Neutering Male Cats
The male cat reaches sexual maturity between five to eight months of age and it is at this time he will start to mark his territory; either inside or outside your house. He does this by urinating, or spraying the areas where he lives. As the male cat matures, his urine takes on a distinctive aroma which is unique to him and very unpleasant to his human cohabitants!
Whilst he is marking out his territory it is very possible that he will encounter other cats in the neighbourhood (who may be protecting their territory) and end up in a fight. This can put him at risk from cat bite abscesses, road traffic accidents and two diseases we see most commonly in unneutered male cats: Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
We recommend you have your cat castrated between four and a half and five months of age. Doing the operation whilst he is still young can prevent urine marking and the need to roam and pick fights, which ultimately results in a much happier cat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Will he put on weight following the surgery?
Many owners believe that castration will cause their cat to become fat and dull. Castration does not change their behaviour in any dramatic way; in fact it is more likely that he will stay more playful and youthful. However, it is possible that your cat will put on weight. Castration results in a decrease in metabolic rate (the engine that controls how quickly you burn energy) and an increase in appetite so if not controlled your cat may put on weight. Royal Canin launched a food last year which is designed specifically for this problem in which there is a reduced amount of carbohydrate and increased amount of protein to promote lean body mass.
How long does it take?
The actual procedure takes approximately twenty minutes but we will need you to leave him here for the day. The normal procedure is to come to the surgery between 9.00am and 10.00am and have a consultation with either the vet or nurse. We will then ask you to sign a consent form for the procedure and leave a contact phone number. After he has been admitted to the hospital we will give him a pre-medicant which will make him feel relaxed and a bit sleepy. After this he will receive a full anaesthetic to carry out the procedure. Whilst he is asleep we will give him some more pain relief so his experience here is as pleasant as possible. Once he has recovered from the anaesthesia we will monitor him and usually discharge patients between 4.00pm and 5.00pm.
Will I need to starve him before the operation?
Yes. It is very important that your cat is starved from 8.00pm the evening before his operation. Anaesthetics can cause nausea (feeling sick). If your cat is sick under anaesthetic or in recovery then it is possible he may inhale the vomit which can be very dangerous. A full set of pre-anaesthetic instructions will be given to you when you book the operation.
How much does it cost?
The cost of the operation is ?65.00 which includes the check up with the vet or nurse on the day.
Will he have stitches?
This type of procedure requires no sutures as the testes are removed externally through two small incisions in the scrotum.
Can he have a microchip at the same time?
We highly recommend you have your cat microchipped and this is definitely a good time to do this if you haven’t done so before. As microchipping involves using a larger needle than normal it can be less distressing to do this procedure whilst your pet is asleep.
Will he need any medication?
All the medication she should need will be given during her stay. If there are any complications during the surgery then we may need to send her with a course of antibiotics or anti-inflammatories but this is rarely encountered for this procedure.
Will he need a ‘buster’ collar?
We routinely send cats home with a buster collar following this operation to prevent her interfering with the wound. It is usually best to leave it on until she has her sutures removed unless she is becoming very distressed. We have two types of collar: the original lamp shade and a newer more flexible collar which is more highly tolerated but is a little more expensive.
