Cat Spaying and Neutering - FAQs 1
Allison Baird, DVM
Pine Hollow Veterinary Services
What is cat neutering?
Neutering a cat is the process of removing the testicles so that they are unable to breed with other females.
What is spaying a cat?
The process of spaying a cat is slightly more difficult because it includes removing both ovaries and the entire uterus from a female cat to prevent breeding.
How does spaying or neutering impact the health and well-being of your cat?
Spaying and neutering will positively impact the health and well-being of your cats. For females, removing the ovaries and uterus prevents unwanted pregnancies, eliminates the possibility of pyometra (a deadly uterine infection), and removes the risk of ovarian cysts and tumors. For males, removing the testicles prevents issues with cancer or torsion, and decreasing testosterone can lead to better health benefits down the line.
How soon should you bring your cat in to see a veterinarian to get them spayed or neutered?
Typically, we spay and neuter cats around 6 months of age. However, we should start seeing them around 8 weeks of age to begin their vaccines. We usually have the conversation about spaying or neutering at the 6-month mark. It is also important to bring them in sooner for preoperative blood work and EKG to ensure they are safe for anesthesia during those procedures.
How will spaying or neutering affect my cat's behavior?
Spaying or neutering typically has a positive effect on behavior. For females, removing the ovaries stops the signs of heat, such as constant meowing, stretching, rubbing, and caterwauling. For males, removing testosterone keeps them closer to home and reduces fights with other tom cats, which leads to fewer abscesses, bite wounds, and decreases the spread of immunodeficiency viruses like feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
How should I care for my pet before and after spaying or neutering?
Before surgery, we typically want them fasted, so we suggest pulling their food by 10 PM or midnight the night before. They can have water up until then. The procedure is routine and short, usually requiring a half to a whole day in the clinic. After surgery, decrease their food intake immediately post-operatively as anesthetics slow the GI tract and can cause vomiting. They need to be kept rested for 7 to 10 days to allow the incisions to heal, and should not be allowed to lick the incisions, so a cone or a surgery suit might be needed. We always send them home with pain medication, but typically, cats heal quickly.
If you have any other questions, please give us a call at (814) 756-4441. You can also email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we are able. Don't forget to follow us on social media: Facebook and Instagram