Expert: Jessica - 8/5/2011

Question
QUESTION: Is it ok to give my cat the contraceptive pill, she has four kittens of 3 weeks 3 days old and is still feeding them?

ANSWER: Hi Jacqueline,

It is generally okay to use a feline contraceptive such as megestrol acetate in nursing cats (a human contraceptive should not be given). This is not known to cause any problems to nursing kittens and extremely rarely will cause a cat to stop lactating. As long as the kittens are nursing heavily, the cat usually will continue to produce milk. However, because of the strong risk of side effects to the mother, such as diabetes and mammary tumors, a contraceptive should only be used temporarily until she can be spayed.

Best wishes!

Jessica


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Jessica for your help. Can she be spayed while still feeding the kittens?

Answer
It is generally recommended not to spay while lactating. The thickened mammary tissue, along with increased blood flow to the area while nursing, make the spay procedure more difficult and increase the risk of bleeding slightly. So vets suggest waiting until 10-21 days after the kittens are fully weaned for spaying. By this time, milk production should have ceased, and the mammary tissue should have shrinked back significantly.