How Old Can A Cat Get Fixed
While most veterinarians recommend spaying a cat between six and seven months of age, intact, mature cats can still be safely spayed. Cats can be spayed at any age, even as old as their late teens. Your veterinarian may recommend checking their bloodwork and an ECG to make sure theyre healthy enough to undergo anesthesia.
Not only can spaying an adult cat be done safely, but spaying your mature cat can help reduce the risks of them developing certain types of cancer and uterine infections.
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How To Find A Veterinarian That Does Spay Neutering And Fixing Cats
There are a few things you should consider before you bring your cat in for a neuter and fix. First, make sure the veterinarian has a good reputation for treating cats. Next, look for a place that is clean and welcoming. Finally, get to know the veterinarian and ask him or her about the different types of spaying and neutering options and procedures. You may want to start with a full spay and neutering and ask if the facility can do a partial. If you find a great vet you can return to see the procedures performed. Neuter and fix is not just a cat-only issue, but can be a family decision. Some procedures can improve your cats health or help them avoid certain diseases, but there are important factors to consider.
What Care Is Needed After The Surgery
There are three main conditions to uphold giving the prescribed medication, keeping the surgical area clean and preventing any kind of trauma.
For the first, and despite cats extraordinary abilities to spit out pills and avoid any external maneuvers, medication for pets is becoming increasingly palatable which makes it easier for cats to take their medication. And if your cat is one of the exceptions, dont despair! Try pill pockets or other strategies to trick your cat into taking medication with little fuss and, remember, itll only be for a few days.
For further tips on post-surgical care, dont miss our previous article.
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Keep Neighborhood And Stray Cats Away From Your Yard
If your cat is spraying as a way to warn off outdoor cats, try these tricks:
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Cover any windows with blinds or curtains to block your cats view outside.
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Install motion-detection sprinklers near windows to deter outside cats from coming into your yard.
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Place Feliway diffusers inside your house in areas where your cat has marked.
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Use white vinegar or citrus-based sprays in the yard where outdoor cats have marked.
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What Happens During The Spay Or Neuter Surgery
Both surgeries are conducted under general anesthesia so that your kitten is pain free during the procedure.
Your kitten will first be given a shot of medication to make her sleepy and to help with pain when she awakens.
A female kitten will then be intubated, meaning that she will have a breathing tube put into her throat to ensure that her airway remains open. The surgery for a male kitten is so quick that just a face mask is used to administer general anesthesia.
Your kittens oxygen level and heart rate will be monitored with a machine throughout the surgery.
To help maintain your female kittens body temperature during surgery, she will likely be placed on a heating blanket. Males are placed on a heating blanket after surgery because the procedure itself is so quick.
On a female kitten, your veterinarian will make an incision below her belly button, into her abdomen. Her ovaries and uterus will be removed through this incision, which will be closed with two layers of dissolvable stitches under her skin. The skin itself will be closed with skin glue, skin staples, or stitches.
On a male kitten, your veterinarian will make an incision into the skin of the scrotum, which is the sac that contains the testicles. Both testicles will be removed through this incision. The incision is not usually sealed, but will close, in time, on its own.
The neuter procedure can be done in under 2 minutes. The spay procedure can take 15-20 minutes.
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Spaying And Neutering Cats Post
Many veterinarians recommend to cat owners that spaying or neutering their cats should be part of a general health care plan, but controversy exists about when to perform the surgery. Veterinarians traditionally advised people that the optimal age for the procedure was about six months old, despite a lack of scientific data establishing an ideal age for the surgery. Dr. Dave Sweeney, a proponent and veterinary practitioner of early pediatric spaying and neutering — especially for shelter kittens — believes pet owners should have their young, unfixed kittens spayed or neutered when they are no older than 16 to 18 weeks old. Kittens enter puberty at around four months old, so waiting any longer increases the risk of an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy, he says.
What About Water And Food
Once your cat gets home from the vet, you should give him water. The amount should be minimal to avoid vomiting. Only keep a small amount of water in a bowl and then top it off when necessary. When your cat is awake and alert, you should offer one-fourth to a half portion of his normal food intake. If he vomits, you need to take away the remainder of the food. Avoid offering food again until the following morning.
The day after surgery, give your cat regular amounts of water and food. Since the anesthetics can make your cat a bit nauseous, its normal if he does not eat right away. But if your feline friend isnt drinking or eating normally 48 hours after surgery, you need to consult your vet immediately.
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What Happens After The Surgery
Some people worry that their cats personality will change. This isnt true but you might see a fall in certain behaviour roaming, mounting, fighting or spraying urine.
People also worry that their pet will get fat. Neutered animals might have slightly lower food requirements so you just need to feed them a little less.
How Are Spay And Neuter Surgeries Performed
These two sterilization procedures are done under general anesthesia, with your pet fully asleep and intubated . The cat neuter is one exception a face mask is used instead, because it is such a fast surgery. Before receiving general anesthesia, your pet is given a shot of medication to make him sleepy and to help with pain. Your pets oxygen level and heart rate are monitored with a machine while he is under anesthesia. Dogs and female cats are kept on a heating blanket during surgery. Surgery for male cats is so fast they are not put on a heating blanket for the surgery, but they are put on one immediately after their surgery.
Female animals have an incision made just below the belly button into the abdomen. The reproductive tract, both ovaries, and the uterus are completely removed through this incision. Then the incision is closed with two layers of stitches under the skin that will dissolve and be absorbed by body over time. The skin is closed with skin glue, skin staples, or stitches.
Male cats have an incision made in the skin of the scrotum, and the testicles are removed. The incision is not sealed, but will close on its own with time.
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Reasons To Neuter Your Male Cat
1. Reduce unwanted kittens and reduce exposure to disease Reasons 1 and 3 above apply to males and females. Additionally, new young tomcats in the neighborhood may threaten other cats. Typically, these older Tom cats wont hesitate to fight for territory or other females. This can increase the risk of contracting FIV and/or FeLV from fighting and biting, not to mention receiving a nasty cat bite abscess too. These also require a vets visit so reason number 2 above also applies!
2. Un-neutered Tomcats will stray further away from home These cats will risk crossing busy roads to find females and sadly may be the victim of a road accident.
3. Tomcats may start to scent-mark their home This stinks and is very hard to remove. Ive heard reports of cats spraying beds, walls, and even a fruit bowl. Yuck!!
Spayed Vs Neutered Difference Between Spay And Neuter In Cats
Getting your cat fixed is a term used for spay/neuter procedures in cats.
- Spaying: It is a sterilization procedure in cats where the uterus and ovaries of female cats are removed surgically. After this process, the female cat is not able to reproduce anymore.
- Neutering: Also known as castration, this sterilization procedure in male cats removes their testicles. After this surgery, your male cat will be unable to father the kittens. Neutering prevents unwanted kittens, roaming, fighting, and urine marking in house.
The best part of taking this surgery is that the cost of spayed or neutered surgery for your cat is much less than cost of having and caring for their kittens.
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Low Cost Spay & Neuter Performed To The Highest Standards In Southern California
With years of experience, our staff and physicians understand the impact of spaying and neutering upon the cat and dog population, along with the direct risks to your individual pet. Our primary intention is improved well-being of the entire domestic pet population. We routinely reflect our care by our compassion, helping pets improve and maintain their healthand all while providing affordable care for all pet owners. Learn more about our Los Angeles spay and neuter treatment plans by contacting us today.
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How Can I Arrange To Spay Or Neuter My Cat
To get your cat spayed or neutered, make an appointment with your local veterinarian. Most vets require at least one pre-op appointment before the big day. Dont feed your cat the night before the procedure, but do give her water. On the morning of the operation, remove the water, too.
Spaying and neutering doesnt usually involve an overnight stay. Most of the time, youll drop your cat off with the vet in the morning, and youll pick her back up again in the afternoon. Then its home for a little TLC.
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What Age Cats Should Be Fixed Before They Are Spayed
All cats should be spayed or neutered before they reach their first birthday. This will ensure that they will not produce kittens, and it will keep their lives and health more stable. They will also be much happier with fewer stressors in their lives. It is important to spay or neuter your cat, and it can be especially important to get them spayed or neutered before they turn one year old. It is best to do this when they are still a kitten. This will ensure that they are calm and not stressed during the procedure, and it will keep them from becoming over-anxious and nervous. They can also grow up to be more calm and confident, since they wont be able to become pregnant or give birth.
Spaying Or Neutering Cats
There are no known studies to discourage early spay or neuter of cats 6 8 weeks of age. For domestic cats like your indoor pet, they should be neutered by 5 months of age. While hysterectomies, also known as spays, are commonly performed, there are no advantages over simple ovariectomies. The main difference between the two procedures is that hysterectomies, or spays, remove both the ovaries and uterus. Meanwhile, an ovariectomy procedure removes only the ovaries, leaving the uterus in-tact. One benefit of the common spay procedure is that the incidence of stump pyometras is eliminated if estrogen production is eliminated, I.E. the uterus. In these procedures, a marking system should be used to indicate the presence of the uterus in case estrogen therapy is later considered for some unrelated disease. This mark is usually a line with a permanent skin marker made adjacent to or on the incision.
Cats spayed before 6 months of age have a 91% reduction in mammary tumors, which are malignant in greater than 80% of the cases. If spayed prior to one year of age, there is an 86% reduction in mammary cancer.
While female cats certainly benefit the most from an early spaying procedure, there is some concern for neutering at a young age in cats. However, it should be noted that early neutering does not affect urethral size in male cats and there is no harm to having your male cat neutered by 5 months of age.
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Kittens: When Is It Okay To Separate Them From Their Mothers
It is hard to resist the cuteness of a brand new baby kitten, especially if you see one that appears to be a stray. You fear for his safety and want to help, but is taking him in the best option for his health and safety? Taking kittens away from their mothers can actually be quite dangerous for them, even when you have the best intentions. Kittens who have been separated from their mothers too soon are often more likely to exhibit inappropriate behaviors, struggle with interacting with other cats and humans, and are at a higher risk for health complications. In the wild, kittens usually remain with their mothers until they reach sexual maturity or until the mother gets pregnant again. When keeping kittens as pets, it is important to know the timeline of their development before separating them from their mothers prematurely.
Are 2 Cats Better Than One
Having another cat around can lessen the boredom and loneliness that a solitary cat might experience when youre not there. Sure, cats usually sleep most of the day away, but that doesnt mean they enjoy being alone when theyre awake. Another benefit to having two cats is that they teach each other social skills.
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Is A Neutered Tomcat Less Likely To Run Away
Its true that tomcats that are not spayed are more likely to run away and find another home. They can be very fickle, spending a lot of time outdoors.
After being neutered a tomcat will often have a lot less desire to roam around. Every cat is different, but generally speaking it will become more of a homebody than before.
Why You Should Keep Up With Annual Vaccines
- Staying on top of your pets annual vaccinations is vital to avoiding preventable diseases, especially ones that are fatal
- If you miss your annual vaccine, chances are youll need to come back twice in 4 weeks to get back to optimal protection. We make it easy on you & can email you automatically when your pet is due for vaccinations
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Will My Cat Gain Weight After Surgery
Both neutered males and spayed females have a tendency to gain weight due to a decrease in roaming and other sexual behavior. However, weight gain can be prevented through proper dietary management and exercise. Physically, male cats neutered prior to puberty do not develop the large head and thick skin of intact males.
Spaying And Neutering Considerations
A spayed or neutered animal will not be able to reproduce. Pet owners wishing to breed a cat in the future should take this into account. However, having a cat altered will improve overall health and may even add years to its lifespan. Spayed and neutered cats tend to be calmer than unfixed felines. Many pet owners with children choose to have cats fixed to make feisty, aggressive felines more docile and less of a threat to toddlers and babies. Some fixed cats gain weight after the procedure. This is due to hormonal and activity level changes. Many cat owners find it necessary to monitor a pets food intake after the surgery has been performed. Otherwise, spaying and neutering are quite safe.
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How Much Does It Cost To Spay A Cat
The cost for spaying a cat varies depending on location and type of clinic performing the procedure. Private veterinarians generally charge more and there can be a range of prices for spaying a cat, even from vets in the same city. A random sampling of veterinarians found prices of $219 in Kansas, $250 in California and $590 in Illinois.
There are specialized clinics and shelters across the country focused on making the procedure affordable some even price the procedure based on income. Spaying a cat at some of these places can cost around $50-70.
Allows For Better Visualization Of Organs
When compared to older kittens, younger kittens have proportionately less body fat. This means that veterinary surgeons will be able to visualize the spermatic cords that they need to cut and the testicles they need to remove. This will also help them have a better view of the fallopian tubes of female kittens as well as their ovaries and uterus. Less fat means easier access to these organs.
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Which Other Organizations Provide Spay And Neutering Services
255-5523
- Spay or neuter services are offered to qualified low-income clients by appointment only.
- Costs for cats are $50 for males and $55 for females.Costs for dogs are $75 to $140 based on weight and gender.* If a pet is pregnant, in heat, or encounters unforeseen complications, the cost of surgery will be more.
- Proof of income and a picture ID are required at pre-surgical exam
- All sources of income must be provided for every member of the household.
- Payment is due at time of drop off.
- Please withhold food from your pet after 10 pm the night before surgery leave water available all night.
Street Cat Hub
Offers help with trapping and surgeries for unowned street cats
For Bernalillo County residents: