What is the difference between cat spaying and neutering?
Neutering is technically a term that describes removing the reproductive organs, so it can apply to both a male and a female cat. Spaying is technically used for a female cat, and castration for a male cat.
At what age should I have my cat spayed or neutered?
Most cats will go through puberty sometime after 6 months of age, so we try to spay or neuter them prior to that, usually between four and six months of age.
What are the benefits of spaying my female cat?
The benefits of spaying female cats include avoiding the heat cycle, where they can have a lot of behavioral changes. Cats are what we call spontaneous ovulators, so once they have that first heat cycle, they can go in and out of heat randomly. They do not have a predetermined period like dogs, where they have a heat cycle every six to nine months.
By spaying early, you avoid that constant recurrence of heat. Another benefit is reducing the chances in the future of mammary cancer, or breast cancer, and preventing an infection of the uterus called pyometra. As cats get older, they can start to have more irregular heat cycles, which predisposes them to uterine infections that can be life-threatening.
What are the benefits of neutering my male cat?
The benefits of neutering or castrating your male cat are similar to those for females in regard to behavior and potentially reducing concerns for testicular cancer as they get older.
Are there any risks associated with spaying or neutering?
There are some risks. Neutering is going to be less invasive compared to spaying, where we have to go into the abdomen to remove the reproductive structures. With spaying, there is more risk for hemorrhage or bleeding and surgical complications compared to castration.
What is the typical recovery time after spaying or neutering?
The typical recovery time is relatively short. Most cats may have some sleepiness and maybe some decreased appetite for a day or two, but after that, for most cats, their activity level is going to return to normal. Generally, we try to keep them more confined or have their activity restricted for the first 10 to 14 days while their body is healing.
How should I prepare my cat for spaying or neutering surgery?
That will often depend on the cat's personality. Some cats have stress-related issues when leaving the home, whether for traveling in the car or being hospitalized.
For those cats, we often recommend starting some pre-visit pharmaceuticals, mainly medications to help reduce anxiety and provide some sedation for the trip before they come in, so they do not get so stressed out after being admitted.
What should I expect during my cat's post-surgery recovery?
Initially, the evening of surgery, most cats are going to be a little sleepy from the anesthetics and the medications we use for the surgery. There are usually going to be some medications given to help reduce discomfort and inflammation after the surgery, and that will usually continue for three to four days afterward.
Can my cat eat or drink before the surgery?
Generally, we recommend not feeding anything for approximately 8 to 12 hours before the procedure. An evening meal is usually okay, but we recommend not feeding the morning of the procedure. Water should never be discontinued. We want to make sure they stay well hydrated, so they can have water up until the time they leave home.
How do I care for my cat's surgical site after spaying or neutering?
Generally, try to keep it as simple as possible by monitoring and observing to make sure there is no abnormal swelling, no bleeding from the incision, and no other kind of discharge or pain associated with the incision.
We like to have them confined for at least the first week, which means not allowing them to jump as much. The more movement in the body and the more stretching, especially for females, the greater the risk for complications with the sutures. Male cats are typically less prone to having surgical site complications because it is not as invasive a procedure, so they are generally less at risk for problems.
Are there any special dietary needs for my cat recovering from surgery?
The most important thing is that they keep eating. Cats can have other problems if they stop eating or do not eat well. In many cases, we just recommend that they continue with their normal food. But in some cases, if they do have a diminished appetite, we may prescribe higher-calorie recovery diets during that time frame to ensure they are getting the amount of calories they need for healing.
What are the common side effects of spaying or neutering in cats?
Some side effects in the future could include a lowered metabolism. We can sometimes see weight gain in cats and dogs after they have been spayed or neutered. Another thing, especially in females, though not as much in cats and more often in dogs, is that there may be a correlation with urinary incontinence after spaying. That has to do with hormonal deficiencies later on in life. Those are probably going to be the main things that we monitor for in the future.
Will spaying or neutering change my cat's personality?
Generally, since they are spayed or neutered at a younger age, they still retain their normal kitten behavior. As they get older, we do see some pets that have a lowered metabolism, so sometimes they may not be as active as they would be if they were not spayed or neutered, but generally they should stay the same.
How can spaying or neutering affect my cat's behavior?
As mentioned, you may see a reduced metabolism, so perhaps they are not as active in the future when it comes to running around and everything, but generally, as kittens, they retain their playful behavior. You generally should not see a lot of changes.
What should I do if I notice complications after my cat's surgery?
For complications after cat surgery, it depends on whether we are talking about neutering or spaying. You are basically watching for any kind of postoperative bleeding, any kind of discharge that might indicate infection, and any additional swelling or redness associated with the incision.
With females, any kind of belly pain would be a concern, along with not eating well after the surgery or continued lethargy beyond a day or two.
Can spaying or neutering prevent certain health issues in cats?
Yes. In female cats, spaying can eliminate the risk for pyometra, which is an infection of the uterus later on in life, as well as significantly reduce the risk of mammary cancer, or breast cancer, later in life. Cats become more at risk with every heat cycle they go through for breast cancer, so even spaying a cat later in life, although it will prevent pyometra, does not entirely prevent the risk for mammary cancer. Cats spayed when they are middle-aged are still at higher risk for breast cancer than if they had been spayed when they were kittens.
How does spaying or neutering impact a cat's weight?
That has a lot to do with hormones and metabolism, but we can see weight gain in cats, just like in dogs, after spaying and neutering. It is really important to monitor their weight carefully at home. If we start seeing trends of increased weight, then we need to adjust how much they are fed or change their diets. There are spay/neuter-specific diets that are reduced in calories for cats and dogs as well.
Is it safe to spay pregnant cats?
Pregnancy in cats would make this a higher-risk procedure. Inevitably, it depends on whether or not we want to save the kittens. If we are spaying an actually pregnant cat, that would be an abortion, and there is a higher complication rate for those kinds of surgeries.
What should I discuss with my vet before scheduling spaying or neutering?
I would always make sure that you call and speak with a veterinarian to review the current health of your cat. If there are any other medical concerns or issues that have come up in the past, those may become a factor for anesthesia or the surgery itself. Also, discuss any concerns for isolating them afterward.
If you have multiple cats, how are they going to interact afterward? What is the post-operative recovery going to involve as far as medications and similar considerations?
How do I choose a veterinarian to spay or neuter my cat?
The best thing to do would be to ask friends what kinds of experiences they have had with their veterinarians. You can also make calls to any veterinary clinic you would like and discuss things either with the veterinarian themselves or the clinic staff to get more information. I do think you have to make sure that when you are getting information about the spay or neuter, you are comparing equivalent services.
Each clinic may offer something different, such as checking blood work, medications afterward, monitoring during the procedure, what they are monitoring with, and whether they are getting IV fluids during the procedure. You want to make sure that you are getting all that information to ensure your cat is getting good, complete care.
How much does spaying or neutering a cat cost?
The cost can vary, and it can be dramatic in some cases, but it all goes back to what is being included with the procedure. There may be more budget-friendly spay procedures that include the anesthesia and the surgery, but they do not include things like blood work, IV fluids, post-operative pain medications, or other things that the more expensive procedures would include. Those things are very important.
Obviously, we would not want, even for ourselves, to have a surgery done without checking blood work to make sure there are no concerns for the anesthetic or the drugs being used, or any problems that may pose more risk for the surgery. We would want to make sure we are getting IV fluids to help maintain blood pressure and improve recovery, along with post-operative and intraoperative pain medications. There can be a lot of factors that go into the cost, so it is always best to get that information from the clinics before deciding where to go.
If you’re looking for veterinary care you can trust, call us at (515) 224-9747 or email [email protected]. We’re here to keep your pet healthy, happy, and thriving!