You are here:

Cats/spaying maine coon cat

Advertisement

Expert: - 3/4/2009


Question
Hello   I hope you will be able to help me.  My pure-bred Maine Coon was born Sept. 21, 2008.  Breeder says - do not spay until 8-12 months as Maine Coons mature later than other breeds.

My vet wanted to do it at 4 mos.  Today he called again and said no longer than 5 months.  

Breeder said she would compromise her thinking and ok to spay at 7 mos.

I am beside myself.  I want to do the right thing.  Thank you!

Answer
Betty,

In all breeds, the best time to spay is before their first season.

Is it in your sales contract that you cannot spay until 8 months of age?

If not, go ahead and have her spayed.

If so, I am afraid you should honor your contract, because, if you do not, and something should come up, you have no recourse.

You can always see if your vet and your breeder will split the difference and both compromise at 6 months.

Although it is true that Maine Coons are slow developing, individual females have been known to come into a first season pretty early.

You can check out the following web sites:

http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Health/Spay-Neuter.html

http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/Pages/Early_Age_Altering_Web.pdf

Best regards... Norm.  

Cats

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.