Do you own a and wondering if you should get him neutered? Or, are you here because you aren’t sure about ? Not to worry. We’ve got you covered.
Cats are neutered to prevent unwanted breeding or if you a alone and don’t want them to indulge in any sexual behavior outside. However, this can be both good or bad depending on several factors.
In this post, you will learn about and the various factors associated with a pussycat.
What Is ?
is a medical term that refers to the of a , , or any other from indulging in the act of reproduction. in male cats, for instance, is known as , and in females, .
During , the testicles of the male feline are removed, which nullifies the primary source of the male reproducing hormone called testosterone. During , both the ovaries in the female feline and her uterus are removed, making her unable to conceive.
A can lead healthy life afterward if we follow all guidelines given by your .
How Is Performed?
The process takes place surgically and requires you to admit your feline friend to the ‘s clinic. The process is complex and can be done only by a qualified .
The veterinary experts shall run an examination of your feline friend, taking their blood on the day of or a day before to ascertain if they’re safe with .
If found normal, the sedates the feline with an injection to reduce any signs of anxiety or pain.
Next, they place an intravenous catheter on their leg. You may notice some clipped fur from the skin around their leg after the is done. Then the puts your pussycat under .
The hairy fur on their testicles is either removed or clipped off, and the area is sterilized for . You need not worry! Your feline friend will receive a testicular lidocaine block to reduce the pain.
Now, small incisions are made on the ‘s scrotum, and the exteriorizes the testicles through the incisions.
Once the testicle attachments are clamped and secured to prevent bleeding, then each of them is removed with the help of a scalpel blade or laser. Sounds painful? It is, which is why it is all done under sedation.
When there’s no more bleeding, the surgeon replaces the attachments into your pussycat’s body. After that, the incisions are left open, or the surgeon closes them using surgical glue. However, suture removal is not necessary.
Once it is all done, the surgeon injects a pain medication into your feline friend’s body. Your pussycat then wakes up as his recovery session begins.
This is usually conducted on an outpatient basis. Once the is completed, most cats get discharged from the hospital the same day. However, serious conditions may require you to keep your pussycat under observation in the hospital post-.
What Is The Difference Between And ?
During , the surgeon removes the sex glands from the . This means they remove the testicles from the males and the ovaries from the females. This is done to achieve sterility and the absence of unwanted sexual activity.
However, practicing sterilization only keeps the feline from fertility while they have normal sexual behavior. or is more drastic compared to . However, it has its own plus points too.
helps control coexistence and prevents diseases in females related to their uterus or breasts and in males related to the prostate. and are important to avid procreation when you cannot manage new litter.
Why Or ?
According to the ASPCA shelter intake and surrender statistics, 3.4million cats are surrendered to shelters each year, and each year only 1.4 million of them are euthanized. Only a few lucky ones are adopted. Others suffer from exposure, trauma, and starvation, or other diseases.
By or your , such sad occurrences can be prevented. or also prevents unwanted sexual behavior.
While for females, the instinctive howling in the heat can be eliminated after . All in all, cats with intact sexual behavior are more prone to being left at the shelter.
Is Painful For A ?
is a pursued in cats and is painful. However, thanks to the modern pain medications and the widened study of pain control in cats, most felines now experience lesser discomfort post-.
The surgeon lists down a few recovery tips and recommendations, following which your should soon be pain-free from the . The recommendations include administering pain medication even after your pussycat is free from pain as a precautionary measure.
It is vital to look after your after any surgical treatment. Animals, like humans, take time to recover after a painful treatment.
How To Care For Cats After ?
involves pain, infection, dehiscence (opening the surgical area), and excessive bleeding. These can cause scrotal hematoma and fill the scrotum with blood. As you can weigh the risk of the problems, it’s quite heavy!
Since needs , it all becomes riskier to the health. This is why a blood test and a whole-body check-up are essential for safety processes before even moving ahead with .
After the has been conducted, lookout for any signs of infection. The symptoms could be swelling, redness, heat, odor, or discharge from the surgical site. If any signs are evident, you should immediately seek help from the .
You can only minimize the aftereffects of if you precisely follow the ‘s instructions. However, it is important to prevent your feline friend from licking its wound. You can place a cone or a non-bite collar around them for the post- period.
The post- long-term risk for felines is obesity. Neutered cats have low metabolism and activity levels. This is because of the lack of testosterone. This is why you should prevent your feline friend from eating more than required and unhealthy weight gain.
Engage your pussycat in regular play and control their weight and activity levels and try to elevate their happiness.
Recovery From
Here are the steps how you can help your minimize the after-effects of :
- Keep your feline friend indoors and away from other animals, at least for the recommended recovery period.
- Limit their running and jumping activities. You can use a cone, tie an old shirt around their body, or similar methods.
- Always check their incision to ensure proper healing. If you notice any kind of redness, swelling, or discharge, or odor, call the immediately.
- Avoid bathing your for a minimum of 10 days after .
- Call the even when you notice your feline is uncomfortable, lethargic, eating less, vomits, or has diarrhea.
When To Or Your ?
This is a controversial matter of discussion among experienced veterinarians. The possibilities are narrowed down to three options:
- Early or pediatric or (6-8 weeks of age)
- Standard or (5-6 months of age)
- After the first heat (8-12 months of age)
However, it is best recommended to your pussycats around five months of age. Around this time, the felines develop good size, and the owners are getting along with them. The has more chances of being safe.
can be problematic given that new owners won’t be willing to perform the or couldn’t take care of their felines well during recovery. Or, maybe they’re open to litters.
However, the offsprings contribute to overpopulation and, eventually, euthanizing unwanted and sick felines in shelters.
It is important to understand that or your feline friend draws them immense health benefits regardless of their sex.
Benefits Of
Several benefits are welcomed with . Here are a few of them:
- prevents unwanted litter.
- Female felines no longer go through troubling behavior, and males are likely to lessen their mark and cry wanting to mate with a female.
- reduces roaming or fighting of cats compared to unneutered felines.
- Adorable little pussycats can feel more homely and stress-free with that they may not have felt in the presence of dominance and territory marking.
Disadvantages Of
However, also has a few drawbacks that some cats may experience, although not all of them.
- can decrease the metabolism in cats.
- Felines may become obese, leading to other diseases like urinary tract issues, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
These are why you should follow the precisely to take care of your pussycat during the recovery period. Ensure to feed them only with specially adapted food meant for neutered, spayed, or indoor cats.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to neuter a cat and the importance of neutering your feline friend. If you plan to go ahead with your pussycat, know that it is a major step but an important one.
However, it also revolves around the question of whether or not you want to litter. If you do, then you should give a second thought.
But make sure to take meticulous care of your feline friend if they go through . It is seriously painful, but with your love and care, you can minimize the pain.