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Original poster

I can't look at my cat :(

240 replies

catburglar · 13/01/2020 17:20

My pet cat disappeared on Thursday. I've a microchip catflap for him and his sister so they're always coming and going. He arrived back on Saturday and he'd been neutered and ear tipped. I'm really upset. I don't know how I can cope with seeing him looking like that for the next 20 years. I don't know who did it or why. I feel like I'm being really shallow but I feel like he's been mutilated. He's perfectly happy himself at least.

OP posts:
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8
Scarsthelot · 13/01/2020 20:40

I am from Ireland.

Cats get pregnant all year round there too.

titchy · 13/01/2020 20:41

OP how many kittens do you estimate your cat fathered?

Wolfiefan · 13/01/2020 20:41

You’ve had them since 2018? It’s not been winter since then.
And yes. Cats can get pregnant in the winter. HTH

YasssKween · 13/01/2020 20:44

I'm in Ireland where cats don't get pregnant in the winter.

Wait, what?!

Scarsthelot · 13/01/2020 20:45

OP you need to learn more about cats if you are going to be so involved.

More kittens are born between February and about October.

Kittens are born all year round. Just more then. The kittens born in February, will already be conceived. Many from your Male cat.

Lougle · 13/01/2020 20:46

Aren't cats induced ovulators? They don't have seasons, do they?

I'm sure his ear will look better once the hair grows back.

IncrediblySadToo · 13/01/2020 20:46

You haven't a clue. Are you ducking serious? It’s not me letting out an un neutered Male cat! Jesus wept

They've taken more than half of his left ear. I will get used to it but I think I'm entitled to be pissed off. I would have loved some help dealing with the 10 to 15 feral cats but instead someone snatches my tame little pet. Whereas I went out and bought a trap and dealt with the most difficult ones.

You really aren’t getting it are you?

Your ‘tame little pet’ was out there massively contributing to the ‘feral cat ‘ problem. 🙄🙄

Butchyrestingface · 13/01/2020 20:47

I've been getting the local stray cats neutered one by one this winter and I didn't want him mixed in with them.

Isn’t there an old proverb about the cobbler’s weans having no shoes? 🧐

QueenOfTheFae · 13/01/2020 20:48

Cats should not be let out until they've been chipped and snipped!!

Hugely massively irresponsible!!

74NewStreet · 13/01/2020 20:49

Irish cats are just cats Confused. You really need to read a book or something, op; you don’t seem to have the first clue how your little fur ball’s reproduction system works.

Alpacathebag · 13/01/2020 20:50

Op you are a hypocrite with your head in the sand. I’m amazed your vet allowed you to keep neutering stray and feral cats and wouldn’t be at you about the importance of neutering your own.

CloudyVanilla · 13/01/2020 20:50

I'm, like most people, veeeeeeery confused by the fact that neutering individual female cats is more important than neutering a Tom who can impregnate all of them??

And you let him out to do that? That's very irresponsible, poor kittens :(

PickwickThePlockingDodo · 13/01/2020 20:51

@PickwickThePlockingDodo
The TNR, is an easy way to reduce the feral cat population which OP says is big where she is, there simply isn’t enough homes to rehome all of them do by TNR it reduces the unwanted numbers.

I have seen this happen abroad but didn't realise we have it over here too. I naively thought stray cats would be rehomed if caught Sad

I'm in Ireland where cats don't get pregnant in the winter.

Grin
thecatneuterer · 13/01/2020 20:54

@BecauseReasons I can see your logic, but it is entirely wrong. Females are always the priority. Neutering males is really only beneficial to the individual cat - preventing fighting, roaming and of course spraying. Its neutering the females that makes the huge difference to the stray/feral cat populations.

That's because wherever there is a female in heat there will be scores of cats trying to mate with her. A male can smell a female in heat from half a mile away. Unless every single male in a huge area is neutered then every female in heat will end up pregnant. If one male is no longer able to be the father there will always be another one to take his place.

And of course ear tipping doesn't affect hearing.

And there is of course a kitten season, with kittens being born twice a year in Spring and late Summer. That means that we are in prime mating time right now.

I wish ear tipping were standard on all cats. It would make the task of rescue organisations much easier.

FenellaVelour · 13/01/2020 20:55

I'm in Ireland where cats don't get pregnant in the winter

this thread is officially bonkers

fascinated · 13/01/2020 20:59

Sounds to me like maybe OP has a neighbour who has been watching her mad behaviour, getting increasingly more baffled and annoyed by it, and said neighbour has finally decided to take matters into his or her own hands. Good on them, too!

Scarsthelot · 13/01/2020 20:59

And there is of course a kitten season, with kittens being born twice a year in Spring and late Summer. That means that we are in prime mating time right now.

Thata when more kittens are born. Kittens are born all year round. Just more during 'kitten season's. Cats, irish or otherwise, can get pregnant all year round.

The male cat in this situation was owned. But someone spending time catching cats and having them spayed. Whilst letting the male cat out to roam and mate.

It makes no sense. She has had the cat at least 18 months. And not had this done. She is adding to the problem ahe is claiming to be trying to solve.

Her male cat should have been a priority. She had the female done 9-12 months ago. She could have gone to the rescue performing the operations or a charity that helps pet owners.

But she didnt. She added to the problem.

LemonRedwood · 13/01/2020 21:02

I'm in Ireland where cats don't get pregnant in the winter.

Best thing I've heard in ages. These magic Irish cats 😂😂

Mazyka · 13/01/2020 21:03

This is bonkers, but I just want to point out that in a TNR scenario to the females are the priority, precisely because they are the limiting factor on how many kittens can be produced. One male can service all the females. It doesn’t matter how many males are around if the females are all neutered.

LizB62A · 13/01/2020 21:03

I'll have to accept it's largely my fault.

It's entirely your fault for not having him neutered before you let him out.

Did you think your cat was too well brought up to get a female cat pregnant ?!

YouJustDoYou · 13/01/2020 21:09

This is the funniest thread I've read in a week.

thecatneuterer · 13/01/2020 21:09

Yes of course there are always some outliers and some kittens are born outside the normal season
That doesn't mean there isn't such a thing as kitten season.

However that doesn't of course mean that your female cat can't get pregnant in November for example, it just makes it less likely.

yourestandingonmyneck · 13/01/2020 21:11

Jesus wept.

This thread just gets weirder and weirder (the Irish cats that don't get pregnant in the winter Blush)

I'm not convinced that this is real, but on the off chance that it is......OP, you sound like your heart is in the right place. But you have a serious lack of knowledge about cats / biology / TNR. You've been give some good information here, I suggest you use this as a starting point to get a bit more informed on cats, particularly if you are going to engaging in TNR activities.

JKScot4 · 13/01/2020 21:18

@LemonRedwood
These magic Irish cats
🤣😻🤣😻

backinthebox · 13/01/2020 21:20

This thread is proof some people are clueless. OP is taking all the local cats who's irresponsible owners don't get them neutered to be neutered, and then someone takes her's to be neutered and she can't see she falls into the same 'irresponsible cat owner' bracket.

Always get your own house in order before sorting out someone else's.