Today, many owners of their furry friends are asking questions about whether the cat needs castration, the pros and cons of this operation, as well as how this will affect his behavior in the future. In this article we will try to reveal in detail the topic of interest to you and answer all questions.
What is castration and why is it needed?
Castration of a cat is a surgical operation during which the testes are removed, which entails the cessation of reproductive function and stopping the production of male hormones. At about 7-8 months old, cats become sexually attracted to individuals of the opposite sex, which is manifested in their behavior. Loud screams begin at night, aggressive behavior, territory marks, resulting in an unpleasant smell in the apartment. Therefore, to avoid such behavior, the operation is recommended to be carried out at about 7-9 months, when the furry friend is already strong enough, but has not yet tried all the delights of sex life. Often, only castration is allowed to calm a beloved pet and make it much calmer and more affectionate.
However, can such an operation adversely affect the health of the pet? And what will be the behavior of the cat after castration? Veterinarians argue that this operation is considered quite simple and usually performed without any consequences. However, if you make it to a more mature pet, then anesthesia after castration of a cat can play a role, since the body of the old animal is much weaker than that of the young one, therefore there is a risk that any complications will occur during its release from anesthesia.
The benefits of castration cat
Veterinarians, in turn, argue that castration of a cat has a lot of advantages and has practically no disadvantages. But is this really so? We can verify this by listing all the positive and negative sides of castration. The pluses include the fact that:
- neutered animals often live 1.5-2 years longer;
- the cat stops marking the territory and becomes less aggressive;
- screams at night and cat searches cease;
- the animal becomes very calm and more playful;
- castrated cats practically do not encounter diseases such as adenoma, prostatitis and other infections, unlike animals that have not been castrated;
- the cat becomes more obedient and docile;
- in cats that were neutered at a young age, breast tumors practically do not form.
Cons of castration cats
- After this operation, some pets become lazy and inactive, as a result of which they often suffer from overeating and obesity, since they spend less energy than an uncastrated cat.
- Sometimes cats after castration begin to suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system, and to prevent this, you need to select the right food.
- Anesthesia is also a kind of risk for the animal, if for a young one it is very small, then for an old cat this is a rather big risk to health, because some individuals may not even tolerate it.
- The appearance of urolithiasis is possible.
- Castration, like any surgical intervention, can be accompanied by complications (but these are quite rare cases).
However, many consequences can be avoided if you approach this operation with all responsibility.
Cat behavior after castration
After this operation, your furry pet will need time to recover. This period usually lasts one or two days, during which the cat is in a relaxed and inactive state. He can completely refuse food, because eating can cause the pet to vomit, move very slowly and uncertainly, all this is the consequences of surgery and anesthesia, so there is no need to worry much. During this period, it is very important for a furry friend to be supported, paid as much attention as possible and shown kindness. You need to carefully monitor your pet, because due to loss of coordination, he can fall from a height and cause himself any injury. It is worthwhile to ensure that the cat does not freeze, for this you can cover it with a warm blanket or put it next to a warm battery. About 5 hours after surgery, you need to give your pet water. Of course, the castration of a cat, the pros and cons of which we examined, is very draining of the animal.
The condition of the animal after surgery
You also need to pay special attention to the presence of stool in the animal. If within three days you notice that it cannot be emptied, be sure to show the cat to a veterinarian. The most important thing is to monitor the healing of the postoperative suture. Usually, this does not bother the animals, but if he starts to climb into this place and tries to lick the wound, then he needs to put a special collar on his neck, and treat the seam at the veterinarian soon. In the postoperative period, it is important to ensure that the suture does not bleed, and that there is no wet around it, the temperature of the cat does not stay for more than three days above 39 degrees and that it is not lowered (below 37 degrees).
The nutrition of a castrated cat should also be taken very seriously, because after some time the hormonal background changes in the animal. A castrated cat begins to spend less energy, so his body will need fewer calories, and his appetite remains the same. If you follow the proper nutrition of your pet, you can avoid the obesity of your pet and urolithiasis.
Conclusion
In this article, we examined what castration of a cat is, the pros and cons of surgery, as well as the behavior of a pet after surgery. Of course, if you have a similar choice, it is up to you. First of all, you need to weigh the pros and cons, consult a veterinarian and only after that make a decision. If you still do not dare to castrate the cat, then you can go around, use the special pills that are currently sold in every veterinary clinic.
If you decide to perform an operation on your pet just like that, for no good reason, it is better to abstain, and again, resort to the medication method. When the castration of a cat, the pros and cons of which we have already examined, is necessary, it remains to choose one of the best clinics in your city with a good reputation and go there. No need to save, as the further life of your pet will depend on how professionally the operation is performed.