Spay and Neuter Your Cats

The number one problem of cats and dogs in the western world is that of overpopulation. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 8-10 million dogs and cats are brought into shelters throughout the country each and every year. About half of these are euthanized in shelters for lack of good homes.

Ironically, these may actually be the lucky ones. Many more cats and dogs die on the streets every year with no food, medical care, or human attention.

Where do these pets come from? They come from homes where dogs and cats were allowed to breed indiscriminately. As pet owners it is our responsibility to try and reduce the scale of this tragedy. The way to do this is simple: spay/neuter our cats and dogs and urge our friends and acquaintances to do the same.

What are Spaying and Neutering

Spaying and neutering cats are probably the most common procedures in any cat clinic. Both are done while the cat is under general anesthesia.

Neutering a male cat involves making small incisions in the scrotum and removing the testes. No sutures are made and the scrotal sacs are usually covered with antibiotics and left to heal.

Spaying a female cat is an abdominal surgery, which entails the removal of the cat's uterus and ovaries.

The Benefits of Spaying a Female

Spaying your female cat will prevent unwanted litters. That is the fundamental issue, because if your cat gives birth, you are the one faced with the task of finding new homes for the kittens.

Here are some added benefits to spaying your female cat:

Prevent tumors and infections of the ovaries and uterus.

Greatly decrease the risk for mammary cancer.

Spaying a cat before she goes into her first heat is best, but even spaying at a later age will dramatically decrease the risk of mammary cancer.

Avoid the hassle of a female cat in heat.

Cats in heat can be very vocal and will attract a great many male cats. If you think you can wait out the heat cycle, you're in for a surprise. If the cat does not mate, she will keep going into heat every few weeks.

The Benefits of Neutering a Male

The benefits of spaying a male are so significant, that it is possible to say that unaltered male cats cannot make good house pets. If you want to keep a male cat as a pet you simply must neuter him.

Here are some reasons, other than helping to fight the cat overpopulation crisis, which may convince you to neuter your male cat:

Prevent spraying.

Tomcats (unaltered males) spray foul-smelling urine around their territory. Neutering a male cat before he reaches sexual maturity, almost always prevents this behavior pattern from emerging. If a tomcat had already taken to spraying, neutering is still likely to stop or at least significantly reduce the habit. The urine of a neutered cat is also less smelly.

Prevent roaming.

Tomcats tend to roam long distances. This means they are often away from home, sometimes for days on end. Roaming puts these cats in danger, as they are more likely to be hit by a car, poisoned, or be hurt by dogs and people.

Prevent injuries and disease.

Tomcats tend to get into catfights over females and territory. This means they may get injured and are more likely to be infected with disease. By the way, this also means that it is virtually impossible to keep two or more unaltered male cats together.