What Are The Signs Of A Cat Having A Period
First of all, while a tiny amount of blood spotting might occur while your cat is going through her period, if you notice significant amounts of blood, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Most cat parents tend to recognize unusual behaviors in cats going through their heat cycle, rather than vaginal bleeding.
Here are some of the common signs you may see in a cat who is going through estrus:
- During her period, a female cat will likely make a series of yelping and howling noises a tactic used in the wild to attract mates.
- A cat going through her period might also appear to be more affectionate, such as rubbing against your legs more and rolling around on the floor.
- In some cases, a female cat on her period will spray urine around or even attempt to sneak outside in a bid to find a mate.
If you live with a cat who hasnt had the spay surgery yet, you can try helping her through her period by providing extra toys that she can play vigorously with, or even using catnip as a way to soothe her.
Although these days, most vets advise spaying your female cat. CatTime recommends this soft recovery collar for kitties who go through surgery as an alternative to the cone of shame. Check it out to support our content!
For more information on cats in heat and what you can do if your female kitty is in her heat cycle, read CatTimes advice here!
Care After Arriving Home
After bringing your cat home, hell most likely be feeling some anesthetic effects. Typically, vets apply some form of protective ointment on his eyes to ensure they dont dry out. The ointment can cause the cat to have blurry vision.
Consequently, you need to place him in a dark, warm, and quiet indoor location to recover for twenty-four hours after the surgery. During this time, its important to keep other pets even kids away from the cat. Even the most affectionate and sweetest cat can become aggressive, biting or scratching anything when he feels frightened.
The hangovers of anesthesia usually disappear within 24 hours. After this period, the personality of your cat usually goes back to normal. Vets recommend that you stay with your cat on the first night in order to observe his activity levels and carefully monitor your cats recovery.
Do It For Their Health
Spaying and neutering will improve your cats health, reduce the risk of health problems, and should be done as early as possible. Spaying/Neutering early will:
- Prevent diseases of the uterus, ovaries and testes
Having the operation when young means:
- Shorter operation time
- Better intra-abdominal visualization for the surgeon
- Faster recovery period for your pet
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What Does Fixing Your Cat Mean
Spaying and neutering, or fixing, are terms used to describe surgeries that prevent cats from reproducing. Spaying is the name of the surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries from a female cat, although the technical term is ovariohysterectomy. Neutering is the name of the surgery to remove the testicles from a male cat, and is also called castration.
Is Early Spay/neuter Associated With Orthopedic Problems
Three fairly recent articles discuss orthopedic concerns associated with early neutering of large breed dogs. These articles have led to confusion about the appropriateness of and age at which spay/neuter surgery should be performed.16-18 These articles were published in open access journals and have generated questions from veterinarians and the general public. With regard to these articles, 2 key points should be considered. First, the articles focus on large breed dogs, and their findings should not be extrapolated to cats. Second, no similar studies have found a relationship between spay/neuter and orthopedic conditions in cats.
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Will Spaying Have Any Adverse Effects On My Cat
In the vast majority of cats, there are no adverse effects following an ovariohysterectomy. In certain cats, notably the Siamese breed, the hair that grows back over an operation site may be noticeably darker, believed to be due to a difference in the skin temperature. This darker patch usually grows out with the following molt as the hair is naturally replaced.
“There are many myths and beliefs about spaying that are not supported by facts or research.”
There are many myths and beliefs about spaying that are not supported by facts or research. Be sure to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your veterinarian prior to surgery.
Early Spay/neuter In Private Practice
Most practices have defined kitten wellness protocols and schedule appointments for vaccinations and parasite control for kittens from about 6 weeks to 4 months of age. Early spay/neuter involves simply adding one more appointment 2 to 3 weeks after the last vaccination. In that manner, cats are fully immunized before being admitted to the hospital for surgery and sterilized before becoming sexually active.
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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.
When Should You Have Your Cat Fixed
Each pet is unique and your vet will be able to offer advice on when you should have your cat spayed or neutered. However, we typically recommend spaying or neutering kittens at around five to six months old. Adult cats can also be spayed or neutered.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
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Should You Spay A Pregnant Cat
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So you were a little slow in having her spayed and your cat turned up pregnant. Or, perhaps a pregnant stray adopted you. Maybe you are working with a rescue group and this is your first fostering experience with a pregnant cat. Where do you go from here?
Your first major decision is whether or not to allow the pregnancy to continue. Pregnant cats can be spayed, but the decision depends on a number of factors, which you should discuss with your veterinarian and your family.
Spaying a pregnant cat terminates the pregnancy, making this a controversial issue. Some people cannot bear the thought of killing fetal kittens. Others raise concern allowing the pregnant cat to have kittens contributes to the pet overpopulation problem.
Benefits Of Spaying Or Neutering Your Cat
According to Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor with petMD, spaying a female cat before her first heat cycle virtually eliminates the risk of mammary cancer. She says that this condition is especially serious in cats since feline mammary cancers tend to be very aggressive in comparison to other species.
Spayed female cats also cannot develop ovarian and uterine cancers or a potentially fatal uterine infection called a pyometra, Coates adds. Other health-related issues related to spaying include negating the possibility of the complications that can occur with pregnancy and birthing.
For male cats, Coates says that the benefits of neutering are primarily behavioral, although the procedure does eliminate the possibility that a cat will develop testicular cancer as he ages.
Anyone who as ever tried living with an intact male cat will tell you that the vocalizations, escape attempts, roaming, fighting and urine spraying associated with normal tom cat behavior can get old really quick, she says.
Feline AIDS and leukemia can both be spread between cats through bites, often spurred on by sexual competition, says Coates. So, reducing the urge to mate also reduces the likelihood that your cat will contract one of these oftentimes fatal infections.
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How To Care For Your Cat After They’ve Been Spayed/neutered
Although cats will feel better a day or two after surgery, owners will still need to make sure their cat is limiting their activity, as not to rupture or strain the recent sutures. âThis is one reason why an e-collar is required in cats after they’re spayed/neutered,â explains Dr. Mar.
The main aftercare is ensuring your pet is comfortable and pain medication is given if needed, the collar is kept on, and your catâs activity is restricted in order for them to heal quickly and smoothly.
During The Cat Neuter Recovery Time
Most often youâll see absolutely nothing. Again, most after-effects are medication-related, not neuter-related. After all, feline testicles are tiny little things that tend not to have a lot of nerve endings associated with them â not at the age most kittens get neutered, anyway.
If there are any adverse, veterinary visit-worthy events to observe, they tend to be related to post-operative bleeding. Any bleeding or excessive licking should be cause to bring your recently-neutered cat to the vet for a follow-up visit.
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Benefits Of Spaying Or Neutering Your Adult Cat
Just like with spaying or neutering your kitten, getting your older cat fixed helps lower the risk of health issues that are common in intact cats.
Some of the risks of leaving an older cat intact include pyometra, which is a life-threatening infection of the uterus and is more common in older cats, Dr. Satchu said. Neutered cats are at a lower risk of developing testicular cancers and prostate problems.
Additionally, a neutered male or spayed female cat is at a lower risk of wandering away to seek out mating opportunities, regardless of his or her age.
Are There Other Benefits To Spaying My Cat
The most obvious benefit is the prevention of unplanned pregnancies. There is no behavioral, medical, or scientific reason for letting your cat have a litter before she is spayed.
“There is no behavioral, medical, or scientific reason for letting your cat have a litter before she is spayed.”
Once a cat reaches puberty, usually at around seven months of age, she will have a heat or estrous cycle every two to three weeks for most of the year, unless she becomes pregnant. She will be ‘in heat’ or receptive to mating for approximately one week in each cycle. During heat, she may display unsociable behavior such as loud and persistent crying and frequent rubbing and rolling on the floor. She may also urinate outside her litterbox as a marking behavior. This behavior coupled with her scent, will attract male cats from miles around. Removal of the ovaries will stop her estrus cycles.
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When Should I Spay/neuter My Cat
Healthy cats as young as six weeks of age can be spayed or neutered safely. Studies have shown that cats altered at less than six months of age do not have an increased risk of physical or behavioral problems, as compared to those that undergo surgery later. Early-age spaying and neutering may prevent problem behaviors before they occur. If it hasnt already been done, spaying or neutering should be considered for any pet with a behavior problem, regardless of age. For certain behaviors, surgery may reduce or eliminate the problem, even in older cats. Consult with your veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist for further information.
How To Access Free Spay And Neuter Vouchers Near Me
There are many sites where you can avail coupons and zip codes for spay cat near me. You can avail the coupon by clicking on the link and can get access to it when the need will arise. Many organizations even provide you with discount rates on your upcoming visit. You have to acquire information from such clinics before booking an appointment.
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The Healing Process After A Spay Or Neuter In Older Cats
According to Dr. Satchu, older cats may take longer to heal from any procedure especially with a spay since its more invasive. Generally, older cats also have weaker immune systems so they may be slightly more predisposed to infection after surgery, Dr. Satchu said.
This means youll want to keep an extra eye on your cat after surgery and make sure to check in with your vet to make sure shes healing properly.
Spaying And Neutering Make Your Cat Easier To Live With And More Content Living With You Too
Facts first: one-third of cat relinquishments to shelters are related to the sexual behaviors of intact cats. We already know that cats in shelters dont have good odds. Can you imagine the likelihood of a cat with behavioral problems getting adopted?
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association states that spaying and neutering reduces the likelihood that cat will be given up to a shelter for behavioral reasons. Even if there were no other reasons to spay and neuter your cat, that should be enough.
If youve ever lived with a tom cat, you can skip ahead to the next section. I dont have to convince you that living with intact cats can be a nightmare.
What do intact cats do? They are very creative about finding ways to escape the house, for one. Males fight, and both sexes spray urine. Intact cats vocalize a lot! Females go into heat for four to five days every three weeks during breeding season and during this time they yowl and urinate frequently, sometimes all over the house.
One of the advantages of Feline Fix by Five Months is that you prevent your cat from ever reaching sexual maturity and developing the habit of urine spraying. Once a cat starts spraying urine, it can be a very difficult behavior to change, even if you decide to spay her then.
For more information about urine spraying, read this post, Why do cats spray or mark with urine?
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Reasons For Neutering Female Cats
- Population control. It is important to neuter a female cat before she can have kittens herself. This happens very quickly depending on breed, time of year born and individual development. The first season usually occurs around six months but can be earlier. Queens can have up to three litters in a year.
- Control of nuisance. Female cats will call regularly, about every three weeks during sexually active times of the year if they do not get pregnant. Having entire female cats in an area will attract entire males with the attendant problems of spraying, fighting and caterwauling.
- Welfare issues. Unwanted kittens may not be cared for and are likely to suffer from various infectious diseases such as cat flu or worse. There are unlikely to be enough new homes available for them.
- Health issues. Female cats which are not neutered are more likely to suffer from pyometra later in life and with mammary tumours. Queens with infectious diseases may pass these on to their kittens. Pregnancy and birth are also not without risk.
- Wildlife issues. Cats with kittens will hunt more actively and if they are not being fed will need to catch more wildlife to feed their kittens.
How Does Castration Affect Behavior
The only behaviors affected by castration are those under the influenceof male hormones . A cats temperament, training, and personality are the result of genetics and upbringing, and are generally unaffected by the presence or absence of male hormones. Castration is unlikely to calm an overactive cat or decrease aggression toward people. Since the male brain is masculinized by the time the kitten is born, castration will reduce some, but not all of the sexually dimorphic male behaviors. If performed prior to sexual maturity castration will help to prevent the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as penile barbs, large jowls, and glands at the dorsal part of the cats tail.
“The only behaviors affected by castration are those under the influence of male hormones.”
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Why Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat
Simply put, neutered cats stay safer, tend to experience fewer health problems and dont produce unwanted kittens. Undesirable behaviours like spraying, nervousness, roaming, demanding behaviour and noisiness are reduced or eliminated even in adult cats.
Other reasons to neuter or spay include:
- Reduced fighting and straying
- Reduced risk of feline leukemia and feline AIDS
- Spayed female cats have a lower risk of uterine infection
- Spayed female cats develop mammary cancer less often
- Neutered cats develop hormonal imbalances less often