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Care of your cat: Desexing
Depending on the sex of your cat, desexing involves either a
castration
procedure for a male, or a spay
procedure for a female...
Castrating
Your Cat
What
is meant by "castration"?
In this
operation, which is performed under general anaesthetic,
both testicles are removed, which removes the source of
sperm and also the source of the male sex hormone,
testosterone.
Why
should I consider castrating my cat?
There are many
advantages:
- A male cat is
dominated by his sex drive, so he will wander in search
of female cats who are in season
- When a male cat
wanders, he invariably crosses other cats' territory
which can often lead to vicious fighting, nasty fight
wounds, and abcesses
- A female cat is
capable of being served by more than one male during her
season, which results in many toms searching and fighting
for the one female
- A male cat will
mark his territory by urinating (spraying). Castration
will decrease the frequency of this behaviour
- A desexed cat
(male or female) will not produce unwanted
kittens
- Minimising
fighting also reduces the spread of Feline
Immunodeficiency Virus
- Male cats often
become more homely after castration because they are not
as motivated to wander
At
what age should he be castrated?
We recommend that
this operation takes place at 4-6 months of age.
What
does the operation involve?
The cat is placed
under general anaesthetic, where he is deeply asleep and
will feel nothing. After the skin has been prepared, the
surgeon makes an incision in the scrotal sac and both the
testicles are removed. There are no external stitches in
this operation, and any internal sutures dissolve and are
absorbed by the body.
How
long after the operation is the patient himself again?
It does not take
long! After two days he is usually back to normal.
Spaying
your cat
What
is meant by "spaying"?
Spaying or
desexing is the term used to describe an operation in which
the ovaries and most of the uterus are removed. The object
of spaying is to stop your cat coming into season, thus
preventing unwanted pregnancies.
Should
my female cat be spayed?
We certainly
recommend it. Here are some of the advantages of having your
cat desexed which may help you in your decision:
- Desexing prevents
your cat coming into season, which can be every three
weeks at times
- Desexed females
no longer have that irresistible attraction to males, who
will urinate in the female's territory to claim ownership
of her, fight any other contenders for her affection and
"catcall" under her window
- Undesexed females
are capable of being mated by more than one male during
their seasons, which may result in more than one father
of a litter of kittens, and many toms searching and
fighting for one mate
- Once your female
no longer has sexual urges, she will prefer to stay close
to her own territory and be less inclined to wander,
therefore decreasing the incidence of cat fights and
accidents
- Desexing avoids
unwanted litters of kittens
Should
my cat have a litter before being
desexed?
There is no evidence to support the theory that a cat should
be allowed to come on heat or have a litter of kittens
before being desexed. This has no long-term effect on the
cat's character or personality. In contrast, if the first
season is permitted and she becomes pregnant, animal welfare
organisations have an increased task of destroying unwanted
kittens, since homes cannot always be found for them.
At
what age should she be desexed?
We recommend that
a female cat is desexed at 4-6 months of age, usually prior
to her first heat or oestrus.
What
does the operation involve?
The operation,
termed a spay or ovariohysterectomy (meaning the ovaries and
part of the uterus are removed) is performed while your cat
is deeply asleep under a general anaesthetic. Consequently,
she feels nothing during the surgery.
The abdomen is
clipped of hair and the skin is prepared before the surgeon
makes an incision with sterile instruments. After the
ovaries and uterus are removed, the abdominal muscles are
sutured with material that will dissolve and be absorbed by
the body. The sutures (stitches) in the skin are made of
non-absorbable material, and your cat must come back to have
these removed in 10-14 days. (For more information about
what happens in preparation for surgery, click
here.)
Will
she become fat?
Not necessarily.
Since she no longer has the demands of rearing kittens
placed on her body, she may put on a little weight, but if
you watch her diet and encourage exercise, obesity can be
avoided.
How
long after the operation will she be herself again?
It usually
doesn't take long. Most cats are completely back to normal
within a couple of days after the surgery.
What
precautions should I take after surgery?
When you take
your cat home from hospital, it is best to keep her confined
indoors to restrict her activity, which avoids putting too
much strain on the surgery site. In the short term, it also
allows her body temperature to adjust after the
anaesthetic.
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