How cats endure castration: how much the cat departs from anesthesia, how behavior changes, the rules of care. Food for neutered cats and sterilized cats

Owners of domestic cats often resort to castration. Most often it is simply necessary. An adult cat needs at least 8 cats per year to feel good. It is not always possible to give him such an opportunity in an ordinary city apartment. It is for this reason that the provisioning procedure can help. But how cats endure castration is what worries caring owners. We will answer this and many other questions in the article.

What is it and how is it carried out?

Before considering how cats tolerate castration, and other nuances of intervention, it is necessary to dwell on the definition and types of manipulation.

During the procedure, the male testes are not just removed, as is commonly thought, but the sexual function of the animal is stopped, so different methods are used:

1. Surgical method - performed by surgery. During it, the doctor opens the scrotum to the animal, removes the testes and bandages the canals.
2. Drug sterilization. An implant is sewn under the skin of the animal, releasing drugs that suppress sexual instincts. The procedure is expensive, but considered the safest.
3. Chemical castration. In this case, substances that kill the glandular tissue are introduced into the testes, subsequently it is replaced by connective tissue.
4. Radiation Security. The testes in this case are placed under the source of gamma radiation. The method is quite simple, but the corresponding equipment is not often found in clinics.

So, not every case requires a scalpel. The available choice of methods allows you to sterilize even old pets without risking their health and life. What kind of castration is best for a cat, the veterinarian decides, given the age, health status of the animal and the possibilities available in the clinic.

In our country, most often resort to the classical method of surgery. The reasons for this are the simplicity and efficiency of the technique. We will dwell on it in more detail.

At what age do cats be castrated?

The puberty of the male ends in 8-9 months. In the case of large cats, this can happen later, so the timing of the procedure often causes controversy among veterinarians.

In world veterinary practice, there are two diametrically opposing opinions on this subject. Some experts recommend castrating the animal as early as possible, while others advise doing this at the age of not earlier than one year.

Early intervention

Proponents of early sterilization recommend it at the age of two months. At this time, the genitals are not yet formed, and the regenerative capabilities of the tissues are maximum. How do cats depart after castration performed at 2 months of age? After surgery, the pet recovers quickly, the risk of developing postoperative complications is small.

However, there are also disadvantages. In the case of early castration, the growth of the animal can be significantly inhibited, and the cat will remain miniature, which in adulthood will lead to problems in the skeletal, muscular and cardiac systems.

Surgery in adulthood

If late castration is performed - after the age of 2-3 years, in this case the behavior and habits of the animal are fixed, to cope with them can be difficult, and sometimes impossible. In addition, after a late intervention, the risk of developing obesity and the appearance of urolithiasis in an animal is extremely high.

Thus, veterinarians believe that both early and late castration are not very desirable. The ideal period for the operation is considered the age from 6 months to a year. At this time, sex hormones have not yet greatly affected the development of the male, and the state of the organs is ideal for the intervention.

Vet cats recommend casting British cats at least eight months old. Persian - upon reaching the year. This is due to the later sexual development of these breeds. If they perform the operation at an earlier age, the likelihood of negative consequences increases.

Nuances of castration of age cats

If the owner has decided to conduct a pet operation that is more than three years old, a number of points should be taken into account:

1. Castration is carried out only under general anesthesia. Local anesthesia at this age is not effective and can cause pain shock.
2. Adult cats from anesthesia depart quite hard, but because the owner should be careful about the condition of the pet.
3. Mandatory preparation for the operation, which includes the study of blood, urine. This allows you to determine whether the animal has chronic diseases.
4. It is also worth carrying out an allergic test to detect a reaction to anesthesia.

Possible complications

The classic cat castration operation lasts no more than 20 minutes. The recovery period is usually short-lived; the pet departs from anesthesia on average per day. Veterinarians recommend observing the animal for two days after surgery, monitor how the cat behaves after castration, and do not leave him alone. This is due to the use of anesthesia, side effects of which may occur during this time.

Some negative effects of the operation are possible within 2-3 weeks after the intervention.

In which cases it is important to show the cat to the veterinarian:

1. Bleeding. It occurs when the seams are open. Blood flows in a thin stream, stains wool. The treatment is surgical, therefore it is important to contact a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.
2. Purulent inflammation. Perhaps if an infection has entered the wound. Pus appears green, yellow, white, thick, with an unpleasant odor. They treat a similar consequence with antibiotics.
3. Edema. It can develop if dirt or infection was introduced into the wound. The scrotum is swollen, often the animal is in pain.
4. Hernia. This is a loss of tissue that can occur, especially if the cat is not young. Eliminate the hernia surgically; it is strictly forbidden to fix it independently.
5. Sepsis. Appears after a secondary complication after inflammation, hernia, and other pathologies. In this case, bacteria enter the bloodstream, the temperature rises. Antibiotics are used for treatment.
6. Pulmonary edema. The phenomenon is rare, but extremely dangerous. Due to heart failure, blood pressure rises in the pulmonary circulation, plasma enters the lungs, and oxygen intake decreases. The animal wheezes, coughs, turns blue. If you do not hurry with veterinary help, the cat will suffocate.

Reaction to anesthesia

How do cats tolerate castration and anesthesia during it? If the animal is diagnosed with heart failure, this can negatively affect the condition after administration of the drug. Also at risk are feline of some breeds - British, Scottish fold and others.

Signs of a complication are severe shortness of breath, heart failure. To prevent this condition, it is necessary to examine the animal’s heart before the operation using ultrasound and ECG. If the risk of complications is high, it makes sense to refuse the operation or conduct it under local anesthesia.

What is the care after surgery? What are the actions of the host?

Owners often ask the veterinarian how to care for the cat after castration? If anesthesia was local, this process is greatly simplified. The main thing in this case is to eliminate the stressful state. For this, the cat is given more attention and affection, and postoperative care consists in treating the wound. It is cleaned daily with a wet cotton swab, treated with an antiseptic and a bandage.

To prevent the cat from breaking the seams, they put on an Elizabethan collar and blanket for 4-6 days. If there are any negative consequences described earlier, you should go to the veterinarian.

After general anesthesia

How to care for a cat after castration in this case? In the first hours after the intervention, the pet has severe weakness, nausea, and dizziness. So the animal moves away from anesthesia. What to do after the cat’s castration to its owner? Sometimes he is offered to leave the animal in the clinic for a day after surgery. However, the animal can calm down and feel the care of the owner only at home.

After general anesthesia the cat has:

1. Dry eyes. During the operation, the eyes of the cats do not close, the veterinarian does this manually so that the conjunctiva is moistened with a tear. After the procedure, if the pet has not yet moved away from anesthesia, this will need to be done by the owner. How much does the cat move away from castration? This may take several hours. If the animal lies with its eyes open for a long time, saline can be instilled.
2. Decreased body temperature. If in normal condition in cats the temperature is 37.5-39.0 degrees, then after the operation it can be 36.5-37.0. To prevent the animal from freezing, it is worth covering it with a warm blanket. To normalize blood circulation, the cat is rubbed with paws and ears.
3. Shaky gait. This is due to the fact that the muscles relaxed during the use of anesthesia. So the pet can walk on the first day after the procedure. It is worth watching how the cat behaves after castration, so that the animal does not climb somewhere, from where it can not get out.
4. Pain Despite the fact that the animal is silent, this does not mean that it does not hurt. After the operation, the cat is in a depressed state and needs painkillers.

After the operation, you need to daily look at the inguinal region of the animal and check for bleeding.

In order for the sutures to heal faster, the wound is treated with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green. It can also be lubricated with Levomekol.

Your doctor may prescribe a 5-day course of antibiotics to avoid possible complications.

Cat toilet after the procedure

In the postoperative period, a light-colored filler should be poured into the cat tray to notice possible bleeding on time. It is better to purchase a mild adsorbent so that there is no irritation.

Some owners after castration put on a pet a small diaper, in which they previously made a hole for the tail.

It may be that the cat does not have a toilet for a long time - neither big nor small, or the urine leaves little by little. This is quite normal.

Vaseline oil will help to cope with constipation. It is poured into the jaws of the animal in a small amount, if after 20 minutes no negative reaction is observed, give another 15-20 grams. After 3 hours, the animal's intestines should be gently emptied.

How and what to feed?

In the first hours after castration, the cat does not eat anything, because its appetite is reduced. It is not worth it to force feed the animal. However, water should be available to him in sufficient quantities.

Castrated males have an increased risk of developing urolithiasis; therefore, veterinarians do not recommend feeding such animals with fish. It contains an increased content of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, which can lead to the appearance of stones in the organs of the urinary system.

Experts advise you to purchase special dry food for neutered cats and sterilized cats and feed the animal. The composition of such nutrition acidifies urine, which prevents the appearance of urolithiasis. But at the same time, the cat should consume more fluid in order to normally use the toilet. The ratio of feed to water should be 1: 3. If the pet rarely goes to the toilet, you should contact your veterinarian for a diuretic.

In general, a castrated cat often asks for food. This does not mean that he wants to eat. It's just that his interests are shifting from cats, and the resulting emptiness needs to be filled with something. The owner should not go on about the animal, otherwise it’s not far from obesity.

Summarizing

So we looked at how cats tolerate castration. A timely operation will relieve such an unpleasant phenomenon as the smell in the house, which is formed due to the fact that the animal marks the territory.

The performed procedure will also protect the cat from health problems, which causes prolonged sexual abstinence. Veterinarians do not recommend castrating an animal at a mature age, since aggressiveness and many formed habits will not leave the cat.