When Should A Female Cat Be Spayed

Is It Better To Have A Male Or A Female Cat

The reality is that when it comes to picking the perfect companion for you, the gender of the cat isn’t important at all.

Male and female cats exhibit certain behavioral variations as they mature from kittens to adults. Still, a cat’s genetic makeup and environment significantly influence how well you and your cat will interact.

So take the time to get to know a few cats and choose the one who you believe will become your lifelong companion. The distinctions between male and female cats should only play a minor influence in getting a cat.

male cats vs female cats pros and cons

Each gender has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Male cats are often significantly more extensive than female cats.

Males, often known as toms, might be more approachable than females. Female cats are often more reserved than male cats, but they are also far less prone to spray.

What To Do If A Spayed Cat Wants To Go Outside

Cats have that curious and playful attitude which makes them inclined always to go outside. For this reason, dont get surprised if your pet insists on going out all the time.

Though you cant do anything to that attitude, you can always prevent your newly-spayed cat from going out. You can do the following things to keep your cat inside.

Should You Get Your Cat Fixed

About 3.2 million cats arrive at US animal shelters annually, according to the ASPCA .

Spaying or neutering your cat is the absolute best way to help reduce the number of unwanted cats in the Baltimore area.

That said, the benefits of spaying and neutering your pet don’t stop at controlling the population. Having your kitten fixed can help to curb many undesirable cat behaviors and help to reduce the risk of your cat developing numerous serious health issues.

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Will Neutering Make My Cat Fat

No, neutering your cat wont make them fat. However, afterwards, your cat may not need as many calories to maintain a healthy weight. Make sure your cat is fed an appropriate amount of a complete diet thats right for their life stage so they stay slim and healthy. In fact, you can buy special food for neutered cats, which have the correct balance of nutrients and calories for them. If youre concerned your cat is putting on weight after neutering, talk to your vet or vet nurse about the best ways to keep them an ideal body condition score.

How Does Spaying A Cat Work

âSpecifically, spaying is when a female cat has a ovariohysterectomy, when the entire uterus and ovaries are removed from the body,â explains Dr. Mar. âThey can also be considered spayed with just an ovariectomy, when solely the ovaries and uterine horns are removed, but the uterus itself remains. The latter is less commonly performed and not generally advised,â she says.

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Benefits For Local Wildlife

Bengal cats love to explore, pounce, and taste everything they can catch. In general, cats are lethal hunters. Mother cats also have a deep compulsion to hunt and provide for their kittens.

And stray cats have to get their food from somewhere, too. This results in domestic cats killing tons of birds and other small wildlife every year.

Its also worth mentioning that consuming wild animals increases your cats risk of contracting intestinal parasites and disease. And, eating a rodent thats been fed poison by a careless neighbor could be lethal for your beloved kitty,

Spay And Neuter Faq’s

Our team at Nashville Cat Clinic in Nashville takes great pride in providing quality care and service to our feline friends. We have spayed and neutered many of our client’s cats. This is a very important decision for all pet owners. You may need further information on the process before coming to a decision. We have gathered some of the frequently asked questions about spaying and neutering cats.

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Spaying Vs Neutering: Understanding The Difference

Female cats are spayed while male cats are neutered. Both elective procedures entail removing the cats reproductive organs: the ovaries and uterus for females, and the testicles for the males.

Getting your cats spayed or neutered does more than help prevent an unplanned litter of kittens. The surgeries can actually lead to longer life expectancies for both cats and dogs. Bierbrier points out that spaying cats can help eliminate the risk of urinary tract infections and lessen the chances of malignant breast tumors.

Spaying and neutering also helps cut down on the homeless pet population, she says. Pregnancies lead to more kittens being surrendered to shelters, and some of those cats might be euthanized if they cant find a home.

Can You Spey A Cat In Heat

Yes, although speying a cat in heat isnt quite as simple as a routine spey, its done regularly by most vets. Speying during a heat is a little more risky is because the blood vessels around their womb tend to be a bit larger and more likely to bleed. This means the operation is slightly more risky and can take a little longer.

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What Age Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat

Our veterinarians in Nashville recommend spaying or neutering your cat at the age of six months. There is no age limit for either sex to have these medical procedures. The biggest concern is making sure your pet is healthy enough to withstand the stress of an operation. However, older female cats who are not spayed are susceptible to contracting breast cancer and multiple infections in their uterus. Older male cats who are not neutered may contract a prostate disease or multiple tumors on their testicles.

Read More About Neutering Your Cat

Neutering is a surgical procedure, undertaken to prevent both female and male cats from reproducing. In males the testicles are removed this is the main source of the hormone testosterone, so levels of this hormone fall after the surgery.

It is common practice for the ovariohysterectomy technique to be used for cat spaying in UK. However individual practices have their own protocols in place, and both methods of cat spaying – ovariectomy and ovariohysterectomy are an accepted technique for spaying of female cats. Once spayed, your cat will no longer be able to fall pregnant, and will also not have any seasons. If you have further questions about the procedure, please do speak with your local Vets4Pets vet.

In all cases, neutering involves a general anaesthetic. Your cat will come into the practice in the morning, stay for the day to have the operation, and in most cases will be reunited with you the same day. Although all surgical procedures come with some risk, neutering is the most common procedure undertaken at our vet practices, and the techniques are very safe. Neutering cats is also a relatively quick procedure, especially males, which helps keep the risk low.

There are some alternatives to the cone available, such as specially designed onesies, which may be more suitable to your cat. Some owners also fashion protective wear out of human clothes such as babygrows, but care should be taken in these cases as they may be easier for your cat to get around.

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Should A Female Cat Have Kittens Before Being Spayed

This is a personal decision that is strictly up to you as a cat owner. Keep in mind, early age pregnancy does place a great strain on your pet’s body. Often, the results could include a birth defect found in a kitten or two. Plus, your cat may experience trouble with nursing which could cause severe malnutrition in the litter. It is important to spay female cats before their first heat cycle as this will reduce the risk of tumors growing in their reproductive system.

Spaying & Neutering Pets in Nashville, TN

Our goal at Nashville Cat Clinic is to provide quality veterinary care to our feline friends. Our clinic is a full-service animal hospital that is operated by a group of highly-trained staff members. If you are considering either procedure for your pet, call our team today at 361-1844 to schedule an appointment with one of our veterinarians.

When To Contact The Vet

Your vet will give you post-surgery instructions upon the discharge of your cat. It is important that you read and follow these as they were made specifically for your cat. These instructions will often tell you what you should watch for as your cat heals.

When in doubt, contact your vet. You will need to take your cat to see the vet if you notice any of the following:

• The area of swelling is painful when touched gently
• The skin over the swelling is discolored
• The swollen area feels warm or hot to the touch
• Bleeding or discharge is coming from the incision
• The incision appears open or irritated
• Your cat is still lethargic or not eating several days after surgery
• Your cat has a rectal temperature over 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit

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Spaying A Cat In Heat

If your cat is in heat, her instincts and hormones are telling her to mate. Therefore, she will go to great lengths to escape the home and find males to mate with. This is why a cat in heat should be kept securely indoors to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

Unfortunately, it can be frustrating to live with a cat exhibiting the signs of estrus. Cats in heat tend to vocalize excessively. They may obsessively try to escape their homes. Some will even mark areas of the home with urine.

If you don’t think you can deal with this behavior for about a week, then you may ask your vet about having her spayed as soon as possible. Though spaying a cat in heat is not ideal, it can be done. However, there are some disadvantages to this.

When a cat is in heat, the blood vessels that supply the reproductive organs and surrounding tissues become engorged with blood. The tissues may be more prone to tearing. This adds up to a surgery that is more complicated and lengthy than a routine spay. It will also be more expensive because of the extra time and supplies needed. Though the increased risk to the cat is minor, some vets prefer to avoid doing surgery on a cat in heat.

If you have scheduled your cat’s spay surgery in advance and find that she has started her first heat right before the surgery, be sure to contact your vet for advice. It may be more practical for you, your cat, and the vet to postpone the surgery.

Why Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat

Simply put, neutered cats stay safer, tend to experience fewer health problems and dont produce unwanted kittens. Undesirable behaviours like spraying, nervousness, roaming, demanding behaviour and noisiness are reduced or eliminated even in adult cats.

Other reasons to neuter or spay include:

• Reduced fighting and straying
• Reduced risk of feline leukemia and feline AIDS
• Spayed female cats have a lower risk of uterine infection
• Spayed female cats develop mammary cancer less often
• Neutered cats develop hormonal imbalances less often

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What Happens During Spaying And Neutering Surgery

Spaying is the surgical removal of a female cats ovaries and uterus, while neutering is the removal of a male cats testicles. While both operations are conducted routinely with few complications, only licensed veterinarians are allowed to perform them.

Prior to surgery, your veterinarian may carry out a complete physical examination of your cat or draw a sample of his blood for analysis. To minimize pain and discomfort, both spaying and neutering are conducted while your cat is under general anesthesia.

Following surgery, your veterinarian will instruct you on how to care for your cat while he is recovering. Most cats are back to normal within a few days. The surgery site usually heals within two weeks and any skin stitches are removed at a follow-up appointment with your vet.

Does Early Spay/neuter Lead To Undesirable Behavior

A prospective 2014 study evaluated postsurgical behavioral issues in cats.19 Porters et al. randomly divided 800 cats into 2 groups: sterilized at 8 to 12 weeks or at 6 to 9 months of age. Researchers tracked undesirable behaviors from immediately after adoption up to 24 months after adoption and found no evidence that age at the time of sterilization had an effect on the number of or occurrence of undesirable behaviors.

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Is Cat Sterilization Surgery Complicated

The surgery does not take too much time and is not complicated. Usually, it only takes about 30 minutes, and after 1-2 weeks it completely heals. After surgery, you can bring the cat home the same day. You also do not need to take special care of the cat after neutering. Veterinarians can all perform a professional and effective neutering surgery.

Put A Recovery Collar On Your Pet

A recovery collar is useful to prevent your pet from accessing the incision. Felines tend to lick the wounds and cut the stitches.

A recovery collar would prevent such things from happening. Your vet will give you a certain period for its use. Please dont take it off your pet until the designated date come.

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Alternatives To Cat Cones

Ah yes, the infamous cone of shame.

After we got back home, Little Sister wriggled her way out of it within 10 minutes. It was the same with Gracy. Well, cats are flexible creatures.

We tried putting it back, but they were very stressed out about it. They also had difficulty drinking and eating food, even if it was on our palms.

Honestly, I have no idea how anyone keeps the plastic cone on their cat for 7 whole days.

Time for alternatives.

Is The Surgery Expensive

Thankfully, the cost of spaying or neutering a cat is quite reasonable. Especially when you consider the expense of raising unwanted litters of kittens and getting them all vaccinated and fixed.

Most communities have programs that offer the procedure at a very low cost, too. Check with your local animal shelters to see whats available in your area.

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Follow All Instructions From The Vet

After the surgery, your vet will give you specific instructions on what to do for your pet. Some of the usual things would be:

• Keeping the surgery wound clean
• Keeping the wound coated with ointments
• Providing your pet with antibiotics
• Carefully observing how the wound recovers

Whatever the recommendations and instructions are, be sure to do it all for your pets health. This way, your cats recovery process would improve.

When Is A Cat Too Old To Be Spayed

I am thinking of adopting a 6 year old female not spayed. When is a cat too old to be spayed? When does heat stop?

• By: Katie Gerloff El Segundo, CA

  Replied on 04/19/2011

  A spayed female cat will not have reproductive tract problems, will have less urinary tract infections , eliminates the possibility of bacterial infection in the uterus, and significantly fewer cases of mammary cancer . If the bacteria gets into your pet’s bloodstream, it can be fatal. Your cat will no longer have heat periods, unwanted offspring, and their tendency to roam will be decreased. Most pets become less aggressive toward people and other animals.While spaying & neutering animals at a young age will give them the best chance to avoid such medical and behavioral issues it is never “too late” to correct this mistake. To prevent risks associated with anesthesia your veterinarian can perform pre-anesthetic blood work to determine if your cat is healthy enough to process anesthesia. This is typically recommended regardless of the age of your pet but is especially recommended in older animals. Cats do not experience what humans identify as menopause. Most cats will continue to go into heat until the end of their lifespan. However, as they grow older they will go into heat less often, but will never completely stop. As they grow older they will also be at higher risk for experiencing the above life threatening medical issues.

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Are There Any Downsides To Spaying/neutering My Cat

You may have heard that early castration causes male cats to get cystitis, bladder blockages, or even orthopedic problems. Fortunately, there is no evidence to back up those claims.

Neutering does involve a short general anesthesia. This is low-risk in a young healthy cat. If its done before 5 months, the operation is quicker, and they recover faster.

A neutered cats metabolism will slow a bit. This may put your cat at risk for becoming overweight. Consult your vet for the best dietary advice. Great diets exist for young neutered pets to ensure they get the right nutrients and correct calorie intake.

How To Manage Your Cats Pain After Spay Surgery

Pain from inflammation can occur 5-7 days after spay surgery. Pain in cats is hard to detect since they do not respond to pain as humans do. Your veterinarian will provide you with any necessary pain relief medications.

Do not stop medications without direct approval from your veterinarian. Inflammation and pain can cause secondary complications, such as licking the incision and swelling around the surgery site.

Do not give your cat any over-the-counter pain medications or human pain medications. Many of these products can be highly toxic to your cat. If you are concerned about pain management, call your veterinarian for advice.

Most veterinarians do not send cats home with antibiotics, as an ovariohysterectomy is considered a sterile procedure. If significant bleeding is noted during surgery, or if your cat is older and/or currently in heat during the spay, antibiotics may be sent home to avoid infection.

Give your cat all prescribed antibiotics until they are completely gone. Do not stop the course of antibiotics even if your cat is feeling better or seems to be back to normal. A full course of antibiotics will prevent antibiotic resistance and ensure all harmful bacteria are eliminated.

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