Need Advise On Spaying Cat In Heat

[di and bob]

I've been getting conflicting advise on the internet, I need advise from people who know on The Cat Site! A month ago a tired, emaciated little dilute calico showed up at our house to eat. I didn't want to take her in to be spayed in case she already had been (I should have known better!). Well, she's in heat today. There are toms showing up, and one has already been killed on our busy street today, I don't want more tragedy to come. I went in and talked to my vet, telling him she was in heat right now and he said bring her in, I'll do her after closing, I was not expecting that! Well, now I'm worried about her safety. I researched on the internet and it said spaying does not stop her heat cycle once it has started, even if she is spayed. True? I don't want all those toms being so rough with her right after surgery. I set up a dog pen in our heated shop that has a enclosed bed with a heat pad, a litter box and food and water. How long should she be confined? When we shut her in the shop to get her in the carrier, she went bezerk, hitting the window and hiding up inside a couch. So she is NOT used to being inside, or it was just that strange to her. Has anyone been through this, spaying a cat in heat?

 

[StefanZ]

Spayin in heat is more difficult and more risky. The tissues are blood filled and more fragile. But ok with an experienced vet surgeon, esp if heshe is forewarned. So I hope for the best. Afterwards she will want to rest and hide of course.
But her patience will be max 3!days, after this she wants prob outside again. I hope the niveu of smells are lower than..,,

Succesdfull homeless have typically good healing meat and good immune system. Otherwise they perish and dont become the survivors. So 3 days rest should be enough if she doesnt get vomplications. Sometimes you must dovwith just 24 hours....

Just make sure its the side incision and self solving sutures.

 

[Kflowers]

When my sister's Siamese went into heat with the banshee screaming, she called the vet and before Sis said a word, they said, bring her in, we'll spay her today. Sis picked her up two days after surgery and the screaming had stopped. She didn't have any problems. But the male cat she lived with had been neutered.

 

[jen]

It IS more difficult and risky but they do it all the time. I wouldn't worry too much. Usually they may just charge a little more. I would definitely take advantage of your vet for being so awesome and working her in after close. Also she needs to be kept away from the tom cats until she is spayed and around 2 weeks or so afterwards so she can heal. Maybe you have a TNR group in your area who can come in and neuter all the tom cats outside too!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Take her. There are higher risks involved, but certainly no more so than having her pregnant in her depleted condition. Do you have a safe place for her to recover? Although amost all ferals who are TNR'd are returned to their colonies the same or the next day, since she's so run down, a few days of R&R could only do her good.

 

[Willowy]

I asked one vet about it, and he said he wouldn't spay a dog in heat, but with cats it's basically unavoidable so vets are used to it.

Country vets are kind of funny about doing things off-hours, I've noticed. Probably used to getting called out for a birthing cow at weird times, so what do they care? My vet does the same thing. Oh, kitty needs surgery? Sure, bring her right in, I'll do it right here and now.

I would TRY to keep her in a dog crate for about a week. It might not be possible but that's what I'd try for. Put a blanket over the top so she feels more secure.

 

[di and bob]

The vet called, she is done and sleeping, he said he would keep her overnight since she wasn't awake yet. No charge!
I have a nice place for her in a 4 foot by 4 foot dog kennel with a place to hide that has a cat heat pad since the shop is a little cool, but not down to zero like outside!
Thank you so much for all your help, it is much appreciated. I guess I'll try to keep her inside as long as SHE wants! If she gets too upset I may have to let her go. I just don't want her incision torn open by the toms if they think she is still in heat.
I have neutered and spayed at least 10 cats around here, only had one old feral tom that had never been caught. Where did all these come from when she went into heat, they must travel for miles! I hope they go home!

 

[Kflowers]

Remember those first two weeks will be the hormones speaking not her. She'll probably be easy to persuade to stay in after just a little complaining for show.

You done good and I know you'll keep on doing good as long as you have breath in your body.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Bless you.

 

[di and bob]

The most important question I have left is will the toms think she is still in heat and try to mate with her, maybe opening her incision? Why did a couple of sites say that once the heat cycle is started it continues until it's end, even if spayed in the meantime. TRUE? In the meantime, I'll keep her confined as long as she doesn't go beserk. I'm hoping in the quiet heated shop she'll settle down and rest for a week. We'll go out several times a day and keep her company. i'm glad the surgery is done and she came through fine, now just get her home and help her recover.

 

[Kflowers]

Where each cat is different and hormones are hormones, none of my lady cats were the least bit interested in chasing toms after they were spayed. Three of them were pregnant when spayed. Our first hint that they were in heat was opening the curtains and seeing 6 or7 tom cats hanging on the screen going 'Hi ya, babe? And hi ya, too, honey, and hi sweetie."

Two others were in heat when spayed. They made no attempt to leave the house. All that happened was they stopped screaming. One screamed all day the other all night. I guess I should have put that in the earlier post but I find I forget those two days.

Sweet Gum was in heat but never tried to go outside. She did the heat dance, but she'd smack the windows and growl when the tom's got close. She never tried to get out afterward.

 

[di and bob]

Thank you Kflowers, i've never gone through this type of spaying before. I assumed when she showed up at my house that she was an abandoned house cat, she was SO skinny and scared. she took over one of the heated huts and didn't want to leave. But when I put her in teh shop to make syre she didn't disappear for her appointment, she went nuts, jumping into the window, etc. She calmed a little when she got under the couch. I felt so bad, I should have confined her, I didn't even dream she would do that. But my husbands shop has a couch and chairs, a fireplace and cable TV in prt of it, she's got it made!

 

[Kflowers]

I'm thinking her people moved and left her, or were evicted and told to get out before they could get her. She got locked in her house for long enough to get skinny. When someone finally came to check on the house she made a break for it. When you shut her inside she was afraid of starving again = panic. Then you produced food. It may take time but I think she has some good memories and you can help her find her way back to them and trust.

 

[di and bob]

We have apartments right behind us. A Nursing home up the road that I swear dump the people's cat's when the people die. I have had some really old, spoiled cats show up starving that you just knew an old person had owned. I cared for them until they too died, I remember every one of them.

 

[Kflowers]

The old ones are beyond special. I remember each one.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

We have apartments right behind us. A Nursing home up the road that I swear dump the people's cat's when the people die. I have had some really old, spoiled cats show up starving that you just knew an old person had owned. I cared for them until they too died, I remember every one of them.

And this sort of thing is why we all value you so much. Thank you.

 

[msaimee]

I've had a few cats spayed while they were in heat. There is more bleeding during surgery, a longer recovery time, and an extra vet charge. I've also had to give pain meds for a few days. It would be good if you could keep her inside safe room for several days until she can jump and move around well and fend for herself. Pain meds will slow her down and calm her.

 

[di and bob]

Thank you for answering, it all helps ease my mind. It was touch and go for a while, she refused to move, refused to eat, just laid there and meowed for almost full two days! It was heartbreaking. I syringed a little water in her a little canned food juice. Then the end of the second day she lapped up a LITTLE juice herself, made me feel better. Then yesterday she ate a whole pouch of food! I noticed she was using teh litter box too. Her eyes look much better and she came out of her 'hut' to see me last night, rolling onto her back, so of course I checked out her incision. Looks wonderful! A small completely closed incision with no discharge, redness or swelling at all, he did a wonderful job!

 

[msaimee]

That's great news!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Wonderful news, and the start of a whole, new and healthier life for her!