Veterinarians know the ideal age to sterilize cats. Laparoscopic sterilization of cats

All veterinary clinics recommend performing sterilization operations on cats at a relatively early age, up to 8 months. However, it often happens that in adulthood or adulthood the cat is still unsterilized. In such a situation, it is possible and even necessary to sterilize her - most often, the expected benefits of the operation many times cover the possible risks.

Why is it worth sterilizing a giving birth or adult cat?

There are several reasons for this.

Correction of unwanted behavior.
An adult cat will regularly look for a partner. Her behavior during such periods leaves much to be desired - the pet can become aggressive, run away from home, and meow constantly. Sterilization completely solves this problem.
Reducing the risk of developing dangerous diseases.
In adulthood, a cat may develop hormonal disorders, tumors of internal organs, ovarian cysts, etc. It is better to sterilize in advance in order to eliminate such dangers.
Protection against pregnancy.
Pregnancy and childbirth for a cat in adulthood can be very dangerous - the body may simply not cope with the reproduction of offspring into the world. Sterilization ensures that your cat does not become pregnant.

It is worth noting here that many owners of adult cats prefer to limit themselves to the use of special drugs that correct hormonal levels. When taking them, the cat does not have rutting periods, however, in the long term, the constant use of such medications is fraught with the development of a number of diseases: from hormonal to oncological. From this point of view, sterilization is the safest alternative.

Features of sterilization of adult cats

The main danger is the cat's reaction to anesthesia. To minimize risks, before surgery it is necessary to examine the animal, take blood and urine tests, perform an ultrasound of internal organs, and check the condition of the heart. If the pet is generally healthy, the operation will be allowed.

Sterilization of adult and postpartum cats always involves complete removal of the uterus and ovaries. In comparison, it is not uncommon for young animals to have only their ovaries removed. Removal of all internal reproductive organs is necessary to reduce the risk of developing cancer in adulthood.

In order for the operation to be successful, it is important to pay special attention to preparation for it. Under no circumstances should a cat be fed several hours before sterilization. It is important that she does not get sick and feels good.

After surgery, careful care is required. In the first hours after surgery (until the anesthesia wears off), it is better to leave the cat under the supervision of veterinarians. For several days, it is important to follow the diet recommended by the doctor, ensure regular treatment of sutures, and monitor the behavior and well-being of the pet.

From 7-8 years old, cats can be considered “elderly”, since by this time they begin to develop chronic diseases, and the average life expectancy is 12-15 years. Castration of a cat at 7 years of age is in most cases possible and does not lead to unpleasant consequences, but a thorough diagnosis should first be carried out.

First, the doctor puts the animal into a state. The hair on the scrotum is shaved off and the skin is treated with an antiseptic. A small incision is then made through which the surgeon gains access to the testes. Further, the operation differs depending on the technique:

The seminiferous tubules, which supply the testes with blood, are ligated. But the testes themselves are not touched. They atrophy on their own due to lack of blood and will resolve.

The testes are tied with a ligature as high as possible to the inguinal ring. Then the testes are cut off with scissors. This method gives results much faster.

Remember the main thing: only healthy animals can be castrated. Or, if the cat is chronically ill with something, in its most stable condition. No matter how simple castration may seem at first glance, you need to remember that this is a surgical intervention under general anesthesia, that is, a serious test even for a completely healthy body.

Includes the following steps:

Solve the issue with . A vaccinated cat needs to be castrated! Try to choose a time for surgery not immediately after vaccination, since the immune system must “come to its senses”, wait at least a month.

It is necessary to carry out. If less than a month has passed since the last anthelmintic, then you don’t have to worry, but if more, you’ll have to give an anthelmintic drug unscheduled. Caniquantel or any other will do.

Take tests: general and biochemistry, urine. Purebred animals need to undergo heart and kidney examinations. It is necessary to exclude infections of the kidneys and lungs, inflammatory processes.

Before surgery, the cat should not be allowed to eat for 12 hours. Don’t be afraid, this is a predator, so the cat tolerates significant breaks between “lunches” normally (in nature, hunting can be unsuccessful). Fasting is necessary to prevent your pet from vomiting during surgery.

Prepare everything you need for transportation: a warm blanket, napkins in case of “toilet troubles,” a veterinary passport. If it is cool outside, the animal may freeze, since under anesthesia the body temperature decreases greatly.

Read also: How long does it take to castrate a cat: each stage is minute by minute

After operation

Place the cat to “get some sleep” on a bedding or mattress on the floor, where no one will disturb him, and not near a radiator. Let one of the family members be at home, as it is necessary to monitor the animal’s well-being.

The cat should wake up in 1-3 hours, but the next day he may still walk with a “drunk” gait, not respond to his name, stumble, and not notice obstacles on the way. This is normal, you can sound the alarm only if your breathing is uneven, intermittent. Keep an eye on this.

Place the litter box close to the cat, as it may be difficult for him to get to the toilet after anesthesia. 2-3 hours after anesthesia, the cat may want to drink, and after 5-6 hours it may want to eat. Therefore, a bowl of food and water should also be placed next to the animal.

Possible complications during anesthesia

During the introduction of an animal into a state of anesthesia, the following complications may occur:

Malignant hyperthermia. The drugs can block the activity of the thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus. In this case, there is a possibility of an uncontrolled increase in temperature, which can lead to the destruction of proteins throughout the body.

During anesthesia, breathing slows down greatly. The respiratory center is located in the medulla oblongata and usually continues to function during anesthesia. But with an overdose of drugs, a complete stop of respiratory activity is possible.

Many drugs inhibit the activity of the heart. This can lead to blood stagnation, poor circulation, oxygen starvation, and the formation of multiple edema.

For normal functioning, many organs require a certain level of blood pressure in the vessels. With an excessively strong decrease, systemic failure of all body systems develops.

Read also: What does castration of a cat give: benefits and possible risks

Contraindications for surgery under anesthesia

Any operation that involves surgery cannot be done without anesthesia. Putting the body under anesthesia often leaves behind a lot of unpleasant sensations. There are situations when anesthesia is contraindicated. In addition, the optimal age for castration is 7-12 months of age, but not 7 years.

To find out whether surgery under anesthesia is contraindicated for a cat or not, you need to undergo examinations of the whole body and find out whether the patient has any diseases. First of all, the heart is checked using an ECG and urine is also taken for analysis.

If during the examination the patient is diagnosed with any disease or inflammatory process, the veterinarian may prescribe additional tests to more accurately determine the condition of the body. If a contraindication is confirmed, the operation is canceled or performed without anesthesia.

Reasons for canceling surgery may include:

Respiratory tract diseases.
Various viral infections.

A little kitten has appeared at your home. And the question immediately arose: should she be sterilized and how to do it correctly in order to preserve her health as much as possible and give her a long and happy life. Let's look at the most frequently asked questions from cat owners before sterilization.

Sterilize or let her give birth at least once?

If you want to babysit kittens, you can give the cat the opportunity to give birth, but this will not be beneficial for her health.

When should a cat be spayed?

Spaying a cat before her first heat reduces the risk of developing mammary tumors by up to 99.7%. A cat's first heat usually occurs between 6 and 8 months of age. That is, it is better to sterilize a cat at 6-7 months.

What if we missed the start of the first heat?

You can sterilize your cat later. To do this, you need to wait until it ends and carry out sterilization in proestrus, that is, 1 week after estrus. Prevention of mammary gland tumors, in this case, will be less in percentage terms: after the first estrus, prevention of breast cancer is 70%, after the second - 30%, and after the third, there is no prevention at all. But in this way we also prevent other pathologies, for example, the development of inflammation of the uterus.

What to do if the heat has stopped, less than a month has passed and a new heat has begun?

This condition is called nymphomania and indicates a hormonal imbalance in the body. In this situation, sterilization can be carried out without waiting for proestrus, that is, during estrus or a short lull between estrus.

Our cat is already several years old, and has never been in heat or bleeding from the loop?

Cats go into heat without bleeding, and you can tell that your animal is in heat only by its characteristic behavior: purrs, arches its back, raises its tail. Bloody discharge from the loop indicates an inflammatory process of the uterus (for example, pyometra, hematometra) and requires urgent attention to a veterinary clinic.

What needs to be done before sterilization?

Before surgery, the cat must be vaccinated (see article on vaccination), this will reduce the risk of contracting a viral infection.
It is recommended to undergo a cardiac examination (ECHO heart screening), since a significant number of cats have congenital cardiac pathologies, which do not always give pronounced symptoms, but can cause complications during anesthesia or in the postoperative period. There are also breeds at risk for cardiac diseases, which include, for example, Maine Coon, British, Scottish, Abyssinian, and Sphynx. In these breeds, cardiac pathologies are very common, and ECHO heart screening is mandatory for them.

What will a cardiological examination give us?

ECHO heart screening will allow us to suspect cardiac pathology at an early stage and begin preventing its further development, or timely therapy. Also, thanks to this study, we can minimize the risk of complications both during anesthesia and in the postoperative period. The most common complication in patients with cardiac pathologies is cardiogenic pulmonary edema, an urgent condition that can result in the death of the pet.

We want to sterilize the cat, but we don’t know whether to remove everything or just the ovaries?

In our clinic, we exclusively perform ovariohysterectomy, that is, we remove both the uterus and ovaries, as this avoids postoperative complications. Namely, by leaving the uterus, an ineffective organ, in the body, we expose the cat to the risk of a repeated, more complex and risky operation to remove the inflamed uterus - pyometra.

Which incision is better, straight or side?

In our clinic we perform laparotomy, that is, an incision along the white line of the abdomen. This has a number of advantages:

An incision along the linea alba of the abdomen does not lead to muscle injury, since it passes through the aponeurosis, the junction of the abdominal muscles, this incision heals better and hurts less.
Access is more convenient and the operation is more controlled.
It is also possible to remove both the ovaries and the uterus completely, which will not lead to subsequent complications.

We want to sterilize our cat, but we are very afraid of anesthesia and cannot sit at home with her for several days?

At Vysota VC, sterilization of cats is carried out using combined anesthesia regimens: we use a short-acting intravenous hypnotic, after which the animal wakes up in a short period of time (1-2 hours after stopping the drug administration), and epidural anesthesia. Thanks to this combination of drugs, the animal completely recovers from anesthesia in the shortest possible time and does not experience post-anesthetic intoxication. It is also mandatory that the animal is placed in a surgical hospital for several hours to minimize the risks associated with the state of recovery from anesthesia. Thanks to the sterile operating theaters at Vysota, antibiotic therapy is not carried out after sterilization, and a long stay at home with the animal is not required.

What is a cosmetic stitch?

At VC Vysota, if desired, an intradermal cosmetic suture is applied, which does not require postoperative treatment; the suture material dissolves itself and heals within 4-6 days. That is, when applying a cosmetic suture, the only inconvenience for your pet is the need to wear a post-operative protective blanket for 4-6 days.

We thought about it and decided to sterilize our pet. What do we need to do for this?

You need to: sign up for surgery in advance, and come with a hungry animal, 6-8 hours of a fasting diet.

Is it necessary to make an appointment for surgery?

Pre-registration for surgery allows you to properly plan the surgeon's operating day and eliminates unpleasant emotions as a result of long waits in line.

Should I sterilize my cat? This question worries many happy cat owners. At the same time, if in the West, most of society has long realized all the advantages of sterilizing cats, then in Russia their owners for some reason are still tormented by doubts.

In fact, sterilizing cats is simple. If you have a purebred cat with documents and the right to participate in breeding, then you either participate in this breeding (according to all the rules), or cut off everything “unnecessary” for the cat and send it to the “cushion”. In all other cases, the cat is subject to MANDATORY sterilization. There can be no exceptions here.

It is important to know that breeding cats are also sterilized. This happens after they are removed from breeding work, i.e. either upon reaching a certain age (5-7 years), or when the nursery plans change, or in the event that the breeder is not satisfied with the quality of the kittens obtained from a given breeder.

Separately, it is worth noting that the cat NO NEED to give birth before sterilization. This is a very common misconception. A cat is not a person, it has no desire to become a mother, it only has instinct. If you allow a cat to give birth (even once), and then sterilize her, then she may show psychological signs of estrus, and even a false pregnancy is possible - enormous stress for the animal. In addition, the sooner a cat is spayed, the lower the risk of developing genitourinary malignancies in the future. And the misconception about the need for childbirth arose thanks to unscrupulous veterinarians - it is easier for them to remove the enlarged uterus of a cat who has given birth, but this does not mean that removing the uterus of a nulliparous animal is an extremely difficult task, some veterinarians are simply too lazy.

Also, do not feel sorry for your cat, being afraid of surgery and anesthesia. The operation to sterilize a cat is routine and simple; complications are rare, but empty heats and unmet needs definitely lead to serious illnesses.

Why do you need to sterilize your cat?

1) sterilized cats live longer (up to 70% of cat diseases are associated with the genitourinary system);

2) unsterilized cats that are not bred develop pyometra (purulent inflammation of the uterus);

3) hormonal contraceptives for cats (drugs for interrupting estrus) lead to changes in hormonal levels, which also contributes to the development of pyometra, mastitis, ovarian cysts, uterine hyperplasia and malignant tumors of the mammary glands and genital organs;

5) sterilized cats stop yelling and marking and become mentally balanced;

6) sterilized cats are not prone to running away from home;

7) you will not need to deal with the adoption of kittens of unknown origin (selling kittens without documents under the guise of purebred ones is completely fraudulent).

At what age should a cat be spayed?

In fact, there is no clear answer to these questions. It is now believed that it is best to sterilize a cat before the completion of puberty (before the first heat), but after the completion of the main formation of the kitten. Otherwise, the cat will either continue to show signs of heat even after the operation (yelling), or will become an asexual creature with mental and physiological problems.

The problem is that the ideal age for neutering is different for each cat, as they all develop differently. The age of puberty in a cat ranges from 6 months to 1.5 years. It is believed that light-boned cats (Siames, Orientals, Sphynxes, Cornish Rexes, etc.) mature quickly - in 6-8 months; cats with heavy bones (Siberian, Maine Coons, etc.) develop more slowly and reach sexual maturity after 1 year; Accordingly, cats with medium bones (Kurilian bobtails, Scottish folds, etc.) are somewhere in the middle. But all this is very conditional, because each cat is individual.

Therefore, for light-boned cats, the optimal age for sterilization is 4-5 months, for medium-boned cats - 8-9 months, for heavy-boned cats - 10-12 months.

In the USA, early castration at the age of 1.5-3 months is extremely popular. Research shows that animals castrated at such an early age grow normally, sometimes even better than their counterparts castrated later; and early castration has no effect on the development of urolithiasis. However, in Russia, veterinarians are reluctant to castrate small kittens due to the complexity of the operation and possible problems with anesthesia. It must be said that their fears are not unfounded.

Separately, it is worth noting that up to 7-8 years of age, a cat can be sterilized without risk to its health. Moreover, the operation is more likely to preserve it than to worsen it. However, if the cat is older, then before sterilization it is worth conducting an examination, first of all, to find out the condition of the heart and compare the risks: find out what is more difficult for the cat, anesthesia or possible cancer?

Cat sterilization and religion

Sterilization of cats from a Christian point of view: In Christianity there is no direct prohibition on sterilization/castration of animals. Each priest has his own opinion on this issue. Some consider sterilization a sin, because... man should not interfere in divine affairs, and God did not create animals for our pleasure. Others believe that castration is not murder, and that if we can kill animals for meat, and also use them for our own needs (for example, plowing with horses and oxen, transporting goods, etc.), then castrate even more so. After all, man is created in the image and likeness of the Lord, which means his needs are paramount. At the same time, castration should not lead to the death of the cat or serious injury, and should also be painless.

Sterilization of a cat in Islam: There is no direct prohibition on castration of animals either in the Koran or hadith. The Prophet Mohammed treated animals very carefully, but there is evidence that he repeatedly sacrificed castrated animals, which means he did not consider them sick or defective. Of the four Sunni madhhabs, the Hanafis do not see anything wrong in the castration of all animals, the Malikis speak only about the castration of beef cattle and also do not condemn it, and the Shafi'ites and Hanabalites condemn the castration of all animals with the exception of beef cattle. Shiites do not object to the castration of domestic animals. Modern Muslim jurists believe that if castration occurs under anesthesia and does not lead to death or injury, then there is no sin in it; because an abundance of cats can harm people, as can sexual activity in animals.

Sterilization of a cat in Judaism: The Torah strictly prohibits the castration of any animal, even by a non-Jew. However, it is also impossible to give an animal drugs that impair its sexual function. At the same time, Jews are allowed to use animals for their needs, for example, you can pluck a feather from a live goose if there is no other feather.

Sterilization of a cat in Buddhism: Buddhists are prohibited from causing suffering to animals and generally interfering with their “natural” life. Cat sterilization for a Buddhist it is possible only if it saves the life of an animal (for example, with uterine cancer). In fact, a Buddhist should not have a pet at all, because... it limits his freedom and causes him suffering.

In general, the following should be noted:

1) All world religions preach humane and caring attitude towards animals, and prohibit the abuse of them for your own pleasure

2) In all world religions it is forbidden to kill helpless creatures that do not cause harm and are not capable of causing it (drowning kittens, throwing them out into the street, taking them away from their mother before they get stronger (3 months))

3) All world religions condemn the intentional infliction of suffering on an animal, therefore, feeding a cat with hormonal pills that cause serious complications is a sin, as is not giving him the opportunity to fulfill his mating needs in the proper amount (every heat cycle)

4) All religious prohibitions on castration are associated with two aspects: you cannot interfere with the nature of animals and you cannot hurt them. However, in the time of the Prophets, there were no "pets" as such, and there were no problems with stray cats. In addition, there was no anesthesia that would allow castration to be performed painlessly, and there were no experienced veterinarians who could castrate an animal without causing death or injury.

5) All religions (except Buddhism) recognize that animals were created for humans, and not humans for animals; accordingly, if an uncastrated animal causes significant harm to people, and its castration will be useful to both humans and animals, castration will not be a sin. And cats mark, yell and behave aggressively, which causes trouble for both their owners and those around them; at the same time, as already written above, castration brings obvious benefits to cats.

Thus, a believer has three paths:

1) do not have cats as pets;

2) do not castrate the animal, mate it with healthy and vaccinated partners every time it wants, raise ALL kittens up to 3 months and give it only to trusted, good hands;

3) castrate an animal in violation of the letter or spirit of religious laws.

It is worth noting that religious laws are constantly and regularly violated, often with the approval of the clergy, since sin is used for good. For example, it is permissible to violate the commandment “thou shalt not kill” when it comes to protecting one’s family or homeland, although murder remains a sin for which one should sincerely repent.

Chemical sterilization of cats

Unlike cats, of all types of non-surgical sterilization, only medical (temporary) sterilization is possible for cats. Since the cat's genitals are located in the abdominal cavity in close proximity to other vital organs, radiation sterilization of a cat seems too difficult, although not absolutely impossible. However, in Russia, even experiments in this area were not carried out.

Medical sterilization of cats using the drug "Superlorin" is also not recommended, because Most likely, for females it is irreversible and can lead to various complications. Other hormonal drugs used in veterinary medicine are also unsafe, but have been better studied.

The best remedy for regulating estrus in cats and used for hormonal imbalances and nymphomania in breeding cats is “Covinan”. It is injected ONLY during the period of sexual rest and, as a rule, according to the following scheme: the second injection 3 months after the first, the third - 4 months after the second, the fourth and subsequent - 5 months after the previous one. In this way, sexual peace is achieved.

Another hormonal contraceptive, Depo-Provera, is also injected during periods when there is no estrus according to the scheme: the second injection three months after the first, the third and subsequent ones six months after the previous one. This drug is not veterinary, but “human”, and for this reason it is much more dangerous than “Covinan”. However, it is very popular due to its relative cheapness.

Not long ago, a new drug “Perlutex” appeared on the market for long-term delay of estrus in cats. The drug is given during the period of sexual rest, 1 tablet per week, 1 course should not exceed more than 5 months. The drug is contraindicated in animals during lactation, with diseases of the genital tract, liver, pancreas and diabetes. It is believed that Perlutex is the most gentle hormonal drug, but there is little experience with its use. There are also cases where cats went into estrus while taking this drug.

Medical sterilization of a cat is a temporary measure intended for breeding animals suffering from debilitating estrus, as well as for cats for which surgical intervention is contraindicated. Long-term use of hormonal drugs to regulate a cat's sexual behavior almost always leads to pyometra and the development of cancerous tumors.

Spaying or neutering a cat

It is believed that the operation to stop the sexual function of a cat is called sterilization, and a similar operation for cats is called castration, but in fact, this is incorrect. From a medical point of view, neutering a cat involves ligating the fallopian tubes (tubes connecting the ovaries to the uterus). With such an operation, the cat cannot become pregnant, but continues to show all signs of sexual heat and mate with cats. Moreover, over time, the pipes can resume their operation. Castration involves the removal of either the ovaries and uterus (ovariohysterectomy) or only the ovaries (oophorectomy). So, in fact, this article is about castration of cats, but we call it as people are accustomed to. Moreover, in fact, modern veterinarians do not ligate cats’ tubes.

Cat sterilization surgery

Before surgery, cats should not be fed for 12 hours, this will make it easier for them to tolerate anesthesia. If a cat is suspected of having a serious helminthic infestation, it must be dewormed before sterilization. For older cats, it is also recommended to have a complete blood count, ECG and general x-ray. An ECG is also mandatory for representatives of breeds predisposed to hypertrophied cardiomyopathy.

During sterilization, cats have either only the ovaries (if the cat has not given birth) or both the ovaries and the uterus (if the cat has given birth) through an incision in the side wall of the abdomen. If your cat has already been in heat, then the uterus should also be cut out, otherwise signs of heat may recur.

The operation is performed under general anesthesia, after which stitches are applied (they will either need to be removed after a certain time, or asked to be sewn up with absorbable threads). The seams are covered with a special blanket to prevent the cat from licking them.

The rehabilitation period after sterilization usually lasts 7-10 days.

Laparoscopic sterilization of cats

Laparoscopic sterilization of cats or sterilization of cats “without seams and without blankets” or “laser” sterilization is a gentle and fast method of sterilizing cats.

During laparoscopic sterilization of a cat, the surgeon makes a small lateral incision or several punctures in the abdominal wall, through which he inserts special instruments into the abdominal cavity and then removes the ovaries (and uterus).

After laparoscopic sterilization, the cat still has a stitch (very small) and will also have to wear a blanket, otherwise the cat will lick the stitch and get an infection. However, rehabilitation time is reduced from 5-7 days to 1-2 days.

Caring for a cat after sterilization

No special care is required for your cat after sterilization. If the clinic gave you a cat that has not yet recovered from anesthesia, then you need to carefully take it home and put it on a bedding with a diaper, because. After anesthesia, the cat may not control urination and bowel movements.

It is also recommended to limit the cat’s movements for several hours after sterilization, as her coordination will be impaired. The tray and bowls of food should be placed next to the cat.

Your cat should be given water a teaspoon at a time to prevent vomiting. But, usually, this is not required; cats quickly recover and begin to drink and eat without any problems.

Where to sterilize a cat?

You can sterilize your cat either at a veterinary clinic or at home. Best withsterilize the cat in a veterinary clinic, since at home it is impossible to provide a sufficient level of sterility and it is impossible to arrange all the necessary equipment.

At home, as a last resort, you can operate on cats that cannot tolerate travel at all, and it is better to give the animal a sedative than to expose it to the risk of blood poisoning.

How much does it cost to spay a cat?

Sterilizing a cat is a fairly expensive operation. Depending on the region, the method of sterilization and the quality of services provided by the clinic, the cost of sterilizing a cat ranges from 1500-5000 rubles, including anesthesia and necessary medications. Removal of stitches after surgery should also be included in the total cost.

It is worth noting that in large cities, volunteer centers often organize preferential castration of animals for everyone, and recently a promotion was launched

Many cat lovers know that in order to solve problems with the increase in the number of stray animals in all more or less developed countries of the world, governments actively support the idea of animals that do not have breeding value.

Veterinarians practice surgical removal of testes as the simplest and cheapest method., allowing you to reliably suppress the sexual function of an animal. But is the procedure safe for all pets? How justified, for example, is castration of a cat at 7 years old?

Veterinary specialists themselves are quite unanimous on this issue: many of them believe that Without an objective need, it is no longer worth depriving an animal at this age. Simply put, unless there is a really good reason, the cat’s “bells” can be left alone. Moreover, there is really little point in the procedure in such cases.

Why is this so? The problem is that a seven-year-old cat is a fully formed, formed personality, possessing a set of habits, many of which may seem somewhat... annoying to a person. Take, for example, the penchant for territory. At this age, this is a completely forgivable habit, since the cat is already accustomed to conquering a certain territory from its relatives and at the same time attracting the attention of females.

Castration, contrary to popular belief, will not eliminate this habit. It is not a consequence of the presence of sex hormones in the animal’s blood. - “just” an instinct that exists in the brain of every cat. True, its intensity manifests itself differently in everyone. Again, the secretions of a sterilized cat do not smell as intense, so from this point of view there are still benefits from castration.

Some professional breeders may be aware that castration significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer. But in this case, you can ignore this pleasant nuance. The fact is that the optimal age of deprivation, when cancer can actually be prevented, is approximately six months (before the onset of puberty).

In seven-year-old pets, the risk of cancer of the genitourinary system is approximately the same both with and without testes.

Of course, you can gain a certain percentage by sterilizing your pet even at an older age, but there is no particular point in this. So why are “veterans” castrated?

The procedure is carried out if there are any significant veterinary indications:

Sterilization is indicated for chronic cystitis and prostate disease.
A similar situation is that chronic inflammation of the testes and their appendages may leave the veterinarian with no choice.
In some cases, castration also helps improve the pet's condition.
Finally, if a cat has been diagnosed with cancerous pathologies of the urinary system, then, most likely, it will still be impossible to do without sterilization.

Often, “patriarchs” are castrated, whom the owners no longer want to allow for breeding, but are forced to keep in the same house with cats. Finally, “fighting” cats that constantly come home with lacerations and biting wounds they received in fights over cats may also need sterilization.

Features of castration

There are no specific features of surgical castration, but you should always remember some physiological characteristics of old cats:

At the stage of preparation for surgery, blood and urine tests are required. Their results will help determine the condition of the animal’s lungs, heart, and kidneys.
In cases where the above studies do not provide accurate data, ultrasound and radiography of the chest and abdominal cavities are recommended. These techniques will help to more accurately determine the condition of all vital organs of the pet.

As for the actual operation, the procedure itself does not have any distinctive features. It is only important to remember that the tissues of the genital organs at this age are already quite dense and rigid, which imposes special requirements for the application of a ligature. The knot must be tightened so that it is guaranteed not to come apart.

If there is any doubt, you can additionally apply a suture. Since the healing process of the operated area can take two weeks or more, it is very important to prevent the process of licking the wound. To do this, it is recommended to use it immediately.

Feline vasectomy

If you need your elderly cat to no longer be able to father new kittens, and it is undesirable to carry out “full” castration, a vasectomy will help solve this problem. Without going into anatomical details, this is the name of the procedure ligation of the vas deferens.

As a result, sperm can no longer exit the penis during sexual intercourse, and therefore the cat remains, as it were, sterile. The testes remain intact, and as a result there will be no complications from the consequences. In particular, older pets are very prone to problems after castration, and even adjusting the diet often does not help to cope with this.

In addition, a vasectomy is an extremely reliable way to prevent the birth of new kittens. Unlike “classical” surgical castration, it does not affect the pet’s health in any way, which is especially valuable if it is necessary to infertize an old cat. Please note that the presence of testes implies continued release of testosterone. It means that the animal will continue to behave exactly the same as before “castration”. Let us note, in fairness, that even in the case of surgical excision of the testes, the results will be exactly the same.

Please also note that ligation of the vas deferens does not have an immediate effect. Even after surgery, a cat can be successful within a few weeks.

So before allowing him into a sorority, it is advisable to take your pet to the veterinarian. He will take a sample of the animal's sperm and evaluate the spermatogram. If the analysis shows that there are no longer living sperm in the secretion, then your pet will no longer be able to continue the family line.