Do I risk pregnancy?

[rogesse]

My little girl came into heat before 6 months and by god the noise - we thought she was being very affectionate for a couple of days then the howling began along with trying to mate with anything that didn't run away - shoes, chair legs, the coffee table and my handbag

My dad has a big problem with a really nasty tom. He lives abroad where there is a massive feral population and this huge stonking beastie, 'Teddy Bear Ears' (son nicknamed him - odd looking ears) regularly prowls his garden interfering with his feral girls. Worse he is a kitten killer, perhaps jealous of the queens diverted attention. Dad finds it very distressing having to bury all the little bodies

[Alice]

They could be preggers by 6 months Piskie. I would consult with a vet now.
I was pleased to see it was the cats you were talking about Women older than 52 have had babies Oh the joy A time for everything - eh ?

[allotmentlady]

try to keep them in a bit longer hunny......dont want 12 babies!!!!! wonder whose tom it is.........?

[piskieinboots]

...wonder whose tom it is.........?

we know who it belongs to but to be honest I hadn't realised he was intacto until he got into my next door neighbours and did the deed. And, even if I had realised, I can't force him to see sense and get ROT seen to - but ooh it makes me angry

Makes you think tho doesn't it - neighbour's kitten is 7 months-old and a house cat (but she leaves windows open!), so this lass (new to cats) didn't realise she should still have kitten spayed.

She, next door kitten, is being spayed and aborted on Monday, but she is a poorly weak thing and the vet has warned that she may not pull through

[Alison]

I think that most vets like to do them when they're about 6 months old as by that time they're big enough that there is a much lower risk that they will die as a result of the op (the smaller the animal the bigger the risk). I suppose it's a balance, most won't go on heat until after 6 months and it's not really something that we thought about with our little girl. She went out from about 4 months and wasn't done until 6, didn't worry at all but maybe we were just lucky. If you can, I'd go for the keeping them in option rather than risk the op too early - it's quite a bit ordeal for them.

Amusing story re our boy cat. Got him from Cat's Protection League when he was about 5 months old. As part of the deal, we had to sign that we'd get him done when he was 6 months old. Took him along to the vets as promised and the vet said he was a "late developer" and that he wasn't ready so I was "to check out to see when he'd dropped"! Surely there's laws about this sort of thing! Anyway, I then had Cats Protection ringing up asking why he was still intact and had to explain to him (the poor thing!). Would just like to make it clear though that I just took him back a month later without "checking him out" personally!

[piskieinboots]

...Surely there's laws about this sort of thing!

cracking story Alison

I am going to opt for keeping them in for a while longer I think - better safe than sorry

[janeyo]

Amusing story re our boy cat. Got him from Cat's Protection League when he was about 5 months old. As part of the deal, we had to sign that we'd get him done when he was 6 months old. Took him along to the vets as promised and the vet said he was a "late developer" and that he wasn't ready so I was "to check out to see when he'd dropped"! Surely there's laws about this sort of thing! Anyway, I then had Cats Protection ringing up asking why he was still intact and had to explain to him (the poor thing!). Would just like to make it clear though that I just took him back a month later without "checking him out" personally![/QUOTE]

That's funny, Alison cos I had a ginger tom and when we had him first vaccinated the vet said to bring him in at 4 months to be 'done' as gingers can start spraying early and can be early developers. So we duly took him in at about 4 months and he was 'done'... and after the vet said 'oooh actually you can be very proud, they were quite big!' LOL

My hubby at the time was smiling all day saying 'that's my boy' lol

[SlugLobber]

True they aren't able, at four months-old, but as they are rescue their age isn't guaranteed.

Should I:
a) keep 'em in until they are 'safe'
b) make them chastity belts
c) take two bricks to intacto thug

Don't you believe it, Piskie. My cats were doing it at nearly 5 months (brother and sister!!). Keep them in/supervise all turn out and get them done at 5 months if you can. Surely there should be laws about allowing entire males to roam around (including humans, ha ha ha!).

[Alison]

That's funny, Alison cos I had a ginger tom and when we had him first vaccinated the vet said to bring him in at 4 months to be 'done' as gingers can start spraying early and can be early developers. So we duly took him in at about 4 months and he was 'done'... and after the vet said 'oooh actually you can be very proud, they were quite big!' LOL

My hubby at the time was smiling all day saying 'that's my boy' lol

Our late developer is a ginger and white so can't always be right, mind you, you'd have trouble finding anything under all his fur