That was exactly my question as well until I saw my friend’s cat, Lily, nursing some fostering kittens even though she was spayed.
I was surprised to see that because, to my knowledge, cats who are fixed can not look after or breastfeed the young ones.
In this article, we’ll tell you if a spayed cat can still nurse (if the mother cat wants to nurse) and how to stop a kitten from feeding on a spayed cat.
Check it out.
Give Your Cat the Perfect Day
Get the Free Ebook!
Can You Spay A Cat That Is Nursing?
Yes, it is possible to spay a nursing cat.
Regardless of the method used for spaying, a cat’s capacity to nurse remains unaffected.
A nursing cat can feed her kittens more easily while recovering from surgery when the vet performs a flank (side) spay on her. Additionally, it makes it easier for a guardian to keep track of recovery and spot issues when they arise.
The Austin Humane Society states that, as opposed to the lower abdomen’s center line, the left side of the cat’s body is incised during this specific procedure.
The treatment allows a nursing cat to have her reproductive organs removed, but she is still completely capable of feeding her newborn litter comfortably.
Can A Spayed Cat Produce Milk?
If the queen has been fixed, she can still lactate for the kittens.
Your cat won’t become pregnant again if you spay her before the five-week mark. You would want to get your mother’s cat spayed while they are still young and the kittens are still nursing.
Within 12 to 24 hours of receiving treatment, your cat can return to her young, where it can safely nurse and provide milk for them.
Cats take about five weeks to wean themselves off of their moms’ milk. Five weeks after giving birth, a cat might get pregnant again if she goes into heat.
You won’t need to be concerned about her getting pregnant after the procedure because she will have time to recover.
Interesting Read: Can You Spay a Pregnant Cat?
Can A Cat Still Nurse After Being Spayed?
Yes, a mother cat can still nurse after being spayed!
Five weeks after the kittens are born, it is okay to spay the mother cat. She will probably continue to produce milk even after being spayed, and she can nurse her kittens for however long they require.
The maternal instincts of spayed or neutered cats are still present.
Most cats retain their maternal instincts even after getting spayed, especially if they go on to have their own litters. Even after spaying, they will still want to take care of their babies.
Cats will still have maternal instincts even if they haven’t given birth to any kittens since being spayed.
These impulses are present at birth in female cats. A female adult cat brought to a kitten will most probably take care of the younger cat.
Interesting Read: Can A Cat Nurse Kittens That Aren’t Hers?
How Long Can A Cat Nurse After Being Spayed?
A cat’s breastfeeding hormones begin to work around a month before giving birth. Spaying a cat doesn’t stop this process, which has been going on for a while.
At roughly 5 or 6 weeks old, kittens are normally weaned from their mother’s milk. At this stage, your cat has finished nursing and is not likely to do so again.
They will continue to do this even after their kittens have been weaned off of their milk. Once you start giving them kibble and canned food, they can either accomplish this independently or with your assistance.
Also, check out When Can I Get My Cat Spayed After Having Kittens?
Why Is My Kitten Trying To Nurse On Spayed Cat?
Your kitties might nurse from a spayed mother cat as an act of comfort.
It may be mutually reassuring for them, and the likelihood that they will feel this way about one another increases if they are close friends and have spent a lot of time together.
This behavior is more common in homes where a kitten has been introduced to an adult spayed cat.
Even though a cat has been sterilized and has never given birth, pseudopregnancy can happen when it is nursing. Their bodies are producing too many hormones, which is the cause of this.
Make sure they don’t nurse on any socks or toys because this activity lengthens the pseudopregnancy.
How To Stop Kitten Trying To Nurse On Spayed Cat?
- Physically separating the young at all times is one approach to forcing an animal to wean them. The easiest method to avoid it is to keep the mother cat and the kittens apart until she has recovered from her spaying procedure.
- Give the kittens their favorite food before they go to the mother for milk.
- Gradually removing them from their mother and placing the kittens in an area with food, drink, and a litter box of their own will help them grow less reliant on her presence.
- Start lowering the queen’s food and water consumption.
- Depending on the concentration and dosage used, the homeopathic treatment “Urtica Urens” can assist or hinder a nursing cat’s ability to produce milk.
- You can get more advice on how to raise a kitten by nursing your spayed cat to your local vet.
Must Read: Can A Non-Pregnant Cat Nurse Kittens?
What If My Cat Is Pregnant During The Time Of Spay?
Anytime throughout pregnancy is a suitable time to spay a cat. The owner frequently has no idea that the cat is pregnant.
If your cat is discovered to be pregnant, let your veterinarian know exactly what you would like. After the wound is closed, either the pregnancy test or the spay may proceed.
Most vets will charge an additional fee for spaying a pregnant animal due to the additional effort and operation time. Some vets will purposefully refuse to spay a pregnant animal after a particular point in pregnancy.
Interesting Read: Can A Spayed/Fixed Cat Get Pregnant?
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the stitches be safe with the newborns nursing on my spayed cat?
With a recent spay operation, mother cats can nurse kittens without any problems.
Usually, sutures are inserted under the skin, and any small exposed areas are covered with adhesive if necessary.
There is a good chance that nursing mother cats also receive a pleasant surge of endorphins, or feel-good hormones, in addition to oxytocin.
Please call your veterinarian if you experience any problems, such as milk that doesn’t seem to be coming in well, kittens who don’t latch on well, a mother who doesn’t spend enough time in the nest, or who doesn’t care about the kittens, etc.
When it comes to infants, time is of the essence.
Enjoy this time, though, if mama and the kittens seem to be doing well.
Can a newly spayed cat continue nursing a 6-week-old kitten?
She may very well be able to breastfeed her kittens after being spayed.
Even so, it’s about time to start introducing food and start the weaning process by the time the kittens are 6 weeks old.
However, if the incision is made close to the belly, the mother may experience pain and discomfort. Milk production and kitten kneading both increase blood flow to the area, which is undesirable at an incision site.
During the procedure, the veterinarian must also exercise extreme caution because any unrecognized injury to the mammary glands can later result in infection.
If you wait until after the kittens are totally weaned, some of the moms will go into heat again and become pregnant (if they are not fixed).
Is there any risk of harm to the old spayed queen in feeding the newborn kittens?
When confronted with an orphan kitten, cases of spayed female mammals suddenly breastfeeding have been reported. It normally takes many days for this to occur when the animal has strong maternal instincts.
Since it is not a very frequent occurrence, it is best not to rely on it. It is more likely that a cat with a litter will take in a new orphaned cat while they are caring for their own.
When they produce kittens, cats typically exhibit rather strong maternal instincts and frequently don’t distinguish between their young and young animals in general.
The mother cat may begin weaning and stop nursing her young. The grandma cat frequently assumes control and cares for her grand kittens.
Initially, there is usually no milk, but constant nursing introduces it.
The mother cat does not object when the kittens demand to be nursed because she was weaning them, but when the kittens start being adopted out, Grandma Cat needs assistance to stop producing milk.
Final Words
Every unnatural occurrence demands some attention, but that does not make it harmful or scary.
In cats, being nursed by a spayed queen is a typical phenomenon. If the mother, the previous generation of lady cats, takes care of it, sometimes a foster mother is introduced to look into it.
Whatever the case, as long as the babies are fed, there is nothing to worry about!
Let us know in the comments if you have had any such nursing experience with your spayed cat. Did it surprise you as well?
Interesting Read: How Many Kittens Can A Cat Nurse?
