Expert: Jessica - 5/30/2011

Question
I have been feeding a stray cat who had kittens in my neighborhood.  She was bone thin.  The kittens unfortunately are wild and about seven weeks old.  They run away whenever I see them.  i want to take the mother in and get her spayed but am afraid to if she is still nursing.  But there are male stays in the area and she could easily get pregnant again.  Not sure if she already is.  What are signs that she may be in heat?

Answer
Hi Lisa,

At this age, the kittens can still be easily tamed if you can trap them and work with them. Your vet may know of a trap-neuter-return organization to help. Live traps are set with food, which the kittens should be eating at this age.

The kittens are old enough that missing nursing should not be life-threatening to them. They are eating food for nourishment and are nursing mostly for bonding. However, their feeding station should be strongly established so that they know exactly where to find the food, without having to be called by mom. If you're unsure as to whether this is the case, I would recommend that for now, you use a product called FeralStat. This is birth control for cats that you sprinkle into the food. It's not harmful to kittens or even to pregnant cats, as a rule. Once you trap the kittens or are at least sure they know where to eat, get mom in to be spayed. FeralStat is not a replacement for spays, since long-term use can cause mammary cancer or diabetes. See feralstat.com to learn more.

Signs of heat include howling and crying loudly and excessively, rolling around on the ground, raising her rear while crouching down or in response to being petted, and being extra affectionate. While dogs usually are not, cats can be spayed while in heat. It's best to try to wait until they are no longer producing milk, but if you explain that she is an outdoor cat, most vet will spay lactating cats. It can be a little more costly than spaying those that have "dried up". This usually takes 10-14 days after the kittens have stopped nursing completely.

Best of luck!

Jessica