Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. - 7/27/2008

Question
i was wondering how often a cat is born sterile?i have tried to find info on the internet but havent come up with much.i have a 2 year old,pure white female cat and she has never gone into heat.i know it is very unusual.is it still possible that she may go into heat?i hate to put her thru getting fixed if i dont have to,but i also am concerned about her getting pregnant.also i should add that i have had her since birth so i know these facts are true. thank you in advance for your answer.....debbie

Answer
Dear Debbie,

It's not common that a cat is born sterile (the thousands of unwanted kittens born every year are testament to that!), but it can occasionally happen.  It's possible that your cat is coming into heat, but doesn't show strong symptoms.

The best thing would be to get her to a good vet who can palpate her, or even perform ultrasound to be sure she *has* a uterus and ovaries, and then go from there.  If she has reproductive organs, there is a chance that she could suddenly come into heat and become pregnant.  There is also the risk of uterine and/or ovarian cancer that will be gone once she's spayed.

I would strongly urge you to have her spayed if her anatomy is normal, just to prevent any mishaps.  This is a surgery that is performed dozens of times a week by most vets, and though no surgery is 100% risk free, a couple days of discomfort to prevent more serious problems down the road seems worthwhile, in my opinion.

I hope this helps.

Dana