2 months with no heat cycle?

beandip

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If this question doesn't belong here, please forgive me.

I have a sick cat (Precious) who has not been deemed healthy enough for any anasthesia by any of the vets who have examined her. So she is not spayed. She is a year old.

All of my other cats are fixed and every possible precaution is in place to avoid pregnancy. That would be deadly for her anyway.

She had a heat cycle near the end of February. Then she went into heat just this past week. There were no obvious signs of heat between those 2 times (a bit more than 2 months).

All of my other cats are fixed. I have seen Beandip (neutered boy) mount her several times during her cycles. Some believe it's not possible but it is. Now, I didn't think that there had been any penetration (sorry for the graphics) but it occured to me today that she did not go into heat for 2 straight months. Is that 2 month lapse "normal", or did Beandip probably "mate" with her? Please don't forget, he is neutered.


I had dismissed the lapse..I figured that maybe her cycles were less frequent than average because of her compromised health. Is that possible?
 

gayef

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Poor little girl ... I am sorry she is sick. It must be horribly frustrating not to be able to have her spayed.

A neutered boy can and will still mount and yes, even penetrate a willing girl, even though he cannot impregnant her with kittens. However, it is the act of copulation itself which causes the eggs to be released, so it could be that your girl is experiencing a false pregnancy. It has been known to happen.

That now being said, it is also possible that since she is still rather young, her cycles haven't gotten into a routine yet. What happens in a young cat may change as she matures.
 

hopehacker

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My neutered boy Simba is always mounting SunLee who is also fixed. I know he can't do anything but try to enjoy the act. She doesn't allow penetration, because she's fixed, but I know from personal experience that neutered male cats do get the urge.
 

epona

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I have heard that it's possible for a neutered male to mate with and thus cause ovulation and false pregnancy in an unneutered female. I have never experienced this myself, it's just something that I've read, so that's probably not much help! I am sorry that she is sick though, is it a life-long condition? This must be terribly worrying for you, and I wish you all the best with her.
 
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beandip

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Thanks everyone, for the input and info.


With a false pregnancy, do they always appear and act differently, as if they are really pregnant? I ask because I haven't seen any physical changes or odd behavior really. Just curious what to be on the lookout for.

Originally Posted by Epona

I have heard that it's possible for a neutered male to mate with and thus cause ovulation and false pregnancy in an unneutered female. I have never experienced this myself, it's just something that I've read, so that's probably not much help! I am sorry that she is sick though, is it a life-long condition? This must be terribly worrying for you, and I wish you all the best with her.
It's a life long condition. She has multiple congenital heart defects. Even if she could withstand anasthesia, the defects are inoperable, unfortunately. She has a significant murmur, graded 4/5 (out of 6). You can actually feel the irregularity by putting your hands on her chest. She's on medication to manage things as best we can. She's playful and does normal kitten things for the most part, she just tires easily and coughs if she over exerts herself.

The other challenge is her weight. She eats fairly well but she's still underweight by about 2lbs I'd say.
 

magnoliachat

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There are several things that could be happening.

1. Some cats have irregular heat periods - since, she is ill, this could be going on.
2. The neutered male could have stimulated her. If it is a false pregnancy, there may be no outward signs (including behavior). There are cases that the female will get larger, carry around objects as babies, and look pregnant. However, the time frame is always shorter than a normal pregnancy. The bahaviors are not in every case, though. They can experience no detectable signs of this at all.
3. Some cats cycle slower - similar to #1 above, but this happens with some very healthy cats, as well.

Hope this helped. Good luck to you and Precious. Sounds like you are taking great care of her.
 

goldenkitty45

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Yes its very possible. Sickness or other health problems can lessen heat cycles. It happens in people, why not cats?


Will your cat at anytime in the future be able to handle being spayed. If not, she's gonna have more problems - especially cancer related.
 
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beandip

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Yes its very possible. Sickness or other health problems can lessen heat cycles. It happens in people, why not cats?


Will your cat at anytime in the future be able to handle being spayed. If not, she's gonna have more problems - especially cancer related.
She's not expected to live long enough to worry about cancer
...but thank you.
 

white cat lover

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Well, that sucks. If you don't mind more prying, what is her expected life expectancy?
 
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beandip

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

Well, that sucks. If you don't mind more prying, what is her expected life expectancy?
No problem. There's no real concrete answer, though. I was told that a realistic average for a cat born with similar heart defects was only 6 months. She was seen by a cardiologist in January and she did not offer much hope. I was crushed that day. I was given the impression that we had just weeks at that point. Thankfully, she was wrong.

My regular vet said anywhere from a week (from now) to 5 years. How's that for certainty? 5 years would be the miracle end of the estimate. I'll hope for that.
 

white cat lover

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Well, we all know she's loved & well cared for. Honestly, she's got to be one of the luckiest lil kitties in the world. So many would've outright euthanized her.
 

spirita2010

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Neutered boys do get the urge, even know Lucky is fixed, he is also fixed, he still tries to mount her, and she growls, and prevents it at all costs! lol But I make sure there is no serious fighting going between the two. I am starting to wonder if Lucky likes any cats, she grew up with Hunter.. But I watch her very closely! With every animal. Dogs, and Hunter, and Mika and the babies. But she could very well be experiencing a false pregnancy. But I don't know. Poor girl, sorry that she is sick.
 

magnoliachat

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I would imagine that she is not experiencing heat anymore - now that you have described how sick she is.

My thoughts are with you and her and, please permit me to say THANK YOU. From the sound of it, any cat would be lucky to have you take care of them.
 
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