Neutering a Cat

What is neutering?

Also known as desexing, or castration, neutering is the removal of the testes in the male cat, to prevent him from fathering kittens.

How much does it cost to neuter a cat?

It costs less to neuter a male than spay a female, as the procedure is less complicated and invasive. I recently phoned five veterinary practices, and prices ranged from $100 to $189, with the average cost being  $140.75

Sometimes animal shelters will have a day where they perform spaying and neutering at a significantly reduced rate, so if the price is a factor, try your local shelters, they may have plans to run such a day, or speak to your veterinarian, most are willing to discuss payment options.

What age should my cat be neutered?

Vets can neuter cats from 8-10 weeks of age. It should be performed before the cat is six months, as some cats can become sexually active as early as 3 – 4 months of age.

Before the surgery

As with any anesthetic, fasting is necessary the night before. Your veterinarian will give you instructions, but it is generally advised to remove food the evening before the operation and water the morning of the surgery.

Many veterinarians recommend performing a pre-op blood panel a few days before surgery to check the overall health of your cat.

You will need to book your cat into the vet ahead of the surgery.

Try to get to the vet around 20 minutes before the appointment to fill out any necessary paperwork. You will be asked to sign a consent form to verify that you consent to the anesthetic and are aware of the risks.

During the operation

The cat receives a light sedative to calm him down and make him relaxed and somewhat drowsy.

The veterinarian administers a general anesthetic of either gas or injection. Once unconscious, he will be placed on his back on the operating table, his scrotum will be shaved and cleaned with a surgical disinfectant, a small cut is made in the scrotum, the testicles are brought out, clamped, cut and removed. The cords are tied off. The incision is usually so small that a stitch isn’t required.

An injection is given to reverse the anesthetic, and your cat is taken to recovery. The actual surgery only takes around 10 minutes.

Post-surgery care

In most cases, your cat will be allowed to come home the same day. Your cat may be a little sore for a day or two after the operation. Keep an eye out for any signs of swelling or infection.

Benefits of neutering a cat

• Entire males are more likely to roam in search of a female to mate with which can expose him to the risk of injury (or death) from cars, dogs and other cats.
• The risk of testicular cancer is eliminated in neutered males.
• Neutered males are less territorial, and this reduces the likelihood of them spraying.
• Neutering helps to keep the cat population under control. More cats need a home than there are homes on offer, and every year, too many healthy cats are euthanised purely because there are not enough homes. We need to all do our part to help with the cat overpopulation problem.
• Entire males are at higher risk of catching FeLV and FIV due to fighting and sexual activity.