Benefits of Spaying And Neutering Cats
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As a pet parent, if you are aware of the benefits of spaying and neutering cats, you may not be willing to ignore it. The procedure plays a role in reducing cancer risk and the threat of uterine disease in cats as well as behavioral and hygiene issues.
Obviously you have heard a lot about spaying or neutering cats all these years. A few cat owners tend to avoid spaying their cats, fearing risks from the surgical procedure. Well, this is not right. Although spaying is a surgical procedure, it causes no serious harm to cats. Rather, it prevents them from numerous ailments that have the potential to adversely affect their quality of life. Improved temperament and better health outlook are just a few benefits of spaying. Not to mention the benefit of a reduction in the population of the feline community. The more the number of kittens, the graver the problem of homelessness for these cute felines!
What is Spaying or Neutering Cats
In simple words, it is the process by which a veterinarian renders a cat sterile. In the case of male cats, the right scientific term for the procedure is neutering. Contrarily, for female kitties, spaying refers to the procedure that removes their ovaries, uterus, oviducts, and uterine horns to sterilize them. Since the surgery removes the source of hormone production linked to reproduction, your kitty can live a healthier life. This is done to prevent the animal from getting pregnant and eliminate her heat cycles.
Benefits of Spaying and Neutering Cat
For female cats, spaying is best done any time after eight weeks to before they turn six months of age. It is neutering time for male cats when they are over two months.
Reduction in Cancer Risk
Spaying or neutering cats reduces the risk of mammary cancer, which is one of the leading cancers in the feline community. Reproductive hormones play a key role in triggering testicular or mammary cancer in kitties. Spayed animals have almost 40-60 percent lower risk of developing mammary tutors, cervical, ovarian, or uterine tumors compared to those who have not undergone the surgical procedure to remove their reproductive organs. Removal of ovaries limits the level of hormones that help cancerous tumors grow.
Less Risk of Infections of the Reproductive System
There is a high risk of severe uterine disease in unspayed cats, known as pyometra. In a kitty suffering from the disorder, bacteria enter the uterus, enlarging the uterine horns and filling it with pus. If left untreated, the condition may turn toxic, causing kidney and heart problems, and eventually death. In its early stages, the disorder can be treated with a hormonal and antibiotic therapy, which is limited to valuable breeding kitties. However, spaying or neutering cats has the potential to prevent the problem.
Improvement in Overall Behavior
The most obvious difference between a neutered cat and an unaltered pet is about mating. An unspayed cat will show erratic physiological and behavioral patterns when she is in heat and yearn for available males. She will continue to come into heat every 14-21 days until she is mated.
During a female cat’s heat cycle, they may attempt to escape from the house in search for a male mating partner, which puts them in the danger of being caught in traffic or entering into fight with other animals in the wild. Not only this, if the cat is not let out, they may start howling at night, which affects your behavior as well. Spaying or neutering cats mat avert the issue.
On top of it, the scent of a female in heat will attract male cats from outside. This could mean an open invitation to male cats around your home or yard.
Additionally, male cats will experience surges in testosterone levels and exhibit erratic behavior, which may include leaping over gates, jumping out of the window, or tunneling under fences. They may go out of control and try to look out for a female in heat and may go to great lengths in search for one. The risk of your feline coming in contact with an outsider is enormous on their health. They face grave risk of infection. Cat spaying can prevent your feline from such risk.
Not only this, hormone release can have enormous effect on the natural instincts of an animal and impact their behavior. Spaying or neutering cats can keep such behavior under check and make it easier for owners to manage their pets.
No Hygiene Problems
Regular heat cycles tend to raise the amount of stress on the female feline’s body. This makes her vulnerable to several health issues. The risk of bacterial infection and parasite infestation is greater in a feline in heat. Additionally, there is a high risk of respiratory disease and hygiene problems, as an unspayed kitty may spray urine when in heat. When such behavior gets out of control, this could create all sorts of hygiene problems for your pet and yourself.
These are just a few benefits of spaying or neutering cats. The surgical procedure is safe for cats and helps prolong their life, while promising a comfortable, stress-free life for both the owner and pet.
