What If I Can’t Trap My Cat And I Miss My Appointment
Please email to cancel your appointment ASAP. In the future, we would recommend utilizing our standby option. Standby appointments are reserved spots for walk-ins, and the intent of the program is to allow for flexibility in scheduling because of the unpredictable nature of trapping free-roaming cats. Please read more about our standby option HERE.
When Should I Spay/neuter My Cat Or Kitten
In previous years, theres been a lot of debate on the proper timing of feline spays and neuters. So much so, that if you lined up 5 vets and asked them, you may get 5 different answers. This debate can lead to confusion and a reluctance to go ahead with the procedure. If you have previously owned a cat, the advice now is probably different from when you last asked.
A recent report by leading veterinarians has persuaded many governing veterinary bodies to call for neutering before 5 months of age. This is the time before kittens reach sexual maturity and holds the best chance of avoiding the problems listed above. For further reading on this, check out the Feline Fix by Five website.
Spay Or Neuter Recovery
While many cats can be brought back to their normal selves within ten minutes, dogs may take a little longer. Just like human surgery, the animal will experience some post-surgical discomfort.
Young animals will heal the quickest, but all pets will feel a bit groggy for the next couple days. At Affordable Animal Hospital, we will provide medications to minimize pain throughout the recovery process.
Complications include inflammation, infection, opening of the incision, swelling, and bleeding. For each of these issues, the experts at Affordable Animal Hospital are experts are rapid treatment.
During your pets recovery, your role is to maintain a close eye, washing carefully for changes in behavior or signs of distress. You must note the healing process and keep an eye on swelling or infection. Your dog or cat should be kept comfortable and confined for the first week.
Contact Affordable Animal Hospital immediately for any of the following:
- Your pet becomes very tired and does not snap back for two or more days
- The incision becomes abnormally swollen or discolored
- The stitches become undone for any reason
- Bleeding
- Difficulty urinating or defecating
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Benefits Of Neutering Your Male Cat
Population Control
While male cats don’t actually have kittens themselves, one unneutered male cat in your neighborhood can make many female cats pregnant. That’s why neutering male cats is as important as spaying females when it comes to population control!
Health Issues
Neutering your male cat may help slow the spread of serious cat diseases such as Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline leukemia virus that are often spread between cats during fights. Neutering can help to reduce cat aggression and may mean fewer injuries from fighting. Neutered males also tend to stay closer to home which helps to reduce their risk of being injured by vehicles.
Deter Undesirable Behaviors
Unneutered male cats typically spray inside the home more than neutered males and may be aggressive towards their owners. Having your male kitten neutered while young can help to prevent these behaviors from starting. Also, male cats who are not neutered, frequently roam over large areas in search of unspayed females to mate with. These males will spray to mark their territory and often fight with other male cats which can be bothersome, noisy, and smelly.
Can A Spayed Cat Get Pregnant Do They Show Symptoms Of Heat
It is not normal for your cat to show signs of heat after spay.
There are chances the something has gone wrong in the surgery or it is due to the internal system of your cat.
Your cat should not get pregnant after spay unless it already was pregnant when it was spayed.
To know more about why your cat shows symptoms of heat and pregnancy and to explore how you can deal with it, lets read the article further.
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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
Signs Of Heat In Cats
Unlike dogs, the female cat in heat does not have a vaginal discharge. Her signs are typically behavioral in nature. The more common signs an owner may notice is that she becomes unusually affectionate and quite vocal. She may urinate or spray in the house in an attempt to let local tomcats know she is receptive to mating. She also has a tendency to stick her rear in the air and wiggle her back end when she is petted. If a cat that has been spayed is exhibiting signs of being in heat, this could be an indication there are active estrogen hormones in her system. If you notice any signs of heat in your spayed cat, please speak with your veterinarian.
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Do Spayed/neutered Cats Still Go Into Heat
No. Since ovaries produce estrogen and ovaries are removed in the spaying process, a female cat cannot go into heat after being spayed. Neutered male cats may still be able to go into heat and even impregnate a female cat up to six weeks after their surgery, so itâs important to keep them away from other cats until they are completely healed. After itâs healed, a male cat cannot go into heat after neutering surgery.
Can You Spay A Cat With 6 Week Old Kittens
Answer: There is currently no research to suggest that spaying healthy kittens at 6 weeks old poses a greater risk than spaying kittens at 8 weeks old. By spaying and neutering at 6 weeks of age, we are able to place kittens into adopted homes even before the end of this critical socialization period.
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Whats Involved In The Cat Neutering Process
Both operations are carried out under general anaesthetic. Every surgical procedure has some risk but modern techniques are very safe.
Because it involves surgery, there will be some discomfort but cats are given drugs to control this and most of them are up and about just a few hours after theyve had their operation.
How Does Spaying Work
Spaying must be conducted by a vet or other qualified professional, and entails your cat undergoing an operation. It then prevents your female cat also called a queen from producing eggs which could be fertilised by a male cat, as well as stopping their body emitting sex hormones which attract males.
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What Are The Complications With Spaying A Cat
The Complications with spaying a cat are:
- There is always a potential that your cat will experience negative side effects after being spayed, just as there is with any form of invasive surgery. Some animals react badly to the anesthesia used in surgery, and significant problems, including death, can result.
- Infections might also develop at the surgical site. Infections will be treated with antibiotics, and keeping the operation site clean can help reduce infection risk.
- If your cat eats her sutures, a no-chew cone may be placed around her neck to prevent her from accessing the operation site until it heals completely.
How To Manage Your Cats Pain After Spay Surgery
Pain from inflammation can occur 5-7 days after spay surgery. Pain in cats is hard to detect since they do not respond to pain as humans do. Your veterinarian will provide you with any necessary pain relief medications.
Do not stop medications without direct approval from your veterinarian. Inflammation and pain can cause secondary complications, such as licking the incision and swelling around the surgery site.
Do not give your cat any over-the-counter pain medications or human pain medications. Many of these products can be highly toxic to your cat. If you are concerned about pain management, call your veterinarian for advice.
Most veterinarians do not send cats home with antibiotics, as an ovariohysterectomy is considered a sterile procedure. If significant bleeding is noted during surgery, or if your cat is older and/or currently in heat during the spay, antibiotics may be sent home to avoid infection.
Give your cat all prescribed antibiotics until they are completely gone. Do not stop the course of antibiotics even if your cat is feeling better or seems to be back to normal. A full course of antibiotics will prevent antibiotic resistance and ensure all harmful bacteria are eliminated.
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How Long Does The Surgery Take
A male cat neuter can be done in under 2 minutes!
A male dog neuter is generally five to twenty minutes, depending on his age and size at the time of neuter. A female cat spay is generally fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on her age and where she is in her heat cycle.
A female dog spay is generally twenty to ninety minutes, or longer, depending on her age, size, and if she is in heat.
*Female animals in heat can take a longer time because their reproductive tracts are much more fragile and hold more blood when they are in heat.
What Is The Right Age To Spay A Cat According To Santa Cruz Pet Clinic
Before we get into the right age to spay a cat. Its essential to know the entire reason behind doing so. Spaying your cat aids in reducing the number of homeless pets on the streets. So, in essence, spaying is a form of birth control. Spayed cats also exhibit different behaviors after the treatment.
In terms of overall benefits, spaying has been proven to extend the lifespan of cats. You also wont have to worry about your cat going into heat. The cost of caring for a kitten or a litter is way higher than the cost of spaying. Which is another main benefit of the procedure.
For most kittens, you should spay them at eight weeks old. Doing so provides a safeguard against any potential problems that could arise during the process. But, keep in mind cats can be spayed at older ages too.
When spaying older cats, you should always get them inspected before doing so. This will protect your cat from developing any potential medical problems as a result of the procedure.
Once the spaying process is complete, you need to care for your feline correctly.
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Will Neutering My Male Cat Stop Him From Spraying
- It is best to alter males before they reach five months of age, and before they start spraying or marking. Even if a cat has started spraying, neutering may help. It usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks for the hormones to subside after the neutering. Neutering helps prevent spraying, roaming and aggressive behavior.
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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What Can I Do To Make The Cat More Comfortable While In The Trap
First, start with a clean, sanitized, trap. This will prevent any lingering smells from stressing the cat you’re trapping. Before trapping the cat, line the bottom of the trap with newspaper or a towel so that the cat is not walking on exposed metal. Partially cover the trap with a blanket or towel so that the cat does not feel exposed to predators or the elements. Once the cat is trapped, it is important to keep the trap completely covered – this will keep the cat calmer.
Why Should I Have My Cat Spayed
It is recommended that all non-breeding cats be sterilized. Several health benefits are associated with spaying your cat. First, spaying eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers. Second, breast cancer is the number one type of cancer diagnosed in intact female cats. If your cat is spayed before her first heat cycle, there is less than ½ of 1% chance of developing breast cancer. With every subsequent heat cycle, the risk of developing breast cancer increases. After about 2½ years of age, ovariohysterectomy offers no protective benefit against developing breast cancer.
Unspayed female cats also carry the risk of developing pyometra a fatal condition of the uterus that requires surgery to treat.
Finally, cats with diabetes or epilepsy should be spayed to prevent hormonal changes that may interfere with medications.
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What Is A Colony Caretaker
A colony caretaker is someone that provides food, water and outdoor shelter for a colony of cats, making their lives a little easier. The caretaker also monitors the colony for any newcomers, and ensures any new cats are trapped, neutered, and returned. If you are feeding a colony of cats and need assistance with securing food, Bella’s Voice in Lynnwood operates a pet food bank – please visit their facility to apply.
I Have A Group Of Kittens Born From A Feral Mom That I Would Like To Rehome Where Can I Bring Them
We recommend getting all the kittens spayed/neutered before adoption. This will give them a better chance of being adopted, and will help stop the cycle that leads to overpopulation. Below is a list of organizations that you can reach out to about surrendering cats.
Please note, all shelters have different criteria and processes for taking pets in. We recommend calling or emailing any shelter before bringing a pet to them. Most operate on a by appointment only basis, and will not be able to admit a cat via a drop in.
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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.
Page last updated 22/03/2021
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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Are There Any Downsides To Spaying/neutering My Cat
You may have heard that early castration causes male cats to get cystitis, bladder blockages, or even orthopedic problems. Fortunately, there is no evidence to back up those claims.
Neutering does involve a short general anesthesia. This is low-risk in a young healthy cat. If its done before 5 months, the operation is quicker, and they recover faster.
A neutered cats metabolism will slow a bit. This may put your cat at risk for becoming overweight. Consult your vet for the best dietary advice. Great diets exist for young neutered pets to ensure they get the right nutrients and correct calorie intake.
Should You Spay Your Pregnant Cats
Spaying your cat leads to abortion if your cat is pregnant.
No one likes taking the lives of born or unborn. But the pragmatic reasons affect a lot.
Most of the animal shelters around spay the female cats that come even if they are pregnant.
Many rescue groups prevent the spaying of pregnant cats.
There is a major overpopulation problem of cats. Mainly caused because the cats are not spayed.
Unspayed cats keep getting pregnant by unneutered cats and those kittens would give birth to many more offspring so the process goes on.
Many groups are trying their best to control the overpopulation of cats.
There is no place to house enough cats, even after so many shelters there are many unsheltered cats.
They get severely injured, they die, etc. So to prevent this, cats are spayed.
The more cats spayed more is the overpopulation of cats prevented. Cats in poor health during pregnancy can suffer a lot and even die while giving birth.
Hence no matter how unfair spaying sounds it is one of the kindest acts.
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