Spaying Your Cat To Ensure A Happy Healthier Lifetime

To ensure you have one of the healthiest and happiest cats in the neighborhood it is best to have them spayed. Your vet can help you decide the best time to do it, but generally it’ll be anytime after 8 weeks (but before they turn 5 months old).

But why spay your cat? Isn’t it cruel to take away their chance at breeding?

First, like most animal populations there’s the potential for exponential population growth. Your cat can give birth to 12 kittens a year. Those kittens soon become cats, and they give birth to 12 each. Without any checks or balances, your unspayed cat is soon the grandmoggy to a family of 2 million!

Think of the strain 2 million extra cats would put on the network of already underfunded shelters in this country. Most would have to be euthanized. Clearly from a population standpoint, there’s no argument that spaying is essential.

But there are other reasons too. Evidence suggests:

Not convinced? Check out this very useful and informative video:

 

I’m Convinced. So What’s Involved?

Ovariohysterectomy (OVH) is the medical name. It’s one of the most commonly performed surgeries for cats and it doesn’t take long. In many cases you’ll even be able to take your cat home the same day, though your cat might have to stay at the vet’s overnight as a precaution. (This allows the veterinary staff additional time in which to make sure anesthetics have worn off and all is well before her trip home.)

Preparation

Prior to having the procedure you will be given care instructions to have your cat in the best shape going into the spay. This will include when to stop feeding them and giving them fluids.

Upon arrival she will be given a physical. Following the physical a very small blood draw will occur. Both of these steps help to ensure a safe and happy cat prior to receiving anesthesia.

Once the vet is satisfied that everything is in order, he will scrub up and wait in the clean, sterile operating room. Your cat will be brought in and receive anesthesia.

The Surgery

If you’ve ever seen House MD, you know what a surgery room looks like. But in this case there’s much less drama. Like with humans, key statistics are measured throughout the procudure:

• Heart rate
• Heart rhythm
• Temperature
• Respiratory rate
• Oxygen saturation
• Carbon dioxide levels

The anesthesia is stopped as the procedure comes to completion, and in most situations pain medication is given. This is just to make your girl more comfortable as she wakes up from the anesthesia.

Recovery

The first part of recovery will have the medical staff watching over the cats in a sterile environment. Once she has woken up you will typically receive a phone call from the staff to let you know how it all went and how she is doing. The staff will also, in most cases, confirm the time you can come and pick her up to go home.

Your cat will require some time to heal and mend. The first few days are the most important but a full recovery can take a number of weeks. Here are a few of the ways to help with the recovery stages once you take your little one home.

Medication for Pain After Spaying

When you go to retrieve your cat from having the OVH performed she will be prescribed pain medication. This medicine is specially formulated for your cat and the dosage has been determined in advance based on her size, weight, and similar structured items.

Metacam AKA Meloxicam is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic for the reduction or prevention of pain. Onsior AKA Robenacoxib is effective, too. Both of the above referenced medications can be safely administered to cats following the proper dosage guidelines.

According to the VSAG (Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia Support Group) when giving cats a NSAID regime one should be extremely cautious and be sure to monitor them closely.

Cat Spaying – Aftercare:

Specific instructions will be given to you by your vet that performs the procedure. The following, however, are some basic guidelines.

• Continue to follow the basic recovery items above.

• Watch if any redness spreads near the wound.

• Keep an eye out for any swelling.

• Watch for discharge.

• Be aware of openings of the surgical scar.

• Note any lack of appetite or lethargy.

• Be on the lookout for diarrhea or vomiting.

Cost of Cat Spaying

The total costs to spay a cat is roughly $200 and will vary greatly based on who is to do it, where, and the cat’s age. Do not allow that to deter you from getting done as there are resources available to you should they be needed.

Head over to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and type “spay” into the search box. It will then provide you with a listing of options based upon the zip code you enter. The pet owner or pet rescuer can then select the location that they deem best.

Alternatives to Cat Spaying

There are a few options available should you not risk to but your little cutie under such of an intense surgery procedure.

• Laparoscopic Ovariectomy – Is also known as Ovariectomy (OVE). This is the removal of just the ovaries and not the uterus. It is a less invasive overall procedure.

• Ovaban – Is also known as megestrol acetate. This is a birth control pill of sorts that prevents the cat from going into heat.

• Sham Breeding – This is a “home remedy” that tricks the cat’s body into thinking intercourse has taken place – it ends the heat cycle. Please do not do this at home.

• Depo-Provera – Is also known as Medroxyprogesterone Acetate. This is a shot that is given to prevent pregnancy. It is the same as that used for humans but an “off-brand” so to speak.

Music as Relaxation Tool During Spaying

Current cay spaying trends are adding the use of music during times of anesthesia and stress. The positive attributes of music as a calming agent are proving to be very high. My concern, however, is on the proving of music not typical of the cat’s household possibly having negative results.

According to the Yale University School of Medicine research studies indicate that the addition of music to the operating environment decreases the amount of sedatives needed thus making surgery safer and less unpleasant. However, many are still concerned that the addition of music in the operating room is a distraction, a safety hazard, and more of a risk.

Cat Spaying – The Government’s Role:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the group responsible for the safe foods and medications given to our children, whether they have four legs or two. For example, they handled 86,444 adverse drug reports in 2013.

“People value their pets and may not realize that FDA is constantly on the lookout for signs that there is a medication or food on the market that could result in adverse health events,” says John Baker, a veterinarian and director of the Division of Veterinary Product Safety (DVPS) within the agency’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also plays a huge part in the lives of our four legged children. The are the regulatory factor for the Veterinary and Lab Services as well as animal vaccines.

Conclusion

In conclusion the benefits of cat spaying far outweigh any of the negatives. It is a must to be done if you wish to ensure a happy and healthier lifetime with your cat. A “fixed” cat, once healing is complete often begins to show a more loving and attentive natured side as well.

Spaying will eliminate the horrid “yelping” or “howling”  that onsets about every three weeks as well as the dreaded territory markings. Gone will be the neighborhood cats and their attempted mating calls. This procedure is also known for alleviating many medical and behavioral issues that may or may not have become an apparent issue, complaint, or complication.

All in all, if you truly love your pet and wish their companionship to last a lifetime please see to an early cat spaying. Both you and they will be happy that you did.