In 2022, Cats Protection, a feline charity in the UK, reported that 37% of litters born in the past 12 months were caused by accidental mating. Moreover, in their press release, they mentioned a 25% increase in kittens getting relinquished to adoption centres.
Now more than ever, there is a strong call for pet owners to proactively have their cats spayed or neutered to avoid unwanted pregnancies and prevent contributing to the continuously rising problem of unadopted felines.
If you are new to cat care, our cat spay and neuter guide will help you easily understand these essential procedures. We will also lay down the important preparations to make when you decide to get your feline friend fixed.
What Is Cat Spay and Neuter?
Cat spay and neuter are both surgical procedures to remove a feline’s reproductive organs.
The term “spay” is used when referring to desexing female cats. It commonly involves making a small incision on their abdomen to take out their ovaries and sometimes the uterus.
On the other hand, neuter or castration is the desexing procedure for male cats, wherein the vet creates a small cut in the scrotum to remove their testicles.
Out of the two, the latter is less complicated and invasive. Unlike spayed female felines, neutered cats do not usually need stitches and tend to heal more quickly.
Good Reasons Why to Opt for Cat Spay and Neuter
When male cats (toms) are neutered, they will:
- Be more content staying at home as they no longer need to search for mates or territory, thus avoiding road accidents, feline diseases, and catfight injuries
- Be less likely to spray and mark their territory at home
- Be less likely to hump other cats if living in a multipet household
- Be more docile to their owners
- Avoid developing testicle tumours
When female cats (queens) are neutered, they will:
- Not make loud calls, resulting in quieter nights for their owners and surrounding neighbours
- Avoid unwanted pregnancies and their accompanying expensive cost
Avoid developing cancer of the uterus or ovaries and be less likely to have mammary cancer
When Are Cats Neutered or Spayed?
Thus, vets generally recommend spaying or neutering kittens before they turn 5 months. However, in many cat shelters, young felines are fixed as early as 8 to 12 weeks old.
Most vet practices will only do the procedures if kittens weigh a minimum of 2 pounds. Weighing less than that decreases their chances of surviving the surgery due to a heightened risk of developing hypoglycaemia and hypothermia.
The health status of cats matters in ensuring a positive prognosis. Spaying or neutering kittens that are sick or are currently on the road to recovery is not advised.
What Happens Before Cat Spay and Neuter Operation?
Cat spay and neuter are technically low-risk procedures. However, pet owners usually need to follow a few preparations to ensure a successful surgery, such as:
- Ensure your cat remains indoors on the eve of the procedure.
- Inform the vet if your pet is on medications so you will know if it is ideal to withhold drug intake on the day of the surgery.
- Do not feed your pet a few hours before the surgery as he will be put on a general anaesthetic. Your veterinarian should tell you about the specific time when to feed your pet. Avoid withholding meals for too long as it may result in the onset of hypoglycaemia during the surgical procedure.
- Go to the veterinary clinic earlier than scheduled to complete paperwork.
With queens, a small portion of her belly or side will be shaved by the vet before surgery.
How Long Does Cat Spay and Neuter Take?
Some male cats have a condition called cryptorchidism, which means 1 or 2 testicles fail to settle properly into the scrotum.
Castrating felines with this reproductive defect may take a bit longer since the veterinarian needs to search for the missing testicle/s.
Cryptorchid cats direly need to be neutered as their deformity predisposes them to life-threatening health issues like testicular torsion and cancer.
What Happens After the Sterilisation Procedure?
The resulting stitches will be visible and may dissolve in a few days. If the stitches are not dissolved, you will return with your pet to the vet after 10 days to have them removed.
Here are the things you need to do after your cat has been neutered:
- Take note of the vet’s special instructions on the care of your neutered pet.
- Ensure that your cat has its cone collar on so it will not lick the incision.
- Keep your cat confined in a small room or its crate overnight after the operation. It will be groggy for the first few hours until it recovers from the anaesthesia 18–24 hours later.
- Handle your cat with extra care as it may be quite aggressive or unsettled because of the anaesthesia’s effect.
- Assist your cat so no sudden movements are made when bringing it home. You would not want its stitches to be damaged.
- Gradually reintroduce the usual food it eats. Only feed your cat when it is finally fully awake.
Cats usually recover rapidly, more so kittens. Generally, it takes about 14 days for your cat’s incision to be healed.
To ensure that its recovery process is smooth, restrict its activities during this period and even 1 or 2 weeks beyond. That means it should not be playing, jumping, or running for at least 2 weeks after surgery.
Does Cat Spay and Neuter Change a Feline’s Behaviour?
Spraying, a common behaviour in unneutered male cats but also seen in intact females, is observed to decrease as well. It is believed that cat spay and neuter reduces reproductive hormones like testosterone, which causes such behaviour.
Having an increased appetite is a common misconception linked to fixed felines. There is no strong evidence that proves cat spay and neuter leads to obesity.
Weight gain after desexing is often caused by excessive food consumption combined with insufficient exercise.
Take note that spaying or neutering your cat is not a fool-proof solution to resolving undesirable behaviours. Some fixed cats still exhibit bad habits related to reproduction, especially if the desexing procedure is done when they are older.
Behavioural modification and professional intervention from a feline behaviourist can help correct these behaviours.
FAQs About Cat Spay and Neuter
1. Do Spayed and Neutered Cats Still Mate?
In rare cases, some spayed and neutered cats will attempt to mate, but it will not result in a pregnancy.
Some fixed female cats may even show signs of heat. If this happens to your pet, get her checked by the vet as this condition could be caused by health issues like ovarian remnant syndrome, stump pyometra, and adrenal tumours.
2. Do Spayed and Neutered Cats Still Spray?
There is evidence that spayed and neutered cats still spray although it is quite rare. With diligence, pet owners can curb this behaviour using a few helpful strategies.
Seeking professional assistance from a feline behaviourist will hasten in solving this behavioural issue.
You may also like: Cat Spraying: Reasons and Solutions
3. What Happens If You Spay a Cat Too Late?
If you spay a cat too late, her susceptibility to developing reproductive diseases and cancers increases. Mating behaviours such as non-stop meowing and escaping the home in search of a mate may become difficult to unlearn.
Moreover, if your female cat is a senior, her ability to heal will be slow and she is at risk of developing an infection since older cats tend to have weakened immune systems.
4. How Much Does a Cat Spay and Neuter Cost?
On average, neutering a tom can cost £30–£60, whilst spaying queens may cost about £40–£80.
Some vet clinics have backing from animal organisations and shelters that allows them to provide low-cost cat spay and neuter services to pet owners on a tight budget.
Conclusion
Spaying or neutering pet cats is a smart and ethical choice for pawrents. Sterilisation protects their feline friends from a variety of dangers such as reproductive diseases and unwanted pregnancies, and helps them enjoy a longer life.
If you intend to use your cat for breeding, make sure to do it responsibly to avoid endangering her life as well as her kittens.
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