Your female pet will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying prevents uterine infections and decreases the incidence of breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases.
It is recommended that all non-breeding cats be sterilized. Several health benefits are associated with spaying your cat. First, spaying eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers. Second, breast cancer is the number one type of cancer diagnosed in intact (unspayed) female cats.
Castrating a male is equally important as spaying a female to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Furthermore, entire male cats have a strong tendency to roam, to be aggressive to other males, to fight and to mark their territory by spraying urine (often indoors!).
Each pet is unique and your vet will be able to offer advice on when you should have your cat spayed or neutered. However, we typically recommend spaying or neutering kittens at around five to six months old. Adult cats can also be spayed or neutered.
Current scientific evidence shows no medical or behavioral reasons to delay spaying/neutering of cats past 5 months of age, and there are population and health benefits to spaying/neutering cats before they reach 5 months.
We recommend spaying or neutering your indoor cat around five to eight months, but all ages should receive this care.
In some cases, post-operative complications might include inflammation or infection at the incision site, the incision could re-open, or swelling under the skin at the incision site can also occur. Spayed female cats can also run the risk of developing bladder infections, and in rare cases, urinary incontinence.
It will take a couple of weeks for her hormones to calm down, but cats don't typically become aggressive just because of hormonal changes. Bella: We suspect that what you're dealing with is a case of redirected aggression. Tara: That is, after your cat was spayed, she was probably in pain and feeling vulnerable.
Due to the anaesthetic, your cat may be sleepy and a bit unsteady for the next 12-24 hours and should be kept indoors.
Generally, spaying or neutering your pet will not change its personality. If there are any effects on behaviour, they tend to be positive (reducing unwanted behaviour). Spaying or neutering will not change your pet's affection level or playfulness.
Spraying often starts around six months of age as cats reach sexual maturity. Spaying females and castrating males will reduce or stop spraying behaviour in up to 95% of cats!
While the cost to spay a cat varies, the operation typically runs from $300 to $500 for a female cat and around $200 for a male when it's done at a private, full-service veterinary practice, said Cory Smith, spokeswoman for The Humane Society of the United States. Fortunately, there are less expensive options.
Since your cat can experience pain or discomfort from her procedure for 5-7 days after the surgery, it's important to make sure she's as comfortable as possible.
Once spayed or neutered, keep in mind that it may take up to one month after the surgery for the cat to exhibit appropriate behavior. Also note that cats spayed or neutered after 1-2 years of age may continue aggressive behavior.
Unlike post-surgical care in humans, it's not necessary to buy pain medications for spayed/ neutered cats. Some cats will fully recover during the first week, whereas others will need around 14 days. Be patient with your feline furball, and don't panic. Don't bathe your cat during the first few weeks after the surgery.
It is not uncommon for unspayed cats to suffer from ovarian cysts and uterine infections due to constantly fluctuating hormone levels. Spaying your cat will reduce the risk of mammary cancer as she ages. Spaying your cat will not impact her ability to grow and does not cause your cat to get fat.
If you have an intact male or female cat, getting them spayed or neutered can also help reduce urine spraying.
Non-surgical sterilization for dogs, cats and small animals — Calcium chloride dihydrate solution is a chemical sterilant for male animals that is administered via intratesticular injection. It can be obtained through a compounding pharmacy or in pre-measured doses that can be mixed onsite.
A female cat should not be neutered until after her first oestrus period. Growth metabolism might be stunted as a result. The eventual urethral diameter might be constricted, particularly in male cats, causing eventual urinary tract problems. Female cats, in particular, might later develop incontinence as a result.
Research shows that kittens neutered before 12 weeks of age have fewer complications from surgery than those over 12 weeks. Also, kittens rebound much faster after the surgical procedure, with less stress than their counterparts over 6 months old. Early-age spay/neuter has a positive impact beyond your cat at home.
How Often Do Cats Go Into Heat? Once estrous cycles begin, cats may go into heat as often as every 2-3 weeks. Cats are seasonally polyestrus (also spelled polyestrous), meaning they can have multiple cycles during their breeding season. Breeding season would normally be during warmer weather and longer daylight hours.
While both spaying and neutering are major surgical procedures, they are also the most common surgeries performed by veterinarians on cats and dogs. Like any surgical procedure, sterilization is associated with some anesthetic and surgical risk, but the overall incidence of complications is very low.
The cost to spay a female cat will typically be slightly more expensive compared to neutering a male cat. This is because there's more work your veterinarian has to do to complete it since it's a tad more invasive.