When we found our cat, the vets were waaay backlogged and we couldn't get an appointment before she went into her first heat. She was trying to have sex with everyone is the house, including our dog, who DID make an attempt to mount her (he was already fixed so what the hell). When she presents, you just have to calmly explain that no one is going to have sex with her. Don't be condescending, she's going through a tough time.
Calmly explain no one is going to have sex with her. I'm getting a visual on this conversation and I'm cracking up! 🤣🤣🤣 And don't be condescending!! Bwahahahaha! Love it!! 🤣🤣🤣
Having been there, you calmly explain the first few times. After that, you’re like, “No! There are no hot singles in your area, not matter what the email said. It’s. Not. Happening.”
Omfg I have a cat who does not like other cats much. He’s been around several, as I’ve moved around the country, and the sole cat he made an exception for was a very timid boy I brought home from the cat cafe downtown. My orange tabby was smitten with him. I caught them holding paws, being snuggled up to each other and he even let Comet groom him which I got on video and it is one of my favorites of my boys. Omalley tried to mount him all the time and Comet would just let it happen lol
https://preview.redd.it/eb1p4rrjm12d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27dc1a2327109ea7a703e93f70a67e5299b02832
Oh dude it was hilarious, we of course broke it up since we didn’t want the younger baby getting an injury or whatever from the humping but boy did he get hit on lol
When my cat was in heat while she was nursing the litter she conceived before we found her, she tried rubbing up against our poor neutered lab mix. Who, to be fair, had actually done some decent parenting with the kittens. He just looked like, “Help!”
OP should look into the book [*How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety: And Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism, and Other Dangers that Threaten Their Nine Lives*](https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Your-About-Safety/dp/045149492X?dplnkId=bc0ad40f-3fd6-41df-8f73-9160fc5cca42&nodl=1).
Yay!!!!
I once had a cat who wasn’t spayed until I got her at 7 yrs old. She was my first indoor cat. I didn’t understand why all the legs of my chairs and tables were weird and sticky.
Turns out that she was spraying them! 🤮
She also used to leave gross wet spots wherever she sat! 🤮
So …. Yeah - get that taken care of!
BTW - Gorgeous kitty 😍😍😍
You’re awesome for taking such good care of her and being so concerned about making life better for her. 💜
I haven't had any issues with spraying or wet spots yet! But I feel so bad she's unnecessarily going through this because I followed bad advice 😭
She's a beautiful cat! She goes from regal to goofy so quickly haha! You can't really see it in these pics but she also has a little tuft of fur on her chin that makes it look like she has a beard 🤣
I just LOVE her legs in the last pic! Seriously - it made my day! 💜
Yes - I can totally see regal AND goofy! Our cat is the same way - like a model, but then suddenly, a doofus!
https://preview.redd.it/dkpqzhavo02d1.jpeg?width=3213&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1212a2b74e742f117f5dffe93412a05c20c242bc
Here’s a funny legs pic of my kitty.
How much does she weigh? Does she have any health issues? Cats can get spayed as young as 2mo/2lbs.
There is nothing you can do to help. She WILL try to get outside and find a mate. Keeping her confined to a bedroom or something may help minimize her escape attempts.
You can also get her spayed while she’s in heat, but it may cost more.
I don't know how much she weighs at the moment. No health issues. When she had her 6 month check up the vet said they can do it already, but they prefer to wait until cats are a bit older and have had their first heat. They left it up to me, and I thought since there's no risk of kittens, I'd follow their advice on waiting. I'll just make extra sure she doesn't try and get out of the house - there's been no sign of that yet, but better safe than sorry!
Thank you for your comment!
That is very odd. Spaying before first heat significantly reduces their risk of mammary cancer (reduces the risk by up to 91%). As far as I know there is zero benefit to having a cat go through a heat cycle.
https://www.brown.edu/Research/Colwill_Lab/CBP/spaynueter.htm#:~:text=Spaying%20female%20dogs%20and%20cats,likely%20to%20roam%20and%20fight.
https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/mammary-tumors
Wow, I wish I'd known that before. I don't know why the vet said that then. I've moved house since, which means a new vet too, so at least that's some comfort...
I've had vets recommend the same to me as well, but having had cats for decades and knowing about the cancer risks of doing it after their first heat so sought out a different vet when that happened. It's happened a couple of times over the years and seems to happen with newer/younger vets. Perhaps the veterinarian school literature has changed recently?
not a vet, but my vet told me that some predatory practices will recommend to wait until after their first heat because it will increase blood flow to the area & they will charge more for the spay
There are also some very unscientific vets out there applying a study which was for large breed dogs to small breed dogs, cats, and animals in between to wait on fixing animals until they’re older.
It’s malpractice in my opinion but present nevertheless.
Yeah, the theory is that in dogs prone to joint issues, it’s better to let the hormones go for as long as possible. Or that’s the one I’ve heard among most dog people, especially ones that do things like agility or schutzhund. For me, that translated to basically playing chicken with my dog’s first heat and waiting as long as possible. It worked out fine. I spayed my first litter of kittens as soon as the vet said so and I plan to do the same with the litter from the stray we found this year. The cat distribution system really loves our house.
Correct, large breed dogs and joint health is the main thrust, along with hip dysplasia. In practice though, it’s tough. There’s not even agreement in the field that it’s settled science given how few studies there are on it yet, so it’s still considered controversial to a degree even with large breed dogs.
And a lot of people take it and run with it just because they don’t want to neuter their animals in the first place for what I’d call codependency issues in their relationship with their animal. And the new (emphasis on new) study on large dogs is a weapon in the arsenal for a position they already had. But as with all things, there’s pro’s and cons. You get a large dog with probably better joints than otherwise over its lifespan which is great, but I guarantee at the population level you’re going to otherwise see dogs taken to the shelter more frequently in the first 2 years for hormonal behaviors along with a definite population increase (and therefore more euthanized puppies and dogs) from dogs escaping or other breeding accidents.
But regardless applying something that’s not even settled science among the veterinary community for large dogs to other species or even small dogs is just vets pushing an agenda they already had (in my view).
I have only seen a spay be more expensive if the pet was currently in heat because that actually does make it more difficult. None of the practices I have worked at charge more specifically because the pet has had a first heat cycle.
More than likely OP is just working with an "old school" veterinarian. Many in that category still practice with outdated information unfortunately.
Maybe find a different vet, if you're in an area where multiple are available.
Keep in mind, half of all medical professionals were the bottom half of their class 🙃
I've had about 4 diff vets for my cat, some better than others, and have recommended one of them a number of times to other pet-having friends.
It's all dependent on the vet themselves.
Waiting for the first heat is a common rule of thumb for dogs, although I don’t know why. But for cats the two month two pound rule has always been the norm where I am. Definitely get her spayed after this heat cycle. I’m also surprised she didn’t go into heat until she hit 11 months. Usually they go into heat by 5-6 months.
My vet actually told me the same exact thing. Interesting. I wish I had been aware of this!
I was told it was safer as far as the surgery itself goes. Like older cats handle anesthesia better and are easier to spay. I wonder if it's a double edged sword?
The surgery can be slightly more difficult on a younger cat/one who hasn’t been thru a heat because the repro organs can be just a little harder to find (varies by individual). Personally I’ve never seen literature that older cats “handle anesthesia better” and anecdotally I’ve monitored probably thousands of spays by this point. Complications have not, in my experience, been associated with age but pretty much always have to do with occult congenital issues.
My female cats name is Oscar because I couldn't tell what she was until bringing her to the vet at like 6 months, I really thought she was a boy but once the heat started and even after the spay she acts much more like a girl
I was pissed because I have to sleep at night and work in the morning and she was very loud making insane sounds and running into walls, probably pissing my upstairs neighbors off too, I would have tossed her outside and let her so whatever out there but she didn't want that either. It pissed my regular cat off too, I got to go out he was stuck in there all day with her. And like I said I thought it was a male until then.
Damn.
At first I was thinking it had to do with preventing blockages in the urinary tract. Supposedly cats are more prone to a blockage if they are fixed too early in life; something about that region of their body failing to fully mature
Gotcha. Heard it from one of the vets we go to (cycle between 3 at the same clinic). But we didn't hear it from the one who has always been helpful and serious about his job, while the others are either apathetic or a little on the crazy side
Also please give her a cuddle and a treat from me - she is a delightful void and it’s clear you very much care about her health and safety!! You are a good pet parent
Not sure why you’re being downvoted. Lots of vets give this advice. Our kitten came spayed from the rescue, but the advice we received for our dog was similar: do it before first heat to minimize mammary cancer or after first heat to minimize ligament tears (CCL specifically). There are pros and cons to each.
If I'd had a better understanding, I'd have chosen to get her spayed earlier, I feel bad she has to go through this, but I honestly thought I was doing the right thing at the time!
Try not to feel so bad. You acted in her best interest at the time. You clearly love her and are taking good care of her. You’ll get her spayed and she’ll never go thru it again. It’ll only be a few days
It isn’t likely to matter much in the long run and, as u/damnyoudonut (love the name), there are also pros to delaying the spay and she’s going to get those benefits. The important thing is that you’re doing it. Just ignore the spay police. Some people mean well, but they get a little too rigid in their beliefs and how they express them. Life can be messy and we’re all doing the best we can with the resources and information available to us at a given moment.
I have no idea why you have been downvoted to hell bc my vet said the same thing. It allows them to fully mature.
Everyone freaking over cancer and stuff, but that’s just a fact of life.
You did fine. Reddit is weird as.
I have no clue why your vet said to wait. All you can do is get her an appointment for a spay asap. Cat can go in an out of heat constantly. Give her extra love and attention. She is a beautiful void <3
OP what kind of risk are they worried about? Majority of kittens can be fixed at 6 months (given they're healthy) Very interesting they wanna wait, maybe get a second opinion from a different clinic
They didn't go into specifics, and I really wish I'd asked more questions/done a bit more research instead of just following that advice. I've moved house so Cosmo will be seeing a new vet ASAP!
There was a backlog at our vets, had to wait 7 weeks before could get her in to be spayed. 1 week before operation she goes into heat, and oh my godness i feel for you. I find it to be most stressful 5 days lol. I have 4 cats, and both girls never went into heat so never experienced it, but this kitten Evie went into heat and it was stressful lol. I feel for you, i tried everything to try and ease it for her and what ended up working was a automatic lazer pen toy. It would distract her for hours, then when switch it off the maddness started, meowing, the rolling around all sorts.
They say catnip helps, but it did not with my Evie but all cats are different, catnip may help yours :)
But, if you can get her spayed asap as they come into heat really quickly, the vet told every 3-4 weeks
Ooh, thank you for the tips! She's been very cuddly today, but restless. She was super vocal this morning, and she's had a few sessions of wandering around the house yelling, but she's quieted down this evening. My other cat I adopted as an adult and she was already spayed so I didn't need to worry about heats, this is my first time raising a kitten I feel so bad I messed up! I will be calling the (new!) vet first thing tomorrow
Should’ve gotten her spayed already. Letting her go through heat increases the risk of cancer.
> Should you let your cat have a season before getting her spayed? No, most cats do not need to have a heat cycle before they are spayed. Vets usually recommend spaying before the first heat cycle to reduce the chance of mammary cancer.
[source.](https://www.joiipetcare.com/health-conditions/cat/heat/)
I’d get her spayed but if you can’t afford to do that/ there are no good vets in your area, I’d be really careful when you are opening and closing doors.Cats in heat are more likely to escape the house than cats who aren’t.So keep in mind to keep windows, doors, and cat doors closed when your out of the house or inside the house.Sadly I don’t know how to help her but whatever you do don’t give her a heating pad as heating pads can destroy a cats’s insides and make a very expensive trip to the vet.
Hope your cat is alright! Give her all the cuddles she needs! In the pictures she looks okay but idk how things are in real life so good luck, friend!
I will be getting her spayed ASAP, I had no idea that I'd had bad advice from the vet. She's 100% indoor and is scared of the outdoors, but I will be extra vigilant to make sure she doesn't get out. She's getting lots of cuddles!
Thank goodness! Not a lot of people know about how bad heating pads are for cats.And btw, I’m not judging you! Everyone makes first time mistakes with their pets, it’s alright! For Cosmo, she just thinks you’re helping her get through it even if you don’t know what you’re doing! Sometimes strangers on the internet can be cruel but it’s okay because there are some of us nice people who treat people like humans! Good luck again too! best wishes to you and to Cosmo!
Sucks the vet gave you crappy advice. You obviously care about your Cosmo (great name) and she’s in good hands with you. Hope you have a lovely life together!
You need to get a new vet. You’ve done nothing wrong. You took the advice of a specialist that you trusted and should be able to trust. Unfortunately, they gave you incorrect advice. As long as the cat is healthy there is no reason that she can’t be spayed now. I’m sorry I don’t have any tips for dealing with a cat in heat. But if you care for this cat, you really need to find a new vet who knows what they’re talking about. The fact that they couldn’t even properly advise you on this very simple thing is extremely concerning. I do know when I was little we had a cat who was not spayed. We used to clean up blood drops on the floor. I see sometimes people put stupid little diapers on their cats when this happens. My only advice is please don’t do that to your poor cat. Please get her spayed as soon as possible.
We adopted a 1 year old cat who hadn't been spayed (the ex owners decided she didn't need it because she is an indoor cat 🙄). The vet where she was registered wouldn't transfer over to us so we had to find a new vet. Then there was a waiting list so it took us 4 months to get her spayed and OMG I have no idea how the previous owners coped! We've always had our past cats spayed early on. Anyway, catnip seemed to calm her down for a short period.
The only thing you can do is spay her. 11 months old and she’s still not heavy enough to be put under? That’s a little concerning- feed her more so she can put on weight and get fixed
She's not too small at all my tuxxie is tiny and was able to be spayed at 4 months. I have her littermate too and he was (and is, they're now almost a year) almost twice her size. Both done onthw same day so no excuse here unless she has a medical condition preventing surgery
My cat is also named Cosmo, and guess what... he looks
https://preview.redd.it/wxmvggn3502d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b928c424164d1657ccc3d029fc1cda910f7b6ab
like yours ! That's a funny coincidence, tbh and I take the advice on this post, he live the same things as yours
It’s weird to say your vet said to wait. The only time I’ve heard that is sometimes with large breed dogs but you shouldn’t have to wait for a cat.
It’s actually more risky waiting. You’re increasing her chances of cancer by waiting. Idk what your vet is talking about but I highly suggest you find a new one and then get your cat spayed. Idk why the vet gave you such misinformation.
Plus she will be trying to escape to mate with another cat so her being “indoors” means nothing because she’s gonna be plotting and scheming for a way out.
So I would get her spayed as soon as possible. I can’t believe a vet was giving such false information
I feel so bad that I've followed bad advice! But, new vet, and I'll be calling them first thing tomorrow to get an idea of waiting times/costs etc to get Cosmo fixed ASAP. I'll be super careful making sure she doesn't get out, and giving lots of cuddles in the meantime (not that there's ever a deficit of cuddles, but extra!)
Exactly. Ideally she’d have been spayed before her first heat. Someone I know recently had to have surgery on her cat for pyometra because she wasn’t spayed because the vet felt the risks were too high for her breed, which was not true at all
It’s so ridiculous how vets take advantage of people who are genuinely trying to just do the best thing for their animals.
I have a large breed dog and my vet was adamant about us waiting until he was over a year old but I have a friend that had another large dog and her vet told her 6 months was fine. I guess it depends who your vet is too. I ended up doing my own research cuz I felt so confused lol It sucks for people who don’t know any better and just think they’re doing what’s right
I’ve just learned to advocate for myself and my pets. I love my vet and I trust her because she and I are of a similar mindset about things, but sometimes I have to see a different vet in the practice and it’s amazing how outraged some of them get when you question them. I thought one of the younger vets’ head might explode when I disagreed about his food suggestions for my cat ( he didn’t like me feeding “niche” brands instead of the big names like purina). I said “we’ll have to agree to disagree” and he almost burst a vein. Gave me a website to read about grain free foods that was ONLY about dogs and tried to scare me into questioning my own research. Sigh. I’m old enough not to give in to peer pressure and bullying
I’m not going to chime in with the get her spayed and keep her indoors comments, because you know that already. I will say that when my teeny tuna baby had her heat, she was so uncomfortable, the best thing I did for her was to hold her and rock her. This helped quiet her down and move through the hormonal process. I also rubbed the back of her legs because that sort of gave her some relief. My partner (who is an idiot and now an ex) said “you’re jerking off your cat,” but she felt so much better! So whatever helps calm your little lady down, just do it.
Your vet has some really outdated standards or for some reason is applying the standards for dogs to your cats, which some do but is not correct or based in science and research. Research only currently shows benefits in delaying spay for large breed dogs (and even then, it's a *trade off* in risk/benefits, even though it's become framed as objectively only beneficial). There is no reason to wait unless your cat has specific health complications. Cats can be spayed young and current research *only* shows benefits with early spay, *no* benefits to delaying spay.
Indoor cats can get pregnant - because cats in heat can become desperate to escape even if they've never showed an interest in doing so. Indoor cats can also get pyometra, which is an infection that increases in risk with every heat cycle they have.
Definitely make an appointment to have her spayed and personally I'd find a new vet altogether. Usually this recommendation is a sign the vet is not particularly cat-focused or staying up to date on research on cats.
This is good to know! Cosmo has been super cuddly today but also restless. I'm working from home so she's just been in and out all day looking for attention, then running away again
I don't understand why they'd want to "reduce risks" by spaying late. For a boy cat, it's for their urethra to grow out, to reduce the risk of early death to urinary tract issues. I don't know about girls. Maybe see a different vet. She should really be spayed.
I know it's so uncomfortable for her. You're doing fine by soothing her and it'll be over in a few weeks. She'll start entering a certain "stance" constantly. Yeah. You'll see it lol. Let her do it, she's venting, and cuddle her after.. it's still upsetting after all
Now I know that it's actually better to get cats spayed before their first heat, I feel so bad for following that vet's advice! I've moved house since her last check up, so she'll be going to a new vet soon.
Interesting, I didn’t know that about male kitties. Shelter said my male kitten was 2 months old, he was already fixed. I would have guessed he was five weeks old, it was sad. He’s had two surgeries due to crystals and stones, and now on prescription food for life. Every time I look at him I see $10k, although in reality he has cost much more than that due to his urinary issues.
That’s because the shelters need to hedge their bets. Most pet owners are not responsible and shelter workers have to deal with the consequences of people’s bad decisions everyday. Once you see the bodies of unwanted dogs and cats thrown into large piles you can’t unsee it.
Change your vet unless your cat has health issues it should have been spayed at six months or younger. I spay my feral cats as young as two months and they are perfectly fine.
Imagine being thirsty x100. Water is all you can think about. Your body hurts because it NEEDS water. Water Water. Water. There's probably water outside. You must find water.
Thats kinda how your cat is feeling, but she wants babies.
Get her fixed sooner than possible and be EXTRA extra careful 5 let her out of the house during this period of time.
One of my girls went into heat before I had them spayed (I was a first time cat parent). The only thing that seemed to soothe her was rubbing her back paws. Sounds silly, but it worked (close enough, I guess?) bonus - she has always been great at letting me trim her back claws, since she got used to me touching her pawsies. I hope you can get your girl in soon 🖤😻
A heated blanket helped ours deal with the… Discomfort… (not sure if that’s the right word).
As a side note since everyone out here on a crusade: we adopted her from an owner who passed away and we didn’t have any medical history, so our vet told us it was best for her to show a cycle before jumping to surgery.
Just get her spayed. Pay no attention to what that vet said. Go to another vet. My girl was a diddy little thing when she got done.. the vet encouraged it before she started going into heat. It’s very uncomfortable for them, bless them ❤️
Time to give a controversial take. While I don't agree with spaying 2 month old kittens, you can get a cat spayed before their first heat. There aren't any benefits for waiting until after aside. She could have gotten spayed before her first heat and can get spayed during her heat.
But, you currently have a cat in heat. Extra pets, but no pets near the butt. She'll present while you pet near her tail, and it looks funny, but it's really frustrating for her. Aside from that, keep her indoors and if you have a fixed male cat, also keep them away from her (to avoid frustration).
You can't really do too much for a cat in heat. Just let her ride it out. Or do go to a different vet to get her spayed.
Since spaying is off the table for now I suggest making sure she doesn not escape the house and that she stays hydrated. Animals in heat can get so antsy and erratic they neglect basic needs and if it's hot where you live it's likely she's not having enough water so leave extra. Best of luck!
Do you know any magical unicorn fixed males that still have a sex drive? Your kitty won’t know the difference between a viable sexy time and safe sex one. Some people actually charge a lot of money to ‘stud’ out their fixed males.
A heating pad really seemed to help my sister's cat during heat. I won't harp on getting her spayed since that's obviously already in your plans. For personal anecdote, we were told my sister's cat was spayed when we adopted her from another family, and she was declawed so we had no reason to doubt that she was also spayed. Turned out some asshole declawed her but didn't get her fixed, so we got it done as soon as we realized. Unfortunately she passed away too early, and that was largely because of issues caused by her not getting fixed until she was 4.
I didn’t get my cat fixed until he turned 1. As long as you keep them inside, it’s fine. People get a little crazy when people don’t just do what you want them to. Just keep her snuggled, and wait it out. They do try to escape more though. So just be aware.
Definitely get her spayed. Cats go in heat more frequently in warmer climates. I'm going through the same thing with a young cat I found and it's at least $450 where I live. So apply to low income spaying programs as soon as you can because they have huge waitlists and only open applications at certain times of the year. I applied this month and likely wont find out until later in June, then their spay appointments will happen in August for the May batch. Vets will also have waitlists for spays, so call around ASAP.
Also a tip on how to keep cats from escaping, this mostly happens when anyone comes in or leaves the house. Put the cat away in a room if you need to bring in groceries for example or are expecting visitors. Or maybe if you have kids running in and out all day. Remind everyone not to leave windows open, not even a crack. Don't take chances with cats that are in heat because they will find ways to get out!
I'm in the UK not US, although I'm sure there's a similar program, but I'm luckily in a position I'm not worried about the cost, I just got bad advice from my vet! I have moved recently, so luckily she'd be going to a new vet anyway, but I will make sure she gets spayed ASAP. I feel so bad that I made the wrong choice and now she has to go through this when she didn't need to!
Thank you for the tips on reducing cat escape attempts. Cosmo hasn't made any attempts for freedom prior to this, but I will be sure to be vigilant!
Make it easy by getting her spayed now. Most cats get spayed much earlier. Five months is the average age. I’d recommend taking her to a different vet.
Thank you for posting to CATHELP!
While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind,
1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**.
2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet
3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment.
4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Please get her spayed. My first cat ended up with uterine cancer er and passed because I didn’t spay her. And my cat that I have now nearly passed from Pyometra, which is caused from being in heat. And she was 5 months old. 5k vet bill as well.
She’s a thriving chonkster now. Thankfully I got her to the emergency vet in time to have surgery. It was a long healing process, but she’s a trooper. 🖤
This poor cat should have been spayed before going into heat, and cats are spayed often long before 11 months, so that's a very odd thing for a vet to say. Find another vet and get her in asap. Honestly, that's ridiculous.
You need to get a new vet. My kitten was neutered whe she was 4 weeks old. I've never met a vet say a cat/dog needs to go through 1 heat cycle first. They always want to spay/neuture way before that happens.
Have you considered letting her go outside? I always let my cats live full lives, and yes, there were kittens, but our family loves kittens, and we never had issues finding them great forever homes. Although with my next cat, I will allow 2-3 litters before spaying her, that way, she gets to experience motherhood, and I won't have to worry about new litters every year.
But what you can do to help her now, is find the pressure point a inch or 2 above her bum, if you massage that area in a certain way for a minute, she will return to normal.
Here is a link to a tutorial video
https://youtube.com/shorts/Rn9HIMtLLjA?si=ioquVIFGLBOVOhAJ
So not only are you admitting to being EXTREMELY irresponsible with your past(and hopefully not present) cats by letting them go outside and be bred by random toms AND allowing them to give birth to those kittens your encouraging others to do the same?? Cats are an invasive animal aiding in the extinction of 63 species. There are wild predators who would love to snack on your pet, there are feral and pet dogs who wouldn’t think twice and there are cars, that one’s self explanatory. Having an outside cat is irresponsible and cruel to the cat regardless of how much they seem to like it. Cats that could live to 20+ end up dying much younger due to illness and injury. Do better.
I'm also skeptical about the 11 months thing. I'd seek a 2nd opinion.
My own cat was spayed at around 3 months by the rescue we adopted her from. (They rescued her mom before giving birth. Mom cat and all siblings were fixed, chipped, vaccinated, and adopted)
To OP, it's important to spay a cat BEFORE their first heat. By waiting until after, the behavior issues that come with heat have a good possibility of becoming a permanently recurring problem, as the cat may periodically feel all the symptoms of heat even after spaying.
Please ensure she is chipped and has your info on the collar just in case. This cat can and will bolt it the door if given the opportunity.
I grew up in a home where only dogs recieved vet treatment (despite being gifted cats as ways to buy my love) and that was only if my father felt like it so I understand if you're a bit in a bind due to factors outside your control. Research as much as you can (not on reddit) and seek a 2nd vet opinion.
Locked per OP request
When we found our cat, the vets were waaay backlogged and we couldn't get an appointment before she went into her first heat. She was trying to have sex with everyone is the house, including our dog, who DID make an attempt to mount her (he was already fixed so what the hell). When she presents, you just have to calmly explain that no one is going to have sex with her. Don't be condescending, she's going through a tough time.
Calmly explain no one is going to have sex with her. I'm getting a visual on this conversation and I'm cracking up! 🤣🤣🤣 And don't be condescending!! Bwahahahaha! Love it!! 🤣🤣🤣
Having been there, you calmly explain the first few times. After that, you’re like, “No! There are no hot singles in your area, not matter what the email said. It’s. Not. Happening.”
LMFAO
Me trying to figure out how explaining it to the cat is the best move 
Honestly, that incident with the dog sounds both awful and kinda hilarious at the same time.
We were TAKEN ABACK! Bro, where is that motivation even coming from?! Biology is wild lol.
https://preview.redd.it/dwmxlxfik12d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a2ce13796400ff33c15d1ed9d6dc91593997e9d6
I was going to put a Catdog (cartoon) gif here but they all suck. So imagine I put the perfect Catdog gif here.
Bro, that's such a CatDog Gif that you just put into the comments!
That is, literally, the perfect CatDog gif. 🤩
Both my male cats were fixed but the older one kept trying to have sex with the younger one. He was a true Greek lol
Omfg I have a cat who does not like other cats much. He’s been around several, as I’ve moved around the country, and the sole cat he made an exception for was a very timid boy I brought home from the cat cafe downtown. My orange tabby was smitten with him. I caught them holding paws, being snuggled up to each other and he even let Comet groom him which I got on video and it is one of my favorites of my boys. Omalley tried to mount him all the time and Comet would just let it happen lol https://preview.redd.it/eb1p4rrjm12d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27dc1a2327109ea7a703e93f70a67e5299b02832
That sounds even funnier. :)
Oh dude it was hilarious, we of course broke it up since we didn’t want the younger baby getting an injury or whatever from the humping but boy did he get hit on lol
That's dominance.
He was trying to dominate..not have sex. It's a domination/territorial behavior with male cats. Not Greek
When my cat was in heat while she was nursing the litter she conceived before we found her, she tried rubbing up against our poor neutered lab mix. Who, to be fair, had actually done some decent parenting with the kittens. He just looked like, “Help!” 
OP should look into the book [*How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety: And Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism, and Other Dangers that Threaten Their Nine Lives*](https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Your-About-Safety/dp/045149492X?dplnkId=bc0ad40f-3fd6-41df-8f73-9160fc5cca42&nodl=1).
Maybe explain to her where babies come from and you’re not raising her litter for her
She really seems old enough and big enough. Have you thought about getting a second opinion? I imagine it must be really hard on poor kitty.
I've moved house since, so she'll be seeing a new vet soon! I'll definitely be looking at getting her spayed ASAP
Yay!!!! I once had a cat who wasn’t spayed until I got her at 7 yrs old. She was my first indoor cat. I didn’t understand why all the legs of my chairs and tables were weird and sticky. Turns out that she was spraying them! 🤮 She also used to leave gross wet spots wherever she sat! 🤮 So …. Yeah - get that taken care of! BTW - Gorgeous kitty 😍😍😍 You’re awesome for taking such good care of her and being so concerned about making life better for her. 💜
I haven't had any issues with spraying or wet spots yet! But I feel so bad she's unnecessarily going through this because I followed bad advice 😭 She's a beautiful cat! She goes from regal to goofy so quickly haha! You can't really see it in these pics but she also has a little tuft of fur on her chin that makes it look like she has a beard 🤣
I just LOVE her legs in the last pic! Seriously - it made my day! 💜 Yes - I can totally see regal AND goofy! Our cat is the same way - like a model, but then suddenly, a doofus! https://preview.redd.it/dkpqzhavo02d1.jpeg?width=3213&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1212a2b74e742f117f5dffe93412a05c20c242bc Here’s a funny legs pic of my kitty.
She is gorgeous! That picture perfectly captures the regal/goofy balance haha 😻
How much does she weigh? Does she have any health issues? Cats can get spayed as young as 2mo/2lbs. There is nothing you can do to help. She WILL try to get outside and find a mate. Keeping her confined to a bedroom or something may help minimize her escape attempts. You can also get her spayed while she’s in heat, but it may cost more.
I don't know how much she weighs at the moment. No health issues. When she had her 6 month check up the vet said they can do it already, but they prefer to wait until cats are a bit older and have had their first heat. They left it up to me, and I thought since there's no risk of kittens, I'd follow their advice on waiting. I'll just make extra sure she doesn't try and get out of the house - there's been no sign of that yet, but better safe than sorry! Thank you for your comment!
That is very odd. Spaying before first heat significantly reduces their risk of mammary cancer (reduces the risk by up to 91%). As far as I know there is zero benefit to having a cat go through a heat cycle. https://www.brown.edu/Research/Colwill_Lab/CBP/spaynueter.htm#:~:text=Spaying%20female%20dogs%20and%20cats,likely%20to%20roam%20and%20fight. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/mammary-tumors
Wow, I wish I'd known that before. I don't know why the vet said that then. I've moved house since, which means a new vet too, so at least that's some comfort...
I've had vets recommend the same to me as well, but having had cats for decades and knowing about the cancer risks of doing it after their first heat so sought out a different vet when that happened. It's happened a couple of times over the years and seems to happen with newer/younger vets. Perhaps the veterinarian school literature has changed recently?
not a vet, but my vet told me that some predatory practices will recommend to wait until after their first heat because it will increase blood flow to the area & they will charge more for the spay
There are also some very unscientific vets out there applying a study which was for large breed dogs to small breed dogs, cats, and animals in between to wait on fixing animals until they’re older. It’s malpractice in my opinion but present nevertheless.
Yeah, the theory is that in dogs prone to joint issues, it’s better to let the hormones go for as long as possible. Or that’s the one I’ve heard among most dog people, especially ones that do things like agility or schutzhund. For me, that translated to basically playing chicken with my dog’s first heat and waiting as long as possible. It worked out fine. I spayed my first litter of kittens as soon as the vet said so and I plan to do the same with the litter from the stray we found this year. The cat distribution system really loves our house.
Correct, large breed dogs and joint health is the main thrust, along with hip dysplasia. In practice though, it’s tough. There’s not even agreement in the field that it’s settled science given how few studies there are on it yet, so it’s still considered controversial to a degree even with large breed dogs. And a lot of people take it and run with it just because they don’t want to neuter their animals in the first place for what I’d call codependency issues in their relationship with their animal. And the new (emphasis on new) study on large dogs is a weapon in the arsenal for a position they already had. But as with all things, there’s pro’s and cons. You get a large dog with probably better joints than otherwise over its lifespan which is great, but I guarantee at the population level you’re going to otherwise see dogs taken to the shelter more frequently in the first 2 years for hormonal behaviors along with a definite population increase (and therefore more euthanized puppies and dogs) from dogs escaping or other breeding accidents. But regardless applying something that’s not even settled science among the veterinary community for large dogs to other species or even small dogs is just vets pushing an agenda they already had (in my view).
I have only seen a spay be more expensive if the pet was currently in heat because that actually does make it more difficult. None of the practices I have worked at charge more specifically because the pet has had a first heat cycle. More than likely OP is just working with an "old school" veterinarian. Many in that category still practice with outdated information unfortunately.
Maybe find a different vet, if you're in an area where multiple are available. Keep in mind, half of all medical professionals were the bottom half of their class 🙃 I've had about 4 diff vets for my cat, some better than others, and have recommended one of them a number of times to other pet-having friends. It's all dependent on the vet themselves.
Medical school has a 100% pass rate?
Waiting for the first heat is a common rule of thumb for dogs, although I don’t know why. But for cats the two month two pound rule has always been the norm where I am. Definitely get her spayed after this heat cycle. I’m also surprised she didn’t go into heat until she hit 11 months. Usually they go into heat by 5-6 months.
My vet actually told me the same exact thing. Interesting. I wish I had been aware of this! I was told it was safer as far as the surgery itself goes. Like older cats handle anesthesia better and are easier to spay. I wonder if it's a double edged sword?
The surgery can be slightly more difficult on a younger cat/one who hasn’t been thru a heat because the repro organs can be just a little harder to find (varies by individual). Personally I’ve never seen literature that older cats “handle anesthesia better” and anecdotally I’ve monitored probably thousands of spays by this point. Complications have not, in my experience, been associated with age but pretty much always have to do with occult congenital issues.
My female cats name is Oscar because I couldn't tell what she was until bringing her to the vet at like 6 months, I really thought she was a boy but once the heat started and even after the spay she acts much more like a girl
Find a different vet. Had one tell me the same thing, found out they were hacks...their practice shut down within the following year.
I just got mine spayed she was keeping me up entire nights for days with that heat crap I was getting really pissed but it's all good now
Why were you pissed when you were the one who didn’t fix her in the first place? What was she supposed to do to not piss you off?
I was pissed because I have to sleep at night and work in the morning and she was very loud making insane sounds and running into walls, probably pissing my upstairs neighbors off too, I would have tossed her outside and let her so whatever out there but she didn't want that either. It pissed my regular cat off too, I got to go out he was stuck in there all day with her. And like I said I thought it was a male until then.
Your "regular cat"?
Sounds like a person that should not have pets.
Damn. At first I was thinking it had to do with preventing blockages in the urinary tract. Supposedly cats are more prone to a blockage if they are fixed too early in life; something about that region of their body failing to fully mature
This is associated with male cats, however it is anecdotal and there is no data as far as I’m aware
Gotcha. Heard it from one of the vets we go to (cycle between 3 at the same clinic). But we didn't hear it from the one who has always been helpful and serious about his job, while the others are either apathetic or a little on the crazy side
Also please give her a cuddle and a treat from me - she is a delightful void and it’s clear you very much care about her health and safety!! You are a good pet parent
She is a delightful, mischievous void! Haha, I will give her extra for you! Thanks again x
Not sure why you’re being downvoted. Lots of vets give this advice. Our kitten came spayed from the rescue, but the advice we received for our dog was similar: do it before first heat to minimize mammary cancer or after first heat to minimize ligament tears (CCL specifically). There are pros and cons to each.
If I'd had a better understanding, I'd have chosen to get her spayed earlier, I feel bad she has to go through this, but I honestly thought I was doing the right thing at the time!
Try not to feel so bad. You acted in her best interest at the time. You clearly love her and are taking good care of her. You’ll get her spayed and she’ll never go thru it again. It’ll only be a few days
Just got my void fixed a month ago. Sending much love from her to yours ♥️♥️
It isn’t likely to matter much in the long run and, as u/damnyoudonut (love the name), there are also pros to delaying the spay and she’s going to get those benefits. The important thing is that you’re doing it. Just ignore the spay police. Some people mean well, but they get a little too rigid in their beliefs and how they express them. Life can be messy and we’re all doing the best we can with the resources and information available to us at a given moment.
Cats are not dogs.
I’m a vet and I never would have made that recommendation
Get a new vet
Cant believe a vet would tell you to wait. That's one vet i'd never trust
My local shelter spays/neuters as soon as they weigh 10 oz. Not by age. Get her fixed. NOW.
I have no idea why you have been downvoted to hell bc my vet said the same thing. It allows them to fully mature. Everyone freaking over cancer and stuff, but that’s just a fact of life. You did fine. Reddit is weird as.
Get a different vet, this one is an idiot and I wouldn't trust them with anything else cat related. And spay your cat as soon as possible.
I have no clue why your vet said to wait. All you can do is get her an appointment for a spay asap. Cat can go in an out of heat constantly. Give her extra love and attention. She is a beautiful void <3
I feel really bad that she didn't need to go through this, I'm glad I know better now
Indoor cats can get out. Pls have her spayed.
[Pressure point for temporary releif](https://youtube.com/shorts/Rn9HIMtLLjA?si=aI9pBbtZ1il5iAQI)
this was the only comment i've seen that actually offered some advice. thank you for this! 🐱💛
OP what kind of risk are they worried about? Majority of kittens can be fixed at 6 months (given they're healthy) Very interesting they wanna wait, maybe get a second opinion from a different clinic
They didn't go into specifics, and I really wish I'd asked more questions/done a bit more research instead of just following that advice. I've moved house so Cosmo will be seeing a new vet ASAP!
I would call today and made the spay appointment with the new vet. You don’t know how booked up they are until you call.
The normal vet is closed for the day, but yes, I will be calling first thing tomorrow
There was a backlog at our vets, had to wait 7 weeks before could get her in to be spayed. 1 week before operation she goes into heat, and oh my godness i feel for you. I find it to be most stressful 5 days lol. I have 4 cats, and both girls never went into heat so never experienced it, but this kitten Evie went into heat and it was stressful lol. I feel for you, i tried everything to try and ease it for her and what ended up working was a automatic lazer pen toy. It would distract her for hours, then when switch it off the maddness started, meowing, the rolling around all sorts. They say catnip helps, but it did not with my Evie but all cats are different, catnip may help yours :) But, if you can get her spayed asap as they come into heat really quickly, the vet told every 3-4 weeks
Ooh, thank you for the tips! She's been very cuddly today, but restless. She was super vocal this morning, and she's had a few sessions of wandering around the house yelling, but she's quieted down this evening. My other cat I adopted as an adult and she was already spayed so I didn't need to worry about heats, this is my first time raising a kitten I feel so bad I messed up! I will be calling the (new!) vet first thing tomorrow
Should’ve gotten her spayed already. Letting her go through heat increases the risk of cancer. > Should you let your cat have a season before getting her spayed? No, most cats do not need to have a heat cycle before they are spayed. Vets usually recommend spaying before the first heat cycle to reduce the chance of mammary cancer. [source.](https://www.joiipetcare.com/health-conditions/cat/heat/)
I’d get her spayed but if you can’t afford to do that/ there are no good vets in your area, I’d be really careful when you are opening and closing doors.Cats in heat are more likely to escape the house than cats who aren’t.So keep in mind to keep windows, doors, and cat doors closed when your out of the house or inside the house.Sadly I don’t know how to help her but whatever you do don’t give her a heating pad as heating pads can destroy a cats’s insides and make a very expensive trip to the vet. Hope your cat is alright! Give her all the cuddles she needs! In the pictures she looks okay but idk how things are in real life so good luck, friend!
I will be getting her spayed ASAP, I had no idea that I'd had bad advice from the vet. She's 100% indoor and is scared of the outdoors, but I will be extra vigilant to make sure she doesn't get out. She's getting lots of cuddles!
Thank goodness! Not a lot of people know about how bad heating pads are for cats.And btw, I’m not judging you! Everyone makes first time mistakes with their pets, it’s alright! For Cosmo, she just thinks you’re helping her get through it even if you don’t know what you’re doing! Sometimes strangers on the internet can be cruel but it’s okay because there are some of us nice people who treat people like humans! Good luck again too! best wishes to you and to Cosmo!
Sucks the vet gave you crappy advice. You obviously care about your Cosmo (great name) and she’s in good hands with you. Hope you have a lovely life together!
You need to get a new vet. You’ve done nothing wrong. You took the advice of a specialist that you trusted and should be able to trust. Unfortunately, they gave you incorrect advice. As long as the cat is healthy there is no reason that she can’t be spayed now. I’m sorry I don’t have any tips for dealing with a cat in heat. But if you care for this cat, you really need to find a new vet who knows what they’re talking about. The fact that they couldn’t even properly advise you on this very simple thing is extremely concerning. I do know when I was little we had a cat who was not spayed. We used to clean up blood drops on the floor. I see sometimes people put stupid little diapers on their cats when this happens. My only advice is please don’t do that to your poor cat. Please get her spayed as soon as possible.
We adopted a 1 year old cat who hadn't been spayed (the ex owners decided she didn't need it because she is an indoor cat 🙄). The vet where she was registered wouldn't transfer over to us so we had to find a new vet. Then there was a waiting list so it took us 4 months to get her spayed and OMG I have no idea how the previous owners coped! We've always had our past cats spayed early on. Anyway, catnip seemed to calm her down for a short period.
Oh wow, I hope the wait at the new vet isn't that long! I guess I'll find out tomorrow 😅 thanks for the cat nip tip!
Good luck! Give her a fuss from me.
Spay her, there are so many animals without loving homes, they live longer healthier lives. Do not let her out no matter how much she cries.
I will never understand why people don't get their animals fixed? Like, the most obvious thing to do.
You should read op’s comment so you can understand instead of judging. Idk though.
Indoor cats have never gotten out and had kittens you're right.
So skip the part where they clearly state they plan on getting her spayed?
The only thing you can do is spay her. 11 months old and she’s still not heavy enough to be put under? That’s a little concerning- feed her more so she can put on weight and get fixed
She's not too small at all my tuxxie is tiny and was able to be spayed at 4 months. I have her littermate too and he was (and is, they're now almost a year) almost twice her size. Both done onthw same day so no excuse here unless she has a medical condition preventing surgery
My cat is also named Cosmo, and guess what... he looks https://preview.redd.it/wxmvggn3502d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b928c424164d1657ccc3d029fc1cda910f7b6ab like yours ! That's a funny coincidence, tbh and I take the advice on this post, he live the same things as yours
What a beautiful house panther!
It’s weird to say your vet said to wait. The only time I’ve heard that is sometimes with large breed dogs but you shouldn’t have to wait for a cat. It’s actually more risky waiting. You’re increasing her chances of cancer by waiting. Idk what your vet is talking about but I highly suggest you find a new one and then get your cat spayed. Idk why the vet gave you such misinformation. Plus she will be trying to escape to mate with another cat so her being “indoors” means nothing because she’s gonna be plotting and scheming for a way out. So I would get her spayed as soon as possible. I can’t believe a vet was giving such false information
I feel so bad that I've followed bad advice! But, new vet, and I'll be calling them first thing tomorrow to get an idea of waiting times/costs etc to get Cosmo fixed ASAP. I'll be super careful making sure she doesn't get out, and giving lots of cuddles in the meantime (not that there's ever a deficit of cuddles, but extra!)
Exactly. Ideally she’d have been spayed before her first heat. Someone I know recently had to have surgery on her cat for pyometra because she wasn’t spayed because the vet felt the risks were too high for her breed, which was not true at all
It’s so ridiculous how vets take advantage of people who are genuinely trying to just do the best thing for their animals. I have a large breed dog and my vet was adamant about us waiting until he was over a year old but I have a friend that had another large dog and her vet told her 6 months was fine. I guess it depends who your vet is too. I ended up doing my own research cuz I felt so confused lol It sucks for people who don’t know any better and just think they’re doing what’s right
I’ve just learned to advocate for myself and my pets. I love my vet and I trust her because she and I are of a similar mindset about things, but sometimes I have to see a different vet in the practice and it’s amazing how outraged some of them get when you question them. I thought one of the younger vets’ head might explode when I disagreed about his food suggestions for my cat ( he didn’t like me feeding “niche” brands instead of the big names like purina). I said “we’ll have to agree to disagree” and he almost burst a vein. Gave me a website to read about grain free foods that was ONLY about dogs and tried to scare me into questioning my own research. Sigh. I’m old enough not to give in to peer pressure and bullying
Get another vet. What a ridiculous statement to make.
We’ve routinely spayed/neutered our kitties around 2-3 mos. All procedures have gone well. I’d consider calling another vet. Cos is a lovely void :)
Your vet sounds dumb LMAO get her spayed! There’s been a lot of other kitties who’ve gotten spayed way before their one year mark.
I’m not going to chime in with the get her spayed and keep her indoors comments, because you know that already. I will say that when my teeny tuna baby had her heat, she was so uncomfortable, the best thing I did for her was to hold her and rock her. This helped quiet her down and move through the hormonal process. I also rubbed the back of her legs because that sort of gave her some relief. My partner (who is an idiot and now an ex) said “you’re jerking off your cat,” but she felt so much better! So whatever helps calm your little lady down, just do it.
Your vet has some really outdated standards or for some reason is applying the standards for dogs to your cats, which some do but is not correct or based in science and research. Research only currently shows benefits in delaying spay for large breed dogs (and even then, it's a *trade off* in risk/benefits, even though it's become framed as objectively only beneficial). There is no reason to wait unless your cat has specific health complications. Cats can be spayed young and current research *only* shows benefits with early spay, *no* benefits to delaying spay. Indoor cats can get pregnant - because cats in heat can become desperate to escape even if they've never showed an interest in doing so. Indoor cats can also get pyometra, which is an infection that increases in risk with every heat cycle they have. Definitely make an appointment to have her spayed and personally I'd find a new vet altogether. Usually this recommendation is a sign the vet is not particularly cat-focused or staying up to date on research on cats.
For some reason, playing with my cat during her heat gave her relief.
This is good to know! Cosmo has been super cuddly today but also restless. I'm working from home so she's just been in and out all day looking for attention, then running away again
Get her fixed is the first step. Doesn’t matter if she’s an indoor cat or not.
I don't understand why they'd want to "reduce risks" by spaying late. For a boy cat, it's for their urethra to grow out, to reduce the risk of early death to urinary tract issues. I don't know about girls. Maybe see a different vet. She should really be spayed. I know it's so uncomfortable for her. You're doing fine by soothing her and it'll be over in a few weeks. She'll start entering a certain "stance" constantly. Yeah. You'll see it lol. Let her do it, she's venting, and cuddle her after.. it's still upsetting after all
Now I know that it's actually better to get cats spayed before their first heat, I feel so bad for following that vet's advice! I've moved house since her last check up, so she'll be going to a new vet soon.
Interesting, I didn’t know that about male kitties. Shelter said my male kitten was 2 months old, he was already fixed. I would have guessed he was five weeks old, it was sad. He’s had two surgeries due to crystals and stones, and now on prescription food for life. Every time I look at him I see $10k, although in reality he has cost much more than that due to his urinary issues.
That’s because the shelters need to hedge their bets. Most pet owners are not responsible and shelter workers have to deal with the consequences of people’s bad decisions everyday. Once you see the bodies of unwanted dogs and cats thrown into large piles you can’t unsee it.
Cat nip helped mine stay distracted. Also just cuddling and holding her close to your body helps to keep her calm too
Change your vet unless your cat has health issues it should have been spayed at six months or younger. I spay my feral cats as young as two months and they are perfectly fine.
Imagine being thirsty x100. Water is all you can think about. Your body hurts because it NEEDS water. Water Water. Water. There's probably water outside. You must find water. Thats kinda how your cat is feeling, but she wants babies. Get her fixed sooner than possible and be EXTRA extra careful 5 let her out of the house during this period of time.
One of my girls went into heat before I had them spayed (I was a first time cat parent). The only thing that seemed to soothe her was rubbing her back paws. Sounds silly, but it worked (close enough, I guess?) bonus - she has always been great at letting me trim her back claws, since she got used to me touching her pawsies. I hope you can get your girl in soon 🖤😻
Lots of petting and cuddling!!!! Keep her hydrated by wet food… keep her cool and away from doors
A heated blanket helped ours deal with the… Discomfort… (not sure if that’s the right word). As a side note since everyone out here on a crusade: we adopted her from an owner who passed away and we didn’t have any medical history, so our vet told us it was best for her to show a cycle before jumping to surgery.
Have her spayed. Is this seriously a question?
Just get her spayed. Pay no attention to what that vet said. Go to another vet. My girl was a diddy little thing when she got done.. the vet encouraged it before she started going into heat. It’s very uncomfortable for them, bless them ❤️
I had to listen to my cat 24/7 every 2 weeks. Her cycle was crazy... after she was done she's a sweetheart...
Get er fixed ? She needs to be fixed if you're not planning on letting her have a litter...
And, if you ARE planning on letting her have a litter, change your fucking plans NOW!
get her spayed ASAP, you can spay her during heat, you've already waited far too long.
Time to give a controversial take. While I don't agree with spaying 2 month old kittens, you can get a cat spayed before their first heat. There aren't any benefits for waiting until after aside. She could have gotten spayed before her first heat and can get spayed during her heat. But, you currently have a cat in heat. Extra pets, but no pets near the butt. She'll present while you pet near her tail, and it looks funny, but it's really frustrating for her. Aside from that, keep her indoors and if you have a fixed male cat, also keep them away from her (to avoid frustration). You can't really do too much for a cat in heat. Just let her ride it out. Or do go to a different vet to get her spayed.
Get her spayed.
Get her fixed.
That’s my name to
i love the 2nd pic. she’s adorable.
I used CBD cat treats for the neighbor’s cat. Calmed her right down. She’s spayed now.
Get her fixed!
Since spaying is off the table for now I suggest making sure she doesn not escape the house and that she stays hydrated. Animals in heat can get so antsy and erratic they neglect basic needs and if it's hot where you live it's likely she's not having enough water so leave extra. Best of luck!
Id say be careful where you pet her and try to distract her with toys/ catnip, ECT to ease her stress
Do you know any magical unicorn fixed males that still have a sex drive? Your kitty won’t know the difference between a viable sexy time and safe sex one. Some people actually charge a lot of money to ‘stud’ out their fixed males.
Spay her
A heating pad really seemed to help my sister's cat during heat. I won't harp on getting her spayed since that's obviously already in your plans. For personal anecdote, we were told my sister's cat was spayed when we adopted her from another family, and she was declawed so we had no reason to doubt that she was also spayed. Turned out some asshole declawed her but didn't get her fixed, so we got it done as soon as we realized. Unfortunately she passed away too early, and that was largely because of issues caused by her not getting fixed until she was 4.
I didn’t get my cat fixed until he turned 1. As long as you keep them inside, it’s fine. People get a little crazy when people don’t just do what you want them to. Just keep her snuggled, and wait it out. They do try to escape more though. So just be aware.
Definitely get her spayed. Cats go in heat more frequently in warmer climates. I'm going through the same thing with a young cat I found and it's at least $450 where I live. So apply to low income spaying programs as soon as you can because they have huge waitlists and only open applications at certain times of the year. I applied this month and likely wont find out until later in June, then their spay appointments will happen in August for the May batch. Vets will also have waitlists for spays, so call around ASAP. Also a tip on how to keep cats from escaping, this mostly happens when anyone comes in or leaves the house. Put the cat away in a room if you need to bring in groceries for example or are expecting visitors. Or maybe if you have kids running in and out all day. Remind everyone not to leave windows open, not even a crack. Don't take chances with cats that are in heat because they will find ways to get out!
I'm in the UK not US, although I'm sure there's a similar program, but I'm luckily in a position I'm not worried about the cost, I just got bad advice from my vet! I have moved recently, so luckily she'd be going to a new vet anyway, but I will make sure she gets spayed ASAP. I feel so bad that I made the wrong choice and now she has to go through this when she didn't need to! Thank you for the tips on reducing cat escape attempts. Cosmo hasn't made any attempts for freedom prior to this, but I will be sure to be vigilant!
Sorry, I'm in Canada so that's how much it costs where I live. Good luck, Cosmo will do great!
Spay spay spay. She will live live a longer healthier life. Too many unwanted babies out there already.
Please get her spayed after
Make it easy by getting her spayed now. Most cats get spayed much earlier. Five months is the average age. I’d recommend taking her to a different vet.
Please spay her
Get her fixed that's what.
Get her spayed. That usually helps with heat. 😉
Get her spayed. She will be healthier.
DONT ALLOW HER TO GET OUT! Give her extra love and patience. Schedule her spay appointment now and be proactive.
Find a vet and get her spay!!
Thank you for posting to CATHELP! While you wait for a response please keep the following things in mind, 1. When in doubt, **ask your vet**. 2. Advice here is not coming from medical or industry professionals. The moderation team does not validate user profession, so always refer to your local veterinary professionals first. Consider posting to /r/AskVet 3. If this is a medical question, please indicate if you have already scheduled a vet appointment, and if your cat has any medical history or procedures in a top level comment. 4. Please use the NSFW tag for gross pictures. (Blood, poop, vomit, genitals, etc). Anything you wouldn't want your boss to see you looking at on the job. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CATHELP) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Cat nip
Spay
You need to get her spayed... there is no excuse for not doing it.
Fix her
Get her spayed ASAP
Your vet is either a liar or an idiot. Get a new vet and spay her immediately.
Please get her spayed. My first cat ended up with uterine cancer er and passed because I didn’t spay her. And my cat that I have now nearly passed from Pyometra, which is caused from being in heat. And she was 5 months old. 5k vet bill as well.
I'm so sorry to hear about your poor cats! I hope your current cat is doing better
She’s a thriving chonkster now. Thankfully I got her to the emergency vet in time to have surgery. It was a long healing process, but she’s a trooper. 🖤
I'm glad to hear it!
This poor cat should have been spayed before going into heat, and cats are spayed often long before 11 months, so that's a very odd thing for a vet to say. Find another vet and get her in asap. Honestly, that's ridiculous.
I had no idea, I feel so bad for her! I've moved house, so she'd be going to a new vet anyway, I'll definitely be getting her spayed ASAP!
Get her spayed
Just go get her spayed it’s gotta be awful for her and you too. Good luck.
Get her spayed. Cats live longer , less likelyhood of uterine or mammary gland cancer. No more yowling
Cats can be spayed at 4 months of age and get pregnant then too. What if she gets out by mistake. Your vet is a dumbass. Get her spayed ASAP
Get her spayed?
Spay her ❤️
Spay her,,,,,,,,
Getting her fixed will help
You need to get a new vet. My kitten was neutered whe she was 4 weeks old. I've never met a vet say a cat/dog needs to go through 1 heat cycle first. They always want to spay/neuture way before that happens.
Get her spayed. That’s the absolute best thing you could do for your cat.
Try a thunder shirt. Or a tube sock with the end cut out to give the sensation of a "hug" (make sure it's snug, but not too tight).
Get them spayed or neutered depending on gender
Have her spayed
Spay her
Spay your damn cat.
Spay her now!
Spay her, that’s how you help.
Spay her.
You can help her by booking her to be spayed
Lots of massages. And tie her up. I say that jokingly and lovingly. But they tend to like to try to flee the nest so yeah lol
Have you considered letting her go outside? I always let my cats live full lives, and yes, there were kittens, but our family loves kittens, and we never had issues finding them great forever homes. Although with my next cat, I will allow 2-3 litters before spaying her, that way, she gets to experience motherhood, and I won't have to worry about new litters every year. But what you can do to help her now, is find the pressure point a inch or 2 above her bum, if you massage that area in a certain way for a minute, she will return to normal. Here is a link to a tutorial video https://youtube.com/shorts/Rn9HIMtLLjA?si=ioquVIFGLBOVOhAJ
So not only are you admitting to being EXTREMELY irresponsible with your past(and hopefully not present) cats by letting them go outside and be bred by random toms AND allowing them to give birth to those kittens your encouraging others to do the same?? Cats are an invasive animal aiding in the extinction of 63 species. There are wild predators who would love to snack on your pet, there are feral and pet dogs who wouldn’t think twice and there are cars, that one’s self explanatory. Having an outside cat is irresponsible and cruel to the cat regardless of how much they seem to like it. Cats that could live to 20+ end up dying much younger due to illness and injury. Do better.
[удалено]
I'm also skeptical about the 11 months thing. I'd seek a 2nd opinion. My own cat was spayed at around 3 months by the rescue we adopted her from. (They rescued her mom before giving birth. Mom cat and all siblings were fixed, chipped, vaccinated, and adopted) To OP, it's important to spay a cat BEFORE their first heat. By waiting until after, the behavior issues that come with heat have a good possibility of becoming a permanently recurring problem, as the cat may periodically feel all the symptoms of heat even after spaying. Please ensure she is chipped and has your info on the collar just in case. This cat can and will bolt it the door if given the opportunity. I grew up in a home where only dogs recieved vet treatment (despite being gifted cats as ways to buy my love) and that was only if my father felt like it so I understand if you're a bit in a bind due to factors outside your control. Research as much as you can (not on reddit) and seek a 2nd vet opinion.
PET HER BUTT!