Why Is Spaying Cats Crucial
Spaying cats is crucial to keeping your cat healthy and reducing the population of kittens. According to AmericanHumane.org, approximately 3.7 million cats are put down at shelters each year due to a lack of willing and able adopters.
Spaying a cat refers to an ovariohysterectomy, which is the removal of parts of a female cats reproductive system to prevent her from becoming pregnant and giving birth to kittens.
Cat spaying is a surgical procedure that can only be performed correctly and safely by a veterinary surgeon.
Spaying a cat is a routine surgical procedure that carries a low risk of serious medical complications.
Unless your cat is purebred, there is no reason to continue allowing her to have kittens.
The reality is that, despite efforts to educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering pets, there is still a significant pet overpopulation problem in the United States.
Because kittens are so popular, most people will end up adopting kittens rather than adult cats.
This leaves the adult cats without homes and at risk of being put down. The greater the number of kittens available, the greater the risk of putting them down for adult cats.
Its best to have a female cat spayed after shes had kittens and weaned them. By the age of four months, all kittens should be neutered or spayed.
According to AmericanHumane.org, shelters put down around 3.7 million animals each year owing to a shortage of willing and able adopters.
Does Spaying Cause A Cat To Gain Weight
Spaying a cat does may their metabolism to slow down slightly. As a result, spayed cats are more at risk of gaining weight. However, you can help keep your cat healthy by making adjustments to their diet if required and introducing more activity and exercise into their daily routine to prevent obesity.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Spaying A Cat
Ans. Spaying your cat also has a number of health benefits. Female cats who have been spayed are roughly 40% to 60% less likely to develop mammary cancer than cats who have not been spayed. Spaying also removes the risk of developing tumors in the reproductive system as well as the risk of infection in the reproductive tract. Feline leukemia and feline AIDS are more common in cats who mate or fight . Both of these diseases are only found in cats and are, sadly, incurable. Your cats risk of developing either of these diseases is greatly reduced when they are spayed.
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Is It Normal For A Cat To Hide After Being Spayed
No, it is not normal for your cat to hide after she is spayed because hiding is a hint to let you know that something is wrong with her.
Anesthesia effects may last after the surgery, and as a result, she may feel lazy or lethargic and would want to avoid any distractions. This can trigger him into going into hiding.
Expect to witness a cat coming out of anesthesia that is sleepy and possibly a little confused. Some felines become more aggressive when theyre hurt and feel exposed. Therefore, it is advised that you give her a cozy place to recuperate.
Make sure she has easy access to a litter box, water, and food. Your veterinarian will recommend the quantity, which is often half of her usual dish. For the first several days, handle your cat gently as she may be tender around the incision.
While your cat is healing from the procedure, you might anticipate some strange behavior from her, but specialists guarantee that her nature will not change.
Many cats may find going to the vet and having surgery to be terrifying and distressing. So a few days later, your cat may exhibit shy or repulsive behavior.
You can encourage her by giving her soft pet attention and providing a warm, quiet place for recuperation because this transformation is just temporary.
Behavior changes that occur right away after a spay are primarily a result of the procedure itself.
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Reasons For Neutering And Spaying Cats
Unless your cat is a purebred, there is no legitimate reason to allow her to continue having kittens. The reality is that although it has been improved by educating the public on the importance of spaying and neutering pets, there is still a major pet overpopulation problem in the United States.
Since kittens are so popular, the majority of people will end up adopting kittens instead of adult cats. This leaves the adult cats behind without homes and at risk of euthanasia. The more kittens that are available, the greater the risk of euthanasia to adult cats.
Once she’s had kittens and had weaned them, it’s best to get a female cat spayed. All kittens should be neutered or spayed by the age of four months. Note that kittens can and will mate with their littermates when they become sexually mature. It’s best to make sure they are sterilized well before then. It can be very dangerous for young cats to become pregnant.
Spaying or neutering means your cats will be happier and will make better pets in the long run.
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Do Cats Bleed While In Heat
No, cats shouldn’t bleed when in heat. If that, or anything else odd or worrisome happens, contact your veterinarian.
Vahrenwald says that unless you want kittens, you should keep your cat insideaway from potential matesduring her heat cycle. But her best recommendation is to spay your cat and avoid heat cycles all together.
Why Is My Kitten Trying To Nurse On Spayed Cat
Your kitties might nurse from a spayed mother cat as an act of comfort.
It may be mutually reassuring for them, and the likelihood that they will feel this way about one another increases if they are close friends and have spent a lot of time together.
This behavior is more common in homes where a kitten has been introduced to an adult spayed cat.
Even though a cat has been sterilized and has never given birth, pseudopregnancy can happen when it is nursing. Their bodies are producing too many hormones, which is the cause of this.
Make sure they dont nurse on any socks or toys because this activity lengthens the pseudopregnancy.
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What Age Can Cats Be Neutered
Cats become sexually mature from the age of around five months. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, its recommended that cats are neutered at around four months old, after they have completed their primary vaccinations. Some vets still recommend spaying at five or six months and its quite safe to neuter older cats.
How Much Does A Kitten Have To Weigh To Be Spayed
The other two, early versus standard.
A lot of times shelters will spay kittens as early as eight weeks.
This allows them to be spayed prior to adoption and still be adopted as early as possible.
I would only recommend this option for shelters. Lets face it, most people want young kittens.
And if spaying kittens early allows more to be adopted, then I am for it.
However, if you COULD wait! I would always recommend waiting until about five to six months. They are old enough to know their owners and begin to trust them.
This age is also far enough away from the first time they go into heat.
You want your kitten to be large enough and healthy enough for the surgery, but not so old that they have to go through heat a few times.
So, in my opinion, the best time to spay and neuter your kitten would be between five and six months!
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What Can I Expect Regarding Recovery Period/incision Care
One of the advantages of keeping cats overnight after spaying is that they usually go bouncing out of the hospital as if nothing has happened. Some cats will not eat for the first day or so but if the cat does not seem back to normal by the day following discharge, veterinarians would like to know about it.
Cats discharged on the same day as surgery may experience more soreness if not confined to a small area. Food and water are generally withheld until the next day or late that night and the cat should be kept quiet and not allowed outside. Cats should not be discharged while still groggy in any way from anesthesia as they are a danger to themselves and to their human handlers. Additional pain medication may be prescribed.
Later in the recovery period, it is not unusual to notice swelling at the incision site. Cats often react this way to internal sutures and this kind of swelling is common and resolves spontaneously. Such swellings are firm and there is no fluid drainage or bleeding from the incision. They generally resolve in 3 to 4 weeks and are a reaction to the dissolving of internal stitches. That said, it is prudent for any incisional swelling to be checked out. If the cat has been overly active, she can break internal stitches, which could be a problem.
Any fluid drainage from the incision is abnormal and if possible the cat should be rechecked by the veterinarian who performed the spay.
Benefits Of Neutering Your Male Cat
Population Control
While male cats don’t actually have kittens themselves, one unneutered male cat in your neighborhood can make many female cats pregnant. That’s why neutering male cats is as important as spaying females when it comes to population control!
Health Issues
Neutering your male cat may help slow the spread of serious cat diseases such as Feline immunodeficiency virus and Feline leukemia virus that are often spread between cats during fights. Neutering can help to reduce cat aggression and may mean fewer injuries from fighting. Neutered males also tend to stay closer to home which helps to reduce their risk of being injured by vehicles.
Deter Undesirable Behaviors
Unneutered male cats typically spray inside the home more than neutered males and may be aggressive towards their owners. Having your male kitten neutered while young can help to prevent these behaviors from starting. Also, male cats who are not neutered, frequently roam over large areas in search of unspayed females to mate with. These males will spray to mark their territory and often fight with other male cats which can be bothersome, noisy, and smelly.
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Keep Your Cat In A Crate
The crate should be your option only if your cat is active and playful.
The crate will help you isolate your cat after spaying and it is also easier to keep an eye on your cat when you have to go out.
You can remove your cat from the crate if you feel it is sleepy and calm.
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Should My Cat Have A Litter Before I Neuter Her
No, having kittens before being spayed wont benefit your cat. If you want to breed from your cat, its best speak to your vet for advice to find out how you can do it responsibly and safely. Pregnancy/giving birth can come with complications, and looking after a litter of kittens is hard work, expensive and time consuming certainly not something to enter into without a great deal of thought and planning.
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How Soon Can I Get My Cat Spayed After Having Kittens
You might have heard it is the best practice to get your cat spayed as a kitten, but we all know that doesnt always work out. Sometimes, kittens get pregnant sooner than their owner expects. Or you might take in a stray only to discover she already is expecting kittens. No matter how it happened, its still beneficial to get your cat spayed as soon as possible after giving birth.
But how soon is too soon? Most vets ask you to wait until five or six weeks after the birth before spaying. This gives your kittens time to be less reliant on their mother and gives the mother time for recovery. But be careful! Female cats are already fertile shortly after giving birth, so youll want to keep her away from intact male cats in the meantime, just in case.
When Is The Right Time To Spay Your Cat After Having Kittens
This depends on your cat and how quickly she weans her kittens. This could be anywhere from as early as 4 weeks or up to 8 weeks or more in some cases. Because your cat is nursing her kittens almost around the clock, its not a good idea to get her spayed before theyve stopped breastfeeding. This can make the surgery more difficult and prone to complications due to her enlarged mammary glands, and many vets are unlikely to want to perform the operation until her kittens are fully weaned anyway.
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When To Neuter A Cat And When To Spay A Cat
Shes your personal welcome home party, your purring pillow companion and your little lap warmer on a cold winters night. As a responsible pet owner, you want to keep her healthy and safe and thats where spaying comes in. In this post, well reveal when to neuter a cat, when to spay a cat, why neutering and spaying are so important and how to help your kitty stay healthy after a neutering or spaying procedure.
What Is Spaying A Cat
Spaying is a sterilization procedure that eliminates your cats ability to go into heat and reproduce. There are two types of sterilization techniques used by veterinarians: ovariectomy and ovariohysterectomy . In the United States and Canada, veterinarians traditionally perform an ovariohysterectomy, while many veterinarians in Europe perform an ovariectomy. Both surgeries are equally safe and effective.
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What Is The Spay Procedure
The spay procedure refers to the ovariohysterectomy, or the removal of portions of the reproductive system of a female cat so she cannot get pregnant and give birth to kittens.
Spaying a cat is a surgical treatment that only a veterinary specialist can execute correctly and safely.
Spaying a cat is a relatively simple surgical treatment with a low risk of major medical problems.
The following procedures are used to spay a cat:
- Analgesic and anti-anxiety drugs with several modes of action is given.
- To keep the cat comfortable throughout the treatment, your veterinarian will use a general anesthetic.
- The attending veterinary team checks your cats breathing and heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and overall health during the anesthetic operation.
- A minor incision removes the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus in your cats abdomen.
- Your veterinarian uses sutures to close the wound.
- Your veterinarian may also offer you post-operative instructions. Although spaying a cat may cause some discomfort immediately following surgery, your veterinarian will prescribe several pain-relieving treatments.
If youre unsure whether or not to spay your cat, consult your veterinarian at your next appointment for assistance in making an informed and responsible decision.
Do Cats Get Depressed After Being Spayed
According to studies, removing a female cats ovaries for medical reasons increases the likelihood that she will experience anxiety and despair.
Mood swings can be brought on by the slow decline in hormone levels that occurs with age, but it seems that switching from youthful levels to neuter levels overnight is far worse.
But this only lasts a short while, and things quickly return to normal.
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Early Spay/neuter In Animal Shelters
Ensuring that all cats are spayed or neutered before adoption eliminates the risk of adopted animals producing more kittens. Many shelters will not spay/neuter kittens that weigh less than 2 pounds or are younger than 8 weeks other shelters, however, will do so provided that the kittens are healthy, active, and in good body condition .
Figure 2. Pediatric patient undergoing spay.
Will My Cat Get Stretch Marks
Most cats eventually get spayed or neutered, unless they are purebred cats. If you spay or neuter your cat when they are young, they are less likely to be spayed or neutered later in life. If your cat is kept in a domestic environment, it will be more likely to get stretch marks. But this can be avoided with proper cat care. If your cat is cared for properly, its less likely to have stretch marks. Before getting your cat spayed, make sure you have a veterinarian who can provide quality care. You should never perform spaying or neutering on your cat yourself. You should also avoid getting your cat spayed or neutered if your cat has any health issues or injury. Your cat can only get the best care if it is well-hydrated. Feed your cat a diet that contains high-quality dry food with no fillers or grain. Canned or packaged food is better than dry food. Feed your cat only a portion of its diet twice per day. Include canned fish and meat in your cats diet to keep your cats teeth and gums healthy. You can also get your cat a dental exam from your veterinarian to keep the gums healthy. This will help your cat stay healthy, especially when it comes to getting spayed or neutered.
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Why Spay/neuter Is So Important For Cats
While there might be some differing opinions about the proper age to spay or neuter your cat, theres no disputing that its one of the most responsible things a pet owner can do, not only for the life of a pet, but also to reduce pet overpopulation. Too often, we view spaying and neutering through our own eyes, and how it might affect us, and assume that our pets would look at it the same way. As Coates puts it, physiologically and behaviorally speaking, cats are made to reproduce as frequently as possible. Obviously, we have to put a stop to that. I think it is more humane to surgically eliminate the desire to mate than to block mating but leave the urge intact.
Of course no medical or surgical procedure is without risk, she adds. For instance, neutered male cats are at higher risk for developing urinary blockages, and cats who have been spayed or neutered do have a tendency to gain weight if their diets arent adjusted accordingly. Owners should always talk to their own veterinarian about what is best for their particular pet, but the benefits of spay/neuter almost always outweigh the risks.
It is our responsibility to take care of our pets to the best of our ability, Denish says. They live in our world, our homes and interact with our family and other pets. That means that if spaying/neutering is beneficial, it should be done at any safe time.