Spaying my female kitten/cat?

Question

I just got a Calico 2 month old kitten. My intentions is to have her as an indoor cat. other then going to the vet for her shots. There is no chance she could get outside. I have a front door and security door before going outside. Is it necessary to get her spayed? I know I will get answers that she will live a longer life. But a friend with a male neutered cat died recently blamed on his neutering and a blockage in his urinary track.
Thanks

Answer 1

Please have your friend read this, it always help to educate:
"There are many causes of urethral obstruction in cats, but the two most common are uroliths and urethral plugs. Urethral plugs consist of a soft, compressible material that contains variable quantities of minerals, cells and cellular debris, and mucus-like protein. Many factors interact to produce uroliths and urethral plugs; viruses, bacteria, diet, decreased water consumption, physical inactivity, urine retention, stress, and urine pH may all contribute.

The most common mineral associated with urethral obstructions in cats is struvite. Previously, the ash content—and more recently, the magnesium content—of the diet was thought to be a primary cause of struvite formation in the urine. However, researchers have found that urine pH is a more important contributing factor; urine that is acidic provides a less favorable environment for the formation of struvite uroliths and crystals. It also was discovered that cats who are fed multiple small meals throughout the day, or who are allowed to eat their food free-choice, routinely tend to produce a more acidic urine—again less favorable for struvite formation—than cats fed only one or two large meals per day.

Mineral deposits also have a greater tendency to form in urine that is highly concentrated or that is retained in the bladder for long periods of time. To encourage adequate water consumption, and thus the formation of urine that is more dilute, fresh water should be available to cats at all times. Fastidious cats sometimes avoid using a dirty litter pan, so owners should provide clean litter boxes to encourage regular and frequent urination.

Signs of Urethral Obstruction
A cat experiencing a urethral obstruction behaves similarly to any other cat with lower urinary tract disease: straining to urinate, frequently attempting to urinate, and producing little, if any, urine. However, as time passes, an obstructed cat typically becomes much more distressed—often crying out in pain. Frequently, owners think that the cat is constipated, when actually the cat is obstructed. The male cat may constantly lick at his penis, and the penis may be protruded. Small sand-like particles are often seen around the penis.

Urethral obstruction is a true medical emergency; any cat suspected of suffering from this condition must be seen immediately by a veterinarian. When the urethra is completely blocked, the kidneys are no longer able to remove toxins from the blood and maintain a proper balance of fluids and electrolytes in the body. If the obstruction is not relieved, the cat will eventually lose consciousness and die. Death most frequently occurs as a result of electrolyte imbalances, which ultimately cause heart failure. The time from complete obstruction until death may be less than twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Immediate treatment is essential.

Medical Treatment
Catheterization (passage of a narrow tube up the urethra) usually relieves the obstruction, but other procedures are sometimes necessary. Unless the cat is comatose, catheterization usually requires sedation or anesthesia. After the obstruction has been relieved, treatment varies depending upon the condition of the cat. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance are treated with intravenous fluid therapy. Antimicrobial medications are frequently given to combat bacteria, and drugs that help restore bladder function are sometimes required.

Hospitalization may range from a few days to several weeks, depending on the severity and duration of the obstruction. Some cats don't survive because treatment is initiated too late. For cats recovering from a urethral obstruction, the first few weeks after hospital discharge are usually the most troublesome because relapses are most common during that period of time.

Surgical Treatment
For cats who continue to experience urethral obstruction in spite of proper medical management, a surgery called a perineal urethrostomy is often suggested. Cats that have undergone the procedure may still suffer bouts of bladder disease, however, they usually will not suffer from the life-threatening urinary obstructions that previously occurred.
Side effects of surgery can include bleeding for up to ten days after surgery, narrowing at the surgical site, urinary incontinence, and a greater incidence of other kinds of bladder diseases. For these reasons, perineal urethrostomy is usually considered to be a last resort.

Prognosis
A few unfortunate cats who have suffered from lower urinary tract disease will experience frequent recurrences of bladder inflammation, re-obstruction, or formation of uroliths. Fortunately, most others rarely experience the problem again or will have only occasional recurrences.

Home Care
Home care of cats who have suffered from lower urinary tract disease is determined by the cause, and varies depending on the cat's condition and history. Usually dietary recommendations will be made, especially if struvite formation is of concern. Current feeding recommendations for the prevention of struvite urolith formation are as follows:
Feed diets that promote the formation of urine that is acidic. Most commercial diets currently available meet this criteria. Avoid supplementing such diets with additional urinary acidifiers, because over-acidification can cause metabolic acidosis, impaired kidney function, and mineral imbalance.
Restrict dietary magnesium intake to 40 milligrams per 100 kilocalories if acidic urine (pH of 6.4 or less) is maintained. Again, most commercial diets meet this criteria.
Feed small meals on a frequent basis or feed free-choice dry foods.
Provide clean, fresh water at all times.
Provide an adequate number of litter boxes (usually one more than the number of cats in the household), and keep them clean."

As for spaying your cat:

Spaying – The Positive Side

Spaying removes the risk of pregnancy.

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem and by allowing your cat to have litters, you are adding to the problem. Finding homes for your new family additions is not as easy as you may think. Even if you choose to keep the kittens, you will have the additional cost of vaccines, parasite control, toys and food for several pets. In addition to costs, the health of the mother can be in jeopardy during delivery. Some new mothers can have serious complications delivering kittens and can even develop health problems during nursing. All these potential problems can be avoided by spaying your cat.

Spaying makes for a calmer cat.

Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and won't be prone to cat calls and the incessant need to seek out a mate. The spayed pet no longer attracts males and their annoying advances and serenades. Spayed cats are also easier to get along with. They tend to be more gentle and affectionate.

Spaying keeps your cat healthier.

A final positive aspect of spaying your cat is that spayed cats tend to have fewer health problems. Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Without these organs, ovarian cysts, uterine infections and cancer of the reproductive tract are no longer a concern.

Spaying – The Negative Side

Spaying means sterilization.

Spaying will result in the sterilization of your cat, and she will no longer have the ability to become pregnant. In the era of pet overpopulation and the fact that thousands of unwanted pets are euthanized each year, this is really not so bad.

Spaying may cause weight gain.

Some cats may gain weight after spaying and as they get older. Unspayed animals typically have a strong mating desire and can expend a lot of energy seeking a mate and reproducing. Without this energy burden, your cat may eat the same amount but not burn off as many calories. Cutting back on food intake or increasing your pets activity will help reduce weight gain.

Last year about 17 million dogs and cats were turned over to animal shelters. Only one out of every 10 taken in to the shelters found a home. This means that over 13.5 million had to be destroyed. The tragedy is that this is unnecessary. Much of the problem could be eliminated by simple surgery: Spaying and neutering operations are performed under general anesthesia and are quite painless. By neutering pets, owners can help lower the numbers of unwanted and homeless creatures.

Answer 2

Definitely get her spayed. As the others said, when they go into heat it is not fun. They can be VERY annoying. She will be alot healthier also. Since a spay is a total hysterectomy it will prevent any ovarian and uterine cancers and many other serious issues. More then likely your friends cat's urinary tract blockage had nothing to do with the neutering and if it did there is a VERY slim chance that it would happen again. Male cats are extremely prone to UTI's if not kept on a good diet due to the size of the tract. A female's tract is much larger.

Answer 3

I think it's very very important to have you cat spay/neuter they recuperate quicker when they are young this should be done around 6months of age, I have two cats (which are indoor only)I got her spayed and everything came out fine she bounced back with no problem now my other kitten which is a male is almost 5 months so I will have to take him soon I wish they didnt have to go through that surgery but it better for them in the long run, plus they will go in heat until they mate, get spayed/neuter or end up pregnant and it seems sooo uncomfortable seeing them go through that. I hope you will think about the surgery even if she is an indoor cat, and in your friends situation it's sad that happend, I would ask the Vet anything that worries you better safe then sorry.

Answer 4

Believe me male neutering is never the CAUSE of death with a urinary blockage - almost always it is because the owner is not aware that the cat is blocked until it is too late to prevent the renal poisoning. A dry food diet is the other major contributory factor in urinary problems.

So I think you can spay your cat without any fears of that happening. Unspayed cats have a high incidence of mammary cancer later in life and you will be forever grateful not to have to deal with that.

Answer 5

No, thank heaven. I've only had one go into heat before I could spay her (she went into heat at 5 months and the vet wouldn't take her until 6 months), and that was quite enough. The great thing is, not only do you eliminate the whole excruciating heat thing, males howling and fighting outside your door, the female trying to run away to find a male, and the possibility of unwanted kittens, you also eliminate the possibility of ovarian or uterine cancer and greatly reduce the chances of breast cancer in the cat. Win-win all around!

Answer 6

Get her spayed between 6 and 8 months. She will live a longer life.

Without spaying, she will be unbearable when she comes into heat.

On the other hand, you should consider allowing her to breed. Calico cats are beautiful, you won't have any trouble giving away her kittens.

Answer 7

Death from spay/neuter can happen, but more commonly they are more likely to go from problems from NOT getting them fixed...I work at a veterinary clinic, and very often, we have female animals come in, bleeding from their uterus, which normally requires a special type of pyometra spay, much more costly on you, and tougher on the animal.

Also, accidents can always happen, and male cats can still smell your indoor kitty. When a female cat goes in heat, she doesn't want to stay inside, she wants to GET OUT.

I understand you being concerned, but as long as you go to a licensed vet, who knows what they are doing, there should be no serious concerns. 5 months is a good age to do it, if you are also wondering when.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

Answer 8

Cats that are not fixed are trouble when they go into heat. She will be wanting a boy kitty to share some kitty lovin'. She will annoy you and everyone else. If you get her spayed, it will take away her desire and then you and your kitty can live happily ever after.

Some shots are still good to get for indoor cats, by the way. Not all are for disease they contract outside.

Answer 9

I would get her spayed, simply because when they come into heat, they yowl constantly, and they come into heat every month. Plus, even an older female has been known to mark her territory.

Male cats can have issues with being neutered if it's done too young. Perhaps this is what happened to your friends cat?

Good Luck!
C

Answer 10

What happened with your friends cat can happen with any male cat. They are known for having way more urinary issues than females.
Also, mature intact cats spray urine. People think just males do this but believe me females do too. Do you really want urine all over your walls?
Do the best thing for her and you and get her spayed.

Answer 11

She and you will be much happier if you get her spayed. She will be very uncomfortable when she's in heat and you may not get much sleep those nights (a cat in heat is very loud). In addition it is much healthier for the kitten in the long run, it helps prevents many cancers. I know that it is a hard thing to do, we had our kitten spayed a week ago.