In heat?

[theSnuffster]

Our kittens were 16 weeks old on Tuesday. On Monday we took them to the vets for their pre neutering check. The nurse said we're fine to wait up to maybe 6 weeks, they were showing no signs of 'maturing' yet, but told us what to look out for. We want to get it over and done with so booked them in for the 31st.

Last night and again this morning I noticed the male mounting the female when they were playing. Now the female is walking around with her bum stuck up in the air, and really 'presents' herself when I stroke her. Also the whole genital area looks different- swollen maybe. She hasn't been calling at all though, shes generally pretty quiet in comparison to the male and that hasn't changed at all. She's always been very affectionate and we haven't noticed an increase in that. Do I need to worry? Should I get the appointment moved forward? I know it's unlikely (but not impossible!) he's able to reproduce yet, but I don't want her to have to go through being in heat!

Get her in ASAP!

Get her booked in as a priority, she’s way too young to have a litter and it will stunt her growth.

Yes I would get the appointment moved forward, and in the meantime make double sure she can't get out.

Thank you all. So far neither of them have really tried to get out but we're always very careful anyway. So I don't need to worry that her brother will get her pregnant? That would be incredibly bad luck for them both to mature this early, wouldn't it?!

I think it's possible. Can you move the appointment? If she ends up two weeks pregnant at the time of spaying it's not the end of the world - they can still do it, but getting an earlier appointment would certainly be better.

I've lost my voice so my partner is going to call the vets and find out.

If he ejaculates the pain will make her ovulate & she can get pregnant.

Cats don’t have the same “rules” on incest as us.

Sorry, I should've made that clearer. I realise that they'll mate despite being brother and sister. I just meant that males mature later than females, it'd be very unlucky for them both to have matured so early. She may be in heat but he's probably not fertile yet?

Just wanted to add that their appointment is now on Wednesday. She's still not making any noise, not being extra affectionate etc. Just when they play fight she gets herself 'in to position' then will wander round like that for a little while.

He's showing no signs of maturing at all, thank goodness. He doesn't respond to her 'presenting' and just wants to play, no aggressive behaviour, no spraying, doesn't try to leave the house. So I'm really hoping that means she can't be pregnant (they'd still operate on Wednesday but it's more complicated and more expensive. She's a tiny thing and only just heavy enough to be operated on so I'm worried enough about the operation as it is without added complications.)

Maybe he's gay :)

Someone tried to take us to court because he claimed his cat was gay - true story (obviously there's more to it than that, but that was the headline - reader - he lost )

Let me guess - puss identified as asexual?

😂😂 maybe!

Just when you think you'd heard it all! Did he keep the "gay cat"?? Or return it due to his homophobia?

Vinorosso - it was a stray cat he asked us to treat. His objection was along the lines of we should have known it was gay and so treated it differently to his other cats (on which we spent thousands, for free). I would love to be more specific but he is both highly litigious and totally insane, so I don't think I should.

Many big lawyers spent a stupid amount of time on this (thankfully ours were pro bono).

Madness! Especially after he'd had free treatment for all his cats.

Maybe he wanted conversion therapy for the cat ...