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Neutering your cat

Neutering has many health and lifestyle benefits

At Animates we recommend neutering your cat because it has many health and lifestyle benefits.

Cats can be sexually mature from 5 – 6 months of age. It is recommended that they are neutered prior to this to prevent unwanted pregnancies. In situations where there is a risk of early pregnancy, for example taking on a brother and sister as kittens, we are able to neuter earlier. This should be discussed with your vet or veterinary nurse.

Spaying female cats is recommended at 4-5 months of age.

Spaying will prevent the worries of mis-mating and unwanted pregnancies and also removes the risk of pyometra, a severe uterine infection, which can be life threatening. It also stops seasons and the resulting calling behaviour.

Castration of the male cat is recommended at 4-5 months of age. Castrating your male cat can prevent problems such as roaming, fighting, tomcat odour, spraying and unwanted pregnancies.

Uncastrated males are also prone to fighting and this can spread viruses such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

Cats are admitted to the clinic as day-patients, are neutered under general anaesthetic and are generally ready to go home in the afternoon.

We offer pre-anaesthetic blood testing, intravenous fluids during their stay with us and a choice of anaesthetic gases to all animals undergoing surgery. These are available for an additional fee and will be discussed further when booking the neutering and again on the day of the operation. We do not include these extras automatically in all procedures as we appreciate that they may not be essential in all situations and want to offer competitive prices.

As with any surgery there is always a small risk of complications but the incidence is very low. We recommend that your pet is rested for 10 days after surgery and include in the cost a post-operative check-up 2-3 days after the surgery.

Ovariohysterectomies (spays) are performed as a standard through a small flank incision and castrated cats have two small incisions on the scrotum. It is important that your pet doesn’t lick the wound and therefore may require a buster collar or pet shirt.

We include pain relief for 3 days for all cat spays as we believe it is important to ensure their comfort post-operatively. The procedure for a cat castrate is less invasive and therefore they usually only require 24hours worth of pain relief. Any other additional medication would be charged.

Following neutering cats need about 30% less calories which makes it more important that they are fed correctly. Our nurses are very knowledgeable and happy to discuss this with you at any point. We recommend Royal Canin have a neutered range which is a high protein, nutritionally dense, low fat food, which when fed correctly will help your pet stay in ideal shape.

Feeding your neutered cat after their operation

Once your cat has been neutered he or she will be naturally prone to weight gain due to hormonal changes, which cause an increase in appetite and tendency to gain fat rather than muscle. Your cat’s eating behaviour will change and its diet should be modified to reflect all of these needs.

After neutering cats tend to eat more whereas their energy requirements actually diminish by over 30%. If the diet is not adapted after neutering your cat will quickly gain weight. This weight gain can lead to obesity.

If your cat becomes obese it may lead to:

  • Diabetes
  • Liver disorders
  • Constipation
  • Heart problems
  • Joint problems
  • Urinary Stones

If you simply reduce the amount of food you give your cat then you are also reducing the nutrients your cat will receive. To help maintain the ideal body weight and maintain a healthy cat, we recommend feeding Royal Canin Neutered Cat, a high protein nutritional food with reduced fat to meet the specific requirements of your cat. This food also contains the S/O index; Royal Canin’s new approach to reducing the risk of development of urinary crystals by maintaining the appropriate acidity level within the urine.

Additional benefits of the Neutered Cat diet range include:

  • Promoting dental health.
  • Hairball control.
  • Promoting a healthy immune system.
  • Promoting digestive system health.
  • Promoting a healthy skin and coat. Many people are concerned that their pet’s coat will change after neutering. A good quality diet will ensure that their coat remains in great condition.

Royal Canin provide a range of nutritional foods tailored specifically to a neutered cat’s breed, age and health requirements. To assist you in choosing the best Royal Canin Vet-Recommended food for your cat we would be happy to provide an individual assessment of your pet’s requirements.

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