3 Month Old Kitten in Heat????

[brea stines]

So i found a stray kitten a few weeks ago in pretty rough shape. We took her to the vet and got her healthy and now shes a very loved part of the family.  The vet told me she was roughly six weeks (according to her teeth development) when i brought her in.  She is now maybe 12-13 weeks and is acting like shes in heat.  Rubbing on everything and everyone, sticking her butt in the air and crawling across the floor, much louder purr with more frequent meowing.  And sticking her butt up to me and my boyfriend, even our dog.  Is it possible for her to be in heat this young, and is it to early to get her fixed?

 

[miagi's_mommy]

It's HIGHLY unlikely a 3 month old kitten is in heat or she is older than you think. My Angel girl is the same way and I had her fixed at 3-4 months. It's just her personality and she's the first female cat I have had. She bombards Tiger all the time and always sticks her butt up in the air but she is spayed. It's a more "hey look at ME!!" behavior.

She will be 4 this Spring. Unless she is bleeding I would not be concerned. IMO it's not too young since my girl was spayed that young. She did just fine. It's a matter of personal preference.

 

[brea stines]

As far as age, the vet tech said 8 weeks when i brought her in which would make her about 4 months now, but the vet said her teeth were at the 6 week mark and that she was just tall so i have no idea.  My vet wont actually spay a cat until at least 16 weeks so i still have a while to wait.  She just started doing this today, but its strange, she seems to be trying to rub her "stuff" on everything and everyone.

 

[brea stines]

Oh i forgot to mention.  Shes also licking her lady parts like crazy!

 

[miagi's_mommy]

Oh hmm. Maybe get her checked out or she has an infection? My Angel never rubbed or licked her lady parts on stuff.

 

[brea stines]

The first time i took her she had feline herpes and just recently finished her antibiotics.  She hasn't even had her first round of shots yet because the vet wanted her off the medication first, and i believe that was the other reason he wanted to wait to have her spayed.  Im taking her back this week so hopefully she hasn't developed another infection.  Could hormonal changes possibly make her display heat like symptoms?

 

[arlyn]

FYI cats do not bleed while in heat like dogs do.
 

 

[orientalslave]

Yes, it's quite possible, and lots of licking goes with it as do all the other behaviours you've described.  Ring the vet and explain she's calling, can he possibly bring forward neutering her from 16 weeks?  If he won't ring round the other vets in your area to see if you can find one that will.  Of course if she's very small for her age it might not be possible.

 

[missymotus]

It's HIGHLY unlikely a 3 month old kitten is in heat

 Unless she is bleeding I would not be concerned

'

It's really not that uncommon, and cats don't bleed while in heat. 

the youngest one of my (breeding) cats came into season was 14 weeks old, and I know plenty of others who are in heat before the old vet standard 6 month age.

Cats be be safely spayed/neutered from 8 weeks/2lbs. 

 

[brea stines]

I think her weight may be some of the problem.  When i found her and took her in she was slightly under a pound.  Shes putting on weight but is def not past 2 pounds yet.

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, it's possible, and that certainly sounds like what's happening. Keep her inside, be VERY careful of the doors and windows so she doesn't escape, and try to fatten her up quick. . .:tongue2:.

 

[missymotus]

I think her weight may be some of the problem.  When i found her and took her in she was slightly under a pound.  Shes putting on weight but is def not past 2 pounds yet.

Has the vet given you any suggestions on how to fatten her up? Hills and Royal Canin both make recovery foods that with short term use help cats gain weight, not everyone's favourite brands but they certainly do the job in a small amount of time.

It's best to spay them before their first heat, and each cycle they have has health risks so you don't want her coming into heat several more times before being able to spay her. 

 

[orientalslave]

Since she isn't a potential breeding queen it might be best to stop her cycling with Ovarid.  That's not without it's risks but I feel they are less than coming into call, plus female cats in call often lose interest in food.  Be warned - most vets prescribed far too high a dose.  Something like 1/4 of a 5mg tablet every 2-3 weeks will probably do the trick.  I would weigh her again as well and keep an eye on her weight to make sure she is gaining.  Presumably she has been wormed and any fleas dealt with?

 

[callista]

Maybe she is small due to starvation, and is actually a month older than she seems.

 

[brea stines]

Since she isn't a potential breeding queen it might be best to stop her cycling with Ovarid.  That's not without it's risks but I feel they are less than coming into call, plus female cats in call often lose interest in food.  Be warned - most vets prescribed far too high a dose.  Something like 1/4 of a 5mg tablet every 2-3 weeks will probably do the trick.  I would weigh her again as well and keep an eye on her weight to make sure she is gaining.  Presumably she has been wormed and any fleas dealt with?

Has the vet given you any suggestions on how to fatten her up? Hills and Royal Canin both make recovery foods that with short term use help cats gain weight, not everyone's favourite brands but they certainly do the job in a small amount of time.

It's best to spay them before their first heat, and each cycle they have has health risks so you don't want her coming into heat several more times before being able to spay her. 

Haha the vet gave me a kitten starter kitten with Science Diet which i would never feed to any animal.  I actually have her on Wellness Kitten kibble as well as rotating Wellness Core kitten and Merrick wet food.  She still seems to have her appetite very well.

She is definantly gaining weight, and she eats like a little pig!  She has been dewormed and is now on advantage multi for the fleas.  When i took her in she had round worms, and was covered in fleas and ear mites.  Shes cleared of all of that now.

As of today she actually quit showing all the heat signs.  Im guessing it generally lasts more than 2 days correct?  Could this have just been a hormonal thing and not actually a heat??

 

[wil hatchel]

Actually some do have a bloodlike discharge

 

[lamiatron]

1) she could be going into heat. please keep her indoors, and make sure she doesn't escape! when you are able to get her spayed, do it asap

2) i agree with the other members who say she could be older than initially thought, because she is so tiny from being malnourished while living in the streets. its a possibility

3) another thing, her TRUE personality is now showing through. When i first got Jet, a former stray kitty, she was very sick, and had to be on antibiotics. after she finished her round of meds, her behavior and personality changed completely, i guess due to the fact that she was feeling better. she would also do similar stuff that your kitty is doing behavior wise, however she is fixed, so i know she was not in heat. so maybe, now that your cat is feeling better, you're seeing how she really is.

4) you should consider feeding your cat the food that the vet gave you. i got those same exact things for Jet as well. I took like 3 cans and gave it to her. It helped her gain some weight quick because she was also this scrawny little thing. maybe mix it with the current wet food you are giving her. She's a kitten and can use all the extra help to gain weight that she can get.