This is one of the simplest operations, but due to hormonal changes in the animal’s body after it is performed, it has age restrictions.
In addition, castration operations for cats are performed under general anesthesia, which imposes age restrictions, which very much depend on the breed and genetic predisposition to pathologies.
Positive effects of castration
Hormonal changes after removal of the testes and the operation itself under anesthesia have their pros and cons. There are many reasons to neuter a cat. This section will list the main ones.
There will be fewer threats to your pet's life
Unneutered cats are at the mercy of hormones. There are often cases when a family pet jumped out of a window. And it’s good if it’s not the fifth floor. In addition, many dangers await him on the street. Cars, dogs, people who don’t like a cat wedding outside their window.
Separately, it is necessary to say about cat fights for a lady’s heart. Another cat is unlikely to bite your pet, but he may well gouge out eyes, bite off an ear, or leave festering wounds. In the process of mating with stray cats, the pet may become infected. There are many dangerous viral diseases transmitted through blood and saliva. Finally, the animal will constantly suffer from worms and fleas.
Positive effect on cat behavior
Castration of an adult cat does not guarantee that he will become trained and amazingly obedient. Removing the testes does not affect habits, but it removes the irritant. This can seriously affect the pet’s character, as there will be fewer reasons for aggression, because the cat will no longer experience an unsatisfied need for a female.
Over time, habits may change, but changes in behavior will not occur earlier than in a month. Remember that the character of a cat largely depends on training; castration will not replace it, but will facilitate the process of learning new rules and skills. But the most important thing is that the cat will stop marking its territory. The fact is that marks are a way for a male to declare himself and lure a female, which is regulated by testosterone, so after castration the desire to mark will go away by itself.
Reasons for castration
The main purpose of the operation is to correct sexual behavior. A growing kitten becomes nervous and irritable. He marks the corners of the apartment with urine, meows loudly, and tries to find the cat.
This behavior is caused by the onset of puberty. The cat pesters its owners and suffers itself. But the main danger awaits the cat on the street. He may get lost or be seriously injured in a fight with rivals.
Castration has many advantages:
- Prevention of sexual diseases.
- Life expectancy increases
- Lack of desire to mark territory
Minuses:
- Possibility of postoperative complications
- Weight gain.
- Risk of developing genitourinary diseases
A timely operation will be effective and will not lead to negative consequences for your pet.
Postoperative period
In order for the cat to recover quickly and successfully, it is worth taking good care of it. The first and most important thing is home care after returning from the clinic.
Home care
The owner’s actions depend on how and at what age the operation was performed. Only the veterinarian who performed the procedure can tell you in detail what needs to be done. Deciding on your own how to treat a wound is strictly prohibited.
Typically care consists of the following:
- in the first few hours, ensure that the cat recovering from anesthesia is not injured;
- do not give him food in the first 8-12 hours after the operation so that he does not vomit;
- make sure that the cat does not pee - in the first day he cannot always control himself;
- protect the animal from disturbance, noise and drafts;
- on the second day, start complementary feeding with new food for castrati;
- Do not let outside for 48 hours.
By following these rules, you will help your cat recover quickly and without complications.
Possible complications
Unfortunately, no one is immune from the consequences of even the most successful and careful operation. But the risk group primarily includes elderly and weakened individuals. It is their body that is not so strong, so there are dangers:
- infection in the wound, its inflammation and suppuration;
- unraveling of seams (if any);
- increase or decrease in temperature (this is normal on the first day after surgery);
- problems with bowel movements or urination;
- strong discharge from the incision site.
All these symptoms are a reason to consult a veterinarian. It should be understood that it is better to perform the operation on an animal that is not old or sick. Then it’s easier to avoid unpleasant consequences.
Wanting to keep the cat healthy for many years and prolong its life, the owners go to the veterinary hospital with a request for a procedure to remove the gonads. The main thing is to understand exactly at what age an animal is castrated. This will help to avoid subsequent complications in case of untimely procedure. Every pet needs a thorough examination before removal of the testes. For older pets, the doctor prescribes additional tests and studies to minimize negative consequences.
The article is for informational purposes only. Contact your veterinarian!
Determining whether a cat is ready for castration
How to determine the age for castration of a cat? According to doctors, the procedure should be performed upon reaching puberty or full anatomical maturity. This period is different for different breeds.
There are no clearly defined limits on how long cats can be castrated.
The animal is ready for castration if several conditions are met:
- Puberty has recently begun. The influence of sex hormones on the development of an animal’s body is not so great.
- Organs and systems have finally formed. Castration slows down metabolic processes.
- The testes have descended from the abdominal cavity or inguinal ring. The owner can gently feel the cat's testicles. They should descend into the scrotum.
- Optimal age for castration
The most favorable age for castration of a cat is 7 to 9 months.
Causes:
- The kitten has gained enough weight
- The animal's body is formed, but puberty is not over. Hormones are produced so far only in the testes.
After 12 months, sex hormones begin to be produced by the adrenal glands and pituitary gland. It will be more difficult to correct sexual behavior.
It is better to castrate a cat that did not take part in mating. Otherwise, the desire for sexual intercourse may persist.
Post-operative care
If you do not provide special care for the operated animal, unpleasant complications may arise:
- Bleeding. Appears if the animal picks at the stitches and wound. Bleeding from the spermatic cord is considered especially dangerous when the pet damages the ligature, which can be fatal.
- Inflammation. Immediately after surgery, a slight inflammation is normal, but if it becomes purulent, the animal’s body temperature rises, and an unpleasant odor emanates from the wound, then you need to seek help from a specialist.
- Edema. It is characterized by swelling of the scrotum and adjacent tissues; often with severe swelling, the scrotum increases in size. You should contact your veterinarian, as swelling indicates inflammation. Also, accumulated transudate can cause other complications.
- Hernia . This pathology usually occurs in old animals. The tissue that falls out can have different shapes, and their color varies from bright pink to red shades. Later, the hernia acquires brown, blue or black flowers (a sign of necrosis). A hernia can only be repaired in a clinic. Dead tissue must be cut off.
- Blood poisoning. It is a consequence of the neglected complications listed above. Due to bacteria in the blood, the animal’s temperature rises by 3-4°C, the pet is in serious condition, has difficulty moving, and refuses food and water. Sepsis is treated with antibiotics.
The consequences described above sound scary, but a person can control them. To reduce the risk of problems after surgery, you need to follow the rules of postoperative care:
- It is necessary to regularly treat the wound twice a day with disinfectants (potassium permanganate, iodine and other antiseptics). To choose a drug, you should consult your veterinarian.
- A veterinary (Elizabethan) collar should be placed on the cat's head, which will prevent the pet from reaching the wound. You can also put a blanket on it, which will protect the stomach and crotch.
- The first days after surgery are the most important; it is at this time that the cat needs constant monitoring, because many pathologies appear within 2-3 days after surgery.
- After surgery, the pet must be protected from communication with other animals or small children under 3 years old so that they do not touch the patient and do not damage its wound.
Early castration
What age is considered early for castration of cats? From 8 to 16 weeks. Previously, doctors refused to perform manipulation at a young age. Now in Russia there are clinics and breeders who recommend defertilizing kittens in childhood.
Main reasons:
- Failure to meet breed standards.
- Breeders castrate kittens that are guaranteed to have no breeding value.
- Developmental deviation.
- New growth in the scrotum, genital injuries and others.
Pros:
- The genitals of kittens are smaller than those of adults. This means that fewer stitches will be required and the duration of the procedure is reduced.
- Less dosage of drugs and anesthesia
- Reduces the risk of bleeding
- Recovery after surgery takes less time
- Behavioral problems do not arise - marks in the wrong places, aggression.
Flaws:
- Cats become more cowardly and timid
- Increased likelihood of obesity
- In our country, veterinarians do not encourage castration at this age.
Features of the procedure
When a cat is neutered, his testes are removed. Thus, the animal stops producing hormones and stops sexual activity. If a pet is diagnosed with cryptorchidism (one of the testicles is not in the scrotum), then the sunken testicle is cut out. In addition, such individuals are not allowed for breeding. But it should be remembered that hormones do not disappear from the body immediately after the procedure. Therefore, the cat’s hormonal background will become stable only in a month. Another way of performing the procedure is a vasectomy, in which the cat is spayed. With it, the veterinarian does not touch the testes, but cuts the canal next to them. Thus, sperm does not enter the seminal duct, and the cat’s hormonal levels do not change.
Castration of mature cats
Between the ages of 1 and 2 years. If for some reason it was not possible to castrate the cat earlier, then you can castrate the cat a year. Keep in mind that puberty has largely ended and the pituitary gland has begun to produce additional hormones.
When a cat is castrated a year, the hormonal levels can remain high for a long time - up to 6 months. And the owners’ hopes for an instant castration effect may not come true.
The operation is performed under general anesthesia.
Pros:
- The cat stops experiencing sexual desire
- The character becomes calmer
Minuses:
- Excess weight. But animals at this age are still growing, so the diet is not adjusted radically.
- The need to mate remains for some time. After castration, the cat is infertile, so there is no need to worry about possible offspring.
General information
Castration is a procedure aimed at suppressing the sexual function of an animal. Not in all cases this requires surgical removal of the cat's testes.
There are several types of sterilization when a scalpel is not required (or is required, but for other purposes):
- Medication. In this case, a special cartridge is implanted under the pet’s skin, which gradually releases substances that suppress libido. One of the most popular and effective remedies is Suprelorin.
- Chemical _ Substances that suppress the growth and development of glandular tissue cells are injected directly into the testes. This type of sterilization is especially common in India, where a 10% calcium chloride solution is used for the procedure.
- Radiation. The testes are irradiated under a source of directed gamma radiation.
All three of these types are especially recommended by veterinarians to owners of older cats, since these methods are the least traumatic.
However, due to the low prevalence of some of them (chemical castration) and the high cost of others, surgical sterilization is still the most common. It is cheap, effective, and takes very little time. True, its implementation in the case of four-year-old cats and older is fraught with some difficulties.
From 2-5 years
It happens that a cat ends up with its owners as an adult. If there are no contraindications, cats can be neutered at this age. You shouldn't expect much effect from the manipulation. The cat's body developed under the influence of sex hormones.
Castration of an adult pet will not solve problems with marking the premises with urine, attempts to escape from the house and regular howling. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to correct the habits and behavior of an older cat.
The disadvantages outweigh the benefits of the intervention
- Risk of physical inactivity.
- Gaining excess weight. Corrected by a specially selected diet
The operation is performed only under general anesthesia.
