Castration of a cat: pros and cons, price

Many pet owners must make the decision to castrate a cat, which frequently prompts many concerns. When making a decision for your pet, it’s critical to be aware of both the procedure’s benefits and potential drawbacks.

Castration has the potential to decrease certain undesirable behaviors, like aggressive tendencies or territory marking. Additionally, it can prevent future health problems like certain cancers.

There are, nevertheless, additional factors to take into account. Some cat owners are concerned about potential negative effects or personality changes in their feline. Furthermore, the price of the procedure may change based on your location and the clinic of your choice.

Pros	Cons
Reduces the risk of certain diseases	It is a surgical procedure with risks
Helps control overpopulation	Initial cost can be high
Decreases aggressive behavior	May cause weight gain
Reduces territorial marking	Some cats may experience post-surgery discomfort
Eliminates the chance of unwanted litters	Hormonal changes might affect the cat"s personality
Price	Depends on the clinic and location, typically ranges from $50 to $150

Differences between castration and sterilization

To put it more accurately, castration is the exact removal of the sex glands (testicles in males, ovaries or ovaries and uterus in females), whereas sterilization implies an artificial violation of the reproductive function without removing the sex glands (both in males and females). In this section, we will discuss this process mainly in terms of depriving males of the ability to procreate in order to avoid needless complexity.

Pros and cons of castration of a cat

Why castrate a cat is a question that many may have.

Castration serves as a preventive, therapeutic, and economical measure for domestic cats.

Cats in urban areas require surgery not only because their owners are unable or unwilling to raise their offspring, but also because of preventative measures.

An uncastrated animal that reaches maturity (it takes about six to nine months) will, for instance, exhibit anxious behavior that leads it to mark its territory and release an unpleasant stench that spreads throughout the apartment.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CASTRATION
Pros	Cons
The cat (as a rule) stops marking the territory	Inability to continue offspring
Aggression and screaming disappear	The cat becomes less active, and this can cause it to gain excess weight (requires special nutrition)
The risk of genitourinary diseases decreases	The older the cat, the higher the risks of anesthesia. It is safer to castrate before 2-3 years.
According to statistics, castrated cats get sick less often and live longer	A decrease in muscle mass is possible, since testosterone production decreases

[Gray]The cat becomes more submissive and serene after castration, but this has no effect on its temperament; an animal that was previously more active will not change.[/green]

Indications for castration

Apart from the previously mentioned benefits of castration, there are specific medical indications for the procedure, such as:

• cryptorchidism;
• genital injuries;
• various tumors
• hereditary causes

However, it’s important to remember that not all animals should undergo castration. Some contraindications include anesthesia-related issues, the animal’s age during the recovery period, weakness following an illness, and issues with the heart or kidneys.

Recommended age

It should be noted that early cat castration usually results in a simpler procedure and a lower risk of surgical complications afterward. Castration is typically delayed until a male dog is fully mature, which can take anywhere from nine months to a year.

The same is true for cats, though it should be noted that this process can impede their development prior to puberty. Additionally, they may not stop having sexual relations even after reaching puberty and full formation, which occurs between the ages of one and one and a half years. Castrating a cat after seven or eight months is preferable.

At home or in a clinic?

The owner determines whether the procedure will take place in a clinic or at home, and the appropriate method of handling the situation is not crucial.

Convenience for the owner and the least stressful environment for the cat are two benefits of castrating the cat at home (the animal finds long lines and the commute to the clinic to be extremely stressful, and the recovery period necessitates total rest).

For a physician, castration in the clinic is convenient (provided that all the required instruments and medications are available). A veterinarian’s conscience alone determines whether or not to use aseptics and antiseptics; a cat castrated in a clinical setting does not ensure a businesslike manner of conducting operations.

While there are advantages and disadvantages to cat castration, the main benefits include decreased aggression, fewer unintended litters, and a lower chance of developing certain health issues. Some owners, though, might be concerned about possible behavioral shifts or health hazards. Although the price of the operation varies based on the clinic and location, it’s usually thought of as a common, reasonably priced surgery that can enhance a cat’s quality of life.

How the castration operation occurs?

One of the most straightforward surgical procedures in veterinary medicine is the castration procedure. Problems are very rare in a veterinarian with some experience.

The castration process:

1. Examination of the animal
2. Medicines are administered
3. Anesthesia is done
4. According to the methodology, the doctor, after removing the wool in the scrotum, makes the skin of the skin (one or two) over the testes, bandages the vessels and, cutting off the seed cords, extracts the testes and removes them
5. Seams are applied (or not applied, depending on the method of the procedure)

How casting is carried out

[Gray]Because castration is done under general anesthesia, cats experience no pain during the procedure.[/green]

Types of anesthesia (anesthesia)

Despite the short duration of castration (2-5 minutes.), the operation requires mandatory administration of anesthesia. The veterinarian, based on the examination and the condition of the animal, will decide on the use of one or another type of anesthesia.

Anesthesia types for castration:

• Injection anesthesia. Painkillers and immobilizing drugs are used, which are injected into the muscle or into vein. The most common type of anesthesia, also used for castration at home;
• Inhalation anesthesia. Not the most popular method, but the safest. The gas enters the cat"s lungs through a mask or inhalation tube and causes deep anesthesia. After the operation, the gas is almost completely eliminated by breathing;
• Local anesthesia. Infiltration or epidural anesthesia is used, with the help of injections under the skin or into the spinal cord, the rarest method;
• Combined method. Often used when castrating cats, this is a combination of several types of anesthesia to achieve the optimal result.

Castration methods

Cat castration can be accomplished surgically or chemically. The traditional surgical approach, which was covered previously, is the primary castration technique. If giving the animal anesthesia is not recommended, the chemical method is employed.

Chemical method (medicinal)

You can avoid anesthesia and surgical intervention by using chemical castration. A unique medication implant (Suprelorin) is injected into a cat or cats, and it lasts anywhere from six months to two years. If mating is required, this drug can be surgically removed before the scheduled time. Because anesthesia is not required, this technique is appropriate for elderly animals.

It’s important to let the owners know that the cat will have the opposite effect the first three weeks after the implant is introduced—his libido will rise, and he will mark and scream even more. And this is because of the drug’s mode of action, which involves a strong stimulation of hormone release followed by a sharp suppression.

If there are contraindications to the surgical method or you intend to mate the cat in the future, the drug method is advised. Use the traditional castration method in all other cases.

Cryptorchidism in cats

A genetic pathological condition known as cryptorchidism causes one or both of a cat’s testicles (monochrysm or anochrysm) to be absent from the scrotum. The undescended testicle is normally found under the skin in the groin, but in certain circumstances, it can also be found in the cat’s abdomen (abdominal cryptorchidism). An ultrasound is recommended if the veterinarian is unable to palpate the missing testicle.

The risk associated with cryptorchidism stems from the testicle’s abnormal position and the conditions necessary for it to function properly, such as temperature. This can result in a number of pathologies, including the possibility of tumor development (seminaloma and sertolioma). This risk is fifteen times higher in cats with cryptorchids than in cats in good health. Cryptorchidism is therefore a sign that the animal needs to be castrated because its health is in jeopardy.

The cost of castration for cryptorchidism is higher since the veterinarian must perform a great deal more work in this situation. Both testicles are removed during the procedure. when the disease is inherited and the cat’s sexual behavior is retained when only the problematic testicle is removed.

Preparation

One thing that is crucial and needs extra consideration is preparation. If the advice is not followed, there is a chance that the cat may experience problems, and you may incur additional expenses and headaches. Adhere to a hunger diet while preparing your pet.

The truth is that cats experience a gag reflex when given anesthetic medications. For males, this means not feeding for six hours before castration, and for females, about twelve hours, to prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract. It is more convenient to perform the procedure early in the morning, before the pet gets hungry and starts to "ears up" the entire house. Additionally, there will be plenty of time to observe it later on, which is crucial for its well-being.

Recovery and postoperative care

After all procedures, place the animal in a warm location and shield it from drafts because anesthesia disrupts the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

It is normal for a pet to relieve themselves in the wrong location. As a result, it is preferable that the restroom be adjacent to the rest area.

The cat will sleep for a while after the effects of the anesthesia wear off. He will be weak and confused for a while after waking up. It is important to make sure the animal, who is still naive, does not hurt himself. Consult the physician on wound care procedures and ways to prevent "varying" of the seams.

Eight to twelve hours can pass between meals; food should be easily digested and consumed in small portions.

Compared to cats, cats heal more quickly. This is because procedures involving cats are less invasive, meaning that a smaller area of intervention and less trauma to animal tissue are needed. After waking up, the cat usually comes out of anesthesia in two to three hours.

In a few days, the cat will resume its regular routine if you follow all of the doctor’s instructions exactly.

Undesirable consequences

Thus, you sought the advice of a licensed veterinarian, who appropriately prepared and took care of your beloved. After the procedure, the patient is doing well.

What should I look out for to prevent unpleasant outcomes?

Urolithiasis in cats is thought to be a common castration-related complication.

This isn’t totally accurate: castration and urolithiasis don’t directly correlate. This illness, which is a result of metabolic problems, is frequently observed in animals that weigh too much.

Consequently, a healthy diet is essential for an animal’s wellbeing, and this holds true for urolithiasis as well. Obesity frequently results in diseases of the digestive tract, joints, and cardiovascular system.

Both castrated and uncastrated animals can have excess body weight, which is primarily caused by diet and a genetic susceptibility to obesity. The truth is that when the reproductive instinct is eliminated, a cat’s life becomes more controlled; anxiety, aggression, and the corresponding decrease in appetite all vanish during the hunting season. Consequently, after castration, weight gain will happen more quickly if the animal is prone to obesity.

For this reason, it’s critical to address the topic of feeding in a responsible manner. Veterinarian pharmacies sell specific dietary foods for neutered cats; you can speak with the vendor about their application. A more thorough consultation on maintenance and feeding will be provided by a veterinarian.

Cat castration has advantages as well as disadvantages. For many owners, it helps avoid unwanted litters and lessen undesirable behaviors like spraying or aggression.

But it’s crucial to consider your options carefully. Despite being a routine procedure, your cat’s health and behavior may change, and there are risks associated with surgery.

Although the price may differ, it is crucial to make sure your pet receives the right care prior to, during, and following the procedure. To find out what’s best for your cat, speak with your veterinarian.

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