Expert: Ali - 8/31/2008

Question
Hi my name is Tammi and my cat gave birth on mother's day she had three kittens and since she had the litter she has went in  heat again about a month ago.Now she has a clear discharge coming out along with a little bleeding and she doesn't what to be bothered with her baby cat could she be pregnant again is it normal or is she having a period.

Answer
Tammi,

Cats don't get menstrual periods. I think that you should take this queen and her little ones to the vet as soon as you possibly can. I am concerned about the possibility that your cat may have a vaginal infection, she may be giving birth prematurely to another litter or it's quite possible that she is even suffering from a potentially life threatening infection of the womb called pyometra. It's a good idea to prevent her from becoming pregnant again in order to avoid contributing to the extremely serious pet overpopulation problem facing shelters and rescue organizations worldwide. Untold numbers of cats and kittens are destroyed each year all around the world. Spaying and neutering prevents serious behavioral and medical issues. A cat that has been spayed/neutered is much less likely to use urine or feces to mark their territory, wander through a fair sized territory that is protected by vicious fights, and the odds of aggressive behavior drop dramatically. There are also a number of medical benefits to spaying and neutering beyond the obvious population control. Spayed/neutered cats are less likely to develop infections or tumors in their prostate and mammary glands. The risk of testicular, ovarian, uterine cancers are virtually eliminated. Cats that have been spayed/neutered live longer, healthier lives and they are often much happier. If you are concerned about the potential risks associated with anesthetic you will be happy to know that for the most part the risks are very low because vets routinely use inhaled anesthetics, the cats' oxygenation, heart rate, etc are monitored at all times during the surgery. Cats are also given long acting pain relief that will prevent them from becoming uncomfortable as a result of the surgery. Many shelters offer low/no cost sterilization clinics for people who aren't able to pay for the surgery for one reason or another. In animal shelters the animal loving staff members are forced to make terribly difficult and heart wrenching decisions when it comes to dealing with space and time issues. Cats and kittens in shelters are often destroyed simply because their stray hold period has passed and the shelter doesn't have enough space or resources to hold onto these healthy, adoptable cats and kittens. Only 3% of cats/kittens admitted to animal shelters in North America are reclaimed by their owners, this paints a heartbreaking picture that all too clearly shows that the vast majority of people view cats as "disposable" pets that can be discarded at will. Spaying/neutering saves countless lives every single year, please make the best choice for your cat, spay her to save the lives of any future kittens.