Spring Spay and Neuter

Spring has sprung!  Along with all those wonderful flowers and warmer weather, we also have the beginning of the “kitten season.”  Seeing the many kittens that are homeless reminds everyone involved in animal rescue efforts once again how important spaying (ovariohysterectomy) and neutering (castration) is to help decrease overpopulation. 

 Female cats come into heat at approximately six months of age, but cats are also seasonally estrus which means they don’t come into heat during the winter.  Some cats will come into heat as early as four months of age or as late as eight months, it all depends on the combination of age and season.  This is why we don’t see many kittens in winter and an explosion of them in spring. 

Cats also go in and out of heat continuously which is characterized mainly by loud vocalization until they are either bred, spayed, or winter comes!  If you have a cat that is loudly vocalizing and is the correct age for spaying, don’t procrastinate to have the surgery done.  Other benefits of spaying include a longer life span, eliminating the possibility of infections of the uterus as the cat ages, decreasing the incidence of mammary tumors (breast cancer) and also reducing the spread of infectious disease.  The benefits of neutering include keeping male cats from urine spraying and marking and fighting along with increasing the life span and decreasing the spread of infectious disease. 

Having a spay or neuter done usually involves making an appointment with your veterinarian.  The vet will want to examine your pet prior to surgery.  Usually pets are dropped off the morning of surgery and go home late in the afternoon of the same day.  The pets are placed under anesthesia and given pain medication. In females, the ovaries and the uterus are removed and in males the testicles are removed.  Some females may have stitches that will need removal in 10-14 days.  Spaying and neutering does not change the personality of your pet.  Proper nutrition and exercise will keep your neutered pet from gaining weight as it ages. 

If you have put off this important surgery for your pet because of any concerns regarding the procedure, contact your veterinarian for a consultation today.  Let’s keep as many kittens as possible from springing forth this year!  

Robin Johnson DVM

Riverbrook Animal Hospital