Can You Have A Pregnant Cat Spayed?
Spaying obviously keeps your female cat from becoming pregnant. But what if you have a cat who is already pregnant? Maybe she is a stray who showed up at your door and is clearly pregnant, or perhaps she has long been your pet. In either case, the cat's pregnancy can be a wake-up call as to the importance of spaying — but how do you go about having your pregnant cat spayed? Here are your options.
Have the Kittens Aborted
If you want your pregnant cat spayed, some vets will agree to abort the kittens and then continue with the spaying procedure. The earlier your cat is in her pregnancy, the easier this procedure will be. If your cat is pretty far along and is only a week or two from giving birth, you may want to steer away from this option, either for ethical reasons or simply because it is riskier for your cat. Many vets will not abort kittens late in the pregnancy for the same reasons.
If you do have your cat spayed early in her pregnancy, the vet will simply remove the fetal tissue with the uterus and ovaries. (Both the uterus and ovaries are removed in a typical cat spaying procedure.) This surgery is done with your cat under anesthesia. Recovery will take about two weeks, in total — which is about the same for a typical spay without an abortion.
Wait Until Your Cat Gives Birth
If your cat is later in her pregnancy, or if you do not wish to have the kittens aborted, then you will need to wait until she gives birth to have her spayed. She will not be able to be spayed until about 8 weeks after the kittens are born, since they will need to nurse from her during this time. At 8 weeks, the kittens can be weaned, and you can take your cat in to the vet to be spayed.
If you decide on this option, you will need to be certain to keep the cat away from any male cats during the weeks after she gives birth. Cats can go into heat and become pregnant again within weeks of giving birth, even if they are nursing kittens.
If your cat is currently pregnant, you should still make plans to have her spayed. Talk to your vet if you are not sure whether it's best to abort the kittens or wait for them to be born.