The team at Riverview Animal Health Centre truly believes that spaying or neutering your cat is one of the best decisions you can do for not only your pet but for the overpopulation of unwanted animals. Spaying and neutering your pet will help to prevent unwanted kittens that can grow up to have unfortunate lives. It is said that there are up to 70 million homeless animals in North America. Spaying and neutering your cat also has great health benefits. Certain cancers and uterine infections can develop if your cat is not spayed or neutered. Another known benefit of spaying or neutering your dog is prevention of unwanted behaviours like urine marking, and roaming. Behaviour issues is one of the number one reasons animals end up in shelters each year.
What is spaying or neutering?
Spaying is when the veterinarian removes the female anatomy that is involved with the female becoming pregnant. Neutering is when you remove the male anatomy to prevent from being able to reproduce.
When should I neuter/spay my cat?
At Riverview Animal Hospital, we recommend to have your cat neutered/spayed when they are between five and six months of age. That way the pet does not reach full maturity and is unable to have a heat cycle or start to have unwanted behavioural issues.
What is the procedure to spay/neuter a cat?
When a cat is spayed or neutered, the veterinarian will put them under an anesthetic so they are asleep for the procedure. During a spay procedure, the doctor will make a small incision on the stomach and remove both the uterus and the ovaries, and then close the incision with sutures. For a neuter, a small incision is made on the scrotum of the male, and the testes are removed. All our patients are given pain medication to ensure that they are comfortable after every procedure.
