Castration of a cat

Castration or sterilization: is there a difference

It is widely believed that castration and sterilization are the same thing. In fact, in the first case, during the operation, the surgeon cuts out the internal genitalia (testicles in males, ovaries in females), and in the second case, he makes a ligation of the pathways along which sperm (or egg) move – the seminal duct (tubes). A sterile animal, unlike a neutered one, retains the instinct of reproduction, can mate (fertilization does not occur).

Many owners, choosing a technique, wonder which is better and safer? Since the sterilized cat retains the production of sex hormones, he can continue "concerts" and with the ligated seminal cords. The purpose of the operation is, after all, to normalize the behavioral factor, so castration is the most preferable option.

Pros and cons of castration

Among the advantages of castration of cats, the following points can be distinguished:

• the animal ceases to mark the room;
• the owners get the opportunity to sleep peacefully at night;
• the probability of the cat escaping from the house is minimized;
• the pet becomes more calm, affectionate;
• the risk of pet infection with infectious and other diseases disappears.

The disadvantages of the operation include the inability to have offspring, for example, in the case when a suitable candidate appeared, and the owners are not averse to prolong the genus of the mustachioed.

Indications and contraindications

In addition to the owner's personal desire for a quiet life, castration also has medical indications for carrying out:

• genital injuries;
• malignant or benign tumors;
• congenital anomalies (cryptorchid cat);
• hereditary pathologies.

However, not all animals can be neutered. Contraindications are primarily related to the procedure itself, which requires the use of anesthesia, a recovery period. If the cat is weakened after an illness or due to age, he has exacerbations of any chronic diseases, cardiac or renal pathologies, then castration is not recommended.

Preparing the cat for castration

Is it necessary to prepare a cat for castration? Special attention is paid to the following points:

• the animal must be healthy (except for indications for surgery);
• all necessary vaccinations have been put down;
• anthelmintic therapy was performed.

If the owner is attentive to the health of his furry friend, vaccinations and anthelmintic prophylaxis are done in a timely manner, and the cat is in full health, then there are no other recommendations for preparation. If the owner doubts the state of health of the cat, then you need to tell the veterinarian about it. The examination before the upcoming castration may include such procedures as:

• visual inspection;
• analysis of blood, feces, urine;
• ultrasound examination of internal organs;
• electrocardiogram.

Special attention is paid to animals that were picked up from the street. They need to be examined most carefully, as hidden infections and pathologies are possible.

Anthelmintic agents are given 10 days before castration of the cat, if the last reception was more than a month ago; vaccination is given 30 days before the operation. Sometimes surgical intervention without vaccination is allowed. However, the immunity weakened by the operative procedure is not able to resist infections – the risk of complications increases. Some clinics offer the introduction of a special serum immediately before castration. This significantly increases the cost of the service, but serves as an excellent prevention of the development of infectious diseases during the recovery period.

And the last point in preparing the cat for castration is the restriction in food for 10 hours before the intervention. The animal can only be given water at this time. This requirement is associated with the possibility of a gag reflex during or after surgery (reaction to anesthesia).

Cat Castration methods

Modern veterinary medicine offers two methods of castration of cats: surgical and chemical. Most often they resort to the first option. If anesthesia is contraindicated for the animal, then it is possible to use a chemical or medicinal method.

Surgical castration

Surgical castration is performed according to the following algorithm.

• Introduction of anesthesia to the animal.
• Removal of hair in the scrotum.
• Treatment of the surgical field with antiseptic.
• Skin dissection.
• Separation of the testis from neighboring tissues and its extraction from the wound.
• Ligation of the spermatic cord – its ligation with a special suture material (prevents blood loss).
• Cutting off the testis.
• Antiseptic treatment.

Suturing is not carried out. The incision site begins to tighten on its own already in the first days after the operation, and by the beginning of the second week the wound heals completely.

Chemical castration

Chemical castration – subcutaneous injection of a medicinal hormonal substance to a cat. The method is reversible, after the removal of the implant or the expiration of its validity, the ability to fertilize is restored. The duration of activity of the active ingredient is about 6 months, in some cases up to 1.5-2 years.

In addition to the need for periodic administration of medication, medical castration has other features. For example, veterinarians note the presence of a reverse effect in the initial period of implant placement. The animal begins to make sounds with a vengeance, mark more often, becomes more nervous and irritable. This phenomenon is caused by the mechanism of action of the drug: neuro-endocrine reactions first sharply intensify, and then they are also sharply inhibited.

The chemical method of castration of a cat is not suitable if the animal is completely healthy, there is no need for procreation, and the operation itself aims to normalize the pet's behavior. At the same time, it is necessary to stop the choice on it if the cat has contraindications to surgery or mating is expected in the future.

Castration of the cryptorchid cat

One of the hereditary diseases of cats is cryptorchidism. In an animal cryptorchid during intrauterine development, the testicle (one or both) does not descend into the scrotum. Their location in the groin area serves as an indication for castration, as it poses a threat to the pet's health (for example, the formation of malignant tumors).

Castration with diagnosed cryptorchidism will cost the cat owner more than a normal operation. If the veterinarian cannot identify the location of the abnormal testicle by palpation, an ultrasound is prescribed. In any case, both appendages should be removed during castration, since the remaining one will produce hormones, and the behavior of the animal will not change.

What kind of anesthesia is used when castrating a cat

The operation to remove the testes is short (castration time is about 5 minutes) and simple, but requires the use of painkillers. To do this, use different methods:

• inhalation anesthesia – the introduction of gas into the lungs of an animal using a tube or mask, is rarely used due to the high cost;
• injection anesthesia is the most common, represented by the introduction of painkillers and sedatives into a muscle or vein of a cat (dangerous for animals with heart pathologies);
• local anesthesia – injections under the skin or into the spinal cord, rarely used.

Most often, a combined method of anesthesia is used for castration. For example, before installing a tube in the mouth of an animal, it is necessary to limit its motor activity – to put an injection with a sedative.

Cat after castration: how to care for

What to do after castration of a cat? First of all, it is necessary to provide the animal with rest for a while while it is under the influence of anesthesia. How much anesthesia goes away depends on the chosen method of anesthesia and the individual characteristics of the pet; its deep phase can last from a quarter of an hour to two, and a full exit is possible after 6-8 hours. If the cat is at home, the following actions are required from the owner.

• Provide your pet with a spacious, level place. When the cat begins to regain consciousness, he may fall, hit, bury his muzzle in something, blocking the air access. The ideal choice is gender.
• An absorbent cloth should be placed under the pet in case of uncontrolled urine discharge.
• The lighting should be dimmed to avoid the irritating effect of light on the eyes.
• At a low ambient temperature, the cat needs to provide heat (heating pad, battery, blanket).
• It is necessary to monitor the condition of the wound: slight wetting is the norm, but if the blood does not stop, you need to seek help from a veterinarian.
• Since blinking does not occur under anesthesia, to prevent inflammatory processes in the cat's eyes due to drying out, instillation of saline or any eye drops that do not contain antibacterial components will be required. You can use water for injection or a solution designed for lenses.

When a pet starts to come out of anesthesia, it may behave inappropriately: hissing, meowing, staggering, bumping into objects, urinating under itself. It is necessary to provide him with peace, to protect him from excessive attention and curiosity of domestic (people and animals).

You can feed the cat on the second day after castration, and give water no earlier than 4 hours later. Further care consists in preventing infection of the wound. So that the pet does not lick it, he needs to wear a special collar. You can prevent the ingress of small particles of cat litter if you replace it with a napkin for a while.

Can there be complications

Complications after castration are observed in rare cases. Among them:

• active bleeding;
• damage to the wound by the pet itself (the cat after castration tries to lick it);
• infection, pus formation, inflammatory process;
• fistula;
• sand in the bladder, urethra.

If any abnormalities in wound healing are detected, you need to contact the clinic.

When is it better to castrate a cat

At what age is it best to castrate a cat? Experts recommend performing the operation in the period of 7-9 months. It is believed that up to 7 months the animal's body has not yet developed sufficiently to tolerate the intervention well. After 9 months, most mustachioed pets are already entering puberty, which is manifested by appropriate behavior. There is a possibility that even after castration, this stereotype may persist.

Castration of an adult cat requires more responsibility and care on the part of the owner and the veterinarian. The older the animal, the higher the risk of complications. A pet at the age of a history may have chronic diseases, intolerance to any drugs, a decrease in the activity of the immune system, so adult cats are operated only after a thorough examination or do without castration, by medication.

Where is it better to castrate a cat: at home or in a clinic

Cat castration can be carried out both in the clinic and at home. The algorithm of the doctor's actions and the requirements for the conditions remain the same. Both options have advantages and disadvantages.

Does the cat mark after castration

The most frequent question of owners: do cats mark after castration? If the operation was performed before the onset of puberty of the pet, then the leaving of marks, provoked by the hormonal background, is not yet fixed at the subconscious level. In this case, the cat will not mark the room.

When the testes are removed after the neuroendocrine system of regulation of sexual instinct has been established, residual phenomena in the form of marks are possible. This is due to the continued production of testosterone. As its level in the blood of the animal decreases, both the sexual desire and the corresponding behavior of the cat will decrease. Gradually, this phenomenon will come to naught.

How much does it cost to castrate a cat

How much it costs to castrate a cat depends on a number of factors:

• clinic level;
• castration method;
• the complexity of the operation (simple removal of the testes, removal of the tumor, etc.);
• types of anesthesia;
• post-intervention care (finding a pet in the clinic, complications that have arisen, and so on);
• therapy before and after surgery (the introduction of immune serums, the need for antibacterial agents, immune, restorative drugs).

On average, the price of castration is in the range of 900-1500 rubles. In some clinics, the cost of the service reaches 7,000-8,000 rubles or more.

Myths about castration of cats

There are several common opinions about the castration of cats, which are actually myths.

Castration of a cat has become a routine procedure that not only allows owners to maintain peace and cleanliness in the house, but also serves as a prevention of the spread of infections. In addition, thanks to this operation, the number of stray animals may decrease. The main thing is to approach the issue responsibly and provide the pet with optimal conditions for rapid recovery.