My cats are going crazy!!

[juliamarie32]

Hi Guys! I've really been enjoying being here and you've been helpful on all my other questions so I thought maybe you could help me on this too

I have 3 female cats (Norah Riley - about to turn 5 on July 4th, and Lillie Rae & Luna Mae (a year and a half). None of them are spayed yet though my goal is to have them all spayed by the end of the summer! I've had Norah since she was 7 weeks old and Lillie & Lou are her babies so I've had them since birth. 

Norah used to be an awesome cat - perfectly well behaved aside from the occasional furniture scratching, never had accidents, super friendly (used to greet me at the door and beg for food - we joked that she thought she was a dog lol). But over the last year (mostly since the kittens birth) she has gotten progressively more and more.. wild. We moved a new house about 6 months ago and at first she loved the new house. Then she went into heat about 4 months ago. Now it's like she's a feral cat or something who is permanently stuck in heat or something. She runs around bellowing constantly, sprints around like a maniac, is peeing in the house, and no longer likes attention or being petted. She also HATES the other cats now and hisses at them almost constantly though occasionally I'll see them bathing each other.

Lillie & Lou are having similar issues now too. They both went into their first heat around the same time as Norah and seem to be "stuck" too - especially Lillie. Lou is pretty mellow and chill so it's kind of hard to tell if she's being crazy. However, both Lillie & Lou have had issues with not using the litter box since the beginning.

Anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I used to have fairly friendly and well behaved cats that (with the exception of the kitten's potty problems) and all the sudden they seem to have gone completely nuts. Do you think that it could just be from hormones related to going into heat and that it's something getting them spayed should work out? Other than that they're in perfect health - shiny coats, clear eyes, cold damp noses, eating and drinking well.

We recently had an abandoned male cat show up at our home and are getting ready to adopt him (have not introduced him yet to the girls) so I want to try to make sure their other issues are addressed first before causing them any more stress because of the new addition.

Another rumor I've heard is that you can't spay cats while they're in heat because they'll be "stuck" like that forever. Is that true or myth?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks-

 

[handsome kitty]

The male cat that showed up may be part of the problem.  Is he neutered?  Do not bring him in if he isn't or you'll have 3 pregnant females.

You can try a feliway diffuser but I think you need to get the girls spayed.  Some shelters offer low cost spay/neuter.  Is there one in your area?

I have heard you can't spay a cat in heat but I don't know why.

 

[juliamarie32]

Yes sorry, I thought I had said that - we haven't brought the male cat in yet and he just showed up a week ago so I don't think he is the issue. We've been having problems long before he showed up and maybe they've smelled him on my clothes this last week or so but I kind of doubt it since they've already been acting like this long before. We're getting him neutered first before we bring him in but we'll have to save up to spay the girls one by one since that's so much more expensive than neutering. There are no low cost spay or neuter programs in my area so that's not an option.

 

[handsome kitty]

I use Pet Assure.  It is a discount card that my vet accepts and I get 25% off vet visits including well checks, dental, emergencys, surgery and meds given at the vets.  It doesn't cover food or meds sent home.  I paid $160 for the 2-4 pet plan.  It will finish paying for itself after my cat's dental visit.  You can check it out on-line if your interested, it might be worth your while.  I was able to sign up and hour before an appt w/my vet and use it at that visit.

It's good to hear the male will be neutered soon.  

Fluffy was spayed before she arrive, she's from a shelter so I have no experience w/heat.  

 

[dandila]

I just wanted to add that I had one of my females spayed while in heat.  It wasn't a problem and she's 19 years old now.  Cats are in heat for about seven days and if they are not impregnated during that time will cycle back around in just 14-20 days.  Your girls are, basically, stuck in heat.  I think that most of your difficulties will subside with their spaying.  You'll have lovable fur balls once again.

 

[BonitaBaby]

If there are no low cost spay clinics in the area, can you contact local nonprofits for animals? If there aren't any local ones, try state ones, then national. Calls won't hurt to make and after you explain you're going to be bringing in the stray male, the nonprofit might pay for the spays or refer you to somewhere low cost, but please hurry spay them. 3 female cats in heat could mean lots of kittens. Not to mention that the female cats are basically suffering each time they're in heat.