Spaying And Neutering - Smart Decisions To Enrich Your Cat's Life

When it comes to the question of spaying and neutering of cats, most cat-owners tend to have second thoughts. The reason behind this is a disturbing concern over any possible changes in the personality of the cat. However, such anxieties are completely baseless. Spaying and neutering can actually enhance the health, temperament and the overall quality of life of your feline friend. In addition, spaying and neutering is a great way to protect cats from a range of feline diseases and cancers.

Surgical Procedures Of Spaying And Neutering

Unlike feline flea control with topical medications or vaccination through injections, spaying and neutering are surgical procedures. It is best to have your male cat neutered when she is around six months of age. The surgical neutering procedure of a male cat is conducted under general anesthetic. The surgery involves removal of the testes through tiny incisions. Since the incisions do not usually require stitches, your cat will be back to normal in no time.

Female cats may begin breeding as early as six months of age. A female cat in heat often exhibits peculiar mannerisms like howling and irritability. Once you note such behavior, it is best to have the cat spayed as soon as possible. Spaying - also called ovariohysterectomy - involves the surgical removal of the uterus and the ovaries under general anesthetic. The incision often requires stitches that may be removed after two weeks. In the meantime, the cat may have to be administered pain medications. It is important to ensure adequate nutrition for the cat during this recuperative period.

A Cat's Life After Spaying And Neutering

Following the neutering or castration procedure of a male cat, you will be glad to observe that the cat will no longer keep spraying its horrible-smelling urine all around the house. Since neutering also reduces its roaming habits, you can be rest assured that your cat will have fewer chances of contracting diseases borne by stray cats. In addition, neutering greatly reduces the possibility of your male cat developing prostate problems in the future. Best of all, the tomcat will be completely protected from testicular cancer.

As far as female cats are concerned, spaying is the best technique you may adopt to safeguard your cat from a host of feline diseases. Spayed cats have considerably reduced possibilities of developing malignant breast cancer or uterine infections. Since female cats can reproduce at an amazing rate, it is essential to have them spayed if you do not plan on a large family of cats. Spaying is thus greatly beneficial in avoiding continual litters of unwanted kittens.

After undergoing spaying and neutering procedures, cats are often less aggressive and more responsive to its owner. Such cats also tend to shake off their habit of roaming and hanging around the house most of the time. Another positive result of spaying and neutering is that the cat stops urinating everywhere to mark its territory. But perhaps the best outcome of spaying and neutering procedure is that it prevents the need of putting unwanted cats to sleep each year.