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The litter tray

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

Girl kitten presenting herself to boy kitten!

27 replies

FuckoffARFID · 16/03/2024 08:10

Hi

i have girl / boy kittens that are 4.5 months old. They are booked in to be neutered next Wednesday (27th) but I’m now wondering if I need to try and bring this forward

last night and this morning I’ve noticed the girl squatting down and presenting herself to the boy. He then starts grooming her there. Is the a precursor to mating? Should I see if the vets have any slots to get them fixed early this week? Would be extremely inconvenient for work and the probably don’t have availability anyway!

thanks

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 16/03/2024 08:11

Separate them!
ASAP.

Theresit · 16/03/2024 08:14

Quite often they’ll still spay her if she’s in early pregnancy.

flyinghen · 16/03/2024 08:17

I would separate them or try get in earlier for the procedure.

AlisonDonut · 16/03/2024 08:29

I just had two females spayed, one about 8 months old and one a mother cat who had at least 10 kittens last year.

Both had recently been on heat in the last fortnight so we caught them as soon as that was over and had them done.

Next week should be fine for them.

dementedpixie · 16/03/2024 08:32

AlisonDonut · 16/03/2024 08:29

I just had two females spayed, one about 8 months old and one a mother cat who had at least 10 kittens last year.

Both had recently been on heat in the last fortnight so we caught them as soon as that was over and had them done.

Next week should be fine for them.

OP has a male and a female though, not 2 females.

dementedpixie · 16/03/2024 08:33

I would try and at least get the female spayed sooner.

FannyFifer · 16/03/2024 08:38

Our female kitten was in heat not much older than that so absolutely keep them apart till she is speyed.

CornedBeef451 · 16/03/2024 08:56

We had one of each so the vet advised getting the boy done a bit younger than normal as it's less of an operation for the boy.

The girl was done a month or so later so she was a bit bigger as it's a bigger op.

If she's presenting then you need to separate them right now!

Ask what the vet would advise, you might be able to get at least one of them done sooner.

FuckoffARFID · 16/03/2024 09:00

Spoken to the vet. Brought forward the op to Tuesday. I can’t really separate them due to layout of the house but they will spay in very early pregnancy if needed

Boy cat seems pretty oblivious at the moment so hopefully won’t be an issue anyway

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 16/03/2024 09:03

Just be aware that a female in heat will do EVERYTHING they can to get out and mate. You need to be really careful with doors and windows. Good luck!

charliefair · 16/03/2024 09:13

I'm sorry but you will have to find a way to separate them. Saying 'they will spay in early pregnancy anyway' rather than simply keeping them apart for a few days shows very little care for the welfare of your cats.

ZipZapZoom · 16/03/2024 09:15

Next Tuesday still gives them 4 days to have sex. You absolutely need to separate them even if it means keeping one in a spare room until they see the vet.

justasking111 · 16/03/2024 09:19

charliefair · 16/03/2024 09:13

I'm sorry but you will have to find a way to separate them. Saying 'they will spay in early pregnancy anyway' rather than simply keeping them apart for a few days shows very little care for the welfare of your cats.

Nonsense. What is the vet supposed to do halt an operation?

justasking111 · 16/03/2024 09:20

Wolfiefan · 16/03/2024 09:03

Just be aware that a female in heat will do EVERYTHING they can to get out and mate. You need to be really careful with doors and windows. Good luck!

Ours didn't try to get out she was confused and made an awful howling noise though

charliefair · 16/03/2024 09:21

@justasking111

Nonsense. What is the vet supposed to do halt an operation?

I think you have misunderstood.

I am suggesting OP keeps the cats apart meantime. That's all.

FuckoffARFID · 16/03/2024 09:31

Extensive googling indicates that Tom’s aren’t fertile until 6 months and he’s still not showing any interest but will watch them carefully and find a way to separate if needed

OP posts:
charliefair · 16/03/2024 10:11

If you have googled extensively you should have concluded that this can and does happen earlier and that you must keep them separated. There is not much point in just taking the information you want and ignoring the obvious.

AlisonDonut · 16/03/2024 12:50

dementedpixie · 16/03/2024 08:32

OP has a male and a female though, not 2 females.

I know, I was explaining that both of mine had already been through their heat period, and were both more than likely pregnant albeit at an early stage, and both were fine.

I say mine, they are ferals that live in our village. But anyhow.

lifebeginsaftercoffee · 16/03/2024 15:40

You need to separate them now. You can't keep an eye on them 24/7 so by the time you notice him taking an interest, it will likely be too late.

I know you've said the vet will spay in early pregnancy but I would do anything possible not to put my cat through sex. It's pretty fucking brutal.

Scampuss · 16/03/2024 15:45

You absolutely do need to separate them, female cats get hurt in the mating process, it's not gentle, as above, it can be brutal.

Kittensat36 · 16/03/2024 19:13

Is this the problem?

Girl kitten presenting herself to boy kitten!
PlumpHobbit · 18/03/2024 21:19

Hope all goes well with the op, is there a big cardboard barrier you could put up as a stop gap? One of those big sheets you can get, maybe taped to another? Or a wooden board?

You'll need to keep them apart for a couple of days after, so he doesn't open her wound accidentally if they play, she will also need to be kept very calm no leaping and jumping so her wound doesn't open, so may be worth fashioning a barrier in preparation, or is there a room she can stay in for a couple of days after without anything for her to leap off?

My mum's vet put her girl Ragdolls spay back a month, as he wanted her to be a little heavier, typically in that time she comes into season, she was lying on her front, bum up, full on come and get me boys pose, it was like living with a bird and she was squawking away constantly

Hilariously, her boy ragdoll, who's a bit of a dirty old man and has been known to try and sex up an arm, or a fleece throw, completely ignored her despite her offering herself to him 😂

She's never done it since she was spayed

Echo the advice about ensuring windows are tight shut, watch when leaving the house etc

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 18/03/2024 22:16

Kittensat36 · 16/03/2024 19:13

Is this the problem?

I don't recognise that trick and I'm not entirely sure that it's physically possible.

Threeboysadogacatandakitten · 19/03/2024 21:59

My 5 month old kitten has just had her second heat she’s even trying to attract the dog. Luckily our other cat is also female (and spayed). She was still only 1.6kg when she was weighed two weeks ago so still too little for the operation. Hopefully next month! Could you get a pen to separate them. It would also be useful for post operation for your girl.

We have these two.

Girl kitten presenting herself to boy kitten!
Girl kitten presenting herself to boy kitten!
lifebeginsaftercoffee · 20/03/2024 14:25

@Threeboysadogacatandakitten she's not too small at all, I would be finding another vet if I were you. Rescues can spay when they're under a kilo.