kept down, so it is easier (and smart, in most cases) to just have them "fixed" before they go home with their new owner. But I really support waiting until the kittens are older to desex them...now that I have seen both sides.
I understand your concern with your female getting pregnant again. That is a bummer! But only a few more weeks...

 

[vespacat]

Spaying/neutering of cats is not generally practised here in Canada before 6 months either. And I don't agree with doing it ealier at all... Usually the cat has only recently finished receiving their complete kitten shots and needs to build immunity in order to proceed with such a major surgery.

 

[hissy]

My vet refuses to do any cat before 6 months, and I trust his judgement and ride out the heat cycles when they start early. Rescue remedy does help a bit- if it doesn't help the cat, it will help you.

 

[ciera23]

I didn't know what the age was because I haven't had one that young in a long time with the exception of punkin my 1 year old.
The kids that I am bringing home are 10 wks old. They would not let me adopt until they were fixed and this happens tomorrow and Tuesday. I seen one of the posts mentions waiting due to building up the immunity. Are my new kids going to be ok??? I am kinda scared now.

 

[vespacat]

MA, true enough about the Rescue Remedy...

Originally Posted by hissy

My vet refuses to do any cat before 6 months, and I trust his judgement and ride out the heat cycles when they start early. Rescue remedy does help a bit- if it doesn't help the cat, it will help you.

 

[rosiemac]

Nicky i questioned my vet as to why we don't spay earlier than 6 months in the UK a while ago, not that i wanted to do it earlier, just out of curiosity really?!.

If you want to know pm me as i don't want this to become an IMO thread?!.

But she said in severe cases with aggression in male cats they will do them as young as 4 months, but they have to weigh in at least 2lb, but thankfully theres not many that she has to do that young.

 

[lillekat]

They were the same with Sprocket and Greebo - I had to wait until they were both over 6 months before I could have them fixed... poor Sprocket had to be done twice because he had one testicle that was still inside him... he finished up with a bigger op and scar than my girl.. My poor little man didn't reall ylove me too much for a while after that one

But I don't regret having waited to get them done. It's a pain in the bum when they start to get all tetchy and noisy.... and then you've got the spraying on top of that. For some really really odd reason, best known to himself, Sprocket always seemed to calm down when I put nature videos on the tv. I think my electricity bill for a while was horrendous, but it was worth it! Failing that, you could always try a cardboard box (airholes optional)

, or a set of really good earplugs!!

 

[fwan]

The vet i had in frankfurt told me to wait untill 6 months old, and then the next time i saw her she said its better at 7 months old.

Now teufel is nearly 7 and a half months old, and he becomes a tornado in the night time (last night i was a little lucky as melina wore him out before we went to bed) He constatly meows at the window, he tries to run out of the appartment. He hasnt been humping our arms (thank god!) But he does come to attack and then become nice again.
Its time for him to get spayed, Im not really sure if he has sprayed yet because as living in this house i cant smell it, but my blanket did smell a bit weird as if he had sprayed in it.

When i lived in australia my 3 omnth old kitten got injured and the RSPCA spayed her but i dont think its healthy. Because she died 2 weeks later.
Plus cats dont grow anymore after they get spayed.

Jupiter isnt THAT big for a kitten

he just has lots of furrr

 

[februa]

I just got manytoes neutered yesterday - at 8 months of age. He had a bad start, and in a medical sense, it really was the best to wait. At 6 months of age, he was too small, not ready, and Im completely glad I waited until now. Nothing happend in the 2 months to suggest to me that manytoes was sexually mature (in the agressive spraying sense), though he was and is a very active kitten. He is fine today as he should be. I personally agree with most people on this thread, that waiting for 6 months is wise. An older, larger, more immune cat is simply better at recovery, and better during the surgery for the vet - this is true with humans too and is why a lot of surgerys will be delayed for better success while a child ages. In response to Fwan: I feel confident in saying if you have an unneutered male cat spraying, you would know that smell, so your bed is probably safe.

In terms of female cats not growing after being spayed, that is just incorrect. Growth is not controlled by the ovaries and uterus, so spaying a female should not affect their adult size, no worries there.

 

[ciera23]

I am reading these threads and getting more nervous now..... why is the humane society where I am getting my kids from fixing them at such a young age I wonder??? The boy and girl are only 10 weeks old.
Should I be concerned now???

 

[rosiemac]

Ok Aimee i hate to see anyone worry, so i'll tell you why here in the "UK" we don't spay under 6 months.

This is coming from not one vet but several who i have spoken to along with a friend of mine who is a vet nurse at another surgery.

My vet told me that when doing a spay too young such as 8-12 weeks, their womb, uterus etc... are not properly formed which makes it more difficult to operate than normal, plus the anaesthetic makes their temperature drop anyway, but if done too small it takes them longer to come round once it's over.

But i know from hearing stories from the USA about spaying early that these are not the only problems

 

[ciera23]

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Ok Aimee i hate to see anyone worry, so i'll tell you why here in the "UK" we don't spay under 6 months.

This is coming from not one vet but several who i have spoken to along with a friend of mine who is a vet nurse at another surgery.

My vet told me that when doing a spay too young such as 8-12 weeks, their womb, uterus etc... are not properly formed which makes it more difficult to operate than normal, plus the anaesthetic makes their temperature drop anyway, but if done too small it takes them longer to come round once it's over.

But i know from hearing stories from the USA about spaying early that these are not the only problems

Oh man, I did not know that. I feel ignorant now after being part of these forums when here I thought I knew alot about my kitties well being but just in the past few weeks, I have learned sooooo much! I cannot remember how old Jess was when she was fixed (that was 17 years ago) and Punkin was about 7 mts old when she was fixed.
I am just wondering now, why the humane society would even be allowing this when they are so young. Anyway, I just called up there to see how he did with his surgery, I pick him up in the morning. She said he did just fine.

I guess all I can do is pray that they will be alright.

 

[rosiemac]

Aww Aimee i'm sure they'll be fine but i know you'll be happier once their back home

Even at 6 months i still worried

 

[ciera23]

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Aww Aimee i'm sure they'll be fine but i know you'll be happier once their back home

Even at 6 months i still worried

Thank you. I sure hope so!!!
Yep, I would be too.

 

[gailc]

My vet doesn't like to spay/nueter before 6 months. Bakker was a bit over 6 months and he never sprayed in the house.
Grizzly who we had another name because of the litters-well I think the vet wanted to have the kittens weaned before spaying. And guess what-she was pregnant when she was spayed. Neither I nor the vet thought she was pregnant or that far along.
So I learned a lesson there!! Keep her in, get some good earplugs and take her in when the vet says its ok!!

 

[maverick_kitten]

thanks for all your help.

susan- was about to pm you but i think you've answered it all now

i feel a lot better about waiting for the boy to be spayed. i just didnt want him to get all agressive with poor Maverick as she's he's a meanie as it is.

i'm still really worried about her getting out but everyones being extra vigilant. so far she has no desire to go anywhere. i thought she was coming back into heat but think she was just in a sulk over her vet visit and feeling a bit neglected because i'm busy with course work. she cant see how i can be in the house and not be petting her!

 

[rosiemac]

Don't worry Nicky i'm sure he'll be ok, and i can understand why your not petting Maverick.

Give her scritches behind the ear instead