Cat neutering - advantages and myths

Recently, the number of pet owners willing to neuter their pets has been increasing. Before making a decision people always consider the pros and cons, wondering if these surgeries will not do harm to their pet.

Veterinarians unanimously stick to the opinion that if the owner is not planning to breed his/her pet, it should be neutered at a young age (6-12 months after birth, depending on the pet’s type, breed and other factors). It is particularly important to neuter (both male and female) cats that go outside. Generally female cats have 3-4 litters every year and, if not sterilized, they get exhausted. Apart from that, the number of stray cats spreading diseases is increasing. Neutering offers the following advantages:

• helps avoid unwanted reproduction;
• protects from uterine, ovarian, prostate, testicle, mammary gland inflammations and tumour, which are not uncommon in non-sterilized and not bred animals of older age;
• eliminates the problems related to mating and alleged pregnancy;
• stops pets from having the need to search for a mate, since the instinct of copulating is gone. They, therefore, run away less frequently and become less aggressive, because there is no more need to fight for territory and female cats; besides they get less traumas and contagious diseases;
• restrains felines from marking their territory inside the house, which, in turn, helps the unpleasant smell disappear.

Several myths which restrain pet owners from the surgeries are the following:

• neutered pet loses its vitality and undergoes character changes. Actually, the surgery cannot change your pet’s character. Sometimes after the neutering pets may exhibit greater appetite, because they are no longer bothered by mating and fighting for their territory. If food is not limited, a cat or a dog can get obese. As a consequence, it may lose its vitality and playfulness. However, this can be avoided by limiting your pet’s food or applying special diets for neutered pets;
• neuterd pets experience stress due to their inability to reproduce. Fortunately, our human logics does not apply to our pets. After the surgery, sex hormones stop working and pets do not have the need to reproduce any longer. Consequently, the stress disappears as well. The greatest stress is experienced by intact and not bred animals, especially cats and dogs;
• female cats should be allowed to raise at least one litter. On the contrary, the best is to spay them before they have kittens or shortly after they give birth, because spaying after birth or at an older age leaves the risk of gynaecological and mammary gland diseases at the same high level as leaving the female cat intact.

Surgery is always performed by a qualified veterinarian, whereas the procedure itself depends on the type of the animal, its age, state of health, etc. Surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. The doctor will always explain in detail how the animal should be prepared for the surgery and cared for after it. To follow the instructions of your doctor is of utmost importance. After the surgery, antibiotic treatment is usually prescribed in order to avoid possible complications. Your pet should not be allowed to lick the sutures which are usually removed in 7-10 days. In order to stop your pet from doing this, obtain an “Elizabethan” collar or a special cotton shirt. In several days after the surgery, the incision will start getting itchy because of the healing process; if the pet keeps licking it, the incsision will start reeking and will not be able to heal properly, which in turn can lead to a purulent infection or pet’s premature removal of sutures. If the incision is healing properly, there is no need to wash it or apply special ointments. After the surgery it is advisable to keep the pet quiet and not to allow it to be excessively active, not to let it go outside unattended and not to bathe it. The sand in your cat’s box should be replaced with paper for 4-5 days, because sand can stick to the incision and aggravate the healing process.

Neuter will considerably improve your pet’s health and its quality of life.

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