When Can Kittens Be Spayed

Spaying Vs Neutering: Understanding The Difference

Female cats are spayed while male cats are neutered . Both elective procedures entail removing the cats’ reproductive organs: the ovaries and uterus for females, and the testicles for the males. The cats are under anesthesia during the surgery.

Getting your cats spayed or neutered does more than help prevent an unplanned litter of kittens. The surgeries can actually lead to longer life expectancies for both cats and dogs. Bierbrier points out that spaying cats can help eliminate the risk of urinary tract infections and lessen the chances of malignant breast tumors.

Spaying and neutering also helps cut down on the homeless pet population, she says. Pregnancies lead to more kittens being surrendered to shelters, and some of those cats might be euthanized if they can’t find a home.

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Do Kittens Change After Being Neutered

Pet parents may be concerned that after spaying or neutering, their kittens behavior will change, losing playful, outgoing qualities theyve come to know and love. Vets havent noticed these types of changes. That said, the procedure can reduce less wanted behaviors, including:

Its important to note that experts say its not a cure-all for behavioral issues, and it may take longer to notice changes in an older cat.

Pros & Cons Of Spaying & Neutering Cats

Its time to start thinking about spaying or neutering your cat. But, you are not quite sure if it is the right thing to do. If youre wondering whether you should just leave your cat as nature intended, consider the positive and negative aspects of spaying and neutering before making your decision.

Spaying The Positive Side

Spaying removes the risk of pregnancy.

Pet overpopulation is a serious problem and by allowing your cat to have litters, you are adding to the problem. Finding homes for your new family additions is not as easy as you may think. Even if you choose to keep the kittens, you will have the additional cost of vaccines, parasite control, toys and food for several pets. In addition to costs, the health of the mother can be in jeopardy during delivery. Some new mothers can have serious complications delivering kittens and can even develop health problems during nursing. All these potential problems can be avoided by spaying your cat.

Spaying makes for a calmer cat.

Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and wont be prone to cat calls and the incessant need to seek out a mate. The spayed pet no longer attracts males and their annoying advances and serenades. Spayed cats are also easier to get along with. They tend to be more gentle and affectionate.

Spaying keeps your cat healthier.

Spaying The Negative Side

Spaying may cause weight gain.

Neutering The Positive Side

Neutering removes the risk of pregnancy.

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Getting Your Female Cat Spayed

To stop your female cat from having kittens, she’ll need to have a simple operation known as ‘spaying’ before she turns four months old. This is also known as ‘fixing’, ‘neutering’ or ‘being done’.

When your cat is about four months old, she’ll start to attract the attention of tomcats, who’ll want to mate with her. This is why it’s important to have her spayed before she reaches four months, so she doesn’t get pregnant while she’s still a kitten herself.

You may have heard that it’s good for female cats to have a litter of kittens before they are spayed, but this isn’t true. Once she’s been spayed, your kitten will be able to do all the things cats enjoy doing, like going outdoors, climbing trees and playing.

The Benefits Of Getting Your Female Cat Spayed

One female cat and her progeny are thought to be capable of producing up to 420,000 kittens in just seven years. A major factor in reducing the number of unwanted kittens in your neighborhood is having your female cat fixed.

Looking past the prevention of unwanted kittens, having your female cat spayed has a handful of health benefits. For example, there’s less risk of your cat developing malignant mammary tumors later in life if she is spayed before her first heat cycle.

Spaying can also help keep your cat from developing an infection of the uterus, and developing cancers of the reproductive organs.

Spaying might also help eliminate several unwanted female cat behaviors such as heat-induced howling, increased and overly intense affection, intense rubbing on objects, marking territory with urine, and the desire to wander.

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Early Spay/neuter In Animal Shelters

Ensuring that all cats are spayed or neutered before adoption eliminates the risk of adopted animals producing more kittens. Many shelters will not spay/neuter kittens that weigh less than 2 pounds or are younger than 8 weeks other shelters, however, will do so provided that the kittens are healthy, active, and in good body condition .

Figure 2. Pediatric patient undergoing spay.

What Are The Benefits Of Spaying Your Female Cat

It’s estimated that in as little as seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce approximately 420,000 kittens. Having your female cat fixed can make a big contribution toward lowering the number of unwanted kittens living in your community.

Looking past the prevention of unwanted kittens, having your female cat spayed has a handful of health benefits. For example, there’s less risk of your cat developing malignant mammary tumors later in life if she is spayed before her first heat cycle.

Spaying can also help keep your cat from developing an infection of the uterus, and developing cancers of the reproductive organs.

Spaying might also help eliminate several unwanted female cat behaviors such as heat-induced howling, increased and overly intense affection, intense rubbing on objects, marking territory with urine, and the desire to wander.

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Should I Have My Cat Spayed

So, I have female cat who is about 3 years old and isn’t neutered. On Sunday she managed to escape the house for about 5~6 hours and during this time we didn’t really hear anything or see anything and she came back afterwards by herself . She is still in heat and wanting to leave the house. I’m deeply scared that she may have gotten pregnant during this time but I guess there’s no way to be sure for now.

Because of this, I was thinking about whether it would be a good idea to have her spayed next week or the one after that, in order to prevent or interrupt an accidental pregnancy, but I’m not aware if there are any great risks or if a vet would accept to perform this sort of operation.

We really can’t have these potential kittens at home when they grow up and the idea of finding a responsible owner sounds really hard where I live.

What do you guys think about this situation and should I have her spayed?

Thanks in advance and sorry for any English mistakes!

Does Spaying Cause A Cat To Gain Weight

Spaying a cat does may their metabolism to slow down slightly. As a result, spayed cats are more at risk of gaining weight. However, you can help keep your cat healthy by making adjustments to their diet if required and introducing more activity and exercise into their daily routine to prevent obesity.

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Can You Spay A Cat In Heat

Spaying a cat while theyre in heat is not ideal because during this time the blood vessels in their ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes become enlarged. This can make surgery more difficult and your cats recovery time longer. However, some veterinarians will still spay cats in heat although they may charge more for the surgery.

Why Should I Get My Cat Neutered

There are lots of reasons why its a good idea. Heres just a few:

For male cats:

• Neutering reduces their chance of catching feline immunodeficiency virus , an incurable disease similar to HIV in humans which is spread by saliva usually from bite wounds during fights.
• Unneutered cats that are confined can become frustrated and may try any escape route including out of your top floor window.
• Neutering cats reduces their urge to roam and fight so theyre less likely to go missing, get hit by cars, or get hurt.

For female cats:

• Spaying cats, especially if its done when theyre young, greatly reduces the risk of them getting breast cancer and infection of the womb . Both of these can be fatal.
• Pregnancy and birth can carry significant risks to a cat.

For you:

• A female cat can produce up to six kittens, three times a year. Thats a lot of mouths to feed.
• It can be very stressful trying to make sure your cat doesnt get pregnant and, if she does, youve got the worry of caring for her through her pregnancy, birth and the rearing of her litter. And thats before the challenge of finding good homes for the kittens.
• Female cats that arent spayed often come into season over and over again, which means they can be almost continuously in heat. This can be exhausting and usually attracts a queue of amorous and vocal tomcats to the house.
• Unneutered male cats tend to urine-mark their territory, including your house, with a powerful and unpleasant scented urine.

For cat-kind:

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When Is The Best Time To Spay Or Neuter A Kitten

Various people have different ideas about the best time to neuter or spay your cat. Standard spay and neuter procedures are typically carried out at around five to six months of age, whereas early or pediatric procedures are typically performed at about six to eight weeks of age. However, if your cat is healthy, these procedures can be done at any point in their life. Therefore, it is never too late to spay or neuter your cat even healthy cats who are in their teens can undergo this procedure without risk.

As kittens can start reproducing when they are as young as 4 to 6 months of age you might want to have your kitty ‘fixed’ before they reach puberty, or have their first heat cycle to prevent accidental pregnancy or certain health conditions.

It’s always best to talk to your veterinarian so they can inform you when the best time is to have your kitten spayed/ neutered.

What Does Neutering And Spaying Mean

During a neutering procedure, your cats sexual reproductive organs are removed. Neutering prevents unplanned pregnancies from happening, and it also stops a lot of undesirable tomcat and intact queen behaviour spraying, calling and anxiousness, for example. After theyre neutered, cats are often more affectionate, less restless and less prone to roam.

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Best Age To Neuter A Cat: Everything You Need To Know

Neutering or spaying your kitten can help solve a lot of behavioral issues in cats. These can include territoriality and aggression. Feline sterilization can also help curb the incidence of disease while controlling the population of cats. Though there are a growing number of cat parents who recognize the need for neutering their pets, one question remains. At what age should they have their kittens or cats neutered or spayed?

What Is The Best Age To Spay A Kitten & When Is It Too Late To Neuter A Cat

Getting your kitten spayed or neutered not only prevents the birth of unwanted litters of kittens, these common veterinary surgeries can also help to protect your cat against some serious health conditions. Today, our Davidson County vets discuss the best age to have your kitten fixed as well as the benefits of having your cat spayed or neutered.

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When Can A Kitten Be Spayed

If you have been reading my development series, then you have been following along to the different stages of a kittens life. At this point, you have gotten through week two all the way through week eight, You learned how to bottle feed a kitten, how to ween a kitten onto solid food, and when a kitten can leave their mother.

You may be asking what the next steps would be? Well the next thing I have noticed a lot of people asking is when they can spay or neuter their new kitten?

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.

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Does It Matter What Age You Neuter Your Kitten

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Why Spay/neuter Is So Important For Cats

While there might be some differing opinions about the proper age to spay or neuter your cat, theres no disputing that its one of the most responsible things a pet owner can do, not only for the life of a pet, but also to reduce pet overpopulation. Too often, we view spaying and neutering through our own eyes, and how it might affect us, and assume that our pets would look at it the same way. As Coates puts it, physiologically and behaviorally speaking, cats are made to reproduce as frequently as possible. Obviously, we have to put a stop to that. I think it is more humane to surgically eliminate the desire to mate than to block mating but leave the urge intact.

Of course no medical or surgical procedure is without risk, she adds. For instance, neutered male cats are at higher risk for developing urinary blockages, and cats who have been spayed or neutered do have a tendency to gain weight if their diets arent adjusted accordingly. Owners should always talk to their own veterinarian about what is best for their particular pet, but the benefits of spay/neuter almost always outweigh the risks.

It is our responsibility to take care of our pets to the best of our ability, Denish says. They live in our world, our homes and interact with our family and other pets. That means that if spaying/neutering is beneficial, it should be done at any safe time.

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What Happens During Spay Surgery

• Surgery takes place in a sterile environment, such as an operating room
• Your cat receives general anesthesia
• A small incision is made in the cats abdomen
• The ovaries and uterus are removed
• Blood vessels are clamped and tied to prevent bleeding
• The veterinarian closes the incision with surgical glue or sutures

Should You Get Your Cat Fixed

About 3.2 million cats arrive at US animal shelters annually, according to the ASPCA .

Spaying or neutering your cat is the absolute best way to help reduce the number of unwanted cats in the Baltimore area.

That said, the benefits of spaying and neutering your pet don’t stop at controlling the population. Having your kitten fixed can help to curb many undesirable cat behaviors and help to reduce the risk of your cat developing numerous serious health issues.

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Learn About Potential Complications

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Did your cat go into heat before you had a chance to have her spayed? Perhaps she was an early bloomer and the onset of estrus was a surprise to you. Or, maybe you waited longer than ideal to schedule the surgery. Either way, if you want to avoid an accidental pregnancy, you will need to have your cat spayed soon. Can a cat be spayed while she is in heat? The short answer is yes. However, it is not an ideal situation.

How Much Does A Kitten Have To Weigh To Be Spayed

The other two, early versus standard.

A lot of times shelters will spay kittens as early as eight weeks.

This allows them to be spayed prior to adoption and still be adopted as early as possible.

I would only recommend this option for shelters. Lets face it, most people want young kittens.

And if spaying kittens early allows more to be adopted, then I am for it.

However, if you COULD wait! I would always recommend waiting until about five to six months. They are old enough to know their owners and begin to trust them.

This age is also far enough away from the first time they go into heat.

You want your kitten to be large enough and healthy enough for the surgery, but not so old that they have to go through heat a few times.

So, in my opinion, the best time to spay and neuter your kitten would be between five and six months!

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Spaying A Cat: Everything You Need To Know

Written bySmall Door’s medical experts

Making the decision to spay your cat can bring up lots of questions. What are the advantages of spaying your cat? When is the best time to spay? How do you care for your cat once shes been spayed? In this article, well discuss what you need to know to make this decision, as well as what you can do to prepare for your cats spaying.

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