Benefits of Neutering

Spaying and castration are surgical procedures that make your cat unable to reproduce. Spaying is the removal of a female cat's ovaries and castration is the removal of a male cat's testicles. Neutering refers to either procedure.

If you have an outdoor cat or multiple indoor cats you should seriously consider having your cat neutered. The world is incredibly overpopulated by stray cats. Most of them end up in shelters or on the street and if they are not adopted, they are either put to sleep or die from trauma, starvation or exposure to the elements.

Unless you are planning on breeding and are confident you will find homes for all the kittens (a female cat can produce up to 15-20 kittens a year) the most responsible thing to do is have your cat neutered.

Benefits of neutering

Even if your cat stays indoors and doesn't live with a viable breeding partner, it's still a good idea to have your cat neutered. If you have a female cat, spaying makes ovarian cancer impossible and also dramatically reduces the risk of cervical cancer.

It will also eliminate a number of behaviours that you may find undesirable. A female that hasn't been neutered will go into heat around three to four times a year. During this time she may meow constantly or try to get out of the house.

When a female goes into a heat several times without mating she may develop problems like depression, anorexia, diarrhoea and vomiting. Neutering will eliminate all such behaviours.

Males

Male cats also benefit greatly from being neutered. It eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and prevents a number of behaviours that can make owning a male cat difficult.

Neutered male cats are far less territorial, will rarely spray urine to mark their territory, and their urine will not smell nearly as strong. If you have two male cats, neutering them will dramatically reduce the amount they fight. In fact, neutered cats are generally much more docile and easier to handle.

The operation

Preparing for the actual procedure is the same for each gender. You should not feed your cat for about 12 hours before the surgery.

The cat is put under a general anaesthetic and hooked up to monitoring equipment to make sure there are no complications. Then an incision is made and the ovaries and sometimes the uterus or testicles are removed. The incision is then closed with stitches that may be hidden inside.

Because a larger incision is needed for a female cat she may need to stay at the clinic for a day or two while male cats generally go home the same day.

Afterwards

Your vet may fit your cat with a head cone to prevent the stitches being chewed. You'll need to keep an eye on the cat to make sure that the wound shows no signs of swelling, tearing, bleeding or discharge.

If any of these symptoms appear, inform your vet immediately. Usually a cat recovers completely from a neutering operation, and within a week or two the vet will remove the stitches.

During her recuperation make sure she has plenty of water, clean bedding and a chance to relax in a calming environment.

There is some debate about the best time to have a cat neutered. Most vets recommend neutering at six to eight months, before your cat reaches sexual maturity. Ask your own vet what he or she recommends for your cat.

Side effects

After neutering, a cat's hormonal balance changes, causing the metabolism to slow down, this makes the cat prone to weight gain. Hill's™ Science Plan™ NeuteredCat™ contains just the right amount of calories for neutered cats. In addition, neutered cats accumulate more fat and less muscle mass than non-neutered cats. Therefore, Hill's™ Science Plan™ NeuteredCat™ is formulated using our unique Weight Management Formula (WMF) with lysine and L-carnitine which help to burn fat and build muscle.

Urinary problems are common in all cats, and more so after neutering. Hill's™ Science Plan™ NeuteredCat™ is formulated with controlled mineral levels and produces the appropriate urinary pH level to decrease the risk of bladder stone formation and maintain urinary health.

Hill's™ Science Plan™ NeuteredCat™ is available from your veterinary practice.