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01-18-2015 12:14 PM
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.
01-18-2015 12:32 PM
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.
Thanks for adding her to your family!
01-18-2015 12:33 PM
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
01-18-2015 02:11 PM
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.
Thanks for adding her to your family!
Doesn't sound like much "seduction and foreplay" would have been necessary .... she was ready to go!
01-18-2015 02:31 PM
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:
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.
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.
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.
01-18-2015 03:20 PM
01-18-2015 03:28 PM
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.
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!
01-18-2015 03:43 PM
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.
01-18-2015 05:21 PM
01-18-2015 05:23 PM
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.
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