Spaying

For all your feline miscellany - any interesting stories, news or subjects that do not fit in the other sections.
Post Reply
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

Our new little girl will be 5 months on the 19th September. I was hoping to get her spayed before I go back to college at start of September as my schedule when I go back is going to be hectic and my partner works.

Just wondering if we did take her at the start of the month how likely would they be to do it then? Are they usually quite strict in that if they've said 5 months it has to be 5 months or after.
User avatar
MarySkater
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 564
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:47 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: Dumfries, SW Scotland

Re: Spaying

Post by MarySkater »

You could phone your vet, explain the situation and ask them. Some places will spay cats much younger than that, so it's just a case of what is standard procedure at your vets.
User avatar
Judy Barnett
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 161
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 7:25 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: Stoke on Trent

Re: Spaying

Post by Judy Barnett »

My Georgia wasn't quite 6 months when I had her spayed. However, she did need some nursing and looking after. Your cat will have a 'collar of shame' on for a couple of weeks so that she won't pick at the stitches and as she's so young and little this is going to be awkward and upsetting for her, (getting onto her bed, getting into her litter box etc). Is someone going to be there to check on her.
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: Spaying

Post by Lilith »

Hi, Gill. This does seem to depend on the vet - I'd always believed the age for neutering to be 6 months; on this forum I've read that many rescues spay girls at 4 months.

I've never, in decades, had a girl come home in a cone collar - but many vets do still prefer them - and it's true that some girls WILL remove their stitches, little horrors. I had one who did - the day after :shock: Rushed her to the vet, who was very laid back and said, don't worry unless the wound gapes. But usually all goes well. She was fine, by the way.

The last time I had a girl spayed was in 2012 and she'd come to me as an adolescent; I THINK she was 8 months old when I got her to the vet's. This time round the incision was glued - and she took not a bit of notice of it - or her delicate condition either; she went wall-of-deathing round the house as per usual like a hypercharged chipmunk. Imagine doing that after a hysterectomy! :o

So. It does depend on the vet. And the cat. But I don't think a couple of weeks will make much difference, hope you can get her spaying done that bit earlier and that everything goes well :)
booktigger
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2664
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:36 pm
No. of cats in household: 3

Re: Spaying

Post by booktigger »

I would ask your vet what kind of stitches they use, ours use glue, so no stitches to bother them. I've also never had one needing nursing after, in fact I have to stop them doing things (I foster cats so have had a lot!)
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

Thanks for all the replies, think we will call the vets early September and see what they say as they had said at her last check up she needs to be 5 months old but they may do it slightly before.

I am wanting it done the first week in September so I can be home with her as I go back to college during the second week on the 11th and will be really busy having only Friday and the weekend free and my partner works full time.

If they say no he would either have to take holiday time or see if they can do the op on a Friday, as we will have to have the pre op consultation before then aswell.
User avatar
MarySkater
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 564
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:47 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: Dumfries, SW Scotland

Re: Spaying

Post by MarySkater »

My cat was spayed at 6 months - I never asked if it could be done earlier, I'm "old school" and 6 months used to be the norm. She had normal stitches which had to be removed after 10 days, but - to my surprise and pleasure - my vet said he doesn't use collars on cats, didn't find them necessary. He was right in Ria's case. She never pulled the stitches, and when I occasionally saw her licking the area, she seemed more interested in the edge of the shaved patch, the transition from almost-bare skin to long fur. I had to keep her in for 4 days after surgery (she normally has access to a garden run) but she didn't seem to have any ill-effects at all.
User avatar
Ruth B
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1998
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:31 am
No. of cats in household: 3
Location: Wolverhampton

Re: Spaying

Post by Ruth B »

I used to be old school and believe that 6 months was the right time to have them spayed or neutered, so I got a real shock when watching US or Canadian kitten cams and found out that over there it is normal to do it at 8 weeks as long as the kitten is at least 2lb in weight.

Since then the more I have heard the more I have come to believe that earlier is better. The local charity I support has a vet who is happy to do it at 12 weeks as long as the kitten is healthy so that means that no kitten is rehomed without being spayed or neutered. I also read about so many that are little more than 6 months old themselves and ready to give birth, which doing the maths, means they conceived at about 4 months old.
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

So we have been to the vets tonight and Lexi is booked in to be spayed next Friday. They have told us her teeth are not quite alined so are going to look at them whilst she's under anaesthetic and possibly she may need some out if they don't right themselves.

What was more upsetting to hear however is that she has a problem with her tail where by she will not put it down at all unless sitting and it stays completely up and curls over her back, they have told us as she gets older this could lead to arthritis and she will always have balance problems so can never be let outside :( . We have noticed she won't jump up on to high surfaces from ground level and prefers to climb on things to help herself get up high.

I also think she is a little slow as she doesn't seem to pick things up quickly at all like she doesn't understand when we tell her not to do things and just doesn't get it.

We love her so much and although she may have some challenges ahead we and her brother will always be there to help her out. I only hope she can still have a happy future.
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: Spaying

Post by Lilith »

Hi Gill, glad everything's fixed up :)

That's interesting about the tail; I once knew a cat with the same sort of tail - it went right over in a roll like a lizard's, though it could straighten out if she wanted it to. She still went out, though, and got up on high fences; the tail never seemed to hamper her, but of course there may be differing degrees of this curliness.

So I wouldn't give up hope; when she's older perhaps you could try letting her out under supervision, or, if possible, securing the garden so that she can't roam but can still 'play out'. Many cats with straight tails become arthritic as they get older; it's a fairly common thing.

Hope the spaying goes well and all the best with her :)
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

Lilith wrote:Hi Gill, glad everything's fixed up :)

That's interesting about the tail; I once knew a cat with the same sort of tail - it went right over in a roll like a lizard's, though it could straighten out if she wanted it to. She still went out, though, and got up on high fences; the tail never seemed to hamper her, but of course there may be differing degrees of this curliness.

So I wouldn't give up hope; when she's older perhaps you could try letting her out under supervision, or, if possible, securing the garden so that she can't roam but can still 'play out'. Many cats with straight tails become arthritic as they get older; it's a fairly common thing.

Hope the spaying goes well and all the best with her :)
Thanks for the reply, it's reassuring to know that she can still lead a normal life. Letting her out I think would depend on how well she copes as she gets bigger, at the moment she does seem to struggle so I wouldn't like to as she wouldn't manage I don't think. We don't have a garden but hope to move to somewhere with one in the future. The vet seem to suggest it will get worse as she gets older and her balance will worsen but I guess time will tell.
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

Lexis spaying went fine, she was in yesterday morning and out by late afternoon, no trouble for the vets and much braver than her mummy would be !

She's got to have Loxicom for the next 5 days to keep her free of pain and just generally not overdoing it or rough housing with her brother. Trying to keep her quiet and get her to rest has been a bit of a nightmare when she's a 5 month old bundle of energy that just wants to play but we are doing our best. She's back for a checkup on Tuesday and hopefully the vets will be happy with how she's healing.
booktigger
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2664
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:36 pm
No. of cats in household: 3

Re: Spaying

Post by booktigger »

I'm surprised they have sent her home with painkillers, mosr8cats are fine without them. As for keeping them quiet, it's impossible
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

booktigger wrote:I'm surprised they have sent her home with painkillers, mosr8cats are fine without them. As for keeping them quiet, it's impossible
We never got any pain killers for our boy when he was done so I was a bit surprised at first but just figured it's because female spay is a more invasive surgery and they want to make certain she won't be in any pain . It is virtually impossible to keep kittens quiet, luckily today she seems more willing to rest and is having a nap now.
User avatar
MarySkater
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 564
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:47 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: Dumfries, SW Scotland

Re: Spaying

Post by MarySkater »

My Ria was spayed at 6 months, brought home in the afternoon after being done in the morning. I don't know if she was given any painkillers at the vets, but certainly nobody suggested that I should be giving her any, and she didn't seem to be in any discomfort.
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

MarySkater wrote:My Ria was spayed at 6 months, brought home in the afternoon after being done in the morning. I don't know if she was given any painkillers at the vets, but certainly nobody suggested that I should be giving her any, and she didn't seem to be in any discomfort.
It must just be the preference of each vet then, they probably won't all give it.
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: Spaying

Post by Lilith »

Aww, great news :D

They usually do sail through it, but always a worry until they've actually had the op.

Yes, and then they come home and drive you bonkers ... as Booktigger says and as the late great TS Eliot puts it -

They will do
As they do do -
And there's no doing anything about it!

Little horror, give her a love from me, and her brother too :)
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

Lilith wrote:Aww, great news :D

They usually do sail through it, but always a worry until they've actually had the op.

Yes, and then they come home and drive you bonkers ... as Booktigger says and as the late great TS Eliot puts it -

They will do
As they do do -
And there's no doing anything about it!

Little horror, give her a love from me, and her brother too :)
Aww thanks I will :D she's being a bit calmer today and lots of naps being had. I think it is a bit sore and she's not too keen on us getting near the area for wound inspections.
User avatar
Mayday21
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 845
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:44 am
No. of cats in household: 5
Location: Australia

Re: Spaying

Post by Mayday21 »

Hi just watch for any swelling. And like Booktigger, Mrs Skater & Lilith no pain killers when I've had my 3 females (Crystal, Mayday & Harper) done. Sometimes vets will give a soft collar to stop stitches being interfered with. Keep us posted on recovery. Vivian
Gill_2017
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:08 am

Re: Spaying

Post by Gill_2017 »

We went for a check up today at the vets so they could see how her wounds healing and they were very pleased and said it's healing really well.

Just got to carry on with the Loxicom till it's all gone and she should be good to rough house with her brother again by next week :D

Receptionist and the vet commented on how cute she is which always makes me smile as she is a perfect princess to us and watching her grow up into a beautiful little cat fills us with such pride.
Jimikun
New Cat Chatter
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:17 pm

Re: Spaying

Post by Jimikun »

Hi there! My cat just got spayed and the incision is directly next to her right nipple. I’m wondering why it’s so far to the side and not in the middle. Is there a good reason for this or did the vet make a mistake? I’m new to this forum so any info or opinions are appreciated!
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: Spaying

Post by Mollycat »

Jimikun wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:35 pm Hi there! My cat just got spayed and the incision is directly next to her right nipple. I’m wondering why it’s so far to the side and not in the middle. Is there a good reason for this or did the vet make a mistake? I’m new to this forum so any info or opinions are appreciated!
It's been 30 years since I had a kitten spayed but in those days a flank incision was standard and midline was considered more risky and only really done for pedigree show cats, notably colourpoints where the scar could "spoil" the coat.

Is your girl's scar on the flank, or just off to the side of midline?
Post Reply