Spaying

[AAA_890]

hi there, my cat has been going through a bunch of heat cycles after she turned 12 months old. I was wondering if I’ll face any problems spaying her after she has gone through her heat cycles. After her heat cycle, I’m taking her to the vet. Will she face any health problems?

 

[Dr. Phil Bushby]

hi there, my cat has been going through a bunch of heat cycles after she turned 12 months old. I was wondering if I’ll face any problems spaying her after she has gone through her heat cycles. After her heat cycle, I’m taking her to the vet. Will she face any health problems?

There are always small risks associated with anesthesia and surgery, but you should not have anything to worry about. Cats are "seasonally polyestrous". What that means is that estrous cycles will occur over and over again as long as the periods of daylight are long. In North America estrous cycles will start with increasing length of daylight (late January, February) and will continue until the days get shorter (October or November). Depending on where you live, if you are trying to wait for her to go out of heat you may have to wait to late fall.

The greater risk you face is the increased risk of mammary neoplasia as your cat gets older. Mammary neoplasia is the 3rd most common form of cancer in cats and is almost always malignant. It is almost completely prevented if a cat is spayed prior to its first heat cycle (4 to 5 months of age). Once the cat has started to cycle the risk of eventual mammary neoplasia is increased. However, there is nothing you can do about that now, since you can't turn the clock back 8 months.

Some veterinarians charge a little more to spay a cat while she is in heat, but it is very safe to do so. You might consider scheduling the surgery now and not waiting until late fall.

 

[AAA_890]

There are always small risks associated with anesthesia and surgery, but you should not have anything to worry about. Cats are "seasonally polyestrous". What that means is that estrous cycles will occur over and over again as long as the periods of daylight are long. In North America estrous cycles will start with increasing length of daylight (late January, February) and will continue until the days get shorter (October or November). Depending on where you live, if you are trying to wait for her to go out of heat you may have to wait to late fall.

The greater risk you face is the increased risk of mammary neoplasia as your cat gets older. Mammary neoplasia is the 3rd most common form of cancer in cats and is almost always malignant. It is almost completely prevented if a cat is spayed prior to its first heat cycle (4 to 5 months of age). Once the cat has started to cycle the risk of eventual mammary neoplasia is increased. However, there is nothing you can do about that now, since you can't turn the clock back 8 months.

Some veterinarians charge a little more to spay a cat while she is in heat, but it is very safe to do so. You might consider scheduling the surgery now and not waiting until late fall.

Thanks for the advice. I’m planning on getting her spayed next week