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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,537
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

We've had a stray kitty coming to our back deck for the last year or so. All last winter, which was so harsh and cold, she would eat the food on the deck but would not come in the house. Finally, after much patience, she began to trust us and slowly made her way into the house. Now, she's a loved family member!!

We named her "Squeaks" because she sometimes squeaks and makes funny sounds/noises. We took her to the vet a few weeks ago for shots, etc, and was wanded to see if she had a chip..but none appeared. We asked if the vet knew if she was spayed, but the vet said it's hard to tell, even if we her stomach was shaved it often doesn't show a scar line. Vet said new blood tests could tell, but the cost is about $200. In the little over a year that we've known the cat, we haven't seen any signs of her going into heat nor any kittens. The vet said, to make sure and keep her inside, for many reasons, but also it will be easier to tell if she was spayed or not. I asked the vet what she meant by that, and she said.."oh, you'll know if she goes into heat.".

Can anyone enlighten me on what to expect and, if so, how often does it happen? I think she must have been spayed, because it's been quite some time and she isn't acting unusual in any way.

I wish I knew how to post a picture of her... she's a calico and just so pretty and sweet.

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!
Super Contributor
Posts: 486
Registered: ‎09-23-2013

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

She'd be very vocal. My vet likes to wait until they are 6 months old to spay; my kitten Abigail came into heat twice before then. It was every 3 weeks for her, thankfully they didn't start until she was almost 6 months old. She was in heat when spayed and I didn't know she was in heat.

Besides being vocal, super loving, and a lot of times in a crouched position with the rear up in the air waiting for her "Tom"-cat to come along and seduce her. {#emotions_dlg.devil2}

Thanks for adding her to your family!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,363
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

Here's a brief, basic explanation of signs a cat is in heat -- your vet should have been more specific with you, but it is true: there will be no doubt by her plaintive meowing or calling, etc. Read the link below and good luck with your new family member!

http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-Your-Cat-Is-in-Heat

Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,554
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

On 1/18/2015 okBlonde said:

She'd be very vocal. My vet likes to wait until they are 6 months old to spay; my kitten Abigail came into heat twice before then. It was every 3 weeks for her, thankfully they didn't start until she was almost 6 months old. She was in heat when spayed and I didn't know she was in heat.

Besides being vocal, super loving, and a lot of times in a crouched position with the rear up in the air waiting for her "Tom"-cat to come along and seduce her. {#emotions_dlg.devil2}

Thanks for adding her to your family!

Doesn't sound like much "seduction and foreplay" would have been necessary .... she was ready to go! {#emotions_dlg.laugh}

Super Contributor
Posts: 292
Registered: ‎03-11-2014

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

I would think that in the year your kitty spent outside, that if she were not spayed, she would have had a litter or two of kittens by now.

Here's a snippet from an article describing how female cats behave while in heat:

The female cat in heat exhibits many behavioral signs to notify male cats and her owners of her receptive state and her desire for breeding. These include:

  • calling (vocalizing) to attract male cats (some calling cats in heat can even seem to be "in pain")
  • desiring to leave the house or yard to gain access to male cat territories
  • restlessness and pacing of the house or yard
  • rubbing her head and face against her pet owners and the local surroundings (rubbing against inanimate objects and so on)
  • rolling around on her belly and back
  • excessive affection for the pet owner and other animals in the family (rubbing her head and body on the owners and pushing her bottom up against them)
  • atypical aggression towards the pet owner (some queens become moody and unpredictable when in heat, sometimes in association with periods of increased affection)
  • adopting a crouched, receptive body posture called lordosis (standing estrous)
  • holding her tail to the side to expose her female genitalia
  • treading (stepping) with the back feet
  • the production of clear vulval discharges
  • u*rinating more often

Here's a link to the entire article:

http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/cat-in-heat.html#look-heat

If your kitty never displays any of these behaviors, she's probably already been spayed. I don't see any reason for spending $200 on blood tests if she isn't displaying any signs of being in heat. Just my opinion. Maybe with the money you save on the blood tests, you can buy her a nice cat tree or put the money into a fund for any future veterinary expenses. Smiley Happy

I'd suggest you keep her as an inside only cat so that she isn't exposed to the dangers of the outside world. Having had cats that were inside/outside cats -- and lost two of them to being run over by a car and other to a raccoon attack, I can tell you from experience that it's heartbreaking to love a pet so much and lose them this way. We keep all of our pets inside the house. Smiley Happy

Nice that you accepted the gift of this dear kitty and received her into your home! May you and your new kitty have many wonderful years of loving companionship. Smiley Happy

Super Contributor
Posts: 639
Registered: ‎01-04-2013

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

Although I have no experience with kittens or cats and can offer no help re: your issue......Congratulations and best wishes to all of you!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,221
Registered: ‎08-09-2012

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

On 1/18/2015 okBlonde said:

She'd be very vocal. My vet likes to wait until they are 6 months old to spay; my kitten Abigail came into heat twice before then. It was every 3 weeks for her, thankfully they didn't start until she was almost 6 months old. She was in heat when spayed and I didn't know she was in heat.

Besides being vocal, super loving, and a lot of times in a crouched position with the rear up in the air waiting for her "Tom"-cat to come along and seduce her. {#emotions_dlg.devil2}

Thanks for adding her to your family!

It would definitely be very obvious that something unusual is going on! I never had cats as an adult, I had little miniature poodles. When my son brought home a little tiny black female kitten, I fell in love with her, but didn't know a lot about cats. I had company one night, and my little cat started making the most outrageous noises, rolling on the floor, then as you say, sticking her little rear up in the air, and still vocalizing. I was scared to death, I thought she might be having some kind of seizure! Luckily, one of my friends was pretty sure what was going on, so I called the Vet Emergency Hospital and asked them, and they thought it was pretty funny! {#emotions_dlg.w00t}{#emotions_dlg.laugh}

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,537
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

I am the OP and just wanted to take a minute to thank you all for responding. "Squeaks" has adjusted to being inside quite well. As a matter of fact, my son and daughter have spoiled her with several toys and cushy cat beds throughout the house. {#emotions_dlg.biggrin}

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,537
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,537
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Stray kitty now a new family member...But have a question.

Sorry the picture of "Squeaks" is so big. I promise I will learn more to get my images a reasonable size. If someone knows how to make the image smaller so it doesn't interfere with this board, please feel free to do so.

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life!