What You Need to Know About Spay & Neuter
Veterinarians recommend having your pet spayed or neutered. These are safe effective procedures that can eliminate negative habits and promote the long healthy life of your pet. At Nashville Cat Clinic, our team cares for your cat throughout the process.
What Is Spaying or Neutering?
Spaying (for females) or neutering (for males) means removing all or part of an animal’s reproductive organs. This can be performed as a routine surgery or laparoscopically at our clinic. In females, this means removing the ovaries as well.
When to Spay
Spaying your cat early is the best way to get the maximum benefit. That means before they have gone through their first heat cycle. Cats can be spayed as young as eight weeks old, but before five months of age is recommended. Basically, you want to make sure there isn't any unwanted pregnancy. Your female cat can be spayed even if they are in heat.
Aftercare
Following the surgery, your pet will be sent home with care instructions and medications. This is to keep them calm and comfortable while they are healing. Most cats recover from their surgery between 10 and 14 days.
Benefits of Spay and Neuter Surgery
- Reduced risk of cancer – Spaying can prevent breast tumors and uterus infections.
- Prevent the pet from going into heat – when a female goes into heat, they often urinate frequently and indiscriminately on floors and furniture. A heat cycle is 4-5 days every three weeks.
- Marking territory – Pets often mark their territory by urinating. This can be very smelling, particularly when it is inside the home. Neutering can help eliminate the problem.
- Eliminate wandering behavior – As cats develop, they can begin wandering off around the neighborhood. When they roam, they can get lost, hurt, or bother others.
- Controlling the pet population – Pets are abandoned at shelters every day. There aren’t enough homes for the 6.5 million animals that are found every year. Spaying or Neutering can help diminish that number.
We’re Here to Help
At Nashville Cat Clinic cats are what we specialize in. We are committed to providing the highest quality of care for your pet. Whether it’s a young or older cat, we are here to help. Give us a call at 615-631-1844.