Neutering your Cat

Neutering Cats is a common medical operation that has many indications for both medical and behavioural reasons.

Castration is the removal of the testicles in any male animal. This means testosterone and sperm are no longer being produced.
Ovario-hysterectomy (spay) is the removal of the ovaries and uterus in any female animal. This means that she will no longer have seasons and cannot become pregnant.

Castrating your Cat;

• Reduces desire to roam and find a mate

• Prevents testicular tumours

• Prevents unwanted pregnancies

• Reduces potential prostate problems

• Eliminates/ reduces sexual behaviours

• Reduces chance of perianal ruptures

• Eliminates/ reduces dominant behaviour

Spaying your Cat prevents;

• Unwanted pregnancies

• False pregnancies

• Oestrus (seasons)

• Malignant mammary tumours if spayed before the first season

• Pyometra (infected uterus- see below)

• Ovarian or uterine tumours

• Eliminates/ reduces dominant behaviour

When a female cat is entire (has not been neutered) her cervix opens at each season and this is an opportunity for bacteria to enter the uterus and cause a life-threatening infection in her uterus. This is a Pyometra and symptoms are usually noted a few weeks after the end of the season. Lethargy, anorexia, a vulval discharge and drinking and urinating more than usual may be noted. If your cat has a pyometra she will need to have emergency treatment and surgery to remove her uterus. The body is often in a toxic state and this unfortunately poses a higher anaesthetic risk. Spaying would prevent this condition.

Vasectomy is the tying of the vas deferens (part of the spermatic cord) so that the sperm is no longer able to exit the body through the penis and is instead absorbed by the body. Testosterone is still produced however.

It is uncommon for this procedure to be carried out routinely on dogs, cats and rabbits. It is mostly used for male ferrets that live with an entire female, so that they still mate with her but cannot make her pregnant. Female ferrets, if not neutered, may get the condition ‘Oestrogen Induced Bone Marrow Suppression’. This is prevented by either having them spayed or mating them with a male at each season.