In heat at 4 months - too small to spay

[walfie]

Hi All

So little bit (Speedy) is acting very much like she is in heat. She won't shut up, she rubs her bum on things, and my poor (thankfully neutered) 7 month male keeps pinning her to the ground and trying to mount her.  phoned the vets as she is only 4 1/2 months (though this is an estimate, as she is a rescue) but they won't spay her until she hits the 6 months, as she is also just under the 2kg weight. Is there anything I can do for her? I feel so bad hearing her yowling, and I feel bad for our male as nature keeps kicking in but he can't do anything. 

Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thanks. 

 

[talkingpeanut]

You may be able to find a rescue who will do the spay sooner. You'll have to wait until she's not in heat anymore, but in the US it's often done at 8 weeks old/2 pounds.

 

[posiepurrs]

Rescues do early spay and neuter all the time on smaller kittens than your cat. My own vet will do my kittens at 8 weeks if I ask (I don't - they are Persians and being squishy faced are more susceptible to certain things used for anesthesia.) I would do a little research on early spay/neuter and take it to your vet. He may not be up to date on current procedures.

Some countries have contraceptives available for cats - they are risky though as is using a 'teaser tom'. A teaser tom is one who actually breeds the girl, but is infertile (via surgery) so she has a false pregnancy.  This is all risky due to a higher risk of the girl developing pyometra, a serious infection.

 

[pusheen]

Cats can be spayed/neutered at 8 weeks and 2 pounds--your cat is older and weighs more. It's perfectly safe (and preferable) to have them fixed before their first heat. 

 

[walfie]

Thank you all. Rang the vets again and persisted until they got me an appointment on Monday for a pre-op check for her.

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, if she's in heat I think they can assume she's physically mature enough to be spayed . And some little females never do get to 2 kgs, or not until over a year anyway. So vets do need to be flexible!

 

[melissa007]

I've read that if you spray a female before 6 months she could have bladder infection problems that's why vets don't tend to spray to early. That's why I waited until 6 months with my 2 females.

 

[Willowy]

I've read that if you spray a female before 6 months she could have bladder infection problems that's why vets don't tend to spray to early. That's why I waited until 6 months with my 2 females.

That's not true. Where did you hear that? I hate to think any supposedly reputable source would be spreading such misinformation :/. They've done quite a lot of studies on the issue and found that early spay/neuter in cats has no ill effects. It can, however, possibly cause trouble in large-breed dogs, although bladder infections are not one of the identified side effects. Unless she has an inverted vulva. But that doesn't happen to cats.

So, no, bladder trouble is not a spay/neuter risk for cats. The main "problem" with early spay/neuter in cats is the vet's willingness (or lack of) to handle a smaller animal, and the trickiness of proper anesthetic dosing when they're small. Although the modern gas anesthetics are a lot easier and safer.