Question about Female Cats...

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Bilby

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Oct 28, 2007
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Perth, Western Australia
... how long are they "on heat" for... does anybody know?

My neighbours cat, that seems to have moved in permanently now, is so on heat it isn't funny but she is still feeding her seven week old kittens. I have the local toms around here most of the time and her one-year old son has moved in as well (although I think he will move out when she stops yowling and the weather improves). I am running out of places to isolate her and each time I take her out on the lead, one tom or another shows up!!!! I can't get her neutered until her kittens have stopped feeding, and financially, I wouldn't mind waiting just an extra couple of weeks too.

One book told me that she will call until she is mated but I thought it was cyclic and they only called for a few days and then stopped.

Any of you able to give me a timeframe? Please!!!!!!
 
female cats who have had kittens can get pregnant again right away according to my vet. Please get her spayed asap.
 
It might be best to get her a cage and put her in it with her kittens. You are correct...you can't get her spayed until she's finished nursing her babies.
 
I think it's 2-3 weeks that they stay in heat, but it feels like forever. They can get pregnant pretty much anytime during their heat. If her kittens are 7 weeks old, I think you can safely spay her now. The kits are probably eating dry food, too, and they can manage without nursing for the day she is gone without an ill effects. The reason I suggest doing it now is that regardless of her being in heat now, it is very common for females to immediately go into heat again when she weans her kittens. Only she decides when she will wean them so you might not figure it out til it's too late.:ohmy:
 
Have you talked to your neighbor about this? Have they just given up on her and are letting you take the responsibility?

We have a couple cats who have pretty much given up on us. The neighbors have always put food outside for all the neighborhood cats, and those two cats have decided it is easier to just go over there to eat. They used to come in to eat, in addition to eating over there, but since their nephew Mr. Frodo died, they won't come in (they are scared of the dog). Those two cats were born outside and have always been scared of people. As long as the neighbor chooses to feed them, I'm not going to complain.

:)Barbara
 
The family concerned are on welfare and last place they lived ended up with 144 (!!!!!!!!) cats. This cat's daughter from the last litter has had a litter a month before this one's litter. And they have another female.

I do isolate. I bought a kitty playpen that zips right up and she is confined to that when the doors are open for my other cats or her son is in but it isn't big enough for her, the kittens, food, water and a litter tray. If she is outside, she is with me on a leash, and I try to remember to take the spray bottle with me. I do not believe in having unneutered pets (I would do the entire street if I was rich!!) and I told the family that I would get her done irrespective of whether she moved back to them or not. They have also agreed that I may find homes (or have my vet do so) for these kittens. I expect Millie will move in here permanently but I don't know - I may have just been the maternity ward!! I can't really afford it just at the moment so the longer I can delay it the better off for me.

I knew cats could go on heat very quickly - but up to three weeks!!! EEEEEKKKKKK!!!!! I am trying to let the kittens/Millie decide when they are ready for weaning. She is a very possessive mother and they are still quite clingy. The longer they are feeding, the better off for their endocrine system.

Thanks everyone for your help. I guess once I have my mother out of hospital, I will make yet another appointment at the vet!! (They have had about A$1000 from me this past month! - I keep on joking that I have sent the owner/vet to Bali several times over the past few years!! LOL)
 
I'm no expert on female cats, but maybe I can apply some "life experience" to your situation.

Buy her some Chocolate and hide the knives!!!:LOL:
 
Do you have a humane society near you? They always have low cost spaying and neutering clinics. I paid $60 to get my female spayed plus her three sons which included shots and frontline. I guess it also helped that they knew me. but it is worth checking out.
 
Africhef, I was just going to ask that. I think it was 25$ to have her spayed and her shots, I gave them a 15$ donation. The vets wanted 50-75 just to spay her. Sorry to me thats just rediculous. they complain there are too many cats, well then make it affordable to keep them from reproducing.
 
I am a bit dubious about the cheap places - have had bad experiences at various vets over the years and now only go to the one. It is costly but the peace of mind knowing that they are well treated while they are there is very valuable to me. I have been with this practice for just under 20 years. In terms of location, they are a 20min drive from me but the Cat Haven is over 40 mins.

I shall just have to remain vigilent until she is done I guess.

Thanks for everyone's help.
 
the humane society has local vets that donate their time to do them. The vet that did my cat is the vet my mom takes her dog to and he is really good
 
the humane society here is so wonderful, and yes mikki is correct the vets volunteer there time plus the humane society is staffed by _humane_ people who love what they are doing because they love animals.
 
I go to the Humane Society for spays/neuters because we have a lot of stray and feral cats around here that I have fixed whenever I can catch them. It would just be too expensive otherwise. But I know what you mean about some of the low-cost places seeming to cut too many corners, Bilby. There is one here that I just don't think is safe enough, even though they perform a valuable service. But the Humane Society is awesome, better run than most private clinics, and about half the price of a private vet. For example, I had my pup neutered, all of his vaccines, heartworm checked, checked for parasites, 2 retained puppy teeth removed, and 6 months of heartworm preventative along with 3 days of pain meds. The fee was $160 vs. $330 for the same thing at my private vet.
 
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