In male cats, both testicles are removed; this is known as ‘castration’.
In female cats, the uterus and ovaries are removed, this is known as ‘spaying’.
What are the benefits?
Castration of male cats prevents them from fathering kittens and can reduce hormonally driven behaviours such as roaming, fighting and urine spraying.
Spaying of female cats prevents unwanted kittens, can reduce hormonally driven behaviours such as urine spraying and ‘calling’ behaviour when in season, and prevents unwanted attention from male cats.
At what age are cats neutered?
Cats reach sexual maturity very early and a surprise litter of kittens can happen at a very young age. Mating can and will happen even between cats from the same litter!
We therefore follow the Cats Protection guidelines and recommend neutering all cats from 4 months of age.
Should I let my cat have one litter before spaying her?
This happens to be a common question, and there are no known health benefits to letting your cat have a litter; this is also the same for dogs and rabbits.
General anaesthesia
Your pet requires a general anaesthetic for neutering; here at Chapel House, we have excellent measures in place to ensure their safety during the procedure. A dedicated Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) will monitor your pet throughout their surgery and recovery. All anaesthesia comes with some form of risk but for neutering these are usually low, as pets are often young, fit, and healthy when having this procedure.
Risk levels of anaesthesia increase with a pet’s age, weight, certain breeds, and if your pet has any underlying health conditions. At your preoperative check the nurse may recommend additional safety measures depending on your pet’s specific circumstances. These may include a preoperative blood test, intra operative fluids, or additional medications to reduce risk and increase your pet’s comfort.
Your pet will stay the day with us
At the time of booking you will receive a pre-op advice sheet, please ensure that you read this thoroughly and get in touch with any questions or concerns.
On the day of the procedure, please bring your cat in a secure cat basket with a blanket that smells of home. Cats are territorial creatures who prefer to stay in areas familiar to them; click here to read how you can prepare for travelling to us with your cat. Your cat will be admitted as a ‘day patient’, and a nurse will go through a comprehensive consent form with you – please allow at least 15 minutes for this appointment.
Your cat will be discharged later that day once our team are happy that they have recovered fully from their anaesthetic and are comfortable. During your pet’s discharge appointment, the team will go through everything you need to know about caring for your pet after their surgery and their pain relief medication.
We are always at the end of the telephone for you and your pet, so please contact us if you have any further questions once you have your pet settled back at home on 01246 222232 (Hady Hill) or 01246 477581 (Staveley).
Pet Health for Life Plan Offer
Chapel House Pet Health for Life plan members can claim a 10% discount on neutering procedures. Our health club offers preventative health, and you could be saving each year on what you spend on your pet treatment.
