Can my cat be spayed if she is still nursing?

Our question this week was:

Can my cat be spayed if she is still nursing? Thanks

Roni Borris

Answer

Hi Roni – thanks for your email. To answer your question – yes, cats can be spayed when they are nursing but it should ideally be done when they are done nursing. This is for a few reasons. First, the blood supply to the breast area is increased during nursing which can cause more bleeding during surgery. They can also produce less milk after being spayed. If you allow the kittens to continue nursing after spaying, some cats will be painful and may not want the kittens pushing on their bellies thus pushing them away when they are trying to nurse.

A couple articles that might be helpful to you are Care of the New Mother Cat and Weaning Kittens.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

Click here to see the full list of Ask Dr. Debra Questions and Answers!