If you haven’t already had your cat neutered you should seriously consider it. South Africa is overrun with stray cats. And it’s not too surprising when you consider that a female cat can produce up to 15-20 kittens a year! Sadly most of them end up in shelters or on the street and if they are not adopted, they are either put to sleep or die from trauma, starvation or exposure to the elements. But that aside, there are also very real health and behaviour benefits to neutering too!
There is some debate about the best time to have a cat neutered. Most vets recommend neutering at six to eight months, before your cat reaches sexual maturity. Ask your own vet what he or she recommends for your cat.
Benefits of neutering
Neutering makes ovarian & testicular cancer impossible and also dramatically reduces the risk of cervical cancer.
Plus it will also eliminate a number of behaviours that you may find undesirable. A female that hasn’t been neutered will go into heat around three to four times a year. During this time she may meow constantly or try to get out of the house. And when a female goes into a heat several times without mating she may develop problems like depression, anorexia, diarrhoea and vomiting. Neutering will eliminate all such behaviours.
Neutered male cats are far less territorial, will rarely spray urine to mark their territory, and their urine will not smell nearly as strong. If you have two male cats, neutering them will dramatically reduce the amount they fight. In fact, neutered cats are generally much more docile and easier to handle.
The operation
Preparing for the actual procedure is the same for both genders. You should not feed your cat for about 12 hours before the surgery.
The cat is put under a general anaesthetic and hooked up to monitoring equipment to make sure there are no complications. Then an incision is made and the ovaries and sometimes the uterus or testicles are removed. The incision is then closed with stitches that may be hidden inside.
Because a larger incision is needed for a female cat may need to stay at the clinic for a day or two while male cats generally go home the same day.
Afterwards
Cats generally recover very quickly from this simple procedure, and within a week or two the vet will remove the stitches.
During her recuperation make sure she has plenty of water, clean bedding and a chance to relax in a calming environment . All you’ll need to do is keep an eye on the wound to ensure there are no signs of swelling, tearing, bleeding or discharge. If any of these symptoms appear, inform your vet immediately.
Gaining Weight
After neutering, a cat's hormonal balance changes, causing the metabolism to slow down, this makes the cat prone to weight gain. If you start to see your cat pick up weight try Hill's™ Science Plan™ Light which contains just the right amount of calories for neutered cats.