Spay/Neuter rant

[wetcats]

OK I want in on this--BUT I have to head off to work, so everybody HOLD THAT THOUGHT

 

[SV Dad]

OK I want in on this--BUT I have to head off to work, so everybody HOLD THAT THOUGHT

Which thought? I was waiting for something to set the sparks flying! (been a little quiet around the boards lately....)

 

[John Popp]

Ha! I am too busy to light the fuse, but I parked a tank on the front lawn in case anyone wants to bring it.

 

[admin]

5 lbs at 10 weeks old!!?? Damn! those are some big f5's

LOL, Jesse! yes, most of the males in that litter are huge! They are not yet a year old and Poseidon is 16 pounds, Dracos is 13, Perseus is 16, Tau is 12, Ixas is 12, but looks so much bigger than that and I'm not sure about Agenor...

 

[DChap]

Margarita rocas sin sal por favor

 

[wetcats]

This is a dilemma I have considered. So far...knock on wood...every kitten customer of mine has honored my spay/neuter clause in their pet kitten contract.

However, my current vet office that I have been going to for a very long time and really, really like...will NOT do early spay/neuters. Their preference for the surgeries is 6 months old or 5 pounds. My kittens leave for new homes between 3 and 4 months old. A few have topped out at 5-6 pounds at that age, and I could have had them altered then, but since I have never had anyone NOT get "the snips"...I have never worried about it.

Lately, however, I am leaning toward finding another vet who will do the earlier spay/neuter in that 3-4 month time frame. I have a two week old litter of new F4B babies, and I have been asking prospective kitten customers if they would mind waitin g until 4 months of age, and their new babies will come home already altered. So far, the response is overwhelming in favor of it. Now....do I find another vet who will do early S/N for my kittens and risk my long time friendship (20 + years) with my current vet office? The town I live in is not big; every vet knows one another and the rivalry is rampant, sigh.

I may just try the early altering with my new babies. I will have to drive some distance out of town (40 miles one way) and pray my own vet office doesn't catch wind of my treachery

Hi Pam, apologize for the long delay, but just crawled home from work. First I LOVE your "old" vet! And, 'you really,really like' him too. I think he makes a whole lot of sense with waiting till the little kids have some body weight on them---if there were a real infection, for instance, there is a better chance for just plain survival at 5 lbs. than at 2-3 lbs.

I would like to ask you why you are thinking of changing? Don't answer if you don't want to!
My 2 cents here Pam, is I would be so upset with missing out on kitten bonding time if I had to wait till 4 months,and then all the shipping etc. that I would reconsider making a contract. But again, that is just me.

I'm super glad you have honest and good customers who all did as asked. There are more good people than bad (the bad ones just Stink so badly, they color our vision!!)

You asked should you risk losing your current vet. Have you ever run there is the middle of the night with a sick cat-or pregnant? Did they ever stay late for you, or come in when the office wasn't open? If you have this in your present relationship, don't trade for strangers!

 

[admin]

Hi Pam, apologize for the long delay, but just crawled home from work. First I LOVE your "old" vet! And, 'you really,really like' him too. I think he makes a whole lot of sense with waiting till the little kids have some body weight on them---if there were a real infection, for instance, there is a better chance for just plain survival at 5 lbs. than at 2-3 lbs.

I would like to ask you why you are thinking of changing? Don't answer if you don't want to!
My 2 cents here Pam, is I would be so upset with missing out on kitten bonding time if I had to wait till 4 months,and then all the shipping etc. that I would reconsider making a contract. But again, that is just me.

I'm super glad you have honest and good customers who all did as asked. There are more good people than bad (the bad ones just Stink so badly, they color our vision!!)

You asked should you risk losing your current vet. Have you ever run there is the middle of the night with a sick cat-or pregnant? Did they ever stay late for you, or come in when the office wasn't open? If you have this in your present relationship, don't trade for strangers!

I'm curious as to why people think they are going to miss out on kitten bonding time? At 16 weeks old, they are still very much kittens, just more confident...we recommend 12-16 weeks and I still stand by that...I am happy I waited 16 weeks and would do it again, if Zuri didn't pitch a fit when the kittens were about 13 weeks...that being said, they will still not leave at 12 weeks, if I do not think they are ready...

 

[Pam Flachs]

Hi Pam, apologize for the long delay, but just crawled home from work. First I LOVE your "old" vet! And, 'you really,really like' him too. I think he makes a whole lot of sense with waiting till the little kids have some body weight on them---if there were a real infection, for instance, there is a better chance for just plain survival at 5 lbs. than at 2-3 lbs.

I would like to ask you why you are thinking of changing? Don't answer if you don't want to!
My 2 cents here Pam, is I would be so upset with missing out on kitten bonding time if I had to wait till 4 months,and then all the shipping etc. that I would reconsider making a contract. But again, that is just me.

I'm super glad you have honest and good customers who all did as asked. There are more good people than bad (the bad ones just Stink so badly, they color our vision!!)

You asked should you risk losing your current vet. Have you ever run there is the middle of the night with a sick cat-or pregnant? Did they ever stay late for you, or come in when the office wasn't open? If you have this in your present relationship, don't trade for strangers!

For the record, I don't want to change vets, just try another that will do earlier spay/neuter. My vet (there are 3 there and I like them all) have valid reasons, I think, for not doing it at a young age, and something I tend to agree with...but I would like to try at least one litter with having them altered and ready to go home at 4 months of age. I have sold kittens for one reason or another (me feeling they were not mature enough at 3 months, a customer buying a new home and wanting to get it ready for a kitten, etc) and not one of them felt getting their kitten at 4 months vs 3 months was any different. In fact, one of them is on my kitten waiting list for another I myself have got most of my own cats at 4 months of age or older, and every single one of them is very bonded to us. I really don't think it makes a difference between 3 or 4 months or even older; it's how you yourself work to create that bond when they arrive and how well socialized they were at the breeder's.

I would not give up my current vets. I have been very fortunate that I have not yet had a late night emergency situation, but I know they would be available at any time. My only true emergency dealing with them was a DSH kitten who ate a chocolate bar from the garbage, and they kept me updated several times a day for over a week on her progress, as it was touch and go if she would even make it...and I also have another story as to why I am so loyal to them, but that involved my show horse getting injured years ago, and my then-vet telling me I would have to wait 6 hours before anyone could see her, as they were vaccinating calves that day...and my current vet, a fierce rival, lol....was at my house within 10 minutes at 6 a.m. to take care of her I switched then and there to the ones I have now, and that was 20 years ago.

I may discuss this with my vets, and see if they will recommend another vet just for early S/N. I know occasionally the vet students from Michigan State University come for a day to alter cats for a very low sum, or even free. I am not really comfortable with the assembly line prospect and the thought of possible cross contamination, as I know most of those cats or kittens are strays for TNR, barn cats or from the local shelter.

I will keep everyone posted on what I decide. Thanks for your reply

 

[wetcats]

Hi Paige! Ummmmm...Fraid i can't answer your question about 'people'. All I know is me, and what I like. Nothing in what you wrote sounds in any way unreasonable to me, especially since you wrote "we recommend 12-16 weeks........" Some kittens aren't ready till later, the shy one, etc. I know this.

What I wrote is my feelings, my opinion, my view point. So, personally, I want to get my greedy little fingers on ' my' kitten as soon as possible--and waiting a WHOLE more month is just awful!! It's excitement, anxiety, many things, and wanting to cuddle them when they are so small. Does it help?

 

[admin]

Hi Paige! Ummmmm...Fraid i can't answer your question about 'people'. All I know is me, and what I like. Nothing in what you wrote sounds in any way unreasonable to me, especially since you wrote "we recommend 12-16 weeks........" Some kittens aren't ready till later, the shy one, etc. I know this.

What I wrote is my feelings, my opinion, my view point. So, personally, I want to get my greedy little fingers on ' my' kitten as soon as possible--and waiting a WHOLE more month is just awful!! It's excitement, anxiety, many things, and wanting to cuddle them when they are so small. Does it help?

hahaha!!! you are not the first person to mention it on the forum, which is why I said people

I do understand the anticipation in waiting...but 4 mo kittens are not much bigger than 3 mo...