Is it possible to castrate a cat at one year of age? When is the best age to castrate a cat?

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If you have approached the decision to own a cat responsibly, read enough literature and consulted with experienced owners, then you already know about the need for castration and all that remains is to figure out when it is better to castrate a cat. This is an important point, the intricacies of which are best understood immediately in order to make the process as easy as possible for the animal and for yourself.

Often, owners think about it, because while a little bundle of happiness is running around the house and does not evoke any feelings other than joy, or shows a funny character, or imposingly walks around the property, or sleeps quietly all day long. This is great, but, unfortunately, it will not always be this way. The body of a cat will be fully formed by the year, and changes will begin in it, prompting it to reproduce. If this is a street cat who comes home only to eat and sleep after regular hikes and conquests, then the urge to carry out natural processes will have little impact on the owner. But if you have a cat at home, be prepared for such manifestations of feline nature as:

• territory marks and urine smell in the house;
• constant “meowing”, turning into loud meows or screams, intensifying at night;
• constantly disappearing from home in order to follow the call of nature;
• animal aggression, which can occur in the absence of a female;
• inflammatory processes and tumors of the internal genital organs - as consequences of hormonal imbalances;
• short life span due to the inability to realize sexual desire.

Therefore, the decision to castrate is inevitable for many cat lovers.

Castration or sterilization?

There are 2 ways to terminate reproductive function in cats:

1. Castration is an operation for the radical removal of internal genital organs (ovaries in cats and testicles in males). After this procedure, the natural reproductive instinct practically disappears, or the pet reacts to it very calmly.
2. - an operation using surgical methods, when the reproductive organs (fallopian tubes in females and seminal ducts in cats) are left in the body, but their main functions are deprived. The animal retains its instincts and behavior during attraction, but such an animal no longer produces offspring.

If sterilized cats do not have the opportunity to realize their “urge,” this can harm the animal due to hormonal changes. Therefore, owners need to think about what conditions they can provide for the pet, and what method of stopping playback to choose.

IMPORTANT!
The opinion of veterinarians is that castration is better for the animal, since complete suppression of the function keeps the animal hormonally calm and healthy.

Optimal age for castration

Veterinarians also agree on when a cat can be castrated. The optimal age when you can castrate a kitten is up to a year, or more precisely 8-10 months. At this age, the formation of all body systems is completed, and the pet itself is full of strength and health, which means it can easily undergo surgery.

It is absolutely impossible to expose a small kitten to the risk of surgical intervention of this kind, since due to the peculiarities of its formation, some organs may fail during the process (narrow urinary canal, adhesions in the ureter).

The acceptable age for castration of a cat is up to 7 years. In a later period, the operation may cause complications and other consequences, and the animal may tolerate anesthesia poorly or not at all. In addition, in most cases, intervention in the sexual sphere after 7 years may not rid the cat of the habit of marking territory and aggressive belligerent behavior during the “mating” period.

Older cats, however, are castrated for serious reasons: urinary incontinence, testicular dysfunction, prostate hyperplasia and serious aggression.

IMPORTANT!
The sooner (upon reaching the permitted age) the castration operation is performed, the easier the cat will endure the process itself and the rehabilitation period.

Significant moments before, during and after surgery

1. Try not to feed the cat being neutered 12 hours before surgery, and also check that he has the necessary vaccinations.
2. Make sure your pet is in good health before going to the clinic.
3. Please note that cats, like humans, can have an allergic reaction to the anesthetic drug.
4. Trust the castration of cats only to trusted doctors and institutions, as the risk of inflammatory processes increases due to poor handling of instruments and low qualifications of the specialist.
5. Monitor your cat's diet and activities after castration. Animals move less, become lazy and play little. Because of this, many begin to gain weight and even become obese, which can lead to disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Castration process

This procedure (depending on the age at which it is performed) belongs to the category of simple interventions and occurs under anesthesia and is painless, at least for the animal. However, it is better for impressionable owners not to see how a cat is castrated.

After a preliminary examination, the doctor puts the animal into medicinal sleep (anesthesia), makes an incision in the scrotum and removes the testes, and then applies a ligature to the spermatic cord. When making small incisions, sutures are not required, but careful preparation of the incision site is performed. The cat usually regains consciousness within 3-5 hours.

Immediately after surgery, try to provide the animal with the following conditions:

• Cover and place in a warm place, as body temperature decreases during anesthesia and during recovery.
• Limit the cat's movement - he is still too weak, it is difficult for him to stand, and he may fall when walking.
• Place a bowl of water nearby, but do not let him eat for 12 hours.

How much does castration of cats cost?

Let's try to figure out how much it costs to castrate a cat. The amount varies greatly in different regions of residence and may depend on a number of factors:

• venue (clinic or home visit);
• cat breed and age;
• conducting a full or partial examination;
• use of various drugs for anesthesia;
• choice of additional services (transportation, bathing, etc.).

The cost of castration can thus be from 800 to 2500 rubles when carried out in the clinic and before 4000 - 5000 rubles when specialists visit your home.

The main thing is that in pursuit of the best price, the quality of the services provided does not suffer. The health of the cat, like the health of any family member, is more important than the slightly overpaid amount. If your goal is a healthy and calm cat, then take into account all the features, make the right decision and be calm about the future of your pet.

Every pet reaches the point of puberty with age, which sometimes entails inconvenience for owners. A wandering cat, under the influence of hormones, begins to mark its territory, leaving a pungent smell of urine throughout the house, constantly screams, becomes aggressive and restless. To avoid such behavior from your pet, many people wonder whether it is necessary and when to castrate a cat, at what age is it preferable to do this?

At what age is it better to castrate a cat?

The best time When can you castrate a cat? without further health consequences is the age of up to 1 year. During this period of maturation of a young animal’s body, all organs of the reproductive system are already fully formed, and good health makes it easy to undergo surgery.

Veterinarians prohibit castration before a cat reaches six months of age, since his body is not yet fully formed, and external intervention can provoke serious diseases of the genitourinary system in the pet in the future.

Many owners of furry hunters think about such a procedure when the age of the cats has long exceeded 1 year and there may be enough reasons for this. First of all, not everyone has the opportunity to pay for surgery for their pet at a certain point in its life or does not have the free time to provide it with proper care after surgery. Animal owners who want to preserve the natural functions of his body, but after a while simply give up on his regular sprees and damage to things, also think late about castration. Sometimes pets change owners when they are adults, and the new owners do not want to live with constant problems and worries.

In any case, be aware of the importance of carrying out such an operation and at what age to castrate a cat best of all, all their owners should.

Until what age can a cat be neutered without consequences?

The limit in this case is the seven-year mark, but operations can be carried out later, for certain indications. Why exactly this age? The fact is that for cats this figure is equivalent to a human 45 years, when the body is no longer able to tolerate outside interference as easily as before. Anesthesia at this age already becomes a test for the animal, so before the operation the pet needs to undergo a series of tests. Only after a thorough check of the functioning of his internal organs can a veterinarian give permission for surgical intervention. To do this you need to do:

• complete urine analysis;
• detailed blood test;
• do an immunogram;
• the cat must have all vaccinations according to age;
• Conduct a thorough examination to rule out the presence of diseases in the animal.

As a rule, after a comprehensive examination, veterinarians rule out the possibility of complications, but there are cases when the pet’s body behaves unexpectedly. Postoperative period in old age, it is better for cats to be carried out under the strict supervision of specialists.

Indications for late castration

Sometimes veterinarians don't look at it At what age can a cat be neutered?. This is relevant when implementing a volunteer program to reduce the number of homeless animals. The fact is that a cat is capable of reproducing throughout its life, and in order to stop the increase in the number of street animals, serious action must be taken.

In the case of pets, castration at a later age is carried out solely for medical reasons or when the benefits outweigh all possible risks. Among these reasons:

• uncontrolled aggression;
• urinary incontinence;
• disease of the testes or prostate;
• removal from breeding.

The latter often happens with breeding representatives of breeds that are used for breeding at a young age, but over time become unsuitable for producing healthy offspring. So that the animal does not suffer anymore during periods of sexual heat in vain and did not cause any inconvenience to the owners, they decide to carry out such an operation. This always happens when the pet is old.

It is important for owners of cats who decide to castrate an adult animal to understand that its sex hormones are produced by the pituitary gland and even after the operation it can continue to mark the territory and call for cats. It is unlikely that it will be possible to completely eliminate all the troubles associated with a pet’s sexual desire. castration can only reduce them and then, for a certain period of time.

Pros and cons of the operation

If you castrate a cat before his first spree, you can get rid of the following for the rest of his life:

• aggression;
• cat marks in the house;
• surges in the animal's hormonal levels.

Statistics say that sterilized pets are calmer, more playful and affectionate. They scream less and live 1.5-2 years longer than their full-fledged counterparts. It is also important that the operation completely prevents the risk of prostatitis in a cat.

The negative aspects of sterilization include depriving the animal of its basic instinct to reproduce. This increases the cat's interest in food, which is why neutered animals often suffer from obesity. To control your pet’s weight, you should feed it only food labeled “For sterilized cats” that is balanced taking into account the characteristics of their body.

The consequences of the operation itself can also pose a danger to the animal’s health, when the pet may have inflamed stitches, bleed, or have problems recovering from anesthesia. Preliminary tests and careful preparation of the animal greatly help to prevent these consequences.

Rehabilitation period

The operation can be performed at a veterinary clinic or by calling a doctor to your home. The latter option will reduce the animal’s nervousness and will also help protect it from contact with sick pets before the procedure itself. In any case, after sterilization itself, complete rehabilitation takes two days, which the animal spends at home under strict supervision. Caring for an animal after castration must be special, because the pet’s further health depends entirely on the owners.

It is important not to feed your pet 12 hours before surgery, so you need to know What time does a cat need to be neutered?. After the procedure, the animal should also not be fed for 24 hours, since recovery from anesthesia provokes vomiting and nausea. If the animal itself does not show interest in food on the second day, then the owner needs to gradually feed it with liquid food from a pipette. It is very important to provide the animal with access to water not only immediately after castration, but throughout the rest of the pet’s life, so as not to provoke urolithiasis in him.

The behavior of the animal in the postoperative period differs significantly from usual. Recovery from anesthesia is often accompanied by sudden jumps of the cat, attempts to hide and run away. At this time, you need to monitor the animal and not let it get into a secluded place so that the cat does not break the seams. To do this, the pet needs to be placed on an absorbent diaper in the middle of the most spacious room, where there are no secret places for it. A diaper will come in handy as urination may be uncontrollable at this point. It is not recommended to place the cat on a bed or sofa, because during sudden jumps the pet may fall, and coordination of movements is fully restored only after 48 hours.

Conclusion

No matter how old a cat is, castration significantly reduces his aggression and evens out hormonal levels. Of course, it is better to prevent all possible problems in the future and have the pet have surgery before its first mating. This ensures that there are no stink marks or damage to things in the house. Castration at an advanced age for a cat is not always a solution, but it can be carried out according to certain recommendations of specialists, and it will also prolong the life of the pet for some time.

Each owner decides for himself whether to castrate his cat or not, but before making a decision, you need to find out what time cats are castrated. Many owners castrate their pet at an early age because they do not plan to breed kittens and do not want to increase the number of stray animals.

Others, on the contrary, do not think about this problem. Adult animals are usually neutered due to health problems, or to stop his territory marking and meowing in the spring.

Castration has many benefits, such as:

• Neutered cats have an increased life expectancy;
• The pet will lose aggression;
• The meowing will stop with the arrival of spring;
• The cat will stop marking its territory.

Optimal age for castration

The issue of castration is considered especially acute during the mating season, when the cat begins to tear up furniture and carpets and meow. Veterinarians advise castrating a cat before one year of age, but you can castrate an older cat. The optimal age for castration is considered to be from 6 to 12 months.. It is at this time that the cat’s body is ready for such an operation, while puberty has not yet been completed. Consequently, at this time, hormones are produced only in the testicles, which makes it possible to stop their production by castration.

After a year, hormones begin to be produced in the pituitary gland, especially after mating with a cat, so castration may not get rid of all problems. You can castrate a cat at 6 months, when he has already gained the necessary weight, but puberty has not yet ended.

At the age of 6 to 12 months, the operation takes place without complications, and the kitten quickly returns to its normal life.

Kitten castration

Veterinarians established the recommended age for castration a long time ago, but now this operation is increasingly being performed on small kittens. The fact is that medicine does not stand still, and modern drugs do not cause as much harm to the body as anesthesia did before. Anesthetic drugs that were used previously required a long recovery period and negatively affected the condition of the kitten’s liver and kidneys. Modern drugs have become safer, which has made it possible to castrate small kittens.

You can castrate a kitten as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age, and this will not lead to complications.

In some countries, there is a law that obliges cat owners to neuter kittens before 12 weeks. Neutering young kittens has many benefits and saves time. A cat who has been neutered at an early age will not have problems such as aggression and territory marking. The kitten undergoes castration at a young age, due to which the operation will build less, because the number of drugs used is less. Small kittens recover from surgery faster and return to their previous lives.

Also, castration at an early age has disadvantages:

• There is a risk that the kitten will have a hard time with anesthesia, and the drugs will affect the condition of the kidneys and liver;
• There is a risk that while under anesthesia, the kitten will experience hypothermia (lower body temperature).
• After castration, testosterone production stops, which can lead to the cat not developing masculine character traits.
• After castration, a cat can continue to behave like a kitten when it grows up.
• By castrating a kitten, you can lose a promising cat for breeding, because this can only be determined after six months.
• Early castration can lead to urological problems in the future.

It is necessary to castrate a cat at such an early age, or you can wait a little longer, each owner decides for himself. In fact, there is no reason to rush into castration before the animal is six months old.

Castration of older cats

Old age in cats begins at seven years of age; at this age, cats are usually castrated only for medical reasons. Veterinarians do not recommend castrating old animals without serious reasons., because it may not survive the operation, and the risk of complications is also high. Typically, this operation is performed on pets over seven years of age due to the occurrence of aggression, urinary incontinence, and diseases of the testes.

If castration is necessary, you should be well prepared for this. It is necessary to take urine and blood tests, do a chest x-ray, an ultrasound of the internal organs, and also consult with a cardiologist. Only after positive results and the doctor’s permission can you send your pet for surgery.

If you castrate an old cat, his behavior will change, but not as much as it happens in young animals. He may continue to mark the territory, but the smell will not be as strong.

Some animals sometimes begin to ask for a cat, because sex hormones in a cat that is more than two years old are produced in the pituitary gland.

There is an opinion that after castration, cats become passive, but in fact, this is not entirely true. Passive cats are those who are obese, because many owners forget that neutered cats need a different diet. If you feed him regular food, the cat will quickly gain weight., and will become lazy. If you create the right diet and give food to sterilized cats, then it will only become more active.

There are situations when owners know when to castrate a cat, but circumstances do not allow it.

It’s good if you can castrate a cat before the age of seven, but if the operation is necessary later, you should choose a good clinic and a veterinarian.

In old age, it is necessary to create all the necessary conditions for the rehabilitation period. It is also not advisable to castrate an old cat by calling a doctor to your home, because in the clinic he will have all the necessary equipment at hand. At the same time, transporting an animal can also become stressful for it, so you need to take it by taxi, or in your car, preferably in a special carrier.

Ideal age for castration

Veterinarians agree that the optimal age for castration is from six months to two years.

The advantages of castration at this age:

• The cat has already gained the necessary weight, which allows the use of anesthesia;
• Sex hormones are not yet released by the pituitary gland, so castration can solve all problems;
• The animal will stop marking its territory;
• The cat will not ask for the cat, but will live a full life.

In principle, you can castrate at almost any age, but still, it is better not to risk the health of your pet and have the operation performed at the appropriate time. In this way, many problems can be avoided, and then it will quickly go away after the operation.

Care before and after surgery

Two weeks before the operation, the cat must be given deworming medication, and it is also worth examining him to make sure that the operation can be carried out. The operation is performed on an empty stomach, therefore it is necessary not to feed your pet for 12 hours before surgery. At the same time, water should always be available to him. If the castration will be done in a clinic, then you need to take care of the safe transportation of the animal in your own car or by taxi.

After the operation, the animal is under anesthesia, and it is advisable to place it on the floor, in a warm place, preferably on a bedding.

There is no need to place it on a sofa or chair, because the cat has poor control over itself and may fall. All animals recover from anesthesia differently; some try to crawl and walk within an hour, while others can sleep throughout the day. During this period, the animal needs affection and care, while it may not allow its owner to come near it. This can happen due to stress; after a while the animal will come to its senses and make contact.

Castration is a simple operation that takes little time both to perform and to recover. Wherein, If you castrate a cat, many problems will be solved, and complications are extremely rare. It is only necessary to properly prepare the animal for surgery, find a good clinic, and provide proper care. It is worth remembering that in this way the pet will simply lose its reproductive instinct, but it will not suffer from this. This operation allows you to correct your pet’s behavior and protect it from many diseases.

VETERINARIAN CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY. Administration

Castration is a medical procedure that suppresses sexual instincts.

There are two methods used in veterinary medicine:

• Surgery. Under general anesthesia, the scrotum is incised and the testes are removed. After the procedure, the hormonal background changes, the concentration of testosterone gradually decreases. The animal's reproductive instinct is suppressed, interest in females disappears, and behavior changes.
• Medical castration . This method does not require anesthesia or surgery. An implant is inserted under the skin, the active substance is gradually absorbed, reducing the level of testosterone in the blood. The effect appears 6 weeks after administration and lasts from 6 months to a year.

The first method suppresses sexual instincts for life, the second method suppresses temporarily, but is suitable when anesthesia is contraindicated.

Why castrate a cat?

During puberty, the testes descend into the scrotum and produce the sex hormone testosterone. Under its influence, the reproductive instinct awakens, which subordinates behavior.

In city apartments it is not possible to realize their instincts, so they are in a state of constant tension, become irritated and aggressive. Against the background of stress, metabolic processes are disrupted and immunity decreases.

Random matings will not improve the situation, because testosterone is constantly produced. According to veterinary standards, a male needs to be bred every 2 to 3 weeks to keep him healthy. The only way out is to reduce the amount of testosterone in the blood, which is possible only after castration.

Surgical intervention will be required for pathologies of the testes: cryptorchidism, malignant tumors, inflammations that cannot be treated with medications.

Advantages and disadvantages

Hormonal changes after surgery have a positive effect on the cat’s health, psyche, and behavior, and the life of the family becomes calmer:

• The pet does not leave marks, and the unpleasant smell disappears in the apartment.
• Stops screaming for the cat.
• Becomes balanced, aggression towards surrounding people and animals disappears.
• Doesn't jump out the window, risking breaking.
• Does not run away from home to the street, where dangers lurk: cars, dogs, cruel people.
• Does not get into fights with other males.
• Does not become infected with dangerous infections during uncontrolled mating or contact with street animals.
• The likelihood of prostatitis, tumors of the paraanal glands, and prostate adenoma decreases.
• Increases by 1.5 - 2 years.

After the procedure, undesirable consequences are also discovered:

• The cat's mobility decreases, metabolism slows down, which causes an increase in body weight. The usual portions of food are reduced by a quarter, and the daily feeding norms are strictly followed in order to prevent the development of cardiovascular pathologies.
• With urolithiasis, the likelihood of blockage of the urethra with sand increases. The owner will have to switch the pet to food to prevent the formation of deposits in the bladder.
• Under the influence of anesthesia, the rhythm of the heart and breathing slows down or speeds up, blood pressure increases or decreases, temperature drops, these changes worsen the physiological state. The probable risks of anesthesia depend on the qualifications of the doctor.

Adverse consequences do not occur if the animal is fed properly and thoroughly examined before the procedure.

When to castrate a cat

Veterinarians allow castration from 7 months to 7 years, but the most favorable period is 7 - 9 months. By this age, the kitten’s growth ends and it tolerates anesthesia normally. Up to 7 months, internal organs continue to form. Due to early castration, the development of the genitourinary system stops. The urethra and sexual organ remain immature. A healthy animal does not suffer from this, but when sand and urticaria are deposited, treatment becomes more complicated.

After 9 months, the male becomes sexually mature, and the hormonal system is reconstructed. Testosterone is produced by glands other than the ovaries: adrenal glands, pituitary gland. After castration of mature cats, testosterone concentration remains high for up to six months. Positive changes in behavior are noticed after 1 - 2 months and later.

With age, the likelihood of complications after anesthesia increases: anesthetics affect the breathing and heartbeat centers in the brain. At 7 years old the animal enters old age. The doctor decides to perform an operation based on an examination of the heart, liver, and kidneys. If it detects violations, it offers medical castration.

Contraindications

Surgical castration is prescribed only to healthy young cats and is contraindicated in the following cases:

• liver and kidney failure;
• heart and vascular diseases;
• expressed;
• bronchial;
• inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract;
• exhaustion;
• age up to 7 months and over 8 years.

Possible risks are associated with complications after anesthesia; only a veterinarian can assess them after examining a particular animal.

Preparing for castration

2 weeks before the procedure, the pet is given medications, treated for fleas, and no routine vaccinations are prescribed. The operation is performed on an empty stomach: food and water cause nausea and vomiting. 12 hours before the start, the animal stops feeding, and 4 hours before the start, the animal is stopped drinking.

The owner plans a schedule to care for the pet after anesthesia. If the procedure is prescribed in a clinic, he is thinking about how to take him and deliver him back, public transport is not suitable for this. Veterinary clinics offer to castrate your pet at home. In normal conditions he is calmer, but absolute sterility cannot be achieved, and in case of complications there will not be the necessary equipment nearby.

Castration has a beneficial effect on the physical and mental health of the cat; the positive changes outweigh the negative ones.

Veterinarians consider castration to be a mild surgical procedure; it lasts 5 to 15 minutes. Careful postoperative care speeds up recovery and reduces the risk of complications. The timing of positive behavior changes depends on the age of the pet.

Surgical castration

Before the operation, the animal is brought to the clinic in advance, the doctor is told about chronic diseases, previous operations, and contraindications to anesthesia are excluded. Blood is taken from the cat for biochemical analysis to identify hidden pathologies. Additionally, representatives of breeds predisposed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are examined: Maine Coons, Sphynxes, Scottish Folds, Bobtails.

Preparing for surgery

On the day of castration, the veterinarian examines the cat: measures temperature, pulse, blood pressure, feels the stomach and lymph nodes, and checks the mucous membranes of the mouth. Based on the results of the visual examination, he recommends an ultrasound of the heart, abdominal organs, and an electrocardiogram.

A veterinary surgeon prepares instruments:

• injection syringes;
• abdominal scalpel;
• tweezers;
• clamps;
• tampons;
• surgical needles;
• needle holder;
• surgical scissors;

Instruments are sterilized in an alkali solution for a quarter of an hour.

Anesthesia

Cats are castrated under general anesthesia, their muscles relax, sensitivity to pain disappears, and consciousness turns off.

Drugs are administered using the following methods:

• Parenteral. Medicines are given intravenously or intramuscularly. In the first case, the operation begins after 2 minutes; if the dose is calculated correctly, the effect lasts 15 - 20 minutes. This time is enough for the operation; the anesthetic does not have time to deeply affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. When administered intramuscularly, the effect of the drug begins after 5 - 10 minutes, the recovery after anesthesia lasts longer. This method is used for excitable animals.
• Inhalation . Narcotic gas is supplied to the lungs through an endotracheal tube or mask, it penetrates into the blood and causes deep anesthesia. After the procedure, the gas is eliminated through the lungs, and the liver eliminates the remaining gas. This method is safer, but more expensive. The equipment is found only in large clinics.

Local anesthesia for castration of cats is rarely used. The animal is first immobilized, then the incision site is injected with analgesics.

Progress of the operation

The procedure consists of three stages:

• Preparation of the surgical field . Doctors shave or pluck the hair on the scrotum, wash it in a soapy solution to remove fatty secretions, and treat it with antiseptics: iodine or ethyl alcohol.
• Removal of testes . The skin is cut with a scalpel, the testis is separated from the vaginal membrane, and it is removed from the incision. To stop bleeding, two methods are used: divide the spermatic cord into 2 parts and tie it into biological nodes or apply a ligature or surgical thread. Then the testis and part of the cord are cut off.
• Treatment of the wound . The incision site is disinfected with an antiseptic, but is not sutured so that the inflammatory exudate can drain freely.

After the operation, the doctor measures your blood pressure, listens to your heartbeat, and if he finds no abnormalities, he sends you home. Owners are advised to stay in the clinic for 20 minutes, observe the animal, and return to the doctor in case of bleeding or other problems.

Postoperative period

The cat comes out of anesthesia from 15 minutes to 4 hours, it depends on the anesthetic. Owners sometimes leave him in a clinic for a day under the supervision of a doctor, but in a familiar environment the animal is more psychologically comfortable.

Caring for a cat after castration

If your pet goes home under anesthesia, it will require careful care:

• The cat is placed in a warm room on the floor so that it does not accidentally fall.
• Cover with a blanket: after anesthesia, thermoregulation is disrupted, decreasing to 36.5 - 37.
• Place the tongue on its side so that the tongue does not sink in and block the access of oxygen.
• The room is created in twilight, bright light is annoying after anesthesia.
• Every half hour, change the position of the body to restore blood circulation.
• Moisturize the eyes with saline solution or drops without. During anesthesia, they remain open, the mucous membrane dries out.
• Other animals and children are not allowed in: after waking up, the cat sometimes becomes aggressive.
• Periodically check the reaction by touching the paws and nose.

After waking up, the pet has difficulty getting up on its paws, moves with a staggering gait, coordination is restored after 8 - 12 hours, it will require increased attention:

• The castration wound swells and hurts; it is treated with a gauze swab with a solution of chlorhexidine, furatsilin, and hydrogen peroxide.
• A collar is placed around the neck to prevent him from licking the wound.
• A bowl of water is kept next to the bed: after waking up, the animal immediately goes
• drink.
• On the first day there is no food, after anesthesia there is nausea.
• The filler is removed from the tray for a week; it gets into the wound and provokes inflammation.
• They do not allow you to move sharply or jump.
• They don’t scold you if your pet relieves itself in the wrong place. He remains under the influence of anesthesia for a day and is not aware of his own actions.

Swelling goes away after 2 - 4 days, the wound heals after 5 - 7 days.

Behavior after castration

After anesthesia, cats behave differently, here are possible behavior options:

• The pet wakes up, sees a familiar environment around it and falls asleep again. During waking hours, the owners place a tray with no filler and dishes with water nearby.
• The cat restlessly walks around the house, meows aimlessly, and licks its wound. This behavior indicates nervous tension. They take him in their arms, calm him down, and wait for him to fall asleep.
• The animal rushes around the apartment, hits objects, does not recognize the owner, is not given into the hands, and rushes at others. This behavior is associated with hallucinations and is called redirected aggression. Due to the pain, fear experienced, and the action of the anesthetic, the cat accumulates irritation and anger, which he splashes out on others. The pet is isolated in a room, left with water and a tray, and given time to calm down.

Over the next 3 to 5 days, the animal notices apathy, lethargy or increased excitability, irritability. These conditions disappear by the end of the week, when the wound heals and the pain stops.

If a kitten was castrated before the first heat, the behavior does not change, it remains a teenage cat. In an animal older than a year, testosterone levels drop gradually, but behavior remains the same from 1 to 6 months. He temporarily continues to mark and call for a female: the older the pet, the longer the wait for positive behavioral changes.

Feeding after surgery

Within a week, the cat will recover from dehydration; you will need plenty of warm drinks. The first day he is not fed, for the next 3-4 days he is given light food: meat broth, liquid porridge with pieces of meat, natural yogurt.

After anesthesia, animals often have loose stools. For constipation, add flaxseed oil to food. For diarrhea, give nutritional supplements with lactobacilli.

On days 5-7 they return to their previous food.

The new diet becomes additional stress, so the diet is changed gradually, two weeks after the operation:

• Animals on industrial feed are transferred to lines for castrated cats. They contain components that prevent the deposition of stones and sand.
• Completely exclude fish and seafood due to excess magnesium and phosphorus.
• The amount of carbohydrates and fats is reduced by 30%.
• Fried, salty, fatty foods should not be given to any cat, but neutered ones are doubly contraindicated.
• Monitor water consumption: a cat weighing 4 kg needs 150 - 200 ml per day, an animal on dry food needs 1.5 times more. Lack of fluid is the main reason for the accumulation of sand in the bladder and kidneys.

Castrated animals have a slower metabolism, they sleep more and move less, so they gain excess weight faster. Portions are gradually reduced by 25%, physical activity is increased: they play, they take him out for walks on a harness.

Possible complications

The wound is regularly inspected for 3 to 4 days; during this period, complications often begin:

• Bleeding from a wound . Blood constantly oozes at the suture site if the spermatic cord is not tightly tied, or the ligature has slipped off. This violation is corrected by repeated surgery.
• Purulent inflammation . A small amount of exudate is normal. Yellow or green discharge indicates a bacterial infection. Inflammation begins when the wound is carelessly treated with antiseptic drugs. To prevent sepsis, the pet is treated with antibiotics.
• Self-injury . The wound bleeds and does not heal when the cat constantly licks it, if he walks without a protective collar.
• Scrotal swelling. A violation occurs when pathogenic microbes enter the cavity. The pet will need a course of antibiotic treatment.

Complications arise due to the fault of people: due to careless postoperative care, non-compliance with antiseptics during the procedure, and lack of experience on the part of the surgeon.

Castration will be beneficial and will be without complications if it is carried out before the age of 9 months in a veterinary clinic with a good reputation, and after the operation all care recommendations are followed.

When a small kitten appears in the house, it very quickly wins the love of everyone in the household without exception. Everyone wants to play with him and feed him. His habits cause affection among family members. But cats grow and mature very quickly. They soon turn into adult pets. With the onset of puberty, the owners experience problems.

The cat begins to mark its territory in accordance with its instincts. As a result, the apartment quickly acquires a specific smell. In addition, before the spring thaw begins, the happy owners will have to listen to the loud cries of the animal. The cat begins to run away for a long time. During this period, cat owners think about when they can castrate their beloved pet, and whether it is worth doing it at all. Before you talk about the appropriate age for castration, you should decide whether you will take this step. To make a decision, consider the positive and negative aspects.

"Pros and cons"

Regarding castration, every experienced owner has his own opinion. Cats have been living with people for quite a long time. During this time, many legends and opinions arose. Some consider this business useless. Others are sure that this is a cruel mockery of a pet. For those who have not yet decided whether to undergo this operation on their cat, it will be useful to know the positive and negative aspects of the procedure.

Naturally, castration will relieve many problems. But instead, new ones may appear that will have to be eliminated. Here are the main advantages of the procedure.

1. Performing this operation will increase the life expectancy of the animal. This is not a legend, but a scientific fact. The cat will then live up to two years longer.
2. After castration, the animal will become less aggressive. It will not scream all night long, it will become calmer. The cat will be more amenable to education and training.
3. Another important advantage of castration is the absence of an unpleasant odor. The cat will not mark the territory, and you will not have to wash and launder all the property in the apartment.
4. After this operation, the cat will not suffer from many diseases associated with the reproductive system that can develop with age.

Let's also consider the main disadvantages of castration. Most of them are due to the fact that the animal was castrated at the wrong age. It is important to remember that the earlier the operation is performed, the less likely it is that complications will arise afterward.

Here are the main disadvantages:

1. This operation, like any other, requires the use of anesthesia. The older the cat that will be neutered, the higher the likelihood that the anesthesia will cause complications.
2. In addition, any operation, including castration, can lead to a number of other complications. These may be problems such as bleeding or infection. The animal's stitches may come apart. To reduce the risk, you need to take your choice of surgeon seriously. It is also very important that the cat is completely healthy before surgery. After castration, it is necessary to provide the animal with proper care. In this case, the age of the animal also plays a rather large role. The older the cat, the greater the risk of complications.
3. Castration of a cat increases the risk of developing stones in the animal's bladder in the long term. But this can be prevented. To do this, it is important to ensure that the animal drinks plenty of water. The diet of such a cat should also be special.

Stereotypes

Many owners want to castrate their cat because they can’t wait to get rid of the problems associated with sexual heat. But they are often hampered by various legends and stereotypes that have accumulated over a long time among cat lovers. One of these legends says that cats gain a lot of weight after surgery, become lazy and lethargic. But to prevent this from happening, it is enough to provide your pet with a special diet. This will not only protect him from obesity, but will also prevent many diseases. Here, a cat’s activity is often confused with its aggressive behavior, which begins as a result of hormonal changes. In fact, the pet will be just as active, curious and cheerful. This does not depend on the age at which the operation was performed.

Many people miss the ideal age for a cat to be neutered. This is due to the fact that owners delay going to the vet out of pity. Owners attribute human feelings to their pets. They are sure that the pet will be very upset that it cannot have its own offspring. But no matter how cute they are, human feelings are alien to them. Instinct awakens only under the influence of changes in certain hormones, which occurs only at a certain time. The operation involves removing the gland that produces these hormones. Therefore, at any age, the animal loses the desire to reproduce. But for owners who plan to castrate their cat, it is important to remember that before the operation the pet should not be brought together with the cat. He can remember this. And since minor fluctuations in hormone levels will still occur in the animal’s body, sexual heat may occur periodically. The risk of this phenomenon increases if the operation is performed on a two-year-old or older cat.

Optimal age

If you, knowing about all the advantages and disadvantages of castration, still decided to subject your pet to this test, you can talk about age. Veterinarians agree that it is best to neuter a cat before he is one year old. The ideal age for this is considered to be 7-9 months. The animal is at a stage when puberty has already begun to develop, but has not yet completed. The fact is that if the operation is performed after the maturation process is completed, then hormones will also be produced in the pituitary gland. If you remove the gland in time, then the pituitary gland will not receive a signal. Consequently, very little hormones will be produced. This is a very important point to consider when choosing your age.

If the cat is under seven months old, then it is better not to castrate it. It can cause complications in the kitten. He may develop a urethral stricture. Kittens have a very narrow urinary tract. Therefore, due to inflammation, adhesions may appear. Inflammation usually always accompanies castration. This does not depend on the age at which the cat had surgery. Therefore, if you contact your veterinarian with this question, he will tell you that you cannot castrate a kitten that is under 7 months old.

Maximum age

Is it possible to castrate an already mature cat? Experts say that until the age of seven, this will not cause any harm to the cat. If you do this later, then there is a high probability that the animal will not tolerate anesthesia well. In addition, the risk of serious complications increases, which can threaten not only the health, but also the life of the pet. A cat is considered fully grown when it reaches two years of age. At this age the animal reaches full maturity. Most likely, a cat at this age has already interacted with many cats.

What reasons can force owners to perform this operation on a cat that has already matured? Maybe this happened out of ignorance. They wanted to castrate, but felt it was too early for that. Perhaps they were simply afraid and did not want to offend the pet. But often the desire to have a calm pet that does not leave an unbearable smell everywhere takes precedence over pity. The owners are greatly annoyed by the animal's screams. Therefore, the decision to castrate can be made by the owners of not only a small cat, but also an adult one.

After reaching the age of two, the operation can be performed. But it is important to remember that the longer you delay, the more you risk harming the animal. A young cat's body will tolerate such stress much easier. The older the cat, the worse the anesthesia will affect him. Rehabilitation for an adult animal will take longer.

An adult cat will not get rid of all its unpleasant habits after surgery. He will retain his aggressiveness. Many will continue to mark their territory. If he has had contact with a cat, he will be willing to do it again. That is why it is so important to have the operation done in a timely manner.

Video: at what age should a cat be castrated?