Animal Care 101: Veterinarian Tips

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Can You Have A Cat Spayed While It's In Heat?

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Getting your cat spayed is one of the best decisions you can make as a pet owner. Cats live healthier lives if they're spayed, and experience a much lower risk of certain cancers. However, if your cat is currently in heat, you might be wondering if you can get them spayed or if you have to wait. Read on to learn more about whether or not this procedure can be performed on cats in heat.

Precautions

The easiest answer to this question is that yes, cats who are in heat can be spayed. However, your veterinarian will most likely take some health precautions prior to performing the procedure.

The first thing your vet will do is physically examine your cat. This will help them to determine if your cat is healthy. In some cases, they may be able to tell if your cat is pregnant just with a physical examination. However, if they determine that your cat is in heat and they're unsure if they're pregnant, they'll perform an ultrasound to make sure.

Whether you decide to get your cat spayed if they're pregnant or not is ultimately up to you.

If Pregnant

If your cat is pregnant, a spaying surgery can be performed. However, your veterinarian will most likely recommend that you allow your cat to come to term and to deliver the kittens first.

Unless your mother cat is on the verge of giving birth, the kittens cannot be delivered by a veterinarian safely. Unlike human babies, premature kittens rarely survive and purposefully removing them from the womb before they're ready would most likely kill them.

If you're still determined, your cat can be spayed. However, keep in mind that the litter will be lost. Your cat may also act oddly for a while afterward, as they won't end up giving birth and nursing a litter as their hormones and instincts are telling them that they would.

If Not Pregnant

If your cat isn't pregnant and is in heat, you can absolutely get your cat spayed without any concerns. However, your kitty may need some special care after their procedure.

If your cat is spayed while in heat, they will most likely produce residual hormones for a while that could indicate to other cats that they're still in heat. You will need to keep your cat separated from other cats until these hormones are out of their system.

Furthermore, spayed cats who were in heat sometimes have some mild bleeding from the surgical site. This is generally normal and should clear up on its own.

Spaying a cat while it's in heat is almost always possible, but make sure to discuss with your veterinarian what your goals are. If your cat is pregnant and you want to raise the kittens and give them homes, you will need to wait before this procedure can be performed. Contact a clinic, like Pitts Veterinary Hospital PC, for more help.


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