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"Neutering" Your Male Cat
                     
General Information
Neutering your male cat, castration,
involves removing the (testicles). The best time to neuter your cat is between
six to eight months. The risk of surgery is minimal – a very safe procedure.
One small incision is made over each testicle; stitches will dissolve by
themselves. When brought to the hospital in the morning on an empty stomach (12
hours fast) they can usually go home that evening.
Favorable Effects
Castration is an absolute must for male cats not
specifically destined for breeding. It prevents many undesirable characteristics such as:
-
Territorial Behavior- A Tom cat will
"spray" a very strong smelling urine around windows and doors to
mark the boundaries of his territory. He will also become involved in many
fights defending his territory. Fights lead to wounds and abscesses of all
description. Plus they can become infective with diseases from the other
animals they fought with.
-
Wandering Behavior – Seeking females in
heat exposes cats to cars and dogs and other cats. Usually your cat ends
up the loser.
Please Note:
These annoying and possibly life-threatening habits
are much easier to prevent than to change once they become part of
your cat’s permanent behavior. For instance, we have only a 50% chance of
stopping spraying once it becomes established. Castration will, however, reduce
the odor of the urine in all cats, regardless of age.
Castration DOES NOT lead to urinary tract
infections.
Castration does extend a cat’s life by 3 to 5
years, on the average. We rarely see Tom cats. ( uncastrated males) that roam
outside, older than 9 to 10 years, where as neutered indoor cats
routinely live 12 to 15 years and more. Remember, this is based on all the cats
we see – individuals may vary considerable.
For complete information on aftercare see your vet.
But in general male cats recover from surgery very rapidly. Try to keep them
quiet, inspect the surgical site daily and call if any questions arise
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