AIBU to think that cat groups should get their facts right.

[Shootfirstaskquestionslater]

AIBU to think that cat groups on Facebook should get their facts right before they go round spouting rubbish. I had to take my 17 month old cat to the vets today because I thought their was something seriously wrong with her because she wants using her back legs turns out it's just her first ever season the vet said to take her in when it's finished and they will spay her and my youngest kitten can be done at 6 months old. This girl from a cat group told me that the vet is wrong and old fashioned and that cats should be done at 4 months old. I would like to think that a trained vet with years of experience knows more than some cat warrior.

Our female kittens came from rescue spayed at 10 weeks! They routinely do them as soon as they weigh 1kg.

Kittens are perfectly happy. Our vet said she wouldn't do them that small but certainly sooner than 6 months.

Because I had my male done and they are indoor cats I thought it would be ok to leave my female but am not being driven potty by her every time she has a season so she's getting done and so is my younger kitten. I was always told 6 months old though.

No my cat wasn't rolling on her back she was just flopping down on to her front like she had completely lost the use of her back legs.

That’s normal behaviour from a cat in heat, it’s a position they do to allow a male cat to do its business ;)
Anyway, she is right, it is old fashioned because that was the done thing years ago, neutering and staying at 6 months, it’s just a guideline but they’ve since found the earlier the better. It does not affect maturity or development.

It’s also the anaesthetic, some won’t do really young incase they die from the general anaesthesia.

My boys were neutered before 4 months, about a week before. The vet mentioned that as long as they weighed enough to make anaesthetising them safe, it was fine.

I had no idea what was going on because it's her 1st season and I can't understand why she's so late to the party. I will be getting them both done I can't be dealing with the Oscar winning drama performance every time they come in to season it will drive me bonkers.

4months for my two girls.it just depends on the vets practise

Our vet says ideally after they turn 4 months, but before they turn 6 months. It aslso depends on their weight. Local cat rescue place neuters at 4 months and reccomends this age.

We had a male and female kitten from the same litter, and there's no way I'd have risked 6 months!

Agoodcupoftea that's my biggest worry my cats are only small and I thought they where too small to survive the anaesthetic.

Don’t worry. I have a baby sphynx coming to me soon, he is tiny! But he’s being neutered at 13 weeks.
As long as they’re over 1kg I believe it’s safe. Some vets just like to be over cautious.

I was desperate to get my female kitten done cos she was driving the household crazy with her behaviour. My poor boys were constantly being harassed by her. The vet kept telling me she was too small, but eventually she was done at 5 months.

Cats can be neutered as long as they are over 2 lbs in weight and older than 2 months in age. It absolutely doesn't affect development doing it at this point, and it's far better to do it earlier than later (my female cat came into heat at 4 months old and her brother (litter sibling so same age) discovered he knew what to do with his bits). It was fun keeping them separate in a mostly open plan flat until the vet could fit them in later that week.

Either way no one says 17 months. Irresponsible to leave her unspayed so long and puts her at risk of pyometra.

Yes, not 1kg! Haha

Agoodcupoftea awww good luck with your new kitten.

wanttobeme how did you manage to put up with that.

emwithme thank you the vet has seen my oldest girl and he told me to take her in as soon as her season ends and he will do the operation so she will be getting booked in as soon as her season is finished.

catchingbabies well that's your opinion but I'm of the opinion that she could wait because she's a indoor cat and my male has been done so there was no risk of her getting pregnant espiceally when there is no way for her to get outside.

A lot of cat charities/rescue agencies now advocate for 4 months to prevent unwanted kittens.

A lot of vets still do it around 6 months.

Neither are wrong.

It's really about size and weight rather then age (or body mass ratio). The smaller they are the higher the risk of hypothermia during anaesthesia. But tbh, it's easily avoided and modern anaesthetics are very safe. Over 6 months has it's own difficulties as they lay down a lot of abdominal fat but the uterus is still tiny making it more difficult to find!

So you've come on here to moan about it.

Get your cats done, what is the issue?

You we're planning to anyway, so I don't see the fuss?

bewareofdragons thank you guess it's just each to their own.

ScrabbleFiend yeah my male had to be a certain weight so that they could do his operation. I guess when they are 6 months old they should be at the weight that they need to be.

Mine were done at 4 months or it might possibly have been even earlier. I had brother and sister kittens together and really didn't want to run the risk of a house full of accidental incestuous cat babies.

I guess all cats are different then because. Guess my girl is just a late starter.

How come you've waited till 17 months if you wanted to get her spayed?

I had no plans to get her spayed because my male was neutured and I have kept them as indoor cats and she hasn't had a season until now. I always said I wouldn't get my female done.