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.

I’m sorry, but you sound very uninformed about cat ownership, and are potentially (and unwittingly) doing more harm than good. Please do go and get some proper advice about your cats, including the issues around indoor cats. It’s a shame you didn’t pay more attention to your FB group.

You do realise that I've had cats and dogs my whole life so do I have some idea about what I'm doing and if I was uninformed I would never of got my kitten done when he was 6 months but when you suddenly find yourself jobless and there's no spare money for anything I doubt any vets would be willing to take an IOU.

I'm sorry OP but that's all the more reason for insurance. When I was working full time and we didn't have kids we didn't bother. But now I'm not working. I don't have spare thousands of pounds. Insurance is a must.

For all this started as a discussion about early neutering, I don't think most cat people would criticise the average owner for going for 6 months over 4. I understand why rescues in particular would do it, especially if it allows them to neuter before the animals are homed. It wouldn't be my choice for the breed I have - when I had my last girl neutered (at 6 months) she happened to start showing signs of coming in to her first heat literally the day before and the vet said that was really rare for that breed.

4 vs 6 months is a matter of debate and discussion; nobody recommends waiting til a year and a half though. There are a few charities who will help with neutering costs for those on low incomes.

I know wolfiefan but am not in work at the moment and can't afford insurance for all my cats as soon as I am back in work I will be getting insurance for them.

StatiscallyChallenged I will never agree with neutering/spaying before 6 months and like I said it hasn't been done before now because of her size and because I ended up getting ill so I had no money to have it done. It was only recently that I found out that I could get help with the cost of the operation that's why she is getting done now.

And if they're ill before then? The point is that if you can't afford basic vet treatment like spaying you NEED insurance.

I was advised to have my tiny Thai/Korat spayed at 5 months as we had two BSH boy kittens who were younger but a lot bigger. We had to make sure there was no chance of her getting pregnant. All 3 are indoor cats. I have always been told 6 months at the latest ideally.

I can't afford insurance just like I can't afford the operations I'm having to lend the money off my parents and hoping that I'm eligible for the vouchers.

thegreylady thank you that's what I had heard that it was 6 months old for the operations I don't know where all this it can be done earlier stuff come from surely they are too small before 6 months but I guess it all depends on the size of the cat.

Well if you can’t afford the ops it’s a good job the 17 month old didn’t get a closed pyo otherwise you really would be in trouble money wise!

You’ve had cats your whole life but never seen a cat on call and how they lift their bums, tread their feet and do the door handle tail?

Most vets find it easier to neuter when 6 months more tricky younger but no reason they can’t if over a certain weight and in good physical health.

If you can't afford insurance what would you do if they fell really ill? I'm sorry but you need to be able to provide for them. Vetcare isn't optional.

No never seen a cat on call because they where always done at 6 months old. My cats are perfectly healthy there is nothing wrong with any of them. I can provide for them thank you very much your not in My situation so don't judge what you know nothing about. I hope your the perfect pet owner that you seem to think you are. I am doing my best for my cats.

Chances are it wasn't her first season, just the first time she's responded in that way. Unlike with dogs you often can't tell with cats especially if they're indoor only.

Lots of research has been done on the safety of neutering early but a lot of vets don't keep up to date with latest research especially older vets which is probably where that comment came from. I'd make sure your vet does a flank spay (small incision on her side) as this is much safer for the cat but some older vets still do a middle incision underneath the cat which takes much longer to heal.

If you're looking for a second opinion vet then this may be a good place to find one catfriendlyclinic.org/cat-owners/find-a-clinic/

Hope your cat is over it all soon OP

Standard advice is to neuter at 4 months. Any vet saying six months is very out of date. Any vet saying to wait until 17 months should be struck off!

I work in a specialist neuter clinic and we neuter all our kittens for homing and neuter/returns as long as they weigh 1kg - so around 9 weeks old.

Indoor only females MUST be neutered. A female in heat will do anything to get out - including throwing themselves out of windows of flats on a 10th floor or more. We see many injuries and deaths in our clinics because of this very thing.

A female which keeps coming into heat but can't mate becomes psychotic. They end up so mentally disturbed they become very, very aggressive. We have known quite a few that have put their owners in hospital they became so aggressive. Once they were neutered and the hormones had a chance to calm down they became friendly and docile again.

So OP you are very wrong to think that it isn't necessary to neuter an indoor only female. I don't care how many animals you've had in the past, if you didn't know that then yes, you are ill informed.

If money is an issue there are a number of voucher schemes from various charities such as Blue Cross, RSPCA and CP.

And if you are in London you can come to us, Celia Hammonds, for only £25 or, if you are on benefits, for free.

Thank you for that helpful advice MayCatt you could be right and it's not her 1st season if she's had others I haven't been able to tell she really did look like she'd had a stroke the way she wasn't using her back legs and moving round in circles and just flopped on to the floor. Thank you I will make sure that it's a flank spay I don't want to put her through too much traumer. Thank you I will look at. I hope she is too I just have to pray that this operation goes ok.

Thecatneuterer
Yet again I wish there was a "like" button on MN
Our torties were tiny. They had to wait until the vet was happy they had reached a certain weight. It was a bloody nightmare making sure there was always one shut door between them and freedom. And NEVER opening a window. I would always spay ASAP.

I'm not in London no and my cat has never ever been aggressive she is as docile and as loving as anything she always has been. If she has ever been in season she has never shown signs of it and she's never stepped foot outside she's a very happy well loved cat.

The aggression thing normally starts to set in around the age of three. It's a pity you're not in London.

Don't worry about her weight. Studies have shown that the younger cats are the quicker they recover and the less likely they are to have problems from the op (although all complications are extremely rare). We do thousands a year at around 1kg, which is very, very small. And they are all fine.

Oh right ok well she is nowhere near that age. I know it is a shame am not in London. Thank you for that helpful advice I have anxiety so I worry about a lot of things including my cats. These are my cats

Oh my. They are gorgeous! I have never had kittens before so spaying was new to me. I too suffer with anxiety. (Hence the not working now!)
My girls recovered incredibly quickly. But do use the cone of shame. One of our madams chewed through her blinking stitches. All fine but more worry.

They are beautiful (but then all cats are in my eyes :) )

And there are schemes to help with neutering countrywide too. Is it cats protection that offers vouchers? But I think you have to be in receipt of certain benefits? Catneuterer would know! The expert!!

We never use the cone of shame. But then our stitches are internal (and also flank - midline spays are very rare in the uk).

You would think I would know about vouchers - but actually I'm a bit hazy on them. There were some joint charity ones a few years ago, but I'm not sure what the criteria are or if they still exist. CP/Blue Cross/RSPCA are the people to ask.

I literally took my eyes off the tortie terror for a couple of minutes! She had been sent home without a cone as she wasn't bothering the wound. Chewed and ended up being stapled.
I know nothing about spaying as our previous cats (and any future ones!) were older rescues. Here's my tortie terrors.