Cat Spaying and Cat Neutering
As your Hometown Veterinarian, we understand the importance of providing the best care for your feline friend. One crucial aspect of responsible pet ownership is spaying or neutering your cat. Here, we provide information and address common questions and concerns about these essential procedures to help ensure the health and happiness of your beloved cat.
The Hometown Veterinarian Difference when it comes to spaying or neutering cats
At The Hometown Veterinarian, we understand that there is no such thing as "just a spay" or "just a neuter." Each procedure is a surgery under general anesthesia and, in all likelihood, the only surgery that your cat will ever encounter. We understand that cats are unique animals and that cat surgery requires a unique approach. We perform every surgery with utmost care and skill to ensure a consistently, stress-free, safe, and comfortable experience.
- We perform critical laboratory testing before each and every surgery to help keep every anesthesia and surgery as safe as possible
- Every patient will receive and be maintained on IV fluids to ensure normal hydration and to manage anything unexpected during surgery.
- Gas anesthesia with appropriate pre-medication is used to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for the animal.
- Every surgery is a laser surgery, which not only allows for tiny incisions but means less bleeding, less swelling, less pain, and a faster recovery. Why would you want your cat to hurt more?
- Every cat is closely monitored during all stages of anesthesia and recovery by multiple professionals using electronic monitoring equipment.
- Patient warming with heated surgery tables, HotDog patient warmers, and heated blankets.
- Pain relief is never an afterthought. All surgical patients will receive multi-modal pro-active pain management including therapy laser treatments. Never let anyone tell you that pain relief isn't important. No cat should ever be allowed to silently suffer when recovering from a spay or a neuter surgery.
- We perform our spay and neuter surgeries as outpatient procedures. We know that cats are most comfortable at home so we make every effort to get them home on the same day as surgery so they can rest and recover comfortably in familiar surroundings.
Common Questions & Answers About Spaying and Neutering Cats
What is spaying a cat?
Spaying is a surgical procedure performed on female cats to remove their ovaries and often their uterus, preventing them from becoming pregnant.
What is neutering a cat?
Neutering, or more correctly called castrating, is a surgical procedure performed on male cats to remove their testicles, preventing them from impregnating a female cat.
How does spaying or neutering impact the health and well-being of my cat?
Spaying or neutering can significantly contribute to your cat's overall health by reducing the risk of many reproductive-related diseases as well as prevent unwanted behaviors associated with mating instincts.
How soon should I bring my cat in to see a veterinarian for a spay or neuter?
For optimal results, it is recommended to spay or neuter a cat before it is sexually mature. Each kitten is unique and a specific age is best determined by your veterinarian, but we find 4-6 months of age to usually be best. While a spay or neuter can be performed at older ages, younger cats typically recover much quicker than older individuals and earlier surgery eliminates any chance of an unexpected pregnancy.
What are the medical benefits of spaying and neutering cats?
The medical benefits include a decreased risk of certain cancers, infections, and reproductive issues. This promotes a longer and healthier life for your cat.
How will spaying or neutering affect my cat's behavior?
Spaying or neutering can positively impact behavior by reducing or eliminating mating-related behaviors such as yowling, seeking to escape outdoors, urine spraying, and aggressive behaviors. It often can also make your cat more affectionate and thus, a better companion.
What are some possible conditions that can be helped or prevented by spaying or neutering my cat?
Spaying or neutering can help prevent uterine infections, mammary tumors, and testicular cancer.
How should I care for my cat before and after spaying or neutering surgery?
Before surgery, we typically recommend removing food the night before surgery and picking up water first thing on the morning of. Because every cat's medical needs can vary, meet with and discuss specific recommendations with the veterinarian ahead of time.
After surgery, provide a quiet and comfortable indoor space for recovery. We will be using pain relievers that will keep our patients comfortable but they can somewhat impair an animal's judgement, so avoid letting your kitty outdoors until fully healed.
Normally following laser surgery, our sutures are all beneath the surface of the skin and will require little to no extra care but you should check the surgery site each day through the course of healing which is usually about a week.