Cat castration, description of the procedure

Castration in a domestic cat is the same benefit for our pet. The procedure is simple and almost routine, each experienced vet has carried out many such procedures. The main reason why we should decide to castrate a kitten is a humanitarian reason, cats and males after the procedure are calmer. They are not aggressive and also the smell of their urine is much less intense. Castration prevents cancer, as much as 90% of cancers arise in non-castrated cats. However, the most important reason for us should be that we will extend the cat’s life. We will be able to enjoy our consolation longer.

Cat Hormonal Changes

In cats, the hormonal changes caused by heat cause a series of behaviors that disturb both the cat and the guardian. During estrus, cats are quite loud, shallow much more, have a much greater tendency to run away from home, urinate excessively and this also happens outside the litter box. They also often lose their appetite.

Castration is nothing more than the removal of the ovaries and uterus in a female cat or the removal of the testicles in a male cat. The difference between castration and sterilization is huge. In sterilization, only the fallopian tubes are ligated, and in male males the vas deferens are ligated. At the moment, sterilization is being abandoned in favor of castration. Thanks to this, we can avoid cancer of the reproductive organs in cats in the future.

When to castrate a cat?

There are two schools of castration. In the American kitten, the procedure is performed around 12 weeks of age. In Poland, it is very rarely found, and if so at cat breeders. They spend purebred cats on the so-called knee, they want to be sure that someone will not breed this cat further. In Poland and in Europe, most of the domestic castrated cats are around 8-12 months of age.

Preparing the cat for castration

Before arranging the castration procedure, we should come to the vet to collect the cat’s blood. The vet may also order an EKG. During the procedure, the kitten is asleep and the vet has to make sure that his heart is strong enough to keep his body strong and the kitten wakes up from anesthesia. After the positive results of the test, we make an appointment with the doctor for the procedure, usually we bring the kitten to the clinic for a few hours. The cat should be fasting before the procedure, and not eat any food for 12 hours before the procedure. Additionally, the kitten cannot be in heat at the moment.

What does cat castration look like?

At the beginning, the doctor has to shave the kitten’s tummy, thanks to which the doctor has full access to it and the fur is not stained with blood or disinfectants. In cats, the procedure involves the removal of the reproductive system: ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes. The doctor starts the actual procedure and makes a lateral or vertical incision of about 1.5 cm. After the procedure, there is a really small scar, which will soon become covered with the kitten’s fur. In males, the procedure involves incision of the scrotum and removal of the testicles.

Care after cat castration

After castration, it is very important to keep your kitten calm. If we are working, it is a good idea to make an appointment on Friday so as to ensure the care of the cat while staying with him on the weekend. He will be very calm immediately after the procedure and for the following days. It is also important that the kitten wears special postoperative clothing. This prevents the kitties from pulling the seam. Currently, most of the sutures are used that dissolve on their own. After about 10 days, only a follow-up visit is recommended. If something bothers us after the procedure, we should immediately consult a veterinarian. After the cat is castrated, we will also get drugs to be administered at home.

Castration of our cat is a simple procedure for our vet, let’s choose an experienced person, and our cat will certainly go through the procedure smoothly and without complications.