Spaying your Cat
Why should I have my cat spayed?
Spaying in female cats also offers several advantages. Most obviously, it will prevent unplanned litters. It will also remove the risk of uterine infection and cancer and may reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Once a cat reaches puberty (usually around 7 months), most of the year the queen will be “in heat” for approximately one week every two to three weeks until she is mated. During “heat” she may display unsociable behavior such as loud and persistent crying and frequent rubbing and rolling on the floor. Such behavior and her scent will attract tomcats from miles around. This will be eliminated by spaying.
There is no medical reason for allowing your cat to have a litter before she is spayed.
When should I have my cat spayed?
In most cases, it is desirable to spay before puberty, and it is customary to operate on kittens at an early age. The actual age chosen will depend upon the preference of your veterinarian - many individuals will spay female cats at around 4-6 months old, however some operate at 2-3 months of age. It is possible to spay when pregnant. Please contact the hospital for further details regarding our spaying policy.
What does the operation involve?
Your cat will undergo a general anesthetic. You will need to withhold food for twelve (12) hours prior to surgery. Your pet should have free access to water during the pre-operative fasting period.
The operation is performed through a relatively small incision made in the midline of the abdomen. Both ovaries are removed along with the uterus. Normally, skin stitches are used that will be removed after 10 days after the surgery, unless absorbable material has been used.
What surgical complications could arise?
In general, complications are rare during spaying of kittens, however, as with all surgical procedures, there is always a small risk:
Anesthetic complication
It is possible that any pet could have an adverse reaction following the administration of any drug. Such cases are impossible to predict, but are extremely rare.
One potential danger arises from the cat not being fasted properly prior to anesthesia. It is essential that all instructions are strictly followed.
In addition, any signs of illness should be reported to your veterinarian prior to an operation.
Internal hemorrhage
This can occur through ligature failure after the abdomen has been closed.
Post-operative infection
This may occur internally or around the incision wound. In most cases the infection can be controlled with antibiotics.
Sinus formation
Although rare, occasionally the body will react to certain types of suture material used during surgery. This results in a weeping wound that may appear some days or weeks after the surgery. Sometimes a second operation is required to remove the offending material.
What adverse affects might spaying have on my cat?
In the vast majority of cases no adverse affects are noted following spaying. In certain cats, notably Siamese, the hair that grows back over an operation site may be noticeably darker, due to a difference in the skin temperature. This darker patch may grow out with the following molt as the hair is naturally replaced.
This client information sheet is based on material written by Ernest E. Ward Jr., DVM.
© Copyright 2002 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. January 7, 2010
