Cat Neutering

Neutering, or orchiectomy in medical terms, is probably the most common surgical method performed for sterilization of male cats. The sterilizing procedure is referred to as spraying, when conducted in female cats. For all cat breeds, neutering is a wise step towards making a more obedient pet with less objectionable or aggressive behavior. However, similar to any surgical procedure, there are both pros and cons of cat neutering, which pet owners should be aware of before they consider this sterilization procedure for their pets.

Cat Neutering: An Overview

In the present scenario, you will find majority of the rescue groups and animal centers insisting pet owners to let their cats neutered or sprayed before they enter puberty or attain sexual maturity. It is because of this increasing interest in cat neutering that there are very few homeless or unwanted kittens. Discussed below are some of the facts pertaining to cat neutering that you would prefer learning.

Cat Neutering Procedure
In a cat neutering procedure, the testicles or reproductive organs are removed permanently. As a preparation step, the cat is allowed to fast overnight prior to the surgery. During the fasting period, you can provide water. But, usually water is also restricted in the morning. This pre-surgery fast is essential to minimize the risk of aspiration (or vomiting) during the neutering procedure.

Once in the veterinary clinic, the vet may consider screening the cat and performing blood work for any health conditions. If everything goes well, then the cat is given general anesthesia and then, positioned on its back or side. A small incision is made on the scrotal area after disinfecting and shaving the fur. Following this, the scrotum is opened and the testicles are exposed. The vas deferens or cords are tied together to minimize bleeding and the testicles are excised. This is how cat neutering procedure is performed.

Cat Neutering Aftercare
The incision site is relatively very small, thus require short or no stitching. The vet may spray antibiotics at the cut scrotal portion to avoid infection. Immediately after the procedure, the cat may feel nauseated and vomit. These symptoms are quite normal and will subside gradually with proper cat care tips. In order to minimize post surgery pain symptoms, pain killers are advocated to the cat. During the cat neutering recovery period, the incision or suture site should be kept clean. Also, ensure that you feed your pet frequently in small servings.

Cat Neutering Benefits
Neutering a cat not only minimizes pregnancy risk and overpopulation, but it also helps in several other aspects. For example, a neutered cat hardly roams, fights or leaves urine markings, which are all behavior of an untreated male cat. Also, with neutering, your cat will remain healthy with minimal medical problems such as scrotum cancer and prostate cancer. According to veterinarians, neutered cats make more healthier pets than un-neutered ones.

Cat Neutering Side Effects
Cat neutering complications are negligible, out of which the most obvious negative effect is unable to reproduce afterwards. Also, it is non reversible, meaning if you have your cat neutered, the procedure cannot be reversed. Another side effect of cat neutering is the increased risk of becoming overweight. Thus, we have seen that the benefits of cat neutering far outweigh its side effects.

Cat neutering is mostly conducted when the pet cat turns 4 - 6 months old (before puberty). By doing so, you can prevent development of secondary sex characteristics. If performed after puberty, the cat will still develop a muscular body, facial shields and spines in the penis. On an average, cat neutering cost is about USD 60 - 70. In case, budget is a main issue for cat neutering, you can do a little research and gather information regarding veterinary clinics that conduct fixing at a minimal cost, as low as USD 15 - 25 per surgery.