You can sterilize a cat while on a spree. Neutering a cat: pros and cons. When is the best time to spay a cat? When is the best time to spay a cat?

In this article I will talk about when you can and cannot spay a cat. I will describe the rules for conducting the operation during and after estrus. I will tell you whether it is possible to sterilize a pregnant and recently given birth cat.

Veterinarians agree that the optimal age for spaying a pet is 7-8 months (before the first estrus). In pets who are not yet 6-7 months old, such a procedure can provoke inhibition of growth and development, but not everyone is of this opinion.

Many veterinarians practice early sterilization (kittens are subjected to it between the ages of 2 and 6 months).

Doctors say that such babies tolerate anesthesia more easily and recover faster, and developmental delay does not happen in every animal.

When you can and cannot spay a cat

Some owners believe that every cat is obliged to reproduce at least once in a lifetime. However, it has long been proven that this is just a delusion.

Carrying kittens and giving birth is a serious stress for the body, and sometimes pregnancy comes with complications that pose a threat to life.

If it is necessary to operate on an elderly animal aged 10 years or older, several examinations must be carried out:

Blood tests (general and biochemical). Before testing, it is better not to feed the animal. They will allow you to control the work of all internal organs and detect the presence of deviations in time.
Ultrasound of the heart and ECG. These procedures will show the condition of the heart muscle. In case of deviations, the operation is postponed.

However, when choosing an age for surgery, you need to follow some rules. This applies to pregnant and recently given birth cats, as well as those animals that have recently ended estrus.

How long the operation lasts depends on many factors, but on average about 30-40 minutes.

During estrus

Veterinarians say that surgery during estrus is best avoided for the following reasons:

Change in hormonal background. In estrus, the animal actively produces hormones that are responsible for procreation. An operation during this period can lead to a longer recovery of the body, and the animal will suffer from a false pregnancy, or signs of estrus will remain for some time (ask for a cat).
During estrus, there is a risk of bleeding during sterilization, as the blood supply to the uterus increases, and the organ itself increases slightly in size.
A cat spayed during estrus (walking) can recover psychologically and physically a little longer.

But if this is not possible, the operation is also carried out during sexual hunting, but at the same time the owner is warned about the possible consequences.

Another reason why doing procedures during estrus is a serious violation of the hormonal background of the animal.

At the same time, the cat comes into the hunt almost without interruption, eats poorly, loses weight. This condition may indicate the development of endometritis. This disease is successfully treated by removing the uterus.

During pregnancy

Sterilization of pregnant cats is carried out only if there is a threat to the health of the animal itself. Indications include fetal pathologies, advanced age of the pet or ailments, the development of which provoked the bearing of kittens.

Many neuter pregnant cats picked up on the street in order to prevent the birth of unwanted offspring.

The uterus with fetuses is removed through an incision in the abdominal wall. It is better to carry out the procedure in the first 6 weeks of pregnancy, since abortion at a later date can cause severe bleeding. After sterilization, the animal will recover longer (up to 2-4 weeks).

After childbirth

Bearing offspring and childbirth is a serious test for the animal's body. After the kittens are born, it is necessary to give the animal time to recover. The optimal sterilization period is 1.5-3 months after childbirth or 30 days after the end of lactation.

An animal that feeds offspring cannot be operated on. If the cat has lost kittens, you can sterilize it a month after giving birth, but only if the pet feels good.

If you operate on a female that feeds offspring, babies can damage the sutures. In addition, after the operation, a special blanket is put on the animal, which will cover the mammary glands.

Another reason for refusing sterilization immediately after childbirth is a significant decrease in the elasticity of the uterus. This makes suturing difficult, and severe internal bleeding can also develop.

Sterilization is a serious surgical intervention.

It is undesirable to undergo surgery on pregnant and recently given birth cats, as there is a risk of life-threatening complications.

Most have an inaccurate understanding of castration and sterilization, as they do not have a medical education. Many people think that castration is a procedure for cats, and sterilization is for cats. Both procedures can be applied to both the cat and the cat.

Before spaying or neutering, you need to make sure that the pet feels good, what health and well-being he has.

The question of sterilization or castration of pets, in particular, we are talking about cute fluffy cats, has been worrying caring owners for a long time, but even veterinarians cannot give an unambiguous answer to the question that worries many: does such an operation benefit the pet or not?

Of course, only the owners should decide this issue. However, one important thing to remember is that this operation has both positive and negative sides. Only by weighing them responsibly, you can come to a decision.

Sterilization - what is this operation

When spaying cats, veterinarians may remove only the ovaries or the ovaries along with the uterus. This type of surgery is performed under general anesthesia, so owners should not worry that the pet will experience pain.

Anesthesia is administered twice: the first time in order to calm the animal, and the second is mandatory directly for a painless and fairly simple strip operation.

Preparation is the most important stage

Owners before contacting the clinic must independently prepare the animal for such a responsible event:

on the eve of the operation, you do not need to feed the animal, the last time the pet can eat about a day before the appointed time;
when transporting to a veterinary clinic, you should try to calm your furry friend by gently stroking him and pronouncing affectionate words;
be sure to get information about the necessary medicines that may be required during the operation in order to buy them in advance.

The abdominal operation lasts approximately 40-45 minutes; so that the cornea of the animal’s eyes does not dry out, because they do not close their eyes while the operation lasts, the doctor applies a special moisturizing gel to the mucous membrane.

Perhaps it will be even more convenient for the owners, since postoperative care is responsible and lengthy, but such a long separation will negatively affect the emotional state of the pet. Therefore, when making a decision, this point must be taken into account. Under other circumstances, the veterinarian will indicate the time when the owner can pick up his pet.

If the fluffy patient is not purebred, and the owner does not want to breed animals, it is best to sterilize the pet. This is necessary to prevent strong bursts of hormones that are constantly observed in animals during estrus. Hormonal surges are accompanied by the following behavior:

during the entire period of estrus, the cat will often refuse to eat and scream loudly, especially at night;
the pet may begin to behave aggressively towards people;
showing dissatisfaction, cats begin to scratch furniture upholstery, wallpaper on the wall, and so on.
Another characteristic feature is that cats mark their territory.

Some owners prefer to give their furry friends special pills or medications that calm the animal. However, not everyone understands that the constant use of such medications can provoke the development of oncological diseases, which lead to the death of the pet of the whole family.

Sterilization is the best solution to this issue, but you should definitely choose the right time for the operation. Many are interested in: is it possible to sterilize a cat during estrus, and what age is best to choose for this event?

According to veterinarians, sterilization is allowed at any age. It is best not to produce it during estrus. The fact is that during this period, blood flow to the genitals increases, and surgery can cause various complications.

It is best to do scheduled spaying before the first estrus, while the ovaries of the animal have not begun productive work, which will reduce the risk of developing cancer. However, many argue that during this period the muscles and skeleton of the animal are not fully formed and strengthened, and the removal of the ovaries will slow down this process. In addition, you need to understand that each animal develops individually, so it is recommended to choose the most appropriate time for sterilization, taking into account the following points:

wait until the pet's teeth change, this process can begin at about 8-10 months;
before the operation, give your furry friend a deworming drug;
after 2 weeks, vaccinate your pet;
the operation to be performed approximately 30 days after vaccination.

In the life of every cat owner, there comes a time when you have to decide the issue of procreation of a pet. This really becomes a problem when kittens are periodically born, which are more and more difficult to attach. There are not enough good and caring hands for everyone, so most of the kids are doomed to a hungry existence, ending up on the street and replenishing the army of homeless animals.

The fate of their mother is not always enviable. Repeated estrus in the absence of mating or the use of hormonal drugs can eventually lead to exhaustion of the cat's nervous system and diseases such as ovarian cancer, vulvovaginitis, pyometra, etc.

Therefore, for those owners who really care about the health of their pet, the best way out is to sterilize the cat. The pros and cons of this event should be studied in advance in order to prevent the occurrence of any unwanted complications.

What is sterilization

This is the deprivation of the cat's ability to reproduce. Most often done during which the internal genital organs are completely or partially removed. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia for 40-45 minutes. The seam is superimposed normal or internal. In modern practice, sutureless surgery is also used, when the surgical incision is made no more than 1 cm.

Types of sterilization

There is medical, radiation and surgical, each of them has its own. But more favorable is surgical. With medical sterilization using hormonal drugs, there is a high risk of neoplasms, including malignant ones. Many doctors consider the method using radiation to be detrimental to the animal, because with the slightest mistake in calculating the dosage of radiation, it can adversely affect the condition of the cells.

Of the surgical ones, ovariohysterectomy is most often practiced - complete. There are other options - tubal occlusion (tubing of the fallopian tubes), hysterectomy (removal of only the uterus), oophorectomy (removal of only the ovaries). The last of these methods is the most preferable, but it is used only in relation to young nulliparous animals. The other two have a very adverse effect on the health of cats, so they are almost never used in modern veterinary medicine.

Consequences of sterilization

Such an operation, although it belongs to the category of complex ones, is done in almost any clinic. The animal recovers quite quickly, after two weeks only a small trace remains at the place where the seam was.

Become more attached to the house. Psycho-emotional sphere, hunting instincts do not suffer at all. The state of health after the operation is excellent, which allows the cat to live a full life without causing trouble to its owners.

Advantages of sterilization

Spayed cats have been shown to live longer and healthier lives. They do not seek to find a partner, so they do not run away from home and do not arrange cat "concerts". And if the sexual instinct does not distract them, respectively, more attention and love goes to the owners. Cats become calmer, retaining both appearance and demeanor, in addition, they will no longer bring unwanted offspring.

After sterilization, the risk of cancerous tumors, polycystosis, pyometra and other diseases that affect almost every nulliparous cat older than 5 years is significantly reduced. As a result of improved metabolism, the animal requires less feed, which leads to lower food costs.

It is recommended to read about such an operation as sterilization of cats, reviews of the owners, they will help to make a final decision. Often people say that they are very pleased that they decided to have the operation, because after it the cat does not have exhausting estrus, unnecessary kittens, she is always active, playful, with a shiny luxurious coat, which she did not differ before.

Cons of sterilization

There are also negative aspects of sterilization. Since after the operation it still changes, other changes occur in the body, including negative ones. Changing metabolism requires a completely different diet. After sterilization, energy requirements are noticeably reduced, against the background of increased appetite, this can lead to an increase in the animal's weight. To prevent the risk of obesity, the cat is transferred to a special food.

Of course, this is not a serious obstacle if the health of the pet is on the scales and the cat needs to be neutered. There are pros and cons to any, even the simplest operation.

At what age should sterilization be done?

In the absence of medical contraindications, it can be performed regardless of age. The most favorable period for sterilization is when the body is almost fully formed, but puberty has not yet arrived, that is, before the first estrus. In our country, such operations are often performed at the age of 8-10 months. At this time, animals are much easier to tolerate such procedures, and the recovery process is faster. The risk of mammary tumors is also minimal, which increases with each subsequent estrus.

There are practically no age restrictions for such an operation as cat sterilization. When it is better to do it is decided as needed. Even an old animal will not have negative consequences if it is completely healthy. In any case, by the time of the operation, appropriate examinations are carried out and tests are done in order to determine the general health of the pet.

Some veterinarians claim that the timing of a cat's spay doesn't matter at all for further development. And they operate on kittens at the age of even 2 months. But such an opinion is not very supported by most of their colleagues, who believe that an operation at such an early age can lead to disturbances in the development of internal organs.

Preparing for the operation

In order for the cat to tolerate anesthesia more easily, it should not be fed before the operation. The last portion of feed is given at least 12 hours in advance. Anti-flea treatment is mandatory. To prevent the cat from damaging the seam in the future, its claws must be cut in advance with a special claw cutter. The animal is transported, as a rule, in a carrying bag, you can use a bag made of dense material or a backpack for this purpose. If the distance to the clinic is short, it is better to walk. In order to prevent stress and panic behavior of a cat, it should be calmed down on the road with gentle words and strokes.

Of course, it is much easier to undergo an operation at home, which is why sterilization of cats at home has often been practiced recently.

What to do after spaying a cat

The first days after the operation, the cat is in dire need of care. At home, you need to prepare the box in advance by putting a warm bedding in it and placing it near the radiator or heater. The animal may experience severe chills during the period when the anesthesia will go away. After sterilization, the cat sleeps almost all the time for the first day, so it is advisable to observe peace and quiet in the house, monitor the breathing of the animal. The condition of the seams must be checked daily, treating with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green. If they appear reddened, swollen, or if the animal feels worse, you should immediately consult a doctor.

As a rule, after sterilization. On the first day, she is given water or milk from a syringe, and a day later she drinks on her own. Appetite appears gradually. After 3-4 days, the cat already begins to behave more actively, but for the time being, excessive mobility should be limited. After a week, the stitches are removed, and very soon the animal recovers completely.

Possible Complications

If the operation is performed in the clinic by an experienced professional, then any inflammatory processes are practically excluded. If an animal is aged or has chronic heart disease, then it is preliminarily examined by a cardiologist.

Some animals have an acute reaction to anesthesia, which cannot be predicted in advance. This is more common in animals with allergies. Therefore, during an operation such as sterilization of cats, an individual selection of drugs is carried out for such patients.

obesity after surgery

There is an opinion that after sterilization, the cat will definitely begin to gain weight. This is not entirely true. The operation itself cannot cause obesity, it appears due to a slowdown in metabolism and changes in hormonal levels, as a result of which the cat becomes calmer and requires less food. Therefore, if you change the diet, reducing the amount of food by 15-20%, and play more with the pet, providing regular physical activity, then the problem of overweight is unlikely to arise.

All this will take some time, so you need to take into account your capabilities, responsibly approaching such an issue as sterilizing a cat. The pros and cons of this procedure should be considered by each animal owner before heading to the veterinary clinic. After all, obesity is also a kind of disease, despite the fact that the sight of well-fed cats is very touching. When there is no excess weight, the animal retains its hunting instincts and the previous level of activity.

Feeding a spayed cat

The diet is made immediately after the operation. It may consist of commercially prepared feeds or homemade natural foods. It is undesirable to mix these two types of food.

When feeding a cat with natural food, preference is given to lean meat, offal, milk porridge. Fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir) are recommended. You can not feed a sterilized cat with fish, because it contains a lot of magnesium, an excess of which leads to the formation of salt stones.

Commercial pet food manufacturers offer a wide variety of specialty products for spayed cats. From all the variety, it is better to choose premium or super premium class feed. They are made from selected products, well balanced, safe and widely recommended by specialists after surgery such as cat spaying. Reviews about the feed of this class are mostly positive.

The combination of a balanced diet and health care for your furry pet guarantees him a long and happy life.

Now you know everything about such an operation as sterilization of cats: when is it better to do it, how it is performed and what are its results. So the choice is now yours.

Any surgical intervention, including sterilization, is stressful for a pet and its owner. However, international veterinary organizations have long recognized that all cats that do not participate in breeding should be subject to mandatory sterilization. Sterilized pets live much longer, since the risk of purulent inflammation of the uterus or the development of hormonal imbalance is minimized. At what age should the operation be performed and is it possible to sterilize a cat during estrus? We will dispel some myths and tell you in more detail about the operation to stop the work of the reproductive organs.

When is the best time to spay a cat?

To begin with, we will stipulate that sterilization and castration are two different concepts. In medical terminology, sterilization is understood as the elimination of fertility by blocking (ligation) of the fallopian tubes, but at the same time, the animal's sexual instincts are preserved. Castration involves the complete cessation of reproductive functions through the removal of the uterus and / or ovaries. The ward completely loses the desire to mate. Veterinarians very rarely spay cats, as this method is less effective. Usually females, like males, are castrated. However, among the people, the surgical method of contraception (castration) of females is called sterilization, so we will not deviate from the generally accepted terminology.

The most favorable age for cat sterilization is from 6 to 12 months. Such a time period is considered optimal, but in each female, puberty occurs in accordance with the breed and the individual characteristics of the organism. For example, tribal representatives of the cat family are sterilized at the age of 5-7 years. Some experts in the field of veterinary medicine perform surgery on cats at 3-5 months.

A young body tolerates anesthesia more easily.
The female, who has not previously experienced sexual desire, is mentally balanced.
The risk of developing urogenital ailments (pyometra, mastitis, malignant tumors of the reproductive organs) for nulliparous individuals is minimized.
Insurance against infection with sexually transmitted infections (chlamydia, herpesvirus and others).

We should not forget that the use of hormonal contraceptives leads to an imbalance of hormones in the animal's body. This phenomenon often leads to purulent inflammation of the uterus and ovaries.

This is interesting! About 70% of cat diseases are related to the genitourinary system. Therefore, it is very important to protect your pet from potential risks.

Can a cat be spayed while in heat?

Experts still have not come to a consensus on the issue of sterilization during estrus. There are several arguments that veterinarians put forward in defense of the theory of why a cat should not be spayed during estrus:

During estrus, blood flow to the uterus increases.

It grows in size, which makes it difficult to remove it. From a logical point of view, this argument is quite justified. However, for an experienced specialist, the size of the organ and the diameter of the ligated vessels do not matter. In some cases, even the pregnancy of the animal is not a reason to cancel the operation (threatening pregnancy, intrauterine death of offspring).

Hormonal disbalance

A change in the hormonal background is quite possible when the ovaries are removed, however, other organs gradually restore the balance of hormones (adrenals, pituitary, thyroid gland).

Psychological factor

During estrus, the cat submits to instincts and "demands" the cat. Some experts believe that if the operation is performed during estrus, the animal will retain instinctive needs. Let us pay attention to the following fact, that animals do not understand the nature of their instincts. Certain behaviors are triggered by a number of hormonal changes in the body. After removing the source that provokes this behavior, the cat will become calm and balanced.

So, is it possible to sterilize a cat when she is walking?

The surgical method of contraception will make life easier for you and your ward, and also save the animal from many diseases associated with the genitourinary system.

To sterilize your fluffy pet or not, each owner decides for himself. Many veterinarians believe that if you are not going to breed offspring, then this is the only right decision. But it should be understood that it has both positive and negative consequences. Only after weighing all the pros and cons, you can make the right decision and discuss it with a specialist.

What can sterilization of a cat during estrus lead to?

Any surgical intervention can lead to all sorts of complications, especially when it comes to removing the internal genital organs of a cat.

Important!

How severe the consequences of the operation will be, and their very occurrence, depends on how correctly the preparation for this process is carried out, and the care of the animal after it.

It should be understood that the positive aspects of sterilization are much greater than the risk of negative consequences. The animal will be protected from constant inconvenience and dissatisfaction, from which various purulent inflammations of the genital organs and oncological diseases can develop.

For the owners, this is peace of mind, which is lost with the constant need to attach cat offspring.

Of course, no one is immune from the negative consequences of sterilization, especially since some breeds of cats are prone to complications. Consider the negative consequences of surgery during estrus:

Features of the cat's body are intolerance to medical, narcotic drugs. The animal may develop anaphylactic shock, and as a result, acute liver or kidney failure.
Irreversible consequences if the animal at the time of the operation suffered from diseases of the cardiovascular system, lungs, or kidneys.
Complications from improperly performed surgery, which are the consequences of medical errors. This group includes such complications as peritonitis (although this is very rare, but if the doctor performed the operation in violation of hygiene standards, then the animal may experience purulent inflammation of the peritoneum) and divergence of the sutures (may occur due to the fault of the doctor if the operation technique is not followed ).
Hernias - appear after a while. This is a consequence of the fact that the sutures of the abdominal wall were not performed properly and the internal organs fall out into the resulting gap. The hernia is easily palpable through the skin.
Seam failure. This happens if the cat is restless and playful, then the threads can cut through the skin tissue and the seam falls apart. Also, the animal can pull the threads out of the seams.

After the operation, you should constantly monitor your pet and follow all the recommendations of the doctor.

In addition, you should be aware of the long-term negative consequences:

inevitable after surgery. Since the sexual instinct is removed from the animal after surgery, it begins to spend much less vitality, so the cat begins to gain excess weight, even if her diet is balanced.
"Unsterilization" - this should not be considered a medical error, since some breeds of cats have an additional ovary, which can be located in a completely different part of the body. In this case, all signs of estrus are preserved, but if the uterus was removed during the operation, the cat will not be able to become pregnant.

In addition to the standard complications, sterilization during estrus leads to certain specific consequences.

Increased chance of internal bleeding

If we consider this problem in detail, it is worth noting that the opinions of veterinarians are divided.

Some believe that sterilization during estrus will not harm the health of the animal, others believe that it is very dangerous, since at this time increased blood flow is provided to the genitals of the animal, which can cause severe bleeding during surgery.

Opponents of the operation during estrus refer to the fact that the vessels under the pressure of the blood flow greatly expand. But this is only one of the many reasons why you just need to choose a qualified specialist. An experienced surgeon can tie blood vessels of any diameter.

Advice!

Despite common opinions to carry out the operation during estrus or not, there are circumstances that leave no choice. For example, the state of hunting occurs very often - the rest period is only a few days. It is also necessary to take into account medical indications for which it is impossible to postpone the operation.

Hormonal disbalance

Some experts believe that it is necessary to abandon, due to hormonal failure. But if we consider this problem in more detail, then sterilization in any case will cause a hormonal failure in the animal.

If the animal does not have chronic diseases and allergies to drugs that are used during the operation, then sterilization during estrus will not bring any harm to the health of the cat.

But, despite the fact that the risks are minimal, you should not perform the operation during sexual hunting, it is better to wait for a more opportune moment.

Important!

Pay attention to the fact that the constant use of pharmacological drugs that inhibit sexual hunting is very harmful to the health of the animal. The constant violation of the hormonal background leads not only to various chronic diseases of the urinary-genital system, but also to the formation of malignant tumors.

Psychological problems

During estrus, the animal's body works based on natural instincts.

Many experts argue that performing an operation during estrus may not deprive a cat of sexual instincts.

But this is a very controversial statement, since after the operation, hormones are gradually removed from the body, and after a few months everything will return to normal.

Based on the above, estrus cannot be a 100% contraindication to sterilization. You just need to contact a competent surgeon who is able to qualitatively bandage vessels of any diameter.

How long after can you safely carry out the operation?

Experts advise sterilization 2 weeks before the next estrus, or a week after it. It is during this period that the cat is most calm, her body is recovering, hormones stop raging.

Important!

If the animal behaves inappropriately and unpredictably, then a wait-and-see attitude can only do harm. It is worth contacting the clinic immediately after estrus, so as not to harm the health of the pet.

Is it possible to do the operation after the first estrus?

Of course, it is desirable to perform the operation even before the animal shows signs of puberty.

The optimal age for sterilizing an animal, when this operation is as safe as possible, is 6-8 months. By this time, the cat is already fully formed, the genitals are developed, but there are no signs of maturation yet.

The first estrus - the period of puberty for the animal is a stressful situation, when the pet begins to behave inappropriately, screams loudly, rushes into the street, marks the territory.

Reference!

Often there are cases when an operation performed after estrus does not bring the desired result, and the cat periodically continues to behave inappropriately, for example, marks the territory.

This is due to the fact that in an animal, not only the ovaries produce hormones, but also the pituitary gland, which continues to synthesize them into the brain.

It is for this reason that all veterinarians believe that the best time to spay is before the animal has reached puberty. This approach will allow you to control the behavior of the cat.

Useful video

Conclusion

To make a decision about whether your pet will bring offspring or not, you need to make even before the first estrus occurs. But if you want to get offspring from a cat, and only, cock the pros and cons.

Sterilization, of course, can be carried out at any time, especially for medical reasons, but you need to understand that in some situations this approach can lead to serious complications. How ready are you for this?