The desire for reproduction is inherent in nature in all animals. But often the period of sexual hunting in a cat brings a lot of trouble not only to the owner, but also to the pet itself. The animal becomes restless, aggressive, leaves foul-smelling marks. And what can we say about the ever-increasing number of cats in cities!
That is why it is often necessary to resort to castration (or sterilization, when it comes to cats). If the owner does not want to subject the pet to surgical intervention, in this case the chemical method of castration will help. Thanks to him, you can stop all the urge to breed with your pet.
Chemical castration of cats is considered a more humane option compared to surgery, because surgery under general anesthesia is always associated with a high risk. And a full-fledged postoperative care for the pet is simply necessary. But there are drawbacks to the chemical castration of cats.
Pros and cons of the method
During drug castration, a hormonal drug that inhibits sexual desire is injected into the body of the animal. As a result, all the functions associated with reproduction fade away.
At the same time, chemical castration of cats and chemical sterilization of cats are very similar.
There are several methods of the procedure:
- contraception with medication (in injections or tablets);
- implant - special substances are introduced under the skin;
- radiation exposure.
The advantages of the procedure are:
- Reversibility. The process can be stopped at any time. If the owner of the animal decides that he would like a kitten from his pet, it is enough to stop administering the drug. Often the owners of cats of old age do this when they want to alleviate the impending loss.
- No risks of surgical intervention - infections, allergies to anesthesia drugs, difficulties with suture healing.
- Painlessness. Undoubtedly, the chemical method gives the cat less pain and suffering than the operating one.
Cons of the procedure:
- The basis of the method is hormonal drugs, the effect of which on the body, as a rule, has not yet been fully studied. In addition, they have a side effect and often lead to oncology, which can only be managed surgically.
- Time duration. Choosing a chemical method of castration, you need to understand that its implementation will last the entire period of animal fertility.
- Preparations for chemical castration often lead to weight gain and hair loss, in contrast to the classical method of castration.
- The cost of chemical castration will be higher than a single operation, because you have to constantly buy drugs.
To choose a specific type of procedure, it is necessary to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each method. It should also be understood that the chemical method has not yet been sufficiently studied, and therefore there is no information about its possible consequences.
Contraception with drugs
Medical castration implies:
- Take tablets or drops.
- Injections to the animal.
“Sex Barrier”, “Contra-Sex”, “Cat Bayun”, “Sex Control” and others are used as tablets. This is the most economical method of contraception. And he comes to the rescue in those situations when the pet's sex drive needs to be suspended only temporarily. But the constant use of hormonal drugs leads to the development of cancerous tumors, and those cats who are diagnosed with liver problems should not be used at all. No wonder such drugs (Sex Barrier and others) are banned in many countries, and some even criminalize their use to reduce the reproductive function of pets. Unfortunately, in our country, the packaging of these products do not contain reliable information about the side effects of the substances that make up their composition.
Side effects
The medicine “Covinan” is used as an injection, but it is used for cats. According to scientific studies, a tumor in response to the introduction of such drugs can form in any organ of the animal whose activity is regulated by hormones. As for preparations for cats, they can cause the development of diabetes mellitus and impair the functioning of the endocrine system. It is impossible to predict how this or that medicine will affect, but then all life will have to be treated for pathologies.
So, it should be recognized that the simplicity of the method of chemical castration of cats is offset by serious side effects, the onset of which is most often difficult to predict.
Radiation exposure
This technique is used infrequently due to the fact that not only the reproductive organs, but also the whole organism of the animal are exposed to radiation. The essence of this type of castration of cats is to irradiate the testes, as a result of which their activity is suspended. The rest of the body is covered with an apron. The dosage during irradiation is determined by the veterinarian, after examining the animal.
Pros of the method
As advantages, experts note:
- Painlessness. The animal does not experience any suffering during the procedure.
- Some doctors talk about the relative harmlessness of the method, but others argue with them. But if you analyze other methods, then, perhaps, radiation exposure will be the most harmless of them.
This procedure is quite expensive; there are not so many equipment in our country for it.
Indian experiment
In 2011, veterinarians of India made an amazing discovery. Solving the problem of limiting the number of stray animals, they found a "miraculous" tool with a contraceptive effect. It turned out to be calcium chloride, previously actively used in medicine and veterinary medicine for other purposes.
This substance was introduced into the testes of animals. The ideal dosage was 0.25 calcium chloride at a concentration of 10%. Five minutes after the administration of the substance, the animals showed slight signs of discomfort, in some the testes swelled. But after some time, all undesirable reactions ceased.
As a result, sperm production was reduced in animals, thus reducing the number of stray cats and cats. However, the method requires further study.
Implant method
The most gentle way of chemical castration of cats is the implantation of a chip under the skin of an animal at the withers. The chip itself is a small cylinder about the size of rice grain, the medicine resolves over time.
The drug in the implant begins to work after about six months, its effect lasts up to one and a half years. This is the main disadvantage of the tool. Mating a cat in the six-month period after administration of the drug will lead to the appearance of offspring.
"Suprelorin" - a drug for non-surgical castration
Currently, the drug "Suprelorin" is used for medical castration of cats. It is introduced under the skin of the animal in the form of an implant. The active substance is deslorelin. The drug is produced by the French company Virbac. Suprelorin is supplied to Russia for cats in a dosage of 4.7 mg.
Deslorelin in the implant is combined with a fat base, due to which the effect of slow release of the active substance is achieved. Thus, deslorelin is gradually absorbed into the blood. The effect of the drug lies in the fact that under its influence the production of sex hormones ceases, both male in cats and female in cats.
Experts, noting the benefits of deslorelin, say that it does not have side effects, unlike other substances with a similar effect.
Features of the use of "Suprelorin"
Since the drug was originally produced for sterilizing dogs, its use for chemical castration of cats has its own characteristics. The active substance shows its activity 14-30 days after administration. The amount of testosterone in the animal is reduced, sexual function is completely inhibited. The cat ceases to mark territory, show aggression, make invocation sounds. But it is impossible to name the exact duration of the implant. Usually this is a period of 6 to 37 months. After removal of the implant, sexual function is restored within 3 months.
Among the side effects include swelling at the site of implantation of the chip, as well as a decrease in the testes. Testicles may also swell.
Veterinarians advise using this method of castration in adult animals. Studies of the effect of drugs on young individuals have not been conducted. Which method of castration to choose, each owner of the animal decides for himself. Before making a decision, it is important to weigh all the pros and cons of each method.