What can I expect if I decide not to neuter my cat?
Female cats (called queens) over 6 months old come into season (call) several times during each period of sexual activity. These periods occur in the spring and autumn. The cat will call until she is mated, when usually she will become pregnant and have a litter of kittens 9 weeks later. Calling can be a noisy affair, and the queen will often behave strangely, rolling and crying as if in pain. Once she has had the kittens, she can become pregnant again within 3-4 weeks. A queen must be kept confined if you do not wish her to breed.

Male cats (toms or studs) reach maturity after 6 months of age and will seek out females to mate with. They develop strong shoulders and thick jowls, and frequently spray their territory with strong-smelling urine. During the mating season, they may lose weight, stop looking after themselves and disappear for days at a time.

Male and female cats left entire (not neutered) are very much at risk of contracting the life-threatening diseases Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) from their sexual partners.

At what age should the operation be done?
Cats are usually neutered at 5-6 months of age, although they can be neutered younger or older than this if required. It is always best to vaccinate the kittens first, against Feline Enteritis, Cat Flu and Feline Leukaemia Virus. Mother cats can be spayed when their kittens are 3-4 weeks old, or are weaned.

What happens on the day?
You can book your pet in for the operation on any weekday. There is no waiting list. Cats should be kept indoors the night before and not fed after 8pm unless you are directed otherwise by the veterinary surgeon. Plenty of water should be made available, but do not give milk.A full general anaesthetic is given, and you will be offered pre-anaesthetic screening for your pet. This is a blood and urine test to assess the cat for any internal problems that may affect the safety of the anaesthetic.

Cats are admitted before 8.15am if possible, and after a physical examination are given a sedative injection to remove any anxiety. The operation is performed during the morning, and pain relieving injections are used to keep the cat comfortable. During the operation and recovery, the cat is monitored by trained nurses and advanced technical equipment for maximum safety.

Female cats undergo a full ovariohysterectomy - we remove the womb and the ovaries. This is usually done through the flank, in which case she will have a shaved area and stitches on her left side. Some foreign breeds may regrow hair a different colour in this area for a time afterwards, and if you are concerned about appearance, we can perform the operation from underneath her tummy instead if you request it. Do discuss this with the vet or nurse if you are not sure which you want.

Male cats have both testicles removed through the scrotum. No stitches are needed.

How long does it take for my cat to recover?
Usually, cats are able to go home the same day, and recover well, although female cats are quieter than males as they have had a more complex operation. We advise keeping all cats in for a week until they are fully recovered, and the spayed females come back to have their stitches out 10 days after the operation. After a week most cats are back to normal.

Are there any untoward side-effects, or positive results from neutering?
Neutered cats tend to live longer, have less disease and lead more settled lives than entire cats. The removal of the reproductive organs also means that disease and cancer of these organs cannot occur later in life. Cats will tend not to wander off or fight quite so much.

Cats do not seem to suffer untoward side effects from neutering. Although some owners like to keep entire toms for their character and appearance, their urine spraying can be a nuisance.

Will neutering solve any behavioural problems?
Neutering will not always stop spraying behaviour, which is territorial marking, and females and males will both spray. Males are less likely to spray if castrated early, and castration will certainly reduce the smell. Males castrated late may still wander and continue their previous lifestyle, although usually they do settle down.

Is there an alternative to neutering, which will stop my dog from breeding?
For male cats, neutering is the only practical solution.

Female cats can be treated with injections or tablets to stop them calling, but this is often inconvenient and carries its own risk of side effects later.

Isn't it kinder to let my cat have a litter first?
This is a frequently asked question, and our view is that you should only consider a litter first if you already have caring homes ready for the kittens. There are many homeless kittens and cats in rescue centres locally looking for homes, and it is better to offer these a home than to breed more cats. Neutered cats lead very happy lives and we feel that one litter at the start of life, when they are only just reaching maturity, is not a great bonus to them.

Cats that have been neutered are more prone to weight gain and with this in mind Hill’s Pet Nutrition have devised ‘NeuteredCat’ diet. 

Studies have shown that neutered cats are much more likely to accumulate fat than muscle and so the new diet has high levels of L-carnitine and lysine, which have been shown to decrease fat accumulation and help preserve lean muscle mass.

The diet is designed to be fed straight after neutering thus avoiding weight gain and subsequent diets to lose the excess pounds (or kilos in some cats!).

Ask us about this diet if your cat is due to be neutered or has been neutered recently.  As with all Hill’s products the food is covered by the 100% money back guarantee – if your pet does not like the food – we buy it back. 

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