Should i Spay my house-cat

anon123456

Hi All

I have two cats an 11 month old neutered male Bayo and a very soon to be 6 month old queen Shelly.
They are both house cats and do not go outside. We have a spacious top floor Maisonnette near a main road and we made the decision to keep them in. (i know that's contentious on this board but this is not the topic i'm discussing)

Now we neutered Bayo before we had shelly so he wouldn't spray when older.

My understanding is that queens only come into heat in the presence of a capable Tom, am i correct?
My question is because Shelly will not be going outside and no male around does she need to be spayed. If i can not spend £100 i'd rather not, however more than happy to if it's beneficial to her.

Were we ever to move and let them outside would it be harmful to spay when she's much older?

Thanks for your help guys. (and be nice i didn't mean to open a can of worms if thats what i've done)
Paul

Caroline_a

My housecat hasn't been spayed as I am intending to breed from her (pedigree Maine Coon). I wanted to wait until she was at least 18 months old, which will be this coming summer. Last summer she nearly drove me bonkers, yowling, rolling around the floor, flirting with the dogs, and eyeing up every possible exit including bedroom windows, and the front door when I was coming through it!

I would say that if you don't intend to breed, then have her done!

fluffnutter

There are general benefits to spaying other than preventing pregnancy.. here's some that will probably relate to you even though your girl doesn't go outside.

* it reduces the likelihood of certain reproductive system diseases
* eliminates sexual distraction
* reduces the urge to roam (I know she doesn't go out, but she might want to).

Everything I've read suggests that she'll still go into heat despite there not being males around. Plus she might escape, regardless of how secure you think she is.

I'd get her spayed.

Fridaycat

I agree with the other two. She will call if not spayed and you don't want that racket for days on end! And if your circumstances change in the future, you may decide to let her out, and in my opinion it is better to have them done when younger.

But I would say your vet is very expensive! When I had my Lulabelle done a couple of months ago, it cost me only £40-odd

Sooz00

My five indoor girlies have all been spayed so for the health benefits and to prevent her 'calling' I would have her spayed. £100 sounds expensive unless you've been quoted for a midline rather than flank spay. My vet charges about £60 for flank and £90 for midline. Saying that, there are low cost options and ssome charities like CP offer neutering vouchers. There are also some low cost vet groups around. I've just booked a foster dog in with an Easipetcare branch following a friend's recommendation. My vet charges £170 for a <10kg dog neuter whereas Easipetcare will be £40 (March special offer) which is amazing value.

Yolina

I agree with the others to get her spayed - the yowling is quite something and *will* drive you up the walls every time, also it will greatly reduce the chances of mammary cancer (and more so if done at around 6 months)

rising_from_the_ashes

Agree with everything said - if you don't want a litter, spay her - the health benefits speak for themselves..... not to mention the problem that may occur should she manage to escape (yes, it can just take minutes as one of my pals will testify!)

ic

My cats were the product of a house cat that managed to get out just once and came back pregnant.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Unless you intend upon keeping her in a soundproofed concrete bunker for the rest of her life, I'd suggest you get her spayed.

After the first couple of seasons (which are a little noisy), they can come into heat every 7-10 days or so and continue like this for months/they escape/you snap and get her done.

Plus, some spray (and they stink worse than Tom Cat, IMO), she won't have any interest in anything but boy cats, she won't sleep soundly, won't eat properly, and will be generally miserable. And the neutered Tom will be constantly jumping her but unable to satisfy her, so there will be lots of fights as she rejects him.


If you have a window, there will be a tom cat or five spraying urine underneath it, just waiting for her to squeeze through an impossibly sized gap to meet with them. If you have the gasman visit, that could be the last time you see her.


She's a housecat. She doesn't know the road turns left three hundred yards down and then doubles back on itself before the garages block her view of your bedroom window. If she gets out, she's lost. And pregnant. Hopefully, somebody will take her in and rehome her kittens (there are soft s*ds like that out there :whistle:), but the odds are that she will either starve to death, get run over or the kittens will all die.




Once she is spayed, she will be able to relax. She will be able to sleep soundly, interact with everyone else, accept affection without presenting her hindquarters to any man that walks into the flat, not have to run out to find boy cats, your neutered Tom will be able to sleep - and so will you.......

tinksy

My mum tortie went into season before she could get her to be spayed and as a result even though that cat has been spayed she still has little moments of madness including a very fetching dance which she does at everyone including the dog! And she is very very loud - but thats also a tortie thing!

KxMx

Female cats also spray when in heat, it's uncommon but it does happen.