Something weird has happened. And I don’t like it when something strange cannot be logically explained.
When we took on the role of ‘adopted parents’ to some Mallorcan feral cats, we decided that we would have them all neutered when they reached the appropriate time. On Tuesday it was the turn of Peanut, the tiny ginger kitten that arrived – seemingly from nowhere – at the end of October 2013.
The Boss delivered her to the vet’s in the morning for the operation. The veterinary nurse pointed out the nick in Peanut’s ear – it looks as though she’d either been in a fight or had the defect at birth. The Boss explained it had been there when she arrived. The nurse called in one of the vets to look at it, and then a second. The trio of animal experts informed The Boss that a nick in the ear like this is usually an indication that a feral cat has been neutered.
Peanut was no more than two months when she arrived at our finca – and probably more like a month – so surely sterilization was unlikely? A battle scar or birth defect seemed more likely. The vets took her to the operating theatre.
Patient Discharged . . .
When we collected her a few hours later, we had some very surprising news: Peanut had already been sterilized – as our vet discovered when he opened up our little bundle of fun. He sewed up the wound and sent her home.
Of course, we’re delighted that Peanut isn’t facing a few days of discomfort, medication and convalescence in our annexe bedroom – but we cannot understand how a tiny kitten of probably less than two months of age came to be neutered.
Have you ever come across anything like this before? We certainly haven’t.
Homeward-bound Peanut, sporting a cute leopard-print plaster on her leg
Jan Edwards Copyright 2014
Yes. Very much. I have an abundance of cats and kittens here. And every one I have “done” at the vets. My vet gives me a choice of either clip out of ear (when under) or two blue circle tattoos inside ear, just to let anyone know on the island that they have all been done and not a bother to anyone or any other cats.
Hi Lorraine! Thanks for your comment, and for reading my blog. Good for you, getting all those pusscats neutered – it’s such an important thing to do and we don’t have the same charities and schemes that exist in the UK to control cat populations (as far as I have know). I had no idea about the ear-notch thing until this week. We live and learn on this beautiful island. No doubt you woke up today to red dust everywhere too. I was in Palma this morning and surprised to see how much of it there was around on pavements etc. The Boss is so pleased that he hadn’t had time before now to clean the terraces!
That is very odd. I asked my hubby about the appropriate age for spaying a female kitty. He used to be a veterinary technician. He said that it’s best to wait until they are around 6 months old. (but definitely before they manage to get pregnant) He also said that he believes all the animal shelters spay them at a very young age, sometimes as young as two months. That apparently is to make sure that they cannot reproduce before they are adopted by someone who might not bother with the operation.
On a different note, your kitty is darling and she is a female ginger! That is not common.
Hubby said that 80 percent of ginger kitties are male so you have a rare girl. I have always been
very fond of ginger cats and have my third one. One passed away 10 years ago and the second one disappeared, probably due to bobcats or coyotes. They were both males and my current one is also. I hope your little girl lives a long happy life with you!
Hi Caterina! Thanks for your interesting response – and for telling us about female gingers being quite rare. Little Peanut is a real poppet, I must say. Please thank hubby for his expert opinion; it makes sense I guess for shelters to spay early as the environment would be perfect for breeding. Now I wonder what little Peanut’s history is . . . we’ll never know, but it’s her future that’s important now, and we’ll do all we can to make sure it’s a good one for her. Thanks again for reading the blog and taking time to get in touch.