Worrisome Neighbors...

[badgerpup]

The Little Red-Haired Girl next door got a new kitten...cute little black and white male whom she has named Tweeker (I call him Tweeky).
Nice little cat, comes over for Cat Lessons^TM (seeing as how I have four qualified tutors on the premises).
What concerns me is that their record for spay/neuter is, to put it mildly...NOT GOOD. Tweeky is a male, and I have three neutered males. The detente between Riktor and Wimsey (who is a HUGE honkin' 15 lbs) is a delicate thing and doesn't need to be upset by a an up-and-coming young tomcat.
:hide:

I'm tempted to offer to give Tweeky his shots and get him fixed for them...I know it's a financial outlay, but I'm thinking it will save a BUNDLE down the road in vet bills due to cat fights. Riktor still thinks he has something to prove, and Wimsey isn't fat...he's BIG, muscular and has a thick coat for armor. He doesn't seem to have anything to prove...but he don't take no shit, either...:yoiks:

I'm not sure how D'Artagnan will react; so far he's mananged to stay out of that sort of trouble (knock wood!)...but I don't want to find out the hard way that he takes after his namesake (the fighting Musketeer).

Think I should offer?

On a note...think their animals know me as a sucker friend...their little Pomeranian Emma got out. She's teeny- smaller than Riktor, who's not-quite 10 lbs. Emma was waiting in MY driveway when I came home (was smart enough to get the hell out of the way) for me to take her home and alert her humans that she was outside...where she is NOT supposed to be without supervision.

[Warpy]

1. Definitely offer and mention how much it costs to get an abscess

taken care of and that tomcats who are not neutered will fight and they will get abscesses from those fights.

And if they're not impressed by that argument, mention how intact tomcats mark their territory and what it's going to smell like in about six months if they don't get it done now.

Getting presented with a litter of kittens every few months is nothing compared to what an unneutered tomcat will present you with. Phew.

[hamsterjill]

2. It would be a nice thing to offer!

Yes, if you can, you should offer. Tweeky will be healthier for it, and the neighborhood numbers won't increase.

Good for you!

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Perhaps there is a nearby low-cost shelter that will do the job....

[haele]

4. Some counties will provide coupons for low-income spay and nueter - and many vets

will make arrangements with their lower income clients spay and nueter services to sign up for the coupons and provide the service for, say, $25 for males and $50 for females- about $100 cheaper than what the vet would have charged without the coupon.
The two little girls in my sig-file (rescued from the crazy cat lady next door a year and a half ago) got in on county rates; however,as we opted for adding blood tests, vaccinations, flea treatment/worming and one day additional pain meds just in case, it ended up being about $150 apiece.
It's an investment, and it's worth it when you won't be dealing with spraying, yowling, and fighting tomcats during the mating season. And Tweaky will live longer, healthier, and happier.

Haele

[david13]

5. You should do something, that is clear. How or what, I don't know.

Fortunately, all my neighbors knew that spaying and neutering was needed. I can't understand how people can think otherwise.
dc

[yellerpup]

6. So glad that you're on top of this situation.

They don't know how lucky they are to have you as a neighbor! :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

7. So did you offer?

tell us!! :)

[badgerpup]

8. Haven't been able to catch Grandma...

...to whom I will be making the offer.
The lady is an RN who works nights, so I'm not going to go bang on her door during the day...
Just try to catch her en passant and make the offer.

She's a very nice lady and we get along quite well.

I'm not going to bring it up with Little Red-Haired Girl...I did ask her about it and I got the classic 'Agree with well-meaning yet annoying adult to shut them up' response. :shrug:

Think she'll be a decent person once she gets past being in her early teens...

[badgerpup]

9. Welp, was able to catch Grandma...

She's cool with it. Gotta get hold of my vet, find out when (if!) there's going to be a spay/neuter clinic...and today (Tuesday) go down to the ranch supply store to get him his distemper shots. He will need them.

If it turns out my vet does the procedure they'll trust me on having given the shots...been going there for 20 years.

Query: How long should one wait after a vaccination before neutering? I know ideally he should have had both shots a month apart and then wait at least another month before neutering, but this didn't happen and he's at the perfect age for 'the procedure'.

Can the second vaccination be given a month or so post-neutering?

[badgerpup]

10. Grandma has called the clinic...

...I told her I'd pick up the tab, so no worries there...
And I've given Tweeky his first vaccination. He got the plain Eclipse 4 since they haven't (and don't seem to plan on) tested him for feline leukemia.

He gets a booster in 4 weeks.

:blush: I have never had so much trouble in getting the sterile solution out of the bottle before! :banghead:
Usually it's just a case of insert the needle into the bottle, pull the plunger, then insert the needle into the second bottle and watch as the negative pressure (suction) pulls the liquid out. Shake the bottle to make a solution. Pull about 3 cc's air into the syringe, insert into the bottle again, release the air so you can pull the solution out, and then give Kitty the shot (all the while telling Kitty how brave and clever they're being and WHY you have to do this.).

Took me 6 tries to get the sterile solution outta the bottle, then only got about half.
OF COURSE I had an audience...:blush::yoiks:

Tweeky cooperated; all the vaccine went into him...but he certainly wasn't a happy camper about it. x(


My two older cats are due for their yearly vaccinations next month. Hope I don't have trouble with those...

The Eclipse 4 with FeLv are $15 each. :wow: