We think our cat is pregnant.

embyemby Posts: 7,837
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We acquired another cat [we already had 3] about 4 weeks ago from a colleague of my partner. Everything's been going fine, she's got on brilliantly with our other cats, however in the last 2 weeks we have noticed that she has put weight on at an excessive pace ... and we think she may be pregnant.

Our 3 other cats are boys, and they've all been neutered, and since we got the new cat she's been indoors all the time, so we fear she may have already been pregnant when we got her, not sure if the person we got her from was aware or not ...

Anyway, we've contacted the vets and are hoping to have an appointment sometime this week, but what I wanted to know is that if she is pregnant, is it a possibility to still have the cat spayed even when she is carrying kittens? I know it's not a nice thing to ask, but I was just wondering if anyone had any experience on this.

Thanks :)

Comments

  • StressMonkeyStressMonkey Posts: 13,347
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    It is possible but the risks are higher because of the increased blood flow,.as such a vet might be reluctant. Some vets may not want to do it if she is very far along. But if that happens you could try different vets in your area.

    I have worked with a rescue that routinely spays pregnant cats and I have never known anything go wrong.

    You've done a very kind thing taking in this cat. You shouldn't feel bad for not wanting an unexpected surprise batch of extra hassle.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    It's called a gravid spay - some vets do it, some don't. There is increased blood flow, but nothing that a decent vet can't deal with. I have at least one or two gravid spays a month. Essentially, the cat recovers fine, and you didn't allow more unwanted cats in the world. It's not a bad thing, just sad.
  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    Thanks for the replies guys. I really appreciate it.

    She's a lovely cat and we've really taken to her, so I hope she'll be OK with everything, but yes, we can't really cope with some unexpected kittens which is terribly sad as I love cats, but I do think this is the best thing to do.

    Orangebird, I know it's a delicate subject but what price roughly was the gravid spay when you've been through it with pets before?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    emby wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies guys. I really appreciate it.

    She's a lovely cat and we've really taken to her, so I hope she'll be OK with everything, but yes, we can't really cope with some unexpected kittens which is terribly sad as I love cats, but I do think this is the best thing to do.

    Orangebird, I know it's a delicate subject but what price roughly was the gravid spay when you've been through it with pets before?

    I live outside the UK at the moment and use a cost price vet - I do TNR with stray and feral cats.. But I wouldn't expect it to cost much more then a regular spay - the operation lasts about 5-10 mins longer (which shouldn't take any more anaesthesia or sedative), and I guess the vets might add on a 'disposal' fee. Your best bet would be to ring around. Good luck. FWIW, I think you're doing the right thing.
  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    orangebird wrote: »
    I live outside the UK at the moment and use a cost price vet - I do TNR with stray and feral cats.. But I wouldn't expect it to cost much more then a regular spay - the operation lasts about 5-10 mins longer (which shouldn't take any more anaesthesia or sedative), and I guess the vets might add on a 'disposal' fee. Your best bet would be to ring around. Good luck. FWIW, I think you're doing the right thing.

    I appreciate that, thanks.
  • MuzeMuze Posts: 2,225
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    Rescues do it quite often, with dogs and cats.

    The risks are slightly higher, but not massively so IMO.

    It does depends how far along she is for most vets.

    Has she been wormed? Wormy belly can look a bit like pregnancy in young cats.
  • embyemby Posts: 7,837
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    Muze wrote: »
    Rescues do it quite often, with dogs and cats.

    The risks are slightly higher, but not massively so IMO.

    It does depends how far along she is for most vets.

    Has she been wormed? Wormy belly can look a bit like pregnancy in young cats.

    She is due to be wormed actually, when we got her her previous owners said she'd just been flead and wormed so not to bother until the following month, so yes that's a possibility, i didn't even think of that.
  • Lost_SoulLost_Soul Posts: 548
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    i dont see a problem spaying a cat if they are very early in their pregnancy but if youve had her for 4 weeks then shes quite far on, they are only pregnant for around 66 days and i couldnt spay if the kittens are already formed, it can be done but to me it doesnt seem right....but then again thats just my opinion and ive never been in that situation. If i was then i would probably be thinking differently...so im not much help really :blush:

    I hope every thing goes well at the vets, maybe shes just enjoying her food a bit more :p
  • MuzeMuze Posts: 2,225
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    Rescue vet used to spay all ferals, even if the kittens had to be euthanised after, other wise Mum and kits were destroyed together - ferals are expensive to keep and hard to rehome.
    They don't really know anything about it and there are just too many cats and dogs. :(
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    Muze wrote: »
    Rescue vet used to spay all ferals, even if the kittens had to be euthanised after, other wise Mum and kits were destroyed together - ferals are expensive to keep and hard to rehome.
    They don't really know anything about it and there are just too many cats and dogs. :(

    Exactly this. And ironically, those that object to gravid spays the most aren't usually the ones fostering/rehoming/TNRing the cats. It's really easy to be an armchair critic when you're not at the harsh end of it.
  • loopilouloopilou Posts: 711
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    Will she allow u to run your hand along her tummy if she is pregnant u may be able to feel them also not meaning to sound crude but are her nipples enlarging slightly?
  • pugamopugamo Posts: 18,039
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    If you've noticed weight gain she would be quite far along. Has she lost fur on her belly and, as above, are her nipples large and pink? Any changes in appetite or behaviour?
  • CollieWobblesCollieWobbles Posts: 27,290
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    I work in a vets and yes you can spey pregnant pets. Whether you would choose to, however is up to the owner. If we get in cats for speying that turn out to be pregnant and the owner wasn't aware, we phone them to ask if they want to go ahead with the spey or not, as at the end of the day, the animal is theirs so therefore any resulting offspring are theirs too, and some would go mental if the vet just went ahead. Personally, for me, it would depend on how far along the were, if very early, then I'd spey, but if later stage, fully formed and developed/developing, them no, I couldn't do it. I could not and would not have a litter of perfectly alright individual little lives snuffed out just for being inconvenient:(.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    I work in a vets and yes you can spey pregnant pets. Whether you would choose to, however is up to the owner. If we get in cats for speying that turn out to be pregnant and the owner wasn't aware, we phone them to ask if they want to go ahead with the spey or not, as at the end of the day, the animal is theirs so therefore any resulting offspring are theirs too, and some would go mental if the vet just went ahead. Personally, for me, it would depend on how far along the were, if very early, then I'd spey, but if later stage, fully formed and developed/developing, them no, I couldn't do it. I could not and would not have a litter of perfectly alright individual little lives snuffed out just for being inconvenient:(.

    It's not about inconvenience. It's about deciding whether to bring more unwanted cats into the world. Again, it's those that don't deal with strays, ferals, dumped cats every day that seem to have issues with gravid spays. If I trap a cat this month that is pregnant, regardless of how far along, I will get it spayed. And not because the kittens would be an 'inconvenience'. It's because I am full to capacity, as is every other rescue person I know, and the alternative is to let the cat go, pregnant, have her kittens, which if they survive, will go on to have more and more. THAT's the choice I'm making. And I don't want to be responsible for more cats on the street.
  • ShrikeShrike Posts: 16,592
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    But we don't have the massive problem of stray cats in the UK that you do in Saudi - yes ideally we wouldn't have unplanned kittens but I wouldn't condemn anyone who couldn't terminate near-term kittens.
  • Lost_SoulLost_Soul Posts: 548
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    As i said before if the cat was in the early stages of pregnancy i could do it but i definitely couldnt if the kittens were formed and i do know about unwanted cats, every cat ive had has been abandoned, neglected and unwanted, ive hand reared, i know people who run shelters and i know fosterers, it is a personal choice but one i couldnt make.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    Lost_Soul wrote: »
    As i said before if the cat was in the early stages of pregnancy i could do it but i definitely couldnt if the kittens were formed and i do know about unwanted cats, every cat ive had has been abandoned, neglected and unwanted, ive hand reared, i know people who run shelters and i know fosterers, it is a personal choice but one i couldnt make.
    So what would you do with the kittens then?
  • MarellaKMarellaK Posts: 5,781
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    orangebird wrote: »
    So what would you do with the kittens then?
    I presume what most people would do? Advertise them in small ads - or give them to a rescue (which I know are overcrowded but the kittens do seem to get homed reasonably quickly).

    I acquired my late, much missed Tabitha from a small ad when she was 8-9 weeks old. I regretted not taking another of her siblings.

    Perhaps, one's views on neutering a pregnant cat are influenced by one's views on abortion in general. As an Irish Catholic I was taught that abortion was wrong, that it's taking a life. Obviously, as you mature you develop and modify your views to see the wider picture and you understand that freedom of choice allows people to make rational decisions for themselves, considering their own individual circumstances.

    I believe that everyone is entitled to have their own personal moral code, while respecting the freedom of others to have a different moral stance.

    Some people may feel it's ok to neuter a pregnant cat, others may find it distasteful. I personally would not do it, I would just have to try and find good homes for the kittens and neuter the mother at the earliest opportunity.
  • CollieWobblesCollieWobbles Posts: 27,290
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    orangebird wrote: »
    It's not about inconvenience. It's about deciding whether to bring more unwanted cats into the world. Again, it's those that don't deal with strays, ferals, dumped cats every day that seem to have issues with gravid spays. If I trap a cat this month that is pregnant, regardless of how far along, I will get it spayed. And not because the kittens would be an 'inconvenience'. It's because I am full to capacity, as is every other rescue person I know, and the alternative is to let the cat go, pregnant, have her kittens, which if they survive, will go on to have more and more. THAT's the choice I'm making. And I don't want to be responsible for more cats on the street.

    I don't have issues with gravid speys depending how far along they are. I agree in speying if its early on in pregnancy. But I don't and never will agree with doing so in the later/nearly full term of it. I would allow those kittens/puppies/ whatever a chance at life, then spey the mother, and also try to make sure the offspring were neutered when old enough too. That would prevent a hell of a lot more unwanted kittens/puppies, but it would be preventing hundreds of something that didn't exist yet, as opposed to taking six or so perfectly formed individual lives (which wouldn't go on to have more if you neutered those). I don't want to be responsible for unwanted pets on the streets and in shelters either, but neither do I want to be responsible for killing and discarding unborn baby animals as if their nothing more than an old pair of shoes:(. That doesn't sit right with me and it will never do so, no matter what anyone says.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    I don't have issues with gravid speys depending how far along they are. I agree in speying if its early on in pregnancy. But I don't and never will agree with doing so in the later/nearly full term of it. I would allow those kittens/puppies/ whatever a chance at life, then spey the mother, and also try to make sure the offspring were neutered when old enough too. That would prevent a hell of a lot more unwanted kittens/puppies, but it would be preventing hundreds of something that didn't exist yet, as opposed to taking six or so perfectly formed individual lives (which wouldn't go on to have more if you neutered those). I don't want to be responsible for unwanted pets on the streets and in shelters either, but neither do I want to be responsible for killing and discarding unborn baby animals as if their nothing more than an old pair of shoes:(. That doesn't sit right with me and it will never do so, no matter what anyone says.

    So are you saying that when I gravid spay at any point, I'm thinking they're an old pair of shoes? What's the difference between 3 weeks gone and six weeks gone?

    Again, clearly you have no experience of feral cat existence. Surprising, as you work at a vets. Do they not run a TNR scheme?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,864
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    MarellaK wrote: »
    I presume what most people would do? Advertise them in small ads - or give them to a rescue (which I know are overcrowded but the kittens do seem to get homed reasonably quickly).

    Of course. Everyone loves a cute kitten....
    I acquired my late, much missed Tabitha from a small ad when she was 8-9 weeks old. I regretted not taking another of her siblings.

    Perhaps, one's views on neutering a pregnant cat are influenced by one's views on abortion in general. As an Irish Catholic I was taught that abortion was wrong, that it's taking a life. Obviously, as you mature you develop and modify your views to see the wider picture and you understand that freedom of choice allows people to make rational decisions for themselves, considering their own individual circumstances.

    I too was born and christened Southern Irish catholic. I thank my mother for letting me forge my own opinions ..
    I believe that everyone is entitled to have their own personal moral code, while respecting the freedom of others to have a different moral stance.

    So do I. But I also believe in EDUCATING people.
    Some people may feel it's ok to neuter a pregnant cat, others may find it distasteful. I personally would not do it, I would just have to try and find good homes for the kittens and neuter the mother at the earliest opportunity.

    If you're that good at finding homes, there will be an awful lot of rescue centres wanting your assistance...

    I mean no disrespect, but clearly, you also have noting to do with fostering, rescuing, TNR, rehoming of cats.
  • MarellaKMarellaK Posts: 5,781
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    orangebird wrote: »
    So do I. But I also believe in EDUCATING people.
    If you're that good at finding homes, there will be an awful lot of rescue centres wanting your assistance...

    I mean no disrespect, but clearly, you also have noting to do with fostering, rescuing, TNR, rehoming of cats.

    I know several people (friends and colleagues) who've ended up with a pregnant cat and homed all the kittens successfully. They then neuter the cat to prevent it happening again.

    Most people I know with cats acquired them from friends and work colleagues whose cats had an unwanted litter of kittens. Some of my colleagues didn't even know they wanted a cat until the question got asked at work by someone trying to offload their kittens. Years ago, I had no intention of taking on a second cat until one of my work colleagues, during a chat over our coffee break, explained her dilemma about her impending emigration and her concern over bringing her cat such a long way - that cat became mine, my lovely Bernard (though he wasn't a kitten). My very first cat, when I was about 4 years old, was taken by my parents from one of their friends with kittens. My parents, from rural Ireland (though living in England), weren't even cat people at that time.

    Like you, I am thankful I have enlightened parents - they have never tried to force their opinions on me.

    When people say they are tying to ''educate'' others it can come across as quite arrogant when the implication is that they are trying to get them to think the same way as they do. Yes, it is very important to educate cat owners about timely neutering (myself, my parents, my cousins etc have never allowed any of our cats to even get pregnant) but, as for abortion, that is a subject where everyone is entitled to hold their own personal view, in accordance with their own personal ethics. It's a subject that I am already well educated on.

    Nobody is criticising you for what you do in Saudi with your feral colony, or trying to educate you to an alternative way of thinking, just explaining their own beliefs and stating what they would do in the scenario outlined by the OP.
  • Lost_SoulLost_Soul Posts: 548
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    orangebird wrote: »
    So what would you do with the kittens then?

    I would make sure they went to good homes, just like i have with the other kittens that i have hand reared or found homes for.
    I know rescues are full and i wouldnt force more on them, none of the cats ive rescued have ever had kittens , i spey and neuter asap, i know how many unwanted cats and kittens there are but i also know there are people willing to adopt them if you look in the right places, maybe im lucky because i know a lot of 'cat' people.
    speying a pregnant cat is an individual choice and i wouldnt critise anyone for doing it, i just couldnt do it myself.
  • CollieWobblesCollieWobbles Posts: 27,290
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    orangebird wrote: »
    So are you saying that when I gravid spay at any point, I'm thinking they're an old pair of shoes? What's the difference between 3 weeks gone and six weeks gone?

    Again, clearly you have no experience of feral cat existence. Surprising, as you work at a vets. Do they not run a TNR scheme?

    No I'm not saying that, and I know that whilst most vets will do it, they don't like the task for obvious reasons:(. The difference is the time. At three weeks gone, their not going to be actual kittens whereas by six weeks, their going to be pretty formed.

    Yes they run a TNR scheme, they get quite a few to do, from people who help volunteer to trap ferals and then bring them in for neutering. As I've already said, I have no issue with spaying a pregnant animal, but it depends on how far along it is.
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