Neutering Your Cat
Neutering is the term we use to describe the surgical procedure we carry out to stop your pets from being able to have kittens. Another word for neutering your male cat is ‘castration.’ We also talk about neutering female cats using the word ‘spay.’

Cat castration
Un-castrated tom cats are well known for their reputation of being big, bruisers, often getting into scraps and always on the hunt for a lady! Unfortunately, this bad rep is not totally unfounded.
However, when the main things on your mind are protecting your territory and finding a mate your life can be much more dangerous. Studies have shown that un-castrated males are much more likely to be involved in road traffic accidents. We also see a lot more un-castrated males with cat bite abscesses, these are very painful, pus filled swellings than can need surgical treatment and antibiotics.
Fighting between cats is also how some nasty viral diseases spread, FIV (a virus that causes a similar disease to AIDS) and FeLV (Feline leukaemia virus, a virus that has the ability to cause the development of tumours in the body.)
Cats are definitely not a species that mate for life! Male cats are normally able to mate from six months of age, and as they are able to father kittens for most of their life they can produce an exceptional number of offspring.
Unfortunately, it is rarely an option to keep an un-neutered male cat indoors to avoid the problems above. As un-castrated male cats are very territorial they frequently mark their territory (your house!) with a strong, pungent smelling urine, a smell that most people cannot live with!
The procedure to castrate your cat is a surgical one. We perform it from about five months of age. Your pet comes in for the day, where they get smothered with cuddles before and after a general anaesthetic where we remove their testicles. There are no stitches placed in the wound, and most cats are back to their normal selves within 24 hours of the procedure.
Cat spays
Un-neutered female cats may come across as demure and aloof, but they are little better than their male counterparts!
Female cats are amazingly successful at getting pregnant and it has been estimated that one un-neutered female can be responsible for producing 20,000 descendants in just five years! They are able to get pregnant from about six months of age and can keep getting pregnant for most of their lives.
Unfortunately, kitten-making can be a slightly aggressive affair, and because of this un-neutered females are also more likely to contract the FIV and or FeLV viruses.
As with males, it can be difficult to keep an un-neutered female. When a female cat is in season (when they are able to be mated) they can often look like they are in pain, they can roll around on the floor yowling and crying, which many owners find distressing to watch. A female cat’s season can last for a couple of weeks, and they come back into season every couple of weeks from Spring to Autumn!
The procedure to neuter your female cat is also a surgical one. We perform the surgery from around five months of age and they come in to stay with us for the day (we definitely have one of the best jobs with all the cuddles we get!). Under a general anaesthetic we remove the whole of their reproductive tract from their ovaries down to their cervix, stitches are placed to close the wound and although they may be sleepy from the anaesthetic the night they go home, most cats are back playing with their owners within 24 hours!
Contact us to book your cat in to be neutered and please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or peace of mind!