[curly_locks]

I'm sure I've read on here that cats can come into season from about 4 months, our kitten is now 5 months and I called our vet to book her in to be spayed but was told we will have to wait until she's 6 months old.

Although she isn't allowed outside and has shown no signs of being in season yet, she seems very keen to follow our other cat out of the house. I'd like to have her spayed sooner rather than later so that I don't have to worry about her getting pregnant should she escape. Is there a good reason to wait until she's 6 months? Will another vet spay her sooner?

[H_Hounds]

Hi

I'm not sure about cats but, with dogs, they recommend that you wait until after the first season to allow the natural development with the hormones etc. I would imagine taht's why they've said to leave it.

Terri

[terminator]

They can be done from 4 month but idealy 5 to 6 month.Depends on there wieght and size as well.
Letting them go into heat first is a old tale.And can cause restless and noisy cats and exhibit other behavior problems that may or may not be dealt with in later life.

[curly_locks]

Well she's a fairly chunky girl so would probably be alright on the weight/size front I'd rather not go through the hassle of having a cat in heat - she's quite annoying demanding at the best of times and presumably she'd be even more determined to escape in order to find a mate.

Can anyone recommend a vet who will spay sooner than 6 months? We're in North Sheffield.

[magsie]

It's an old fashioned and risky attitude for your vet to take. My little rescue came into season 4 months, I thought she was dying, screaming her head off to get outside. If the vet saw kits giving birth, or trying to give birth, at 7 months old, perhaps he'd change his mind. Definitely go to another vet. She's at the ideal age for spaying. Cats Protection North, 2456371 would be able to give you the name of the vet they use. It's straightforward op these days, and most rescues are neutering at 12 weeks provided the kits are up to weight. Your chunky girl will have no problem. Good for you for getting her done before it's too late.

[medusa]

The choice of whether to spay early is down to the individual vet, as well as whether the kitten is strong, healthy and well developed. The more strong, healthy and well developed the kitten, the higher the chances that she will go into season before 6 months and so the more likely it is that a vet will choose to spay early (even a vet who normally spays at 6 months).

I'm with early spaying when at all possible. There's lots of evidence that they get over it faster than when they're older and so it's an easy to choice to make if you've been involved with lots of cats and kittens as I have over the years.

My cat Merlin was spayed at 16 weeks, and I'm glad that it was done so early because she was the sort of adventurous kitten who would have managed to get out when she went into season, and because she was a big strong kitten that would inevitably have been before 6 months. Before she was 6 months old she'd also managed to escape the house using the roof window and got stuck up there for 2 days before I found a way to get her back down again!

With boys it's usually down to physical development which determines when you can neuter (some toms just aren't developed enough until 5 or 6 months) but with queens it's definitely trying to get ahead of the seasons.

I'd sit down with the phone and call a few local surgeries. I know that Springfield at Firth Park spay at 4 months because they're one of the surgeries that Cats Protection use for their spay and neuter policy.

[maggimay]

Beech house Vets High Green.Springfield vets Firth Park spay from 4 months

[gear-freak]

Anytime from 16weeks

Ark Vets in Killamarsh and Dronfield are having an offer on neutering:

Cat castrate £38
Cat spay £49

For futher details call 01246 415 270 or 0114 2470828

www.arkvetsheffield.co.uk

[redstar1987]

Originally Posted by gear-freak

Anytime from 16weeks

Ark Vets in Killamarsh and Dronfield are having an offer on neutering:

Cat castrate £38
Cat spay £49

For futher details call 01246 415 270 or 0114 2470828

www.arkvetsheffield.co.uk

Those prices don't seem that cheap if they are supposed to be an offer. Our 2 female kittens were spayed at the beginning of January and it cost £91.94 for both of them together, and that wasn't any special offer.

[magsie]

I agree Redstar.
Dore vets, Baslow Road £38 spay, £30 castration.

[Plain Talker]

Originally Posted by redstar1987

Those prices don't seem that cheap if they are supposed to be an offer. Our 2 female kittens were spayed at the beginning of January and it cost £91.94 for both of them together, and that wasn't any special offer.

It was £38 for Georgie Kitten's castration just before Christmas at Highfield vets, which I didn't think was unreasonable.

The RSPCA offer for someone on benefits was £28.50, I seem to remember in about October. I was determined he was going to be "done", and thought the extra £10 cost for the neuter to be done locally was worth it when you consider the cost and hassle of getting all the way to the RSPCA centre. I thought "leave their money to pay for a spay for someone who hasn't got £38 quid to pay for it doing."

[Red_Angel]

Had my female cat spayed 2 weeks ago... Vets4Pets was £38 as they have an offer on at the moment.... xx