What is the main difference between spaying and neutering a cat?
Spaying and neutering are very similar in that both procedures remove the gonads. In females, we remove the ovaries, which is known as spaying. In males, we remove the testicles, commonly known as neutering.
Dr. Adam Boe, DVM
Smithfield Animal Hospital
How do spaying and neutering impact the health and wellbeing of my cat?
There are a lot of great benefits to spaying and neutering, not least of which is minimizing the kittens and puppies going into shelters. But there are many health benefits, like minimizing certain cancers, affecting behavioral problems, and things like that.
What are some possible conditions that can be helped or prevented by spaying a cat?
Great question. For females, for instance, the incidence of mammary tumors is increased when they're not spayed by a specific time. In males, testicular cancer as prostate disease rises when they're not neutered appropriately.
Are there any sort of behavioral changes, or will my cat's personality change after being spayed or neutered?
I get that question a lot. Clients often come in asking if they can get their cat spayed or neutered specifically to minimize certain behaviors, like marking and wining at the window and the door, things like that. Certain behaviors like that are driven by libido. They're searching for a mate, and if we can spay or neuter at the right time, those behaviors can diminish or entirely go away. Sometimes, if we wait too long, those behaviors become a learned behavior, so even after removing the initial drive, they're still going to pursue those. That's something we can still address. It's just going to be through behavioral training.
Will my cat gain weight after a spay or neuter procedure?
Not necessarily. After we do the procedure, their metabolism will decrease. So it's important to consider how many calories they now need. Usually, after those surgeries, we'll reevaluate that and make nutritional recommendations. As long as we monitor them, they can maintain a very healthy weight.
Will my cat need any pain medication at home after a spay or neuter?
I always recommend pain medications for home. We do our best to minimize any pain through the medications we give before and during the procedure. Just like when you go in to get a minor surgery done, it's best to control discomfort after the fact for a few days.
How long would the recovery for a spay or neuter be?
I always recommend seven to 10 days of keeping them in a clean, comfortable, warm environment. But with the advances in the procedure and the equipment used, cats are usually back to their normal activities and feeling good after just a day.
How would I know about scheduling a spay or neuter for my cat?
The best thing to do is give us a call. Come on down, and we can look at your cat to make sure they're a good candidate for that procedure and pick out the best time to perform it.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (570) 421-7738, you can email us, or you can reach out on social media. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can.