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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

What age/size was your kitten spayed?

53 replies

Coffeefirstthing · 05/02/2021 20:02

Our new addition to the family is a ~5 month old kitten, we have had her for a month now.

She is a rescue and was born feral, and is quite a scrawny little thing.
Our vet only spays them when they weigh 2 kg. I was hoping she'd be big enough now but she was still only 1.7 kg when checked by the vet this week.
She has a big appetite and eats more than our older cat but just seems to put the weight on quite slowly. She was 1.5 kg when we got her.

So what age/weight were your cats spayed? Anything we can do to help her gain weight faster?
As she is so small the vet will only microchip her when she gets spayed and is under GA.

Attached a photo for reference. She may not be the prettiest of kittens but a true character and really lovable.

What age/size was your kitten spayed?
OP posts:
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8
violetbunny · 05/02/2021 20:07

Mine were done when they reached 800g, but I'm in NZ. Vets seem to be happy to do them earlier here. All the kittens adopted out from the charity I got them from neuter/spay before adoption.

Lonecatwithkitten · 05/02/2021 20:08

My current girl was done prior to leaving the breeder at 12 weeks of age.

violetbunny · 05/02/2021 20:09

Also does you cat eat food specifically for kittens? It's better designed to fulfil their nutritional requirements at that age, and is more calorific so should help with weight gain. Ours ate wet and dry kitten food until they were a year old, on the advice of the vet.

dementedpixie · 05/02/2021 20:12

4 months. No minimum weight was specified.

There is a kitten neutering database online that will tell you which vets in your area will spay them at 4 months. My own vet refused before 6 months so I went to a different one who did spays/neutering at 4 months

Original poster
Coffeefirstthing · 05/02/2021 20:13

Yes she eats the same kitten food that she was given in her foster home. And she steals my older cat's leftovers to top it up!

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 05/02/2021 20:14

www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/neutering/find-a-vet

minniemango · 05/02/2021 20:14

Mine was 4 months, I don't remember a weight being mentioned.

BuffyFairy · 05/02/2021 20:17

4.5 months, no idea what she weighed, the vet just said she had to be 4 months. This was in November.

Photo of her at 3 months.

Your cat is a pretty little thing, she looks really sweet.

What age/size was your kitten spayed?
NotanotherboxofFrogs · 05/02/2021 20:19

I have 2 kittens.

They were neutered in September past and they were 5m and 3w when they had a big day out to the vets. Neutering for both, chipped and jabs with a base line set of bloods for both and a general exam of teeth. They were nearly 2.5kg each by then. The vets wouldn't even consider the neutering until 5 months was passed.

Does your kitten eat wet or dry food. Mine won't entertain me with wet food, it's like I'm trying to poison them. I feed 100g of dry food each at 9pm and they nibble on it until it's replaced each day and any bits thrown away. It's following the feeding pattern if was wild and so always food available but knows what time the next feed is at. They are now gaining well and have access to their water fountain and I'm generous with treats.

What age/size was your kitten spayed?
What age/size was your kitten spayed?
christmasathomeagain · 05/02/2021 20:21

We were told 6 months but ours is now 8 months. We are thinking of getting her done end of next month. We (dh) didn't want to let her out till spring. We have an older cat who she adores and she pines for him when he is out.

cricketmum84 · 05/02/2021 20:22

Our little one had to wait until she was 2kg too, she was 7 months by then. Also a rescue, found under a hedge at a week old with no sign of Mum and then hand reared. She just put the weight on in her own time.

She looks bigger than she is as she is 90% floof!

What age/size was your kitten spayed?
NotanotherboxofFrogs · 05/02/2021 20:23

This was when they were 8 weeks so you can see the growth

What age/size was your kitten spayed?
Original poster
Coffeefirstthing · 05/02/2021 20:26

Oh there seems to be some variation then!
I am a bit reluctant to go to try another vet as it would mean travelling further (covid restrictions, I am in SW England) and our current vet is within a walking distance.

@NotanotherboxofFrogs she eats both wet and dry food although the dry food (free feeding) seems to go down quite slowly.

@BuffyFairy awww thank you! My husband thinks she is an ugly little thing with small eyes too close together! I think she is adorable, really cuddly and chatty, she makes these funny little alien-like sounds when she sees you, little weirdo ❤

OP posts:
Original poster
Coffeefirstthing · 05/02/2021 20:30

@cricketmum84

Our little one had to wait until she was 2kg too, she was 7 months by then. Also a rescue, found under a hedge at a week old with no sign of Mum and then hand reared. She just put the weight on in her own time.

She looks bigger than she is as she is 90% floof!

Awww she's gorgeous! I think mine will take a while to reach 2 kg as well at this rate! Her history is mostly unknown, I just know she was born feral and was estimated to be around 4 weeks when they found her with some other feral cats.
OP posts:
bonzo77 · 05/02/2021 20:31

16 weeks. She’s still only 3kg at 11 years old so she was probably well under 2kg then. Vet said to do her the second she showed any signs of coming into heat: trying to get out side and rolling around and being noisy a lot more than usual. She was chipped at the same time.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 05/02/2021 20:33

She is gorgeous, my little black and white number was spayed when we got her at 4 months

Mumdiva99 · 05/02/2021 20:47

6 months. No weight was mentioned. But the vet said 6 months.

cricketmum84 · 05/02/2021 20:49

@Coffeefirstthing sod your DH lol I think she is beautiful!

Betsy Boo also makes the weird chirrup alien sounds. 9 months old now and we have never had a "normal" meow from her!

Wolfiefan · 05/02/2021 20:49

Honestly I would neuter ASAP. Use a different vet if necessary. If they come into heat they will do ANYTHING to get our and mate. Sad

AnnaMagnani · 05/02/2021 20:55

2 rescues - done before they left the centre at 1kg. Also came microchipped.

My vet looked stunned that the rescue vets do them that tiny and was glad she didn't have to.

So personally not seeing 1.7kg as 'so tiny'.

huggzy · 05/02/2021 20:58

Not sure of exact weight but our cat was spayed as soon as she was old enough. She's always been very petite so she can't have weighed very much. We actually had to move the appointment forward as she was showing signs of coming in to heat.

BadEyeBri · 05/02/2021 21:00

We neuter at 16weeks at my practice.

AnneElliott · 05/02/2021 21:26

Mine were done at 4 months and no minimum weight was specified. And one of mine is really dinky and even now only weighs 3 kg.

Ibizafun · 05/02/2021 21:41

Our cat is now 9 months and still not neutered.. unfortunately he got FIP (feline peritonitis) and the vet won’t do him for another month when treatment is finished. He’s driving us all mad...

MintyCedric · 05/02/2021 21:44

Shes very cute and sounds like a lovely little character.

Ours were about 7 months. They're indoor cats anyway.

Although they're sisters Edie is a tiny little bean and it took her that long to get to the right kind of weight.

What age/size was your kitten spayed?