Cat castration is a safe and routine procedure. What is cat neutering and when is the earliest treatment possible? Read about the preparation, handling and care of your cat after castration.

Cat castrationis a procedure that deprives the animal of its ability to reproduce. Due to the overpopulation of cats, overcrowded shelters and the constantly increasing number of homeless animals - pet owners should consider the decision to castrate a cat. Preventing the excessive reproduction of animals is an expression of responsibility and awareness of the owner. However, these are not all the advantages of the procedure: castration also has a positive effect on the quality of life of the castrated animal, and indirectly - and its owner.

There are no very accurate statistics assessing the cat population in our country, but estimates are about seven, perhaps even eight million. It is a huge number, interestingly Polish - families more and more often decide to have a cat. We can meet him in every third Polish home. The number of these quadrupeds is growing the fastest and may soon overtake the number of dogs. The reason is not only the love of the owners for this animal species. It is also about the lack of control over the reproduction of cats. It is worth mentioning here that a he althy female cat of reproductive age can enter the period of estrus up to four times a year, which means that it can give birth to several kittens each year. This means that we are witnessing a huge increase in the cat population, unfortunately also the homeless ones, thrown out by irresponsible owners.

Cat castration - what is this procedure?

Cat castration involves the excision of the gonads, or testicles (as opposed to sterilization, which only involves ligating the vas deferens), which results in permanent infertility. Castration is a surgical procedure performed under anesthesia in a veterinary office.

Cat castration - he alth benefits

Castration has a positive effect on the cat's he alth. It prevents the occurrence of malignant tumors of the testicles - their absence means that there is no risk of diseases of these organs, i.e. testicular inflammation, epididymitis, hematomas and injuries.

Research also shows that males live twice as long after castration. Cat owners will be pleased that castration has a beneficial effectalso on the behavior of the animal. In the case of behavioral disorders caused by high testosterone levels, castration is used to eliminate aggressive behavior. Especially when the procedure is carried out on a young animal, the cat becomes gentler after it. The testosterone concentration drops, and therefore the sex drive, which is responsible for fighting other cats for a female. So gradually you can forget about cat escaping after a cat and cat's music, especially in early spring, when the day starts to arrive and the females start heat.

The advantage of castration is to reduce the risk of spreading feline diseases such as FIV, which a he althy cat can become infected during mating, or rabies and infectious anemia that spreads through contact with blood, for example when fighting with another male.

A possible, though not 100% certain, effect of castration may be that the cat loses the importance of the area. However, observations show that the smell of urine certainly becomes less intense. This may make the decision to take in the cat easier, because the future owners are often concerned about the inconvenience associated with peeing - this can be avoided especially when we castrate a young cat.

Important

Do cats gain weight after castration?

Cat owners are often concerned that their pet will become obese after castration or that they will suffer from urinary tract diseases. More and more research proves that castration is not associated with such predispositions. After the procedure, cats gain weight in the same way as those who are not neutered due to overeating and little exercise, while their urinary tract is as vulnerable to infections as in cats capable of reproducing.

Cat castration - age

Doctors recommend that you castrate as early as possible. In the case of males, it is worth taking care of it before they reach sexual maturity, i.e. at the age of 6-8 months. It is worth mentioning here that early castration does not inhibit the growth of cats, as in the case of dogs ( although it may slow it down, i.e. prolong it over time). That is why males after the procedure are as big as their siblings who have not been castrated. However, you should be aware that castrated cats grow slower ( although some of my 6 kg dragons before their first year of age do not quite fit into this pattern), and being aware of this, it is all the more necessary to take care of adequate nutrition and patiently wait for their growth.

The proportion of cats with smaller / larger heads, smaller / larger sizes, etc., is similar in all groups of cats, including those not castrated, neutered as adults, and neutered early.

Cat castration - preparation for the procedure

  1. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, so it is worth making sure that the animal's he alth condition allows it to be performed.
  2. Direct preparation involves a visit to the vet to assess whether there are any contraindications.
  3. Generally, the treatment should be performed on a he althy animal.
  4. If a cat is qualified for castration, it should be subjected to a fast for several hours. Young cats, due to their faster metabolism, may undergo a six-hour fast, older cats - even twelve hours.

Cat castration - the course of the procedure

After the administration of anesthesia, hair is removed from the scrotum area. The testicles are then accessed through an incision. The entire procedure takes literally a dozen or so minutes, usually no sutures are even applied, because the wound heals very quickly. After waking up, mainly painkillers and an antibiotic are administered.

Sometimes, if a tomcat is very interested in a wound and has a tendency to lick it, consider a neck collar so that the cat does not have access to the cut site.

Cat castration - care after treatment

The cat convalesces very quickly. During the first 24 hours, the anesthesia used during the operation may still influence the pet's behavior.

Problems with coordination, lethargy, are normal postoperative symptoms. During anesthesia, the animal's body temperature decreases, so after the procedure, it is necessary to provide it with a warm room, place it close to a radiator or cover it with a blanket.

Until the cat is fully awake, it shouldn't be fed. This can cause swallowing problems and even choking. In cats after castration, the need for calories increases, and the appetite grows sharply, which can be noticed practically immediately after the treatment, even in the first 48 hours. Therefore, it is said that the greatest danger for castrated cats is overweight and obesity. The owner must have great willpower not to give in to the pet's requests for food.

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Pets