How To Neuter A Cat At Home

What Are The Health Effects Of Spaying Or Neutering A Cat

Of course, while spaying or neutering procedures are routine and considered safe, risk cannot be totally eliminated from every surgical or medical procedure. For example, cats who have been spayed or neutered do tend to gain weight if their diets are not adjusted accordingly. Neutered male cats are also at increased risk for developing urinary blockages.

The benefits of neutering or spaying almost always outweigh the risks. However, you should always ask your vet which choices are best for your pet.

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.

Page last updated 22/03/2021

Spaying And Neutering Are Cost Effective

The long-term costs you could incur by not spaying or neutering your furry friend can be excessive. Treating cancers of the reproductive system can be quite costly, as is caring for a new cat litter. Additionally, unaltered pets can be more destructive and may engage in serious fights with neighborhood strays, often requiring pricey treatments.

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Make Your Home Their Home Too

Just as we would for any new child or relative living in your home, make sure you make the home as inviting as possible.

• Provide your cat with a quite place to eat their food. Somewhere they will feel safe.
• Feed your cat the best food you can. Not all cat food is created equal and as I am learning their can be big differences in the contents of food. Don’t believe the hype on the back of the packet, always read the ingredients and compare it to others. You will be surprised.

• Make sure your cat has their own place to sleep. Somewhere comfortable and warm and where they feel secure. Cats prefer to sleep off of the ground and there are several cat beds which provide for this need. See my favorites here.
• Buy new toys several times a year and rotate access to toys so that they don’t get bored with them.
• Above all let your cat be themselves. Not all cats like to be picked up and cuddled. Let them interact with you in their way. Any forcing will only result in them feeling less comfortable in your home.

Above all, enjoy and love your pets, they will love you back.

When To Spay Or Neuter Your Cat

There is debate among veterinarians about the time to spay/neuter your cat, says Dr. Adam Denish of Rhawnhurst Animal Hospital in Elkins Park, PA. There are three general options: Early or pediatric spay/neuter is done at six to eight weeks of age. Standard spay and neuter at five to six months. Finally, waiting until after the first heat, somewhere between eight to twelve months of age, he says.

As a vet who has done thousands of spays and neuters, I still perform them at five months of age. The pets are a good size, the owners have already trained and accepted them, and the anesthesia and surgery are usually safe, says Dr. Denish. The concerns over early spay/neuter are mostly due to the prevailing opinion that new owners may not do the procedure, and the pet is free to breed. The additional offspring contributes to the overpopulation of cats in the wild, as well as the burden of euthanizing unwanted and ill cats at shelters.

Whatever the age of your cat when theyre spayed or neutered, there are definite health benefits for cats of either sex to have the procedure.

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Reasons For Neutering Male Cats

• Control of nuisance. Unneutered male cats are likely to stray over a large area, will mark their territory with a very pungent spray and are much more likely to fight with attendant noise nuisance.
• Health issues. Fighting males are much more likely to spread diseases such as FIV and FeLV to other cats. They are also likely to suffer from fight injuries such as abscesses. Because they wander over a large area they are also at greater risk of suffering road traffic accidents.
• Pet issues. Unneutered male cats will wander from home and may not return. They may also spray inside the home and may be aggressive to their owners. Therefore it is desirable to neuter kittens early enough to ensure that the above problems are prevented. Most people do not want to live with an unneutered male cat.
• Population control. Obviously, male cats do not have kittens themselves and it only takes one male in an area to make lots of female cats pregnant, so neutering a female cat makes a great deal more difference to limiting numbers, but it all helps!

What Neutering A Cat Looks Like

The terms neutering or spaying are applicable for both male and female cats in general. Neutering is a surgical operation held by the veterinaries where they sterilize the cat, it happens by projecting a high temperature or a boiling liquid on a cats sex organs to completely stop their functions. Female cats neutering is done by removing the ovaries and uterus by a small incision on the side of her left hand.

Male cats neutering is about taking out their testicles. Some vets say that neutering is healthy for cats, and it helps to control the populations of felines. Usually, spaying the cat is well done when the cat is not caterwauling because there will not be much blood and the horns of the uterine and ovaries will be drastically taken. Vets do a lot of blood tests before neutering to check that cats health is quite good for any surgical operation, cats illnesses are silent and vets are afraid sometimes to discover some tumors that can threaten the cats life. What to be expected after the ending of the surgery is:

• Bleeding
• Walking with a hunch-back Lack of appetite after the first day

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Tackling The Cat Crisis

The cat population in the UK has reached crisis point. Despite subsidised neutering schemes from rescue organisations, more and more cats are coming into our care and less homes are taking in cats. Our centres are full and we’re left to pay expensive private boarding fees.

We’re working with a number of other charities under the Umbrella of the Cat Population Control Group to reduce the number of unwanted cats being born in the UK.

You can find out more about what CPCG are doing, and access a database of vets who will neuter cats under four months old, on the Kitten Neutering Database website.

Our report, tackling the cat crisis: a collaborative approach to neutering , found that owners delay neutering because of the myth that cats should be allowed to have a litter of kittens. Read more findings and solutions in the report.

How Do I Prepare My Cat For Neutering

Preparing your cat for neutering is not a difficult task, you usually have to follow the instructions of veterinaries. Most of them recommend giving it food before a certain hour a day. You can avoid giving her water the night of the neutering. Cats with bad behavior can be locked for two or three days before the neutering to calm down. Some vets advise also to avoid mating periods for the cat to be neutered.

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Where Can I Get A Low Cost Neuter For My Dog

Offers information about low cost s/n in the area. Also, offers free s/n for pets of people with low income. Also, holds an annual male cat neuter-a-thon for very low price neutering. Baltimore County residents can pay just $65 for dogs and $50 for cats to be spayed or neutered at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter.

How To Get In Contact With A Free Spay And Neuter Clinics For Cats Near Me

In order to get in touch with the spay clinic, you need to rely on Google. You can search on google and you will be provided with a list of spay and neuter clinics near me. There are many organizations that host various stay clinics too. You can contact those organizations too in order to get access to a clinic. These types of clinics are mostly available state-wise. Each state has a different agenda when it comes to neuter and spay clinics.

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Spaying Or Neutering Your Cat

Having your cat spayed or neutered can provide a number of benefits for your cat’s health, prevent unwanted litters and curb undesirable behaviors. But what specific benefits does it offer your beloved pet, what is involved in the procedure and when should you have it performed on your kitty? Here, our West Chester vets explain the details of spaying or neutering your cat.

What Age Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Cat

Spaying or neutering your pet is one of the cornerstones of pet ownership in the United States. ASPCA statistics place the U.S. pet cat population at anywhere between 74 and 96 million and there may be as many as 70 million strays fending for themselves. Unfortunately, the ASPCA also estimates that 41 percent of cats who enter shelters cannot find a home and end up being euthanized. Breeders, shelters and rescue groups team up with vets and their staff to stem the tide of cat overpopulation but its bound to be a continuing battle for the foreseeable future.

If you find yourself with a new kitten in your household, spaying or neutering is something youll need to be thinking about soon. But at what age is it appropriate to spay or neuter a cat? More importantly, why should you consider having the procedure done at all?

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The Importance Of Getting Your Cat Fixed

Every year, over 3 million cats enter the animal shelter system in the United States according to the ASPCA .

Spaying or neutering your kitten or cat is critical in helping to reduce the number of unwanted cats in West Chester shelters.

On top of reducing the number of unwanted cats in your area, neutering and spaying also help curb undesirable behaviors and reduce your feline friend’s risk of developing a number of serious health conditions.

How Long Does It Take For A Cat To Recover From Being Neutered

Cats can recover from 24 hours to 48 hours depending on the body and the gender of the cat. It has to recover first from anesthesia, adjust the pain after waking up, and then it will be able to walk and do activities. Some cats can go out directly after the surgery, others stay in the vet hospital if they had any side effects.

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What Are The Reasons After For Neutering A Cat

Neutering cats became a new popular phenomenon in the last decades because having cats as a pet has increased more than before. For instance, nowadays there a lot of companies for cats food, shampoos, and medicament, it is undoubtedly getting to be like raising a child. Therefore, there are reasons why neutering is getting popular, mostly it refers to the owners desire not to have a lot of cats as pets.

When Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Cat

Kittens as young as eight weeks old can be spayed or neutered safely. Cats altered before six months of age will have a lower risk of developing behavioral or health problems, as compared to those that undergo these procedures later in life. Spaying and neutering early in life may even prevent problem behaviors before they develop. If an unaltered cat is displaying problem behaviors, it’s never too late to spay or neuter, regardless of age.

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Cat Neutering Or Spaying Aftercare

How Do I Stop Cat From Wandering Off

How do I stop cat from wandering off, is aquestion many cat owners will ask themselves. It is a fact of nature that cats although domesticated, still retaintheir wild side and their instincts can never be changed.

Wandering to find new territory, a mate or even some comfort is natural to all cats. Of course we can curtail some of these by neutering our cats, but this will not prevent them seeking a more comfortable or suitable home if they feel that yours is not up to scratch. However there are things you can do to try and make sure that your cat chooses you and your home.

Question

Hi, I have a problem I have a kitten she is a good 6 to 7 months now. Ii have started to let her out which is fine but now she keeps wandering off and I am scared that I will lose her she is a bit wild and does not have a care in the world! How do I train her to stay within mine and my neighbor’s garden?

Answer

All cats choose to live with us in exchange for food, warmth and home comforts. A cat is a very intelligent animal and knows when it is on to a good thing. Why would they decide to find a new home if they are getting all the food and comforts with you? You cannot force or train a cat to return home, they will decide that for themselves. So as long as you are giving them a comfortable home, with everything they need, to live in they should always return.

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How Do I Care For My Cat After Neuter Surgery

The risks associated with cat neutering can include pain, infection, dehiscence , and excessive bleeding, which can cause a condition called a scrotal hematoma where the scrotum fills up with blood. Because cat neutering requires general anesthesia, it adds risks, including death. This is why blood work and a full exam are important safety procedures before administering any general anesthesia.

Look out for signs of infection after surgery. These include excessive swelling, redness, heat, odor or discharge from the surgical site. If you notice any of these signs, call your veterinarian right away.

You minimize your cats risk of infection by precisely following discharge instructions from your veterinarian. Its important to prevent your cat from licking the surgery site by placing a cone or no-bite collar on him for the recommended post-surgery time period.

The greatest long-term health risk for a cat after neuter surgery is obesity. Neutered cats have a lower metabolism and activity level due to the lack of testosterone. To combat this, prevent your cat from overeating and gaining unhealthy weight. Engage him in regular play to help keep his weight down and his activity level and happiness up.

Your Vet Is There To Help You And Your Cat

You and your cat will likely have gone through a lot with their surgery both in terms of the costs and logistics for you, as well as the actual anesthesia and surgery for your cat. The way you care for and nurse your cat in their post-op period can have as big an impact on the success of their recovery as the skill of the surgeon who performed the procedure. So to help ensure the fastest, most complete, and least-stressful recovery for your cat, please do make sure to discuss their specific post-op recovery, recheck instructions with the veterinary team, and follow those instructions.

And if you have any questions or concerns, at any point, your vet or their staff will be happy to help you out. If necessary, your vet may even be able to provide you with certain medications to help reduce your cats cabin fever and make both of your lives that much easier.

When we vets say, dont hesitate to call if youve got problems or concerns we really mean it. Wed rather help you with your questions and concerns early on than tend to avoidable post-op complications later. When in doubt call. After all, you both have the same goals the quickest, smoothest, most trouble-free recovery for your cat.

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Is It Worth It To Spay Or Neuter Your Dog

Yes, having your pet fixed prevents unwanted litters. But there are many other incentives as well, including your pets health and happiness. To find an in-depth list of the reasons to spay or neuter your pet see Benefits of Spaying and Why Neuter Your Dog? These routine surgeries typically cost up to $200, depending on the vet and the facility.

Spay/neuter services should be within reach, geographically and financially, for everyone who has a cat or dog. SpayUSA provides referrals to over 1,900 low cost sterilization programs and clinics nationwide as of 2019. Our goal is to make spay/neuter services affordable to those who might not otherwise spay/neuter their pets.