Why does a sterilized cat scream

What to do if a sterilized cat screams?

What is the essence of the procedure?
Castration
Sterilization
It is safe?
Why does the cat yell for no reason?
Why does a sterilized cat scream at night: what to do?

Almost every modern pet owner understands that castration is the best way to rid a pet of many desires that are obviously impossible to fulfill. This way the animal suffers less, forgets about cats and kittens, generally becomes calmer and certainly will not frighten its beloved owners with an unexpected surprise in the form of a new addition. However, sometimes the “system” fails, and we begin to worry about the question, why does a sterilized cat scream? Everything is not as simple as it may seem at first glance, and no problem can be ruled out. In this case, contacting a veterinarian cannot be avoided.

The essence of the procedure: what is it?

It is best to do castration at the age of 6 months.

There are two ways to deprive an animal of its ability to bear children:

sterilization (vasectomy);
castration (ovariohysterectomy).

Surgery to sterilize a cat involves ligating the ovaries or removing the uterus. Thus, the production of hormones, for which the ovaries are responsible, does not stop. This method is chosen by pet owners who want to preserve the instincts of their pet. But a more humane way to carry out castration is a surgical intervention in which the reproductive organs are completely removed. Then the adrenal glands are responsible for hormonal production, and the cat does not require mating.

This is interesting: Treatment of cat stitches after sterilization

A cat screams after sterilization: norm and deviations

In fact, immediately after the operation the animal is physically unable to scream. Unless, of course, we are talking about “full”, cavity sterilization, accompanied by general anesthesia.

After it, the cat can only sleep quietly in the basket. This is absolutely normal. In general, loud and sharp screams immediately after surgery often do not mean anything good.

Pathology

You need to be wary if the following signs are noticed simultaneously with the screams:

Swelling and swelling of the postoperative suture.
It's not good when a cat screams at night. This sign almost always indicates severe pathologies, which clearly manifest themselves at night, when the animal’s body relaxes as much as possible.
Discharge of purulent exudate.
Inappropriate animal behavior. This should be understood not only as hectic screams and rushing around the house, but also as lying flat and completely detached from what is happening. Simply put, if a cat is lying down in a basket and screaming hoarsely, with anguish, this is much worse than if it were running and screaming. If such signs appear, you should immediately call a veterinarian.

Normal (relative)

Once again, loud screams in the postoperative period are not the most reassuring sign, but sometimes this phenomenon can be explained. So, after major abdominal surgery, many cats experience pain and other unpleasant sensations for some time.

As a rule, the problem is completely solved by prescribing mild sedatives. In addition, severe pain after a successful operation rarely lasts more than three days. Otherwise, the owner again needs to contact a veterinarian. Most likely, “protracted” screams indicate the development of severe pathological phenomena in the cat’s body. The sooner they are identified and eliminated, the greater the chance of saving the cat’s health and life.

The main causes of post-operative screams

The reasons are not too varied:

Postoperative inflammation. They arise either as a result of gross violations of the rules of asepsis and antisepsis at the time of the operation, or due to the cat licking the surgical sutures, as well as scratching them. In this case, the cat screams in pain.

Formation of postoperative hernia. It is also an unpleasant phenomenon that may be accompanied by pain and other unpleasant sensations.

It is not good when a cat meows after sterilization, and its voice is too weak. In some cases, this behavior indicates the presence of internal bleeding. If your pet's skin and mucous membranes become uncomfortably cold, this should be reported to your veterinarian immediately.

Fever. It happens that in some cases the operated cat’s body temperature jumps, and this is not a pathology. But in other cases, this indicates the penetration of pathogenic microflora into the animal’s body.

Sterilization took place a long time ago, but your pet is screaming as if she’s in heat?

It also happens that the operation took place a long time ago, but the cat still screams as if in heat. What is the reason for this phenomenon? It's simple. Even if the animal’s ovaries have been removed, some of the hormones are still retained in the body. A lot of time passes until their reserves are finally exhausted. Until then, the cat will constantly yell, demanding the attention of cats. Most likely, you will have to wait at least three or four months for the end of this “concert.”

Attention! If the operated cat has all the signs of estrus, she screams and even follows the owner’s heels, in no case should you use medications like “Sex Barrier” and other hormonal drugs!

Failure to comply with this recommendation leads to the development of severe hormonal pathologies. If you use these drugs for too long, even the development of cancer becomes quite possible.

Examination room

The doctor first finds out the symptoms and causes of the cat’s behavior . Further actions are determined from the results obtained during the inspection. If the diagnosis is obvious, if the animal is in a state of sexual desire, the veterinarian will offer one solution to the problem - sterilization. The upcoming operation only frightens the animal's owners. In fact, there is no reason for this; 95% of operations are successful and do not harm the pet. In order to stop a cat’s night cries forever, this is the best way out.

There are cases when owners do not want to castrate a cat, what to do, is there a solution?

After the examination, at the request of the owners, the doctor may prescribe hormonal injections . This approach is very different from using store-bought sex stops. The veterinarian individually selects the medicine and dosage, and also personally observes it afterwards. But even this approach does not guarantee a restful sleep. The medicine relieves physiological desire only temporarily. The most guaranteed solution is to castrate the cat.

Consequences of sterilization

If the first operation was performed on the furry purr, then it is clear why the sterilized cat screams. The instincts remain the same. In general, the sterilization procedure is regarded by many veterinarians as abuse of animals. After all, with such an operation, the owner dooms the pet to lifelong torment. The sexual instinct will manifest itself every time, but the maternal instinct will never be satisfied . This will only cause the animal to suffer. In this case, the pet will experience hormonal explosions throughout its life, and concerts at home are inevitable.

Complications during castration

If a castration operation was performed, and the cat screams at night, then, most likely, the procedure was accompanied by complications. Let's consider all the options:

It is possible that the operation was performed during estrus. Then for some time after sterilization of the cat, instinctive behavior will be observed, as with sexual desire. She will meow and ask for the cat. It is necessary to wait for the restoration of hormonal levels (this period is about 3-4 months) and observe the behavior of the animal.
If the operation was carried out before the first heat, and the sterilized cat periodically screams, then, for sure, it was performed poorly. Perhaps some of the ovaries remained unremoved. This affects hormonal levels. Therefore, the sexual instinct continues to work. This option is easy to check. If the furry purr is helped by drops and pills, such as “Sex Barrier,” then the operation was poorly done. You should contact a veterinary clinic, be sure to do an ultrasound of the ovaries and, subsequently, sterilize again.
There is an option that the operation was performed efficiently, but late (at the age of 3-5 years). In this case, the animal’s behavior does not change, and the cat yells for no reason at night out of habit. In this case, she does not have hormonal surges, and her behavior imitates pre-operative behavior.
It happens that such behavior can be a signal for the owner about problems in the health of the furry pet. In particular, a cat may yell periodically if its adrenal glands are bothering it.

This is interesting: How to prepare a cat for sterilization

A pet is a living creature

The situation in our home is always under our control, so it seems to us. If you wanted to have a pet - once you eat, you have to go to bed - everyone should shut up. But cats don’t adapt to their owner’s wishes; they also have their own desires, needs, and even their own mood.

The surrounding residents are unhappy, the cat’s behavior is strange, and the screams at night are unreasonable. What to do in such a situation, after all, do not throw it out into the street?

The main thing is, if this happened and the cat started yelling, find out the reasons based on the symptoms. Indeed, you need to understand what is behind these symptoms.

A hormonal surge is the first and main reason for such behavior in a pet.

The beginning of March, a well-known time in the world of cats , who hasn’t heard of it? Modern windows save residents of the first floors of apartment buildings; close the window - no problem, silence. In private houses they also install such windows, but when a cat is yelling in the next room, what should you do? They just scream like that, cats have the same rules.

The greatest likelihood of such a cry is sexual hunting. In a situation where the cat is not sterilized, such a “concert” will be repeated regularly. He is not shouting out of arrogance or harmfulness, his time has come.

He shows the world around him his strength and readiness to reproduce . This is all in the hope that his other half will hear him and respond to his songs. This is one of the most powerful instincts in animals and attempts to suppress it will lead nowhere. All you have to do is wait it out.

We’ll touch on what to do and what to do, but now let’s remind you about what not to do.

What measures to take?

What to do in such a situation? And should you pay attention to your pet’s behavior? The answer is clear - it is necessary. If you let the situation take its course, then the sterilized pet’s cycle may be restored and such behavior will be regular. If the problem is not the quality of the operation, then veterinarians recommend medical intervention - it is necessary to inject the cat with a hormonal vaccine, such as Covinan or depot-gestone. This may need to be done twice. In any case, it is advisable to do this only after the recommendation of a veterinarian.

Trying to scare me doesn't help.

A “folk” recipe for combating night screams from amateurs.

There is an opinion that after scaring a cat well:

Bath your head in cold water;
Release a stream from a water pistol;
Scare with a vacuum cleaner.

Organization of discomfort in any form, primarily for the cat, but the whole family will experience it. The only shame is that in fact, the effect is very short-lived. It will scare you, and he will probably shut up, but only for a while. With the onset of silence, the animal will come to its senses and again begin to sing.

Most likely, the cat’s memory will not fail and in the morning a small gift will be discovered in the shoe . Cats do not forgive insults and take revenge at every opportunity.

Poor operation

In the first 3 days after sterilization, the cat may have pain. This is not considered a pathology. To relieve symptoms, the veterinarian prescribes appropriate medications.

If sterility rules were not followed during surgery, infection may occur. The development of the inflammatory process will cause pain. Treatment is carried out using antibacterial therapy. In severe cases, surgery is required.

The cause of postoperative screams may be damage to internal organs. Regardless of whether the sterilization procedure was performed by the cavity or endoscopic method, there is a possibility of injury to adjacent tissues. This often happens if the surgery was performed by an insufficiently experienced specialist or due to the doctor’s negligence.

Heredity

A similar pathology forms in an animal even when it is in the womb.
Scientists call it ectopic ovarian tissue syndrome.

The problem is that during the formation of the ovaries, some tissue cells end up in another part of the animal’s body, and it is simply impossible to identify them in the formed and strengthened cat’s body.

Reference!

Such a hereditary predisposition is very rare.

A sterilized cat asks for a cat: reasons

There are the following causes of estrus in sterilized females:

Incomplete removal of epididymal tissue. Occurs when an unremoved piece of ovarian or epididymal tissue remains, which is capable of regenerating and partially replacing the internal secretion organ. Estrus occurs as usual, but pregnancy does not occur and the pet will not be able to bring kittens. Repeated surgery, as a rule, does not solve the problem. Not every veterinarian is able to find the criminal piece of tissue, and repeated anesthesia will harm the cat’s health. However, the chance of achieving a positive result increases if the uterus and surrounding tissue are removed.
Development of the reminant ovary. After the removal of the reproductive organs, the pituitary gland or adrenal glands begin to produce sex hormones. Statistics show that one out of seven castrated cats can retain the ability to secrete estrogen.
Congenital anomaly. Cells of the ovarian appendages take root in other organs.
Development of a hormone-like tumor. The neoplasm has the ability to secrete estrogens. Pathology is observed in cats that were castrated in adulthood.

How not to react to cats meowing

You need to understand that you cannot hit a cat. He will become afraid of his owner, hide in hard-to-reach places and scream from there. A click on the nose or ear will scare your pet away from the table or forbidden room, but will not silence him.

Spraying with water from a spray bottle will disperse the bullies gathered to fight or silence the screaming monster, but only for a short time. The cat respects the actions of the leader if they are strict but fair. And he perceives ill-conceived punishments as hostile aggression. The animal will begin to hide from the offender.

Hormones

Sterilization does not disrupt hormone production. For this reason, the cat may go into sexual heat. The instinct to reproduce does not disappear, so the animal may go into heat. It is accompanied by changes in the behavior of the pet.

A cat can be in heat even after spaying, because... The ability to produce the necessary hormones is retained by the adrenal glands and the pituitary gland. For this reason, the operation is recommended to be performed at 6 months, i.e. before the onset of the first sexual heat.

To normalize the state of health, the cat is prescribed hormonal medications.

Medicines to calm you down

In order to calm an angry cat, there are many medications:

calming tablets;
drops;
solutions for injections.

The most popular of them:

Fitex - soothing drops with motherwort, valerian and hops, help relieve stress and normalize heart function;
Stop-stress – quite strong tablets and drops that reduce the activity of the animal’s brain, but are not addictive;
Cat Bayun is a powerful sedative in the form of a solution and tablets, intended to relieve aggression (especially in cases where the cat is marking the apartment and is overly nervous), as well as to relieve estrus in cats.

All other drugs pose a danger to the health of cats, so it is better not to use them.

What to do if the cat continues to walk after sterilization?

The owner has the following options for dealing with the pet’s wandering behavior despite the surgery:

You need to be patient and wait until the concentration of hormones that were produced before sterilization drops.
Carry out a repeat operation. In most cases, it is financed by the surgeon who performed the first one. However, it should be noted that all anesthesia drugs have side effects.
If estrus occurs, use medications to regulate sexual heat, which will be prescribed by a veterinarian.

Preparations for regulating sexual heat in cats

If a sterilized cat develops heat and produces characteristic meowing, rolling on the floor, and spreading puddles across the floor, phytosterol-based calming medications are used.

In their structure, the substances contained in biological additives resemble sex hormones. The cat develops the feeling that mating has occurred and she calms down.

The advantages of the drugs are their harmlessness and mild action. The disadvantage is that they must be given several times a day for several days. The following herbal sedatives are in demand:

FITEX is given an hour before meals or along with food, 3-5 drops per cat with food or treat 3 times a day. During the period of taking the biological supplement, the pet is transferred to three meals a day. The course of taking the drug is 15-30 days. If necessary, treatment is repeated. In addition to correcting sexual behavior, drops are used to relieve stress.
Kot Bayun tablets are a dried extract of medicinal herbs. Give 3-4 times a day, 20 minutes before and an hour after feeding, 2 pills. The course of treatment is 5-7 days. It is recommended to use it monthly until the problem is eliminated.
Kot Bayun infusion. It is a herbal tea in bottles. The procedure for taking it is the same. as when using tablets. A single dosage is half a teaspoon.

Veterinarian advice

Some veterinarians consider it inappropriate to sterilize a cat, which involves tying the fallopian tubes. After the operation, the animal continues to lead its usual lifestyle, so there is still a possibility of developing other health problems characteristic of pets who have not undergone surgery:

inflammation of the uterus and appendages;
cystic endometrial hyperplasia;
infections transmitted through sexual contact;
benign and malignant neoplasms, etc.

Estrus in sterilized cats may last longer than in unoperated cats, because fertilization does not occur. The possibility of a false pregnancy cannot be ruled out. This process is caused by a violation of the animal’s neuropsychic state. If a false pregnancy occurs, the cat's life is at risk if treatment is not started in a timely manner. The animal begins to produce milk, which is dangerous for the development of mastitis. False pregnancy can occur repeatedly.

Before getting a female pet, you need to think in advance about all possible problems and difficulties that may arise in the future, including deciding on sterilization. If in doubt, it is best to consult a veterinarian.

Persistence of other behavioral traits that should have gone away

Each owner, when sending a cat for sterilization, pursues a specific goal. Such a goal could be:

cessation of estrus;
the cat stops yelling all day long;
The cat stops marking its territory.

In some cases, this behavior may continue to manifest itself in pets.

For example, immediately after surgery, an animal may scream for a couple of months, since there are still “wandering” hormones in the body.

They can cause continued estrus for a short period of time after removal of the ovaries.

If the cat continues to scream, the type of surgery performed should be considered. For example, after the fallopian tubes are pulled, the female loses the opportunity to become pregnant, but the ovaries continue to produce hormones, and accordingly, the cat continues to scream. It is also worth making sure that the operation was successful.

Attention!

You just need to wait out the two-month period after sterilization - no need to give your cat pills that suppress estrus or panic. If the cat asks for a cat after 2 months after surgery, contact your veterinarian.

Disease

The cat marks as if to spite its owner. They did everything to her: they scolded her, spanked her, and poked her nose. No, he doesn't understand. Runs away from the crime scene on half-bent legs, with blocked ears. But he continues to do his job.

Do not rush to scold your favorite. Perhaps the whole point is that the animal simply does not always have time to reach the tray. If a cat has cystitis or urolithiasis, punishment will not help. The animal must be treated; this is impossible to do at home. Therefore, you will have to take your pet, put it in a carrier and rush to the veterinarian. The faster, the better for everyone. Because only a specialist can determine the presence of diseases associated with the bladder.

Should a cat stop marking?

The female stops marking after sterilization if she has not yet reached sexual maturity at the time of the operation.
Otherwise, such sexual behavior has already been established, and the lack of hormones may not affect it. In addition, this behavior completely depends on the character of the cat. She may not like such a small thing as the location of the tray, unknown and unpleasant odors, or simply the surrounding environment, but she can express her dissatisfaction in one of the few ways - by leaving marks.

The owner can deal with this problem in several ways.

Ensure good ventilation in the house, eliminating unpleasant odors.
Make sure the cat is not bothered by anything. In case of anxiety, you can rub flower infusions into the inside of the ear. They can also be added to the water that the animal drinks - no more than 1-2 drops.
Special preparations sold in pet stores can eliminate the odors of existing marks. Their use is quite lengthy: most often, the areas marked by the cat must be treated every day for a month.

Reference!

Of course, all of the above should be put into effect only after the owner is convinced that sexual behavior has been consolidated and the operation has been performed correctly. If the production of hormones in the cat's body continues, the above methods may not help.

Hormonal medications will help

Pet stores offer their own solution to these problems.

Hormone-based medications are sold in many pet stores. One drawback is that they are ineffective. The only one who calms down from these pills is the owner himself, while he is going home. The magic pill works something like this: The cat will scream less. The number of screams may decrease, even by half, but he will not stop screaming.

These sleepless nights, no matter what the owner will do to get enough sleep. So you have to turn to professionals at the pet store. Drugs come to the rescue, and not just one, there are many of them. There are also fakes among them, but that's another story.

It’s good if the product consists of chalk, but what if the drug contains hormones . Moreover, the quality and quantity for animals is not regulated by any standards.

It is difficult to imagine what side effects such drugs have. A pet store is not a pharmacy, and drugs are not sold by pharmacists. It is difficult even for a specialist to determine the effect of the composition of the drug on the body. What changes will occur in the endocrine system of the animal under their influence?

Very often, the manufacturer of veterinary drugs does not indicate the composition, indications and contraindications. Let’s put it simply: an incorrectly selected drug can harm your pet.