How much of a problem are unspayed girls?

[Toddlerteaplease]

Penelope is not yet spayed, I have just discovered that they can spray. Are they as bad as male cats. I really don't want her doing it all over the house. Obviously she'll be done asap.

Horrendous. Especially when they get to one week on, one week off (nearer three days off if you've got a vet that's very cautious). And they can be absolutely foul tempered - which I do understand, their hormones are going batshit and if there isn't a potential shag in it, they hate it, whatever it is.

Except for males of all species. They're adored, much to the alarm of any humans or dogs in the vicinity.

agree with above comment! Entire queens are a nightmare in so many ways. When is she being done? They can be speyed from approx 2kg (some vets will do them earlier than that) so usually 14-16 weeks

Horrendous - and bloody noisy 🙈

The noise! Oh my god, I thought I was going to lose my mind when one of mine came into heat during the lockdowns. I couldn't get her booked in for neutering for ages so had to put up with her calling "all the boys to her yard". I have never heard anything like it.

Absolutely amazed with some posts on here today. Don’t people ever research pets before deciding to get one

She may be spraying because she is stressed with the move and needs to mark her territory. My girl did this when we took in another girl and it continued for a few weeks and was focussed on the curtains. She didn’t do it when we took in another boy. Mine was already spayed so I don’t think that is necessarily the issue for you (but there are other reasons why I know you will have her spayed). I hope she settles for you.

@DaughterNo2 Toddler has been posting about her female cats in the Litter Tray for some years. Spraying is pretty uncommon behaviour in female cats (speaking having had 7 females over the years)

It's the shouting and desperate attempts to get out that will be a PITA. Hopefully you can get her into the vets and sorted asap!

She's a Persian so hopefully a bit more dopey than a normal cat. Usually the rescue would get her spayed, but I've waited a while for her, so they've said I can foster her immediately rather than her go to a foster carer first. I tried booking her in for a spay, but the vet wouldn't book a date till I see them on Friday with her.

I've had cats from being a child, I also fostered for 10 years.

The cats I fostered were all 'done' or too young to be done, it was only when I acquired my latest that I experienced a cat in heat (that I remember, my childhood cat had kittens so she must have had one).

She's 5 though. So not a kitten.

@DaughterNo2 this will be my 4th Persian, and I've had cats all my life. But never an unspayed one before.

They are very determined to get out and find a mate when fertile. We had a very young one bust out of a boarded over cat flap on her first heat. Too young to have a litter, it all went very wrong. Please get yours neutered to avoid extra pregnancies. The cat charities cannot cope with all the extra unwanted cats already alive.

If she's 5, what are you waiting for? They are a pain. Keep all doors and windows shut and make sure she's not around when you're going in and out of the house.

Why haven't the rescue spayed her?

I suggest some of you read Toddler's other thread on the subject regarding potential new inmate of Toddler Towers, where many of these questions will be answered.

Please get yours neutered to avoid extra pregnancies. That's the plan!

The rescue haven't spayed her yet because she HASN'T ARRIVED THERE YET, she's coming in from a show and breeding home.

Toddler is waiting until she actually has custody of the new cat before she can get her spayed - hard for her to do when she hasn't even been brought to the rescue yet.

I don't think you can expect people to go through someone's previous threads - if it was in the OP that she wasn't coming from a rescue and was an ex-breeding Queen then people wouldn't need to ask.

Thank you.

I'm amazed the rescue let an in spayed queen out of their door. Hugely irresponsible. What is everyone waiting for?

I didn't post the back story as I only expected people who knew me, in this board to post.

The rescue know me very well. I've had all my cats from them. And have driven all round the country to pick up and transport cats.

The cat is not in the rescue yet. She's coming straight from the breeder to me, on a foster to adopt basis.

I will get her into the vet to be spayed as soon as I possibly can. She has a vets appointment on Friday night.

I remember when we first got Ivy she wasn't big enough for neutering until she was 7 months (she's a very small cat and hadn't reached 2kg). She had one season before her op and basically turned into Jessica rabbit and wouldn't leave my DH or DS alone! It wasn't too bad though, no yowling and she wasn't fighting to get out or anything.

Fingers crossed if you see the vet with her on Friday and they book her in quickly you may not have to deal with it.

Lovely that you are adopting again after your sad loss 💐

And we will arrange a date. I've waited a while for her, she might as well be fostered in her new forever home, than with someone else.

I tried to book a date when I made the appointment, but they wanted to wait till they saw her.

Yep, I had a male housemate at the time, she would put her tail to one side, back up to him and give him a coy look over her shoulder.

He was quite disturbed.

@CurlewKate the cat has not arrived at the rescue. It won't be going physically to the rescue it is going to be fostered by someone who wants to adopt her.

Apparently she doesn't let big cats bear her, but loves girl cats. Poor Cheddar. I think better keep them separate for a bit!

@sashh was the housemate disturbed or the cat?!! 😂