Spaying?

[Tanya]

I have booked Ella and Alfie in for a spay and castration but am reconsidering Ella. She is tiny in comparison to Alfie and I am worried she is too weak for the op.

They are both indoor cats but I know it is wise to have a boy done due to spaying and keeping them kitten like ... I believe there were health implications too when I had Oli done!

My question/query is about Ella! If she is an indoor cat and NEVER goes outside (she shows no interest, whereas Alfie likes to go in the garden with me, never unattended!). Are there any health benefits/downfalls for Ella being spayed/not spayed?

Thanks,

Tanya xx

[Mags]

One of the obvious downfalls if she isn't spayed is the fact that she will be calling time and time again ........

[Tanya]

Thanks Mags ... Sorry to sound a bit dumb, but what will happen is she is 'calling'?? Thanks.

[dandysmom]

She will roll, call, and call, be restless and actually in discomfort. And can keep on coming into heat. very frequently. Will try her best to escape, and have any neighborhood toms hanging around with consequent yowling and fights and spraying. And there is an increased chance of cancer later in life. Please discuss this with your vet.

[Mags]

Calling is what happens when a female cat comes into heat and your cat can come into heat several times every season ............ you can read more about it here

[Elaine]

Has the vet said that she is too weak to be spayed or indicated that there is a likelyhood of there being any problems?
If not then I'd go ahead and have her spayed, there have been many posts on this and other forums of accidental matings due to female cat not being spayed and being an indoor only cat. Your female may become quite keen to mate and manage to sneak out. If there are un-neutered toms in your area, which there are in every area, then they will be hanging around just waiting for an opportunity to mate with her.
If she is a sickly cat and spaying may harm her health further then so might an unwanted pregnancy.
Just my personal thoughts and opinions but I would urge you to consider spaying her and discussing it with your vet.

[angieh]

I would agree with what everyone has said Tanya. Your vet is the best person to advise whether she is healthy enough to have the operation. Your lovely little kitten will get distressed, rolling about, calling - all due to her hormones. You will get distressed to see her like that. She will try her very best to get out and become pregnant. Please talk to your vet.

[dinahsmum]

It's not easy having an unspeyed cat in the house.
I agree with the others - talk to your vet and discuss your fears over her size/health

[jan]

Hya,
I thought exactly as you are doing with Maisie - she is an indoor cat, very petite, but in her case it was because she is so timid that I did nt want to stress her out going in the car and to the vets, etc. Thought it would nt matter too much as all my others are neutered too. Then she started yowling and i realised what was meant by calling ! Cant say she tried to get out or that I had a queue of tom cats outside but it did nt seem fair to me to see her as she was obviously unsettled. So I took her at 15 months and she was fine, obviously did nt like the experience but she s been settled and content since so, yes, I advise get her spayed. Once she starts walking round, rubbing up and yowling over and over I bet you will soon change your mind in any case - so best do t sooner rather than later. I certainly wont put it off ever again. Jan X

[random]

Get her spayed, ours were indoor only and a Tom came in through an open window, 2 cats, 2 litters, 5 kittens. It doesn't matter, I was that naive and had to deal with what happened, don't be the same, she will be absolutely fine, my girls are all small cats and sailed through it, even Princess with Spina Bifida. x