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Vets Blog

Spaying Cats in Heat

22 August 2024

Constant calling, rolling around, rubbing against things and wanting to break out of the house are all signs of a queen on heat. A cat’s heat tends to last anywhere from a few days to a week. If they are not mated, they come back into heat within a week or two. Cats can be spayed while they are in heat, however, this is not ideal.

Important information to know:
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When a cat is in heat, the blood vessels surrounding their ovaries and uterus are larger and more fragile. Similarly, the uterus itself will be engorged, which increases its chances of tearing. This means that the risk of excessive bleeding and other complications during the surgical procedure is higher.
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Spaying a cat on heat often lengthens the duration of the surgery due to the above mentioned changes in the reproductive organs, so your cat may be under anesthesia for longer which increases the risk of anesthesia and its complications.
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Spaying a cat in heat takes at least 30 minutes of additional surgery time compared to a normal spay. This will increase the cost of the surgery.

Taking this into account if you would like us to spay your cat while on heat, we are glad to do so. If you would prefer to wait, please keep in mind that cats will continue to go on heat until they are mated or simulated mating occurs by a veterinarian, they can go back in heat in a few days or a week so the surgical window is narrow.

If your cat is showing signs of heat prior to their scheduled appointment, please kindly let us know as measures can be taken to make it a safer surgery.

Author: Dora Khalili