Everything You Need To Know About Spaying Or Neutering Your Cat
What is cat neutering?
Cat neutering is the process where we remove the reproductive parts of a cat. In males, we remove their testes and in females, we remove their uterus and ovaries.
How does spaying or neutering impact the health and well-being of your cat?
Spaying and neutering your cat can help form a better relationship with your pet by removing hormonal factors that may cause aggression or spraying. It also significantly reduces the incidences of ovarian, uterine and testicular cancer in cats.
When should you bring your cat in to see the veterinarian and get them spayed or neutered?
We recommend bringing your pets in as early as possible. If for any reason you don’t get them until a little later in age, the earliest we recommend spaying and neutering is around six months of age, but it can be done at any time after that.
How are cat surgeries performed?
Cat surgeries are performed under anesthesia, meaning that your pet is going to be in la-la land and with good pain medication so that they don’t feel what’s going on. During this time, if it is a female cat, we will be using an abdominal incision to then find their uterus and their ovaries so that they can be removed. If it is a male cat, we will be removing their testes. Their testes are located on the outside of their body, so it is a lot quicker and a lot more simple procedure, but they still require anesthesia and good pain medication.
Will the spay or neuter be painful for my cat?
Just like any procedure, there is a little bit of pain associated with it. However, by maintaining them under anesthesia and utilizing good pain medication such as Zorbium, which is an opioid, and also Onsior, which is also a pain and anti-inflammatory medication, we thoroughly control their pain after surgery.
Are there any complications to a spay or neuter surgery?
Common complications that are associated with these surgeries are hemorrhage or excessive bleeding at the incision site, infection after the incision has been closed, that’s why it’s very important to make sure that your animal wears an e-collar after these surgeries, or possibly infection within the abdomen.
How long does a cat spay or neuter take?
On average, a cat neuter takes less than five minutes. When it comes to spaying a cat, we do have to go inside their tummy to get to their organs, so it does take a little bit longer, but on average it takes less than 15 minutes.
Can my cat get a microchip during their spay or neuter?
Of course! It’s the best time to get a microchip during anesthesia because your pet won’t feel what’s going on.
Why is spaying or neutering a cat so important?
Spaying and neutering your cat is very important because these organs can eventually develop cancer as the cats age. It is beneficial to remove these organs at an early age to prevent potential cancer development. Another key benefit is in female cats, they are predisposed to developing a condition called pyometra. Pyometra is a serious infection in their uterus that occurs every time they come into heat or every time their body cycles. This condition can be very life-threatening and sometimes you don’t realize it until it’s too late.
Shouldn't I let my cat have a litter before I spay her?
There are no medical benefits to allowing your cat to have a litter before she is spayed. As mentioned before, it is usually better to remove those organs before they start causing problems.
My cat sprays all over the house. Will neutering help?
Neutering can help with spraying as long as the kitten is young enough. We recommend neutering around six months of age. However, if your cat has been spraying the house for the last couple of years, that then becomes a learned behavior and the spraying may not resolve after we neuter him.
Will spaying or neutering make my cat less vocal?
It definitely can help make them less vocal. The reason your cat is vocal is because they are in heat or wanting to seek out a mate, and vocalizing helps them find that mate. By removing those organs and those hormones, she will no longer be coming into heat and vocalizing as much.
Will my veterinarian give me post-operative instructions?
Indeed, we want to make sure that owners are completely informed of their cat’s needs following a spay and neuter procedure. The discharge instructions commonly include potential complications, actions to take if these occur, and details about the pain medications, such as when to start. Additionally, any other relevant information regarding the surgery is shared.
How long is the recovery after my cat's spay or neuter?
Typical recovery times are usually about 10 to 14 days. The first few days after surgery are the most critical as the body begins to heal. It’s very important to keep your cat calm during this time.
Will my cat need pain medication at home after the spay or neuter?
Absolutely! We want to ensure that our cats are comfortable after their procedures. Regardless of the procedure’s duration, it is important that they remain content and pain-free. It has been observed that if you can control the pain at the time of surgery and within the next 24 to 48 hours, the chance of experiencing pain later significantly decreases.
Will my cat gain weight after a spay or neuter?
It is possible that your cat may gain weight after a spay or neuter, but this is not directly related to the procedure itself. We are removing organs that produce a lot of hormones and these hormones generally increase the cat’s energy levels. When these organs are removed, the cat may have less energy. Therefore, it’s crucial for you to monitor their activity levels and adjust their food quantity accordingly.
Will my cat's personality change after being spayed or neutered?
Generally, it’s uncommon for their personality to change after the spay or neuter. They may take some time to recover, but they usually do not become aggressive or frightened after these procedures.
Will my tomcat stop running away if I neuter him?
This depends on the situation. If the tomcat is young, neutering him early can help reduce his tendency to run away. However, if he is over a year old and has learned that running away helps him find females, this behavior is learned and we can’t always correct it.
Will my tomcat stop running away if I neuter him?
This depends on the situation. If the tomcat is young, neutering him early can help reduce his tendency to run away. However, if he is over a year old and has learned that running away helps him find females, this behavior is learned and we can’t always correct it.
If you still have other questions and you’d like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (765) 482-7387, or you can email us at [email protected].
But please do reach out, and we’ll get back to you as fast as we can.