Cat Spaying and Neutering - Exploring Cat Spaying and Neutering Procedures

Name: Veterinary Services
Brand: Phoenix Mobile Veterinarians

What is cat neutering?

Cat neutering is used to describe when we remove the testicles from male cats.

Dr. Kristin Fornara
Phoenix Mobile Veterinarians

What is spaying a cat?

Spaying a cat is when we remove the ovaries and uterus from a female.

How does spaying or neutering impact the health and well-being of my cat?

There are certain infections that we can see in intact cats, certain cancers that can form with time with intact cats, and different undesirable behaviors that cats can develop when they're intact. So spaying and neutering will help prevent a lot of these unwanted behaviors, infections, and certain cancers.

How soon should I bring my cat in to see a veterinarian to get them spayed or neutered?

We always recommend for kittens spaying and neutering around six months of age. We do start to see certain behavioral changes that are associated with intact kittens. Within seven, eight months of age, these spring, marking their territory, possible aggression. So we always want to try to get them in for an exam and talk about spaying and neutering prior to that. If you have an adult cat that you've recently acquired or adopted, we recommend spaying and neutering as soon as you can. So scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian right away is beneficial.

What are the medical benefits of spaying and neutering cats?

So similar to what I talked about before, the main thing that we see first off are the undesirable behavioral side effects. So intact females will howl a lot during the heat cycles. There can be spraying or marking behaviors where cats will go outside the litter box to mark their territory. Aggression can be associated with intact animals as well. And then of course we have the potential for certain types of infectious processes that can develop from being intact in males and females along with different types of cancers. So testicular cancer for male cats, uterine cancer, mammary gland tumors for female cats.

How will spaying or neutering affect my cat's behavior?

Spaying and neutering shouldn't affect your cat's behavior very much. Again, if there are some aggression issues or unwanted marking, howling, behavioral issues like that, a lot of times spaying and neutering can completely make these symptoms go away. So either decrease them significantly or stop them altogether. We're not looking to change those lovable characteristics of your cat or behaviors, and it really doesn't do that. Overall, it just helps with their health and well-being long-term.

How should I care for my cat before and after spaying or neutering surgery?

Before surgery, it's going to be based off of your veterinarian and what they recommend leading up to the surgical procedure. Most of the time, we recommend continuing on as you would, feeding the cat, taking care of the cat like normal. Post-op recovery usually lasts for about 14 days after their procedure, and during this time, you just want to make sure they can't get to their incision, lick it, make sure they're staying clean and dry, not getting into any water, and they're in a space, more of a confined space that you can monitor them as their incision heals. And then there can be medications that are recommended in post-op recovery as well. But other than that, really, they can live the life that they have been living in your home.

If you have any other questions, please give us a call at (480) 233-7276. You can also email us at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we are able. Don't forget to follow us on social media: Facebook and Instagram

Cat Spaying and Neutering - FAQs 1

Dr. Kristin Fornara
Phoenix Mobile Veterinarians

Why is spaying or neutering a cat so important?

Spaying and neutering is important because it helps mitigate undesirable behavior such as spraying, howling during heat cycles, inappropriate elimination outside of litter boxes, and aggression. It can also help prevent infections associated with the organs that intact animals have, along with certain cancerous processes that cats can develop as they age.

Should I let my cat have a litter before I spay her?

We do not recommend letting cats have a litter or going through a heat cycle before spaying. Studies have shown that each heat cycle a female cat goes through can increase their chances for cancer in the future, particularly mammary gland tumors, which are equivalent to breast cancer in humans. The more heat cycles they go through, the more prone they are to cancer as they age, regardless if you spay them in the future.

Will neutering help if my cat sprays all over the house?

Neutering can absolutely help with spraying or marking behaviors. Sometimes it's not the only thing needed to help eliminate these undesirable behaviors, but it can prevent a cat from starting to spray or can help decrease or eliminate the spraying if they are already doing that.

Will spaying or neutering be painful for my cat?

There is some discomfort associated with the procedure. However, we will prescribe adequate pain control so your cat will feel its best during recovery at home.

Will spaying or neutering make my cat less vocal?

It can help with some of the vocal behaviors, particularly in female cats that are in heat and can be very loud. However, some cats are vocal due to their personality or breed, and spaying or neutering won't eliminate that. But it will help if the vocalization is associated with heat cycles.