How long is a cat pregnant for ?

[Ela]

I personally think you should write your story and send to to the RCVS. Also the fact that all vets in your area have the same views is very worrying. Perhaps you can tell us which area you live and I personally will ring them all up and ask there views on spaying under 6 months and their views on spaying a pregnant 6 months kitten against the risks of such a young kittens giving birth. Or I can have a word with the nearest CP who will know the vets views and perhaps question them if they have not already done so.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I'd be tempted to suggest to the vet that they pay all kitten related expenses since they refused to neuter them sooner.  I really hate it when vets get so hung up on a particular age - like they have to be 6 months - especially when there is a male and a female in the same household.  Thank god my vets will do it a bit sooner.

Sorry I can't advise about the kittens as I've never had any but good luck with it all.

[pippivixen]

If by chance we get home and she hasn't had her kitten/s, what do I need to prepare for her ?, she loves her hide hole in the climbing toy I got her, but at 3ft off the ground, I hope she wouldn't have them in there !!!, I know it is very early days, but I would hate to be caught on the hop.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Fingers crossed for her then - I would sway towards 2 separate pens just in case, they might not know when she goes into labour, and I wouldn't risk him being there just in case she has issues with it.

[pippivixen]

SAdly, you have vets with out of date views, I wish vets would change their way of working, as you have found out, they can get pregnant so young - I personally wouldn't want to leave an expectant mum in a cattery, the stress of being moved can cause issues, depending on how close she will be when you put her in the cattery. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

Unfortunatly, I won't have any choice, this is my one and only holiday with the kids and as we are going with my Parents, I can't cancel. I have used the cattery before and the pens are so spacious and better equipped than home, I will send all her home comforts and her "husband" and Mum will be in the next cage, they will keep Misty (father) and Cloud together until the last moment, then seperate them, should she have them while we are still away.

[Desley (booktigger)]

SAdly, you have vets with out of date views, I wish vets would change their way of working, as you have found out, they can get pregnant so young - I personally wouldn't want to leave an expectant mum in a cattery, the stress of being moved can cause issues, depending on how close she will be when you put her in the cattery. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

[pippivixen]

Just an update on this.

The vet was adamant, they would not neuter the kittens until they were at least 6 months old, this wasn't just my Vet, but others in the area, so after clearing my bill, I then booked the kittens in for last week with my own Vet, But due to an emergency within the practice (I think a Vet had a car accident) I had to postpone it to this week. I took them both in today and Misty was in fine fettle, apart from starving !! and the vet pronounced Cloud as pregnant. 

Now they know she is pregnant, they won't spay her, had they not felt anything in the pre op, they would have gone ahead, but apparently is was quite obvious. I have been advised,to take her back in 3 weeks so the Vet can have a better feel and hopefully give me an idea on dates. I am away in France when I think she will be due, but she is going to a very good, experienced cattery, who I am sure will deal with any emergency, should one arise.

I am feeling just a bit miffed right now, how, if a cat can become pregnant before 6 months and another cat be fertile enough to mate before 6 months, why do Vets have the policy not to castrate until 6 months or more. ??

[Ela]

will take you up on your very kind offer

You are welcome.

[pippivixen]

As you know it is very important to get them both done. Please don't be ashamed to ask for a voucher. If you really don't want to ask your local group for some reason. if you send me a personal message with your name, address, names of the kittens I will post a £26 and a £20 voucher tomorrow.

 

I spoke to the main CPL number, which I found in the Yellow Pages and they said the vouchers would be with me within 7 days, if by chance I don't get them through, I will take you up on your very kind offer.

Thanks.

[Ela]

As for the friends who would have the kittens should this have been the result, they all foster / adopt for local rescue centres, so I can't see them letting me down.

To be honest I would think that anyone in rescue will be full to bursting of their own rescues kitten.

As you know it is very important to get them both done. Please don't be ashamed to ask for a voucher. If you really don't want to ask your local group for some reason. if you send me a personal message with your name, address, names of the kittens I will post a £26 and a £20 voucher tomorrow.

[pippivixen]

Take her to the vet and ask him before you have her done.
Vets are very expensive. It's the greatest cost a cat/dog owner has. But there is no escaping it. Book your female with the vet for a spay with a pre-op check and consultation during which he can assess the stage of pregnancy and give you advice about spaying while pregnant. Phone around other vets for different quotes as they can charge very different amounts. Your friends may say they will give homes to any kittens, until the time comes.

Don't get me wrong, I had every intention of getting Misty (no relation to Cloud) done, money is not the issue, although I have limited funds, I would have just added on the neutering to my existing cats / horse vet bill and paid the hyped up charge from the Vet.
I hadn't realised the damage that can happen to unspayed females, so of course Cloud will be done too.

When I collected them from the rescue centre, I was informed fertility would start at between 5.5 and 6 months, so the only reason I am in this situation is because I have been caught on the hop  and certainly not because I wasn't going to get them done.

As for the friends who would have the kittens should this have been the result, they all foster / adopt for local rescue centres, so I can't see them letting me down.

[sheryl]

Even if she is pregnant please get her speyed - 5 months old is too young to even contemplate letting her have babies - she is only a baby herself.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I would ring the vet you are using and ask but if we are talking a week or so, then I would go ahead and do it, they will be very small at the moment, and a lot better than the risk to her at being pregnant so young.

[Ela]

If she has managed to conceive, I know she can still be spayed, but until what timescale ? with no trouble at all, but I don't really want it to get to that stage.

Even if she was pregnant there would be nothing bigger than a gnats whisker just now, I suggest you make an appointment for her to be spayed ASAP. It is not good for kittens so young to be pregnant.

I would be able to find good homes for the kittens

Unfortunately rescues are full of cats and kittens that were homes to someone's so called good homes.

Please ensure her brother  is neutered ASAP.

[Hippykitty]

Take her to the vet and ask him before you have her done.
Vets are very expensive. It's the greatest cost a cat/dog owner has. But there is no escaping it. Book your female with the vet for a spay with a pre-op check and consultation during which he can assess the stage of pregnancy and give you advice about spaying while pregnant. Phone around other vets for different quotes as they can charge very different amounts.
If she is far along in pregnancy my tendency would be to let her carry on with it, because spaying/abortion at this point can be distressing for the unborn kittens.
Lynn would be tell you more about this.
Your friends may say they will give homes to any kittens, until the time comes.

[pippivixen]

She has stopped the noise now (thank goodness), I had to laugh yesterday, I called my home number to leave some details about the job and although you could hear the message, the main noise was madam making a racket in the back ground, it sounded like someone was killing her  , the message has now been changed !!

If she has managed to conceive, I know she can still be spayed, but until what timescale ? I would be able to find good homes for the kittens with no trouble at all, but I don't really want it to get to that stage.

 

[Hippykitty]

Sounds like she's in heat, therefore not pregnant, but could soon be that way. Act soon.

[Ela]

but am not sure

I think that is an outrageous practice, they should be ashamed of themselves.

[pippivixen]

I am so glad they are going to be done, just watch them between now and then. Some vets wont spay when cats are in season, so you need to check that out too - and some charge more, so might not fully be covered by the voucher.

I can afford the balance, but am not sure if I am going to use my own Vet if they are going to bump up the prices as I have a balance outstanding. There is my original Vets Practice which is a lot closer, so I am about to phone them for a price.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I am so glad they are going to be done, just watch them between now and then. Some vets wont spay when cats are in season, so you need to check that out too - and some charge more, so might not fully be covered by the voucher.

[pippivixen]

 

I spoke to CPL this morning and I qualify for the the vouchers, they will be with me soon, so both will be done at once.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[CurlyCatz]

i see yes, if the boss is still happy with you then it sounds like the accounts manager is pee'd off at him and taking it out on you.

[Ela]

In certain circumstances CP can pay more than the usual £26 for a spay and £20 for a neuter, when you ring tonight I suggest you ask if they will consider paying more with the new Yellow forms. Please let me know what they say.

[pippivixen]

welll i can understand the vets being abit funny if you are owe them money.  Also if you do struggle finiancially its sooo important you get her spayed asap as kittens can be very expensive esp if mum had problems and needed emergency treatment, thats not including extra high quality food, kitten milk/bottles/wormers/kitten vaccs etc etc

why if the cpl do them will it mean your cats being away for 5 days ?? i didnt understand that.

I have known the Vet a long time, which is why when Billie had the tumour he told me not to worry about the bill, I could pay some off each month, this was an agreement with the owner of the practice and not the accounts dept, I think they are miffed it was sorted without their permission, but they are only employees, I dealt with the Boss !!

I am a single Mum of 2 and am self employed as a customer service evaluator, my money goes up and down along with the payments from my ex, so although money is always tight, I make sure I have enough for the pets, but fully understand what you mean about additional costs with cats having kittens and if it is anything like breeding horses, the vets bills don't cover complications.

As for the kittens being away from me, the rescue centre is 30 miles away, so I would need to take them one day, they would have them there a day, then take them to the vet, collect them the next day and if I could get there, I would pick them up on day 5, if not it would be asap. I would much rather take them to a vet myself and collect the same day or next.

[CurlyCatz]

welll i can understand the vets being abit funny if you are owe them money.  Also if you do struggle finiancially its sooo important you get her spayed asap as kittens can be very expensive esp if mum had problems and needed emergency treatment, thats not including extra high quality food, kitten milk/bottles/wormers/kitten vaccs etc etc

why if the cpl do them will it mean your cats being away for 5 days ?? i didnt understand that.

[Desley (booktigger)]

That really is incredible. good luck with talking to the CP lady.

[pippivixen]

I rand the Vet who I have been with for over 20 years and was quoted £28.00 + vat for Misty and £58.00 + vat for Cloud. When I said "flippin heck" !!! the Receptionist suggested I cleared my outstanding account then rang back for another quote, which made me think they were topping it up a bit. I have an understanding with the vet to pay off at £50 per month, the accounts lady does not approve !!.

The rescue centre has said they can get them done at a reduced rate because she is a charity, I will consider this option, but because she is a little way from me, it means I will be without my babies for up to 5 days. 

My local CP lady only answers her phone at night (she works during the day) so I will phone her tonight and see what the league can offer, if there is nothing, I will get in touch Ela, thank you.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Have you rang round other vets - £30 more for a spay than a castrate sounds incredibly expensive, there is about £8 or so difference at my vets.

[CurlyCatz]

You have some odd vets in Portsmouth who give advice out sometimes that is way off the mark., I agree with Desley it is by no means a forgone conclusion the kittens will be deformed. Although in this case I would make an appointment for neuters and spays ASAP.

Agree'd totally

Please think about getting the spay done first, as desley said if she was meiowing yesterday it is MOST likely she isnt pregnant and is back in season (specially as she was letting him mount her)

Even if she was pregnancy you asked if she could still be spayed..the answer is YES altho the earlier you can get it done the better.

I reckon if you explain the urgency of the situation to the vet they could probably get her done tomorrow even or monday / tues latest but the minute she is spayed there is no chance she can get pregnant whereas there is small risk a castrated male could still offer his last deposit as it were.

[Ela]

Hopefully neither kitten will go out, but I was going to get Misty done

You don't have to be on benefits nowadays to have  Cats Protection vouchers.  Although obviously people who can afford it they should still pay.  I suggest you ask your local group, if they won't help please get back to me and I will have a word with them for you.

[pippivixen]

Pippi - I'd definately get your girl done too. Even if you've no intention of letting her out, she can always make a break for it and return with more than you bargained for! I am curious, though. Are you let your male out and not your female? If so, why?

Hi

Hopefully neither kitten will go out, but I was going to get Misty done first as funds are limited at the moment and going to the Vet, he is £30 cheaper than Cloud to have done. I don't really want him to go out as he is too inquistitive for his own good and I can see him getting into scaps and scrapes all too soon and I don't want Cloud to go out as she is a blue / grey and there have been spates of them being stolen, although they will all be microchipped soon and they are registered with the missing pets agency, if someone is going to steal a kitten, they won't let it out to be seen.

Shadow now goes out, but she is a wise Gal, she has her reflective collar on, with loud bell !! and goes out ofr a couple of hours, then bashes her bell on the glass pane by the front door and I know she wants to come in  she then dashes behind the sofa and has a wee  , little madam !!

[Ela]

went straight to the vet and she said that the deformitys of the kittens would be awful if a brother n sister mated

You have some odd vets in Portsmouth who give advice out sometimes that is way off the mark., I agree with Desley it is by no means a forgone conclusion the kittens will be deformed. Although in this case I would make an appointment for neuters and spays ASAP.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

pippi: yea she will stop once her hormones hav settled down
one of my cats still makes funny noises n funny meowssss even thou she was done over a yr ago
she is a very chatty cat i swear she says mum sometimes and she also says aol lmao thats wat it sounds like anyway lmao

[JackSpratt]

I understood that, Forever. I'm actually a bit worried a vet would assume deformities would be present based solely on that information. Sorry if I sounded a bit abrupt.

Pippi - I'd definately get your girl done too. Even if you've no intention of letting her out, she can always make a break for it and return with more than you bargained for! I am curious, though. Are you let your male out and not your female? If so, why?

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

jack : That maybe true but im just repeating what i was told by a vet .

pippi : im glad they r not related
and am glad u r going to book them both in to be neutered
if shes making loud noises it sounds like shes come into season
My cat is being spayed tommorow
i thought she was pregnant for a while but thankfully she isnt ,
do u have any pics of ur two ? id luv to c them x

[Desley (booktigger)]

Her loud miaowing sounds like she is coming into heat which is a good sign, it doesnt' tend to happen to pregnant cats!! You are actually best off getting them done either on the same day, or getting Cloud done first, as males can continue to produce sperm after being done, and if she is still giving off the right scent, he might still try it!!

[JackSpratt]

Yep, the loud meowing should definately stop!

And Forever, while there are risks of deformities it isn't always the case. It's just more likely than if two unrelated cats mate. (Not that I'm endorsing interbreeding in cats!)

[pippivixen]

Thanks for your replies, they are not brother and sister (thankfully) they were born on the same day but different Mum's. Misty is identical in everyway to Shadow who is Clouds Mum, Shadow just about tolerates Cloud but swipes at Misty on every opportunity !!

I have just read on my local Freecycle site about the Cats Protection doing a discount neutering voucher, I think it is valid until the end of March, so I will book them both in on that. To be honest, I hadn't thought about any diseases Cloud may pick up not being spayed and I suppose when she is done, she will stop miaowing loudly, which she started tonight.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

when i got Bridie And Bailey who r brother n sister
i saw Bailey trying to get on top of Bridie at 5mths old
i went straight to the vet and she said that the deformitys of the kittens would be awful if a brother n sister mated
she said it was bad enough when she saw a litter that was from a mother n son
they all tried but in the end they all had to b pts

[Desley (booktigger)]

ACtually, while there is a chance of issues with brother and sister mating, they are not necessarily going to be badly deformed, it can take more than one lot of inbreeding for that. Although still not recommended to let a brother and sister mate.