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Neutering Your Cat

Fortunately these days in the UK, most people don't ask whether or not to neuter their cat, they just ask when to neuter. Despite this, there are people who don't neuter their cat, when they really ought to do. If you are wondering why (or if) you should neuter your cat, then read on.

Neutering is for the good of the individual cat also. Feline leukaemia virus, and feline immunodeficiency virus, (two retroviruses with characteristics similar to HIV in man), are thought to be transmitted sexually, so your unneutered cat is at increased risk of contracting these diseases if allowed to mate.

Female Cats
The age at which the female begins her reproductive cycles varies considerably. The breed of cat may affect age at the first cycle, and the maturity of the female (general health, nutrition, size) can also affect the age of onset of sexual maturity. As well, the time of year may impact the onset of the cycle. For example, spring brings lengthening of the days and this may encourage younger females to start cycling. Another key factor is whether she is exposed to tomcats, or queens in heat. Social interactions may stimulate early cycling.

A female can start her cycling as early as 14 weeks of age, or as late as1 1/2 yrears of age, some breeds such as Birman cats have a fairly long kittenhood and they only reach maturity at three years of age. Thus neutering or spraying these cats is not done until they are 10 months old. The life spans of the Birman cats are also longer than most cats, as they normally live for 20 years or more.

Neutering is the removal of the sex organs. In male cats, this is also called castration. In female cats it is also called spaying, (or speying). Female cats have a particularly bad time during mating. The tom cat's penis is barbed (a bit like a fish-hook); the female cat literally screams, and turns to bite the tom as this is withdrawn.

In most cases, the cat lays on her right side and an incision is made into the left flank. The hair is clipped away, and the skin cleaned with an antibacterial wash. After the skin incision, the muscles of the body wall are incised, and the uterus (womb) located. This is lifted, and the first ovary identified at its most forward extremity. The blood vessel supplying the ovary is tied off, and cut. The ovary is lifted out of the abdomen with the uterus still attached. The procedure is repeated on the other side. Where the two sides of the uterus meet, it is also tied off and cut. The whole uterus and both ovaries are now removed. The muscles of the body wall are sutured, and finally the skin. An injection of antibiotic and a pain killer are always given.

Also, considering the fact that the female cat will mate with many different tom's while she is in season, the risks of getting fleas, as well as the sexually transmitted diseases is very high.

Male Cat
Neutering a male cat is an excellent step in helping your young man grow into a loving well adapted household citizen. The main reason to neuter a male cat is to reduce the incidence of objectionable behaviors that are normal in the feline world but unacceptable in the human world.

Roaming - More than 90% will reduce this behavior with neutering
Approximately 60% reduce this behavior right away
Fighting - More than 90% will reduce this behavior with neutering
Approximately. 60% reduce this behavior right away
Urine Marking - More than 90% will reduce this behavior with neutering
Approximately 80% reduce this behavior right away

Another reason to neuter a male cat has to do with the physical appearance. A cat neutered prior to puberty (most cats are neutered at approximately age 6 months) do not develop secondary sex characteristics. These include a more muscular body, thickenings around the face called “shields,” and spines on the penis.

Tom cats will fight each other violently for the right to mate with a receptive female. Serious bite and scratch wounds are very common around the head. If the eye is bitten or scratched, the sight can be lost. Unneutered cats spend more time away from the home, wandering in search of a mate, and as a result are much more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident.

Once anaesthetised, the hair is plucked from the cat's scrotum, which is then cleaned with an antibacterial wash. The scrotum is incised, the testicle removed, and the spermatic cord tied. (The spermatic cord consists of the tubes which take sperm away from the testicle, and blood vessels which supply the testicle). The procedure is repeated for the second testicle. The cat is injected with antibiotic, and a pain killer. There are no sutures.

If they were not routinely neutered before breeding age, then we would rapidly become swamped with unwanted cats.

So, the major argument for neutering cats is that it is to prevent a massive overpopulation of cats with no homes. Quite simply, there will never be enough homes available for all the kittens that are born each year. Anyone who has spent any time working for a cat welfare society knows just how heartbreaking it is to see all these unwanted cats, even in the UK.

When to Neuter

All cats, unless directly intended for breeding should be neutered before they are sexually mature. Practically this means before they are 6 months old. Anaesthetic safety is partly related to the size of the animal. The bigger it is, generally the safer it is, because most of the risks come from hypothermia, and the larger an animal is, the lower are its chances of developing hypothermia during an anaesthetic. We recommend neutering between the ages of 5 and 6 months, although earlier neutering is acceptable if there is a good reason for it.

What are the Risks?

Before we consider the risks of neutering, you should keep in mind the risks of not neutering. The risk to a cat of not being neutered is higher than being neutered.

There are two types of risk with neutering:
Those arising directly from the anaesthetic or surgical procedure.
Those arising as a consequence of being neutered.
Risks Arising during the Procedure

There is a risk with all anaesthetic procedures, no matter how skilled the anaesthetist, or how healthy the animal. That is a fact of life. However, the risks are very small, considerably less than letting your cat go outside on her own for instance. (Road traffic accidents are the highest cause of death in cats in the UK). We all face risks at every stage in life, in almost everything that we do, from getting out of bed in the morning to walking up to bed at night. Fear of the anaesthetic risk should not prevent you from having your cat neutered.In cats, there are very few risks associated with the surgical procedure itself. Apart from surgical accidents, if the cat has an underlying disease, such as a blood clotting deficiency, renal failure or a lung disorder, serious problems and death can occur, but these are also extremely rare.

Although not common, wound infection, and premature suture (stitch) removal by the cat are probably the most likely complications. At worst, the kitten will require a second anaesthetic to resuture the wound; or a course of antibiotics to treat the infection. Male cats do not require sutures.

So please be responsible and if you are not going to breed from your cat choose to neuter them!

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