Cat Neutering Procedure

One of the greatest gifts that your can give your pet is to neuter or spay it. Neutering is a surgery conducted to remove an animal’s reproductive organs, either the entire part or a considerably large part. Technically, the process is referred to as castration in male cats while in female cats, it is known as spaying. Neutering is the most common method for sterilizing animals to prevent the birth of unwanted litters and also ensuring a longer and healthier life. The neutering procedure can be done when the cats attain puberty or sexual maturity, usually at the age of six months, as this will help in reducing the risk of physical and behavioral problems. Read on further to know the procedure for neutering or spaying a cat.

 

 

No food or drink is served to the cat the evening before the surgery, water being an exception. In the morning before the surgery, water is as well discontinued. This is mainly because the surgery needs to be performed on an empty stomach to prevent the cat from vomiting while being anesthetized, which can otherwise pose additional risks.

 

Though this is optional, some cat guardians and anesthetists perform pre-anesthetic blood work to ensure that the cat is healthy enough to withstand the surgery. A basic blood screen is performed to determine the cat’s kidney and liver function. Doing so is important to ensure that these organs will be able to metabolize the anesthesia from the body, after the surgery is completed.

 

A general anesthesia is given to the cat prior to the surgery through an injection. The level of anesthesia is monitored through the face mask. Isoflorane gas is the most common anesthesia used for neutering a cat.

 

The cat is made to lie with its back or side on the operating table. The fur surrounding the scrotum is shaved, plucked or clipped. A surgical scrub and antiseptic soap is used to scrub and disinfect the scrotal area. At times, an antiseptic solution is also sprayed on the area, which gives it an orange color.

 

After making a small incision on the scrotal area, the scrotum is opened and the testicles are pulled out. The cords are pulled free and either tied or stitched to each other. The testicles are then cut off and some antibiotic powder is applied to the surgical area. The scrotal area naturally closes the incision, requiring no stitches to close the area. Cat neutering causes none to very little bleeding.

 

The cat is kept under observation after the surgery is over, till it awakes from the anesthesia, which usually takes 20 minutes from the completion of the surgery. At most times, the cats are sent home on the same day of the surgery. The cat is likely to appear bewildered after the surgery and will sleep during the next 24 hours. Only half the amount of normal dose is given to the cat in the evening as a meal. Most cats fully recover by the next day.