Female cats always call when in season - don't they?

[Desley (booktigger)]

Lynn, that doesn't always stand to reason, Shadow came to me at 4 months old in October, spayed in December, and the vet said if she had been left one more week, she would have been in season, and that was despite being small for her age.
I agree MM.

[Millys Mum]

My vets wont do the spay while in heat, they wait for the break and bring them straight in.

Better to do it before the heat, too many people get caught out and end up having just one litter 
What did your vet say about Lyla?

The vet knows how old she is and has never said anything

Hence the struggle of rescues when even vets dont give out appropiate advice, what hope is there 

[Gillian Harvey]

it may just take an extra five mins or so.  Basically the uterine horns will be abit swollen and are more "friable" and its far prefered for them to be in a non season state but dont fret too much.

Chances are she wont be in season anyway, remember she was a kitten over the winter months and this year hasnt really been much like spring yet so she may call very soon.

Hope thats the case - got Gwynnie booked in for next Wednesday. Havent had to take a female in for spay for many years, and with all her problems last year, can't help worrying!

[CurlyCatz]

Silent seasons, yes caught many a good breeder out !

Most times when a cat is spayed you generally know if she is in season or not, however i can recall quite a few times over the years when it became apparent once inside that the cat was in season.  This makes no difference and really these days is perfectly safe, it may just take an extra five mins or so.  Basically the uterine horns will be abit swollen and are more "friable" and its far prefered for them to be in a non season state but dont fret too much.

Chances are she wont be in season anyway, remember she was a kitten over the winter months and this year hasnt really been much like spring yet so she may call very soon.

[Desley (booktigger)]

My vets dont like to spay in heat, but will if there is no alternative. It does generally cost more as it is trickier to do though.

[ccmacey]

Taking Lyla to vets tomorrow to see what they say, taking Ollie so Im sure another little cat wont be too much trouble 

My vets wont do the spay while in heat, they wait for the break and bring them straight in.

[Christie]

Your point is taken, Ela, but I trust this vet's judgement implicitly. If she says it won't be a problem for Lily, I believe her.

[Ela]

Anyhow, I spoke with our vet who said it's no problem for her to be neutered even while in heat.

There is only one out of 6 vets locally that would spay when a cat is in season,  to that vet I would not take a dying flea. When in season it is much more 'messy' procedure. Our vets like to air in the side of caution. The only exception would be if a cat was almost constantly in season and by the time a cat had come out of it,and  an appointment made the little one was back in season again.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Please dont wait for her to come into season CC, if cats are spayed before their first season they are 200 times less likely to get mammary cancer later each life, this benefit reduces with each heat. CP's guidelines are 4 months I think. Size has nothing to do with it, Shadow was a month small for her age, she was done at 6 months due to my receptionists (vet is happy to do at 4 months, I just wasn't told), and if I had left her a week, she would have been in heat - and that was in December, we are getting to spring where it is more likely they will come in heat.

[ccmacey]

How come?

The vet knows how old she is and has never said anything 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

You dont wait for them to come into season, thats far too dangerous for them.

[ccmacey]

My other female was 8 months before she came into season.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I believe they should be neutered by 7 months 

[ccmacey]

My Lyla will be 7 months old at the end of this month and showed no sign of coming into season, but I have caught Harry holding her by the neck, I dont know if they are just having a tumble cos she starts on him.

She's not doing anything to think she is in heat and she is still quite small, could size also play a part?

[Christie]

Tiger Lily is also following us, particularly poor Sox, and rubbing up against stuff but not like her normal self. It's fairly obvious that something is up with her, poor thing! 

It's weird how she will start walking kind of crouched down, and she's also been sitting with her legs spread a bit. Def not normal! 

[blackcat]

Ingwe showed no sign of being in season, and the result was Smidgen and his siblings. And Ingwe's owner is an experienced breeder ...

the only challenge with spaying when in heat is that it is a fiddlier operation and it is possible to leave fragments of ovary behind, resulting in seasons continuing despite there being no operating parts. So it is better to delay if you can. The vet can usually tell because of more subtle signs like elevated temperatures etc ...

[Gillian Harvey]

rolling around, walking kind of squatted down (very funny to watch!), and yowling. Our poor neutered male, Sox, has no idea and she keeps trying to be friends with him, lol, it's hysterical!

Actually - you saying about the rolling around - she has been doing that, well more sort of following me round then flopping down and rolling on the kitchen floor!

with Tilly they did go ahead with it although they said she was just starting her season

Hmmm methinks I'd better get her booked in smartish!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Sometimes cats in silent heat will display other signs of being in heat (just won't call) but sometimes there are no signs at all.  I dont' know whether the vet will be able to check hormone levels via a blood test?  Cats can be spayed while in heat, but I think it is a slightly more complicated procedure. 

[Christie]

My Tiger Lily is just coming up to 6 months old, and is booked in for her spay on the 28th, but as luck would have it she started to go into heat yesterday. I noticed right away; lots of licking of the bottom, rolling around, walking kind of squatted down (very funny to watch!), and yowling. Our poor neutered male, Sox, has no idea and she keeps trying to be friends with him, lol, it's hysterical!

Anyhow, I spoke with our vet who said it's no problem for her to be neutered even while in heat.

[Dawn F]

with Tilly they did go ahead with it although they said she was just starting her season so don't really know the complexities of it - maybe they can advise you Gillian

[Gillian Harvey]

Silent season? - oh great! So how will I know? -  if I'm going to book her in for neutering, they don't do it if they are having a season, or prefer not to as I understand it. I don't want to get her down there only to be told they can't do it and have to take her down again - given how terrified she still is about being taken to the vets after her illness last year! I need to keep her stress levels down because of the scare about the corona virus. She does seem very fit now, but I know how she's gonna react to  going in the cat basket - she'll be scared. Mind you, I have had the cat basket sitting in the lounge for a few days to get her acclimatised to it  - Joe is sleeping in it at the mo LOL! 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

No, some cats have what are known as silent heats.  Some breeds are more known for these than others (Somalis are one) and I think I read somewhere that the first heat is often a silent heat. 

[Dawn F]

I didn't know Tilly was in season until I went to collect her from her spay she was just under 6 months old!  she is pretty noisy anyway but didn't do any of the rolling around people tell you about (I've never seen a cat in season so don't really know what it looks like!!)

[Gillian Harvey]

I've been putting off Gwynnie's neutering op because I wanted her to be completely fit and also knew there was no rush as persians (in general!) don't mature as early as mogs. Anyway I'd know if she was having her first season - wouldnt I???? The only thing she's dong which is a little bit unusual is swishing her tail around a lot, no yowing (in fact she's pretty much mute LOL!) - but I did hear her miaowing at the patio door the other day - but it was just a one off and I didnt think anymore of it - until now, when I realised she's nearly 9 months old.