Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and the care of companion animals. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. He has been working at the same animal clinic in his hometown for over 20 years.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Since the world's cat population is already too large, every responsible owner, unless they are a professional breeder, should have their cat neutered. Many owners do not neuter their cats because they believe that since their cat will not have kittens, it is not necessary. However, your cat may mate with neighborhood or stray cats, thereby contributing to the cat overpopulation. Moreover, he will cause you more trouble by marking his territory and trying to escape from the house. If you have adopted an adult cat and are not sure whether he is neutered, you can check it yourself.

Steps

Part 1

Take the cat. To examine your cat yourself, you will need to gain access to his buttocks area to look at his genitals. Turn the cat's back towards you. After this, lift his tail vertically up to see the genital area. You may need a helper to hold your cat if he becomes unhappy with the examination and begins to struggle.

Remove fur if necessary. If your cat is furry, you may need to brush the excess fur to the side to be able to see the genitals. Remove the fur to reveal the genitals. By spreading the fur between the paws, you will see the cat's penis and anus.

Check your testicles. When a cat is neutered, his testicles are removed. Therefore, examining this area will help you determine if he is neutered. Locate the scrotum, which is located below the tail and anus and above the penis. There should be a small bag here. Take it in your hands and carefully feel it. If you feel hard testicles, your cat still has testicles and has not been neutered. If the pouch is soft, he was most likely recently neutered. In this case, the cat's scrotum is usually shaved.

Measure the distance between the anus and penis. There is another way to check whether a cat has been neutered. Lift his tail and measure the distance between the anus and the penis. If the distance is more than 2.5 cm, then most likely your cat has been neutered.

Part 2

Alternative verification methods

1. Look in the records. When you buy or adopt a cat or kitten, find out if it has any documents. This could be a certificate or receipt from a veterinarian confirming the cat's castration.

   Look at his ears. If you don't have any information or find a stray cat, check its ear for a brand. The mark is usually placed to confirm that the cat has been neutered. However, this practice is not very common in our country.

   Look at the fur on the underbelly. Lift the cat and look at his fur on the underbelly. If the fur is shaved or appears shorter, the cat may have been neutered. Before neutering, veterinarians shave the fur in this area, so this can be a sign.

   Pay attention to the smell of urine. The urine of uncastrated cats produces a particularly pungent and persistent odor. If your cat has very foul-smelling urine, he may not have been spayed or have only recently been spayed.

   Ask your veterinarian. If you've tried everything possible and still aren't sure, ask your veterinarian if your cat has been neutered. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you this for sure, as they will have a better understanding of all the signs.

Do cats understand that they have been spayed or neutered?

Of course, these operations need to be performed, even necessary. They will help you get rid of many behavioral problems: unmotivated aggression, anxiety. You will get rid of the persistent smell of urine in your apartment. Your pet will calm down, become more affectionate and “homelike.” Don’t worry - these operations are recognized by animal rights activists as absolutely humane in relation to animals.

Both operations (castration and sterilization) are performed under anesthesia through surgery. Kittens have their testicles removed, female cats have their ovaries removed. From a purely technical point of view, sterilization (oophorectomy) is more complex.

What happens immediately after surgery. In general, animals recover quite quickly after surgery. Upon returning home, they usually sleep for a long time - at least a day. In some cases, your pet may be advised to wear a protective cone, mainly to prevent damage to the stitches.

In the first few days, avoid noisy and prolonged activities and games. Ideally, leave the animal completely alone. Of course, this is difficult: after all, mostly kittens are castrated, and they, as you know, are active and mobile creatures. And yet we must be patient!

Are procreation instincts viable after surgery? It works differently for different cats. In some cases, animals calm down “instantly,” while in others, previously learned behavior patterns are retained. Much, if not all, depends on age. So expect some “surprises” if you have operated on enough adults who have had the appropriate “experience” in pets.

Do animals' temperaments and personalities change after surgery? Let's say one thing: spayed and neutered cats are much calmer. As a rule, there is no hint of aggression in them. They practically do not come into conflict with other cats. Their territorial instincts weaken, they do not “mark” their territory. Many owners indicate that after the operation they became closer to their pets - they became softer and more affectionate.

Are there any complications possible after the operation? Of course, because an operation is an operation. And something can go wrong. We noted above that your pet will spend the first two days in a half-asleep state. And then look carefully to see if there are any oddities in his behavior? Especially something that has not been noticed before? It is possible that the animal is experiencing post-operative pain; this happens all the time.

Be sure to contact your veterinarian if the animal begins to show aggression; often stands in a “hunched” position, hanging his head low; doesn't let you get close to him; takes a long time and compulsively puts himself in order (“licks”). However, we recognize the last point as a variant of the norm (in the first few days - for sure). Don't hesitate to call your veterinarian if you notice any other obvious oddities or abnormalities.

Does surgery lead to depression and stress in animals? We have already emphasized that the animal must go through a postoperative adaptation period. Yes, your pet may look “lost”, “depressed”, and will begin to lick itself for a long time. But all this is only for a few days. There is no evidence that cats become depressed after surgery (to any extent confirmed by scientific research).

Is it possible to determine by external signs whether an animal has undergone surgery? For complete peace of mind, look under the animal's tail. In the case of a cat, swipe your hand - if the testicles are “available”, then they are quite large and hard. However, the method is not 100% accurate: it is possible that the cat suffers from undescended testicles. In addition, if the cat is not familiar to you, we do not recommend invading its intimate areas so unceremoniously: it may get tricky and bite. Better go to the vet!

Are cats burdened by their “new” situation? Do they understand that they have lost the ability to reproduce? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. We can’t get into cats’ brains and count their thoughts! Let's put aside emotions and giggles and approach the issue from a purely scientific point of view. And we will immediately find the answer - no, they don’t understand. Of course, they will feel that their body has undergone some changes. Again the postoperative period! But no, they are unlikely to feel the scale of the “tragedy”. They will simply lose interest in the opposite sex. And the owners are completely benefited!

Castration of a cat is one of the most popular procedures in a metropolis. After all, when kept in an apartment, a mature cat can create many problems for its owners.

In this article we will talk in detail about anesthesia, surgery, describe the methods and methods of castration of cats, talk about postoperative care and possible complications.

What is cat castration

Castration of a cat is a surgical or medicinal procedure, the purpose of which is to suppress libido and eliminate sexual instincts in the animal.

During surgical castration, under general anesthesia (anesthesia), the testes (testicles) located in the scrotum or outside it are removed (see cryptorchidism).

With medical castration, the same goals are pursued, only the procedure is carried out without general anesthesia. Currently, the Suprelorin implant is used for this, which is injected under the skin on the withers or into the skin-fat fold on the abdomen.

Regardless of the method of castration, the result is a change in hormonal levels, a decrease in the production of androgens (testosterone), and, as a result, changes in the behavior and life of the cat for the better.

Why castration?

“Perhaps it’s better not to mock nature and leave everything as it is?” - some pet owners will ask. After all, the possibility of reproduction is the main mechanism for preserving the species. And if we were talking about cats living in the wild, the question of the need for castration would not arise. However, we are talking about domestic cats living in city apartments. These animals are deprived of the opportunity to satisfy their own sexual instincts. As a result, the behavior of a cat ready for mating changes in a negative direction - the animal loudly vocalizes (screams) and marks the territory with the secretion of special glands with a very unpleasant odor. And sooner or later the owner decides to castrate the cat.

Pros of castrating a cat:

1. The cat will stop marking. In an apartment, this sharp, unpleasant odor is felt very strongly and disturbs the comfortable coexistence of humans and cats. After castration, the behavior changes and the cat does not feel the need to spray “marks” throughout the house.
2. Vocalization will stop. The owners will be able to sleep peacefully at night and in the morning, because the cat will stop screaming for the cat.
3. Aggression in behavior towards other pets and owners disappears.
4. The likelihood of a cat escaping from the house, as well as the likelihood of an animal falling out of a window, is reduced.
5. Infection with dangerous infections is prevented. If a cat sometimes goes outside from indoors or is periodically taken out to the country, uncontrolled matings with yard cats can pose a danger to the animal. When mating, a cat can become infected with fatal, incurable diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus or viral leukemia.
6. Castration of a cat reduces the risk of developing other diseases. For example, prostatitis, prostate adenoma, and tumors of the perianal sinuses are never found in castrated cats. Older, unneutered cats may suffer from these diseases.
7. Statistically, neutered cats live longer.

Disadvantages of castrating a cat:

1. The risk of urethral obstruction by sand increases with the development of urolithiasis. The owner will be required to feed the cat with special food for life to prevent the formation of urinary calculi.
2. A decrease in animal activity leads to excess weight formation and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Feeding commercial diets for neutered cats and, most importantly, strictly following the daily feeding requirements indicated on the packaging will prevent the development of obesity.
3. High anesthetic risks associated with general anesthesia. The older the animal, the higher the risk during anesthesia. Therefore, it is better to carry out castration before 2-3 years of age. For older animals, medical castration is recommended.

At what age should a cat be neutered?

Perhaps the most controversial opinion among veterinary specialists is about the age of castration of a cat. Clearly defined encyclopedic data on this issue simply does not exist. Therefore, each doctor names a number based on his own experience and clinical observations.

We usually recommend spaying a cat between 7 and 9 months of age. This age is optimal from a physiological point of view. Up to 7 months, intensive growth of the animal occurs, the formation of all organ systems and tissues. We do not recommend castration before this age. First of all, due to the anatomical features of the cat’s reproductive organs. After surgery performed at an early age, the genitourinary system stops developing. The penis and urethra remain underdeveloped. This does not interfere with a healthy animal, but in the case of sand formation and the development of urolithiasis, it greatly complicates treatment.

Large breed cats (for example, Maine Coon, Neva Masquerade, Kuril Bobtail) can be neutered before the age of 7 months, but only if the cat weighs more than 3 kilograms.

Why up to 9 months? By this age, puberty ends and the cat becomes a fully formed male. And changes are also occurring in his hormonal system. Testosterone, a hormone that regulates libido, begins to be produced not only in the testicles, but also in other endocrine glands - the pituitary gland and adrenal glands. Accordingly, when a cat is castrated after 9 months of age, the hormonal levels can remain high for quite a long time - up to six months. And the owners’ expectations about the quick effect of castration may not be justified.

Of course, the above does not mean that after 9 months a cat cannot be castrated. It is possible, but it should be remembered that the effect of castration may appear later than expected, and also that with each year of the animal’s life the anesthetic risks of the operation increase.

After the age of 7 years, the approach to the operation should be especially responsible, because the animal already enters the category of elderly and requires increased attention from a veterinarian. Before castration, it is usually recommended to check the functioning of the cat’s kidneys, liver and heart. For this purpose, biochemical blood tests, ultrasound diagnostics and electrocardiography are performed. After this, the doctor makes a decision about surgery or suggests alternative options.

Anesthesia (pain relief)

Owners often worry whether the animal will be in pain during castration. We will try to answer this question in detail.

The operation itself is very simple and takes little time, from 2 to 5 minutes. But, due to the fact that the skin of the scrotum is dissected, it is currently not performed without anesthesia. Your veterinarian will make decisions about pain relief based primarily on humane considerations. After all, the main goal of a doctor is to help, not harm, the patient.

When castrating a cat, several types of anesthesia (anesthesia) are used:

• Non-inhalation
• Inhalation
• Local
• Combined

Depending on the condition of the animal, as well as on the operation protocol adopted in the medical institution, a decision will be made to perform castration using one or another type of anesthesia. Let's look at each of them in detail.

- Non-inhalational anesthesia. The most common way to achieve pain relief when castrating a cat. Combinations of immobilizing (eg, Xyla, Rometar, Dexdomitor, Meditin, etc.) and analgesic (eg, Ketamine) drugs are used, or combined anesthetics containing components for sedation and pain relief (Telazol, Zoletil).
This type of anesthesia is used in most veterinary clinics, as well as when castrating a cat at home.

Non-inhalational anesthesia is safe for most cats, provided the dosage is correctly calculated. To determine the correct dose of anesthesia, it is necessary to know the weight of the animal. The degree of anesthesia (depth of anesthesia) depends on the volume of drugs administered.

Some breed groups of cats have a hereditary predisposition to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which excludes the possibility of using drugs of the α-2-agonist group (xylazine, dexmedetomidine, medetomidine). Therefore, cats of the British Shorthair, Scottish, Canadian and Don Sphynx, Neva Masquerade, Maine Coon, Kuril Bobtail breeds require a preliminary cardiological examination. If HCM is detected based on the results of cardiac echo, it is recommended to choose a different method of anesthesia. Otherwise, the simplest operation can be fatal for the animal.

- Inhalation anesthesia (gas anesthesia). To date, this is the safest type of pain relief in animals. With the inhalation method of administering anesthesia in veterinary medicine, easily evaporating liquids (fluorothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, etc.) or narcotic gas (nitrous oxide, cyclopropane, etc.) are used. The gas is introduced into the patient's lungs through a mask or endotracheal tube, enters the circulatory system and causes deep and easily controlled anesthesia. It is eliminated almost completely through the lungs during breathing. Residues of the drug are eliminated by liver cells. Thus, gas anesthesia has no effect on the kidneys and can therefore be used in older animals. This type of anesthesia is also safe for cats with HCM.

Unfortunately, equipment for inhalation anesthesia is expensive and is available only in large veterinary clinics. The cost of the service is also quite high, so castration of a cat under gas anesthesia will cost more than with non-inhalation or local anesthesia.

- Local anesthesia. To castrate a cat, infiltration or epidural anesthesia with novocaine or lidocaine is performed. The solution is injected into/under the skin or into the epidural space of the spinal cord. This type of anesthesia is difficult to use for castrating a cat, so combined anesthesia is often used.

- Combined anesthesia. Several types of anesthesia are used to achieve optimal and safe pain relief.
In the case of animals, any anesthesia is essentially combined. Thus, to install an endotracheal tube, it is necessary to first sedate (immobilize) the cat with intramuscular or intravenous administration of xylazine or propofol - otherwise the cat will not allow the manipulation to be carried out. To castrate a cat using local anesthesia, it is also necessary to first put it into a medicated sleep, and then anesthetize it by infiltrating the anesthetic into the skin or into the spinal cord.

And a few words about castration of a cat without anesthesia. Until the mid-19th century, pain relief was not used even for people, let alone animals. The cats were castrated without anesthesia or any anesthesia, like other types of domestic animals. The operation is not so painful; death due to painful shock does not occur. The main thing in the procedure is to ensure reliable fixation of the animal. The cat was simply wrapped in a blanket or other thick fabric, or secured in felt boots and castrated without anesthesia.
Currently, castration of a cat without anesthesia is not carried out, mostly for humane reasons. If anesthesia is contraindicated, combined anesthesia or local anesthesia is used.

How is the operation performed?

The operation to castrate a cat is perhaps one of the simplest surgical interventions in veterinary medicine. With sufficient qualifications of the veterinarian, complications occur quite rarely.

The cat castration procedure: upon reaching the required stage of anesthesia, the hair on the skin of the scrotum is shaved or plucked, the surgical field is treated with antiseptic solutions (70% alcohol, 5% alcohol solution of iodine, etc.), the skin of the scrotum is dissected with a scalpel, the testes are removed and removed. . After this, the incision sites are treated with an antiseptic. Sutures are not placed on the skin to ensure the outflow of inflammatory exudate; the wounds are covered with a stable scab after 1-2 days and heal completely within a week.

The procedure for castrating a cat is clearly presented in the photographs:

Photo 1. Preparation of the surgical field: plucking the hair on the scrotum.

Photo 2. Preparation of the surgical field: treatment of the skin of the scrotum with 70% ethyl alcohol.

Photo 3. Skin incision with a scalpel.

Photos 4 and 5. The testis is separated from the common tunica vaginalis.

Photo 6. When castrating a cat “for a biological unit”, the spermatic cord is divided in two...

Photo 7. ... and cut the testis.

Photo 8. Castration of a cat using a biological unit: the resulting two parts of the spermatic cord are connected to each other. Create 4-6 nodes.

Photo 9. Biological node.

Photo 10. Classic castration of a cat: removal of the testis from the wound.

Photo 11. Applying a ligature to the spermatic cord during classical castration of a cat.

Photo 12. After this, the testis, together with part of the spermatic cord, is cut off above the ligature.

Photo 13. After removing the testes, the wound is treated with antiseptic agents. In this case, the wound was treated with Terramycin spray.

Methods and methods of cat castration

Currently, there are two methods to castrate a cat: surgical and medicinal.

Classic cat castration surgery
Surgery is performed under anesthesia and always aims to remove the testes after cutting the scrotum. The only difference is in how to prevent bleeding. The main bleeding during castration of a cat can be from the spermatic cord (this is a neurovascular bundle in which an artery, vein, nerve, lymphatic vessel and vas deferens pass) after removal of the testicle.

There are two of these methods:

1. Ligation of the spermatic cord with surgical thread. With this method, absorbable or non-absorbable suture material is used, with which the surgeon ties the cord, preventing bleeding (photo 10-12).
2. Castration of a cat using a biological knot, when the spermatic cord itself is tied into a knot without using a ligature (photo 6-9).

The terms found on the Internet are “bloodless method of castration”, “laparoscopic method of castration”, “seamless method of castration”, etc. - nothing more than a marketing ploy to attract attention to the services of the creators of these “methods”.

Medical (chemical) castration of a cat
Choosing this method of castration allows you to do without anesthesia and surgery. An implant Suprelorin is inserted under the animal's skin, the active substance of which is slowly absorbed and provides a long-lasting castration effect. The duration of action in cats is from six months to 3 years. If plans change and the cat needs to be bred earlier, the implant can be removed surgically.

I consider it necessary to warn about one unpleasant feature of the use of Suprelorin for the owner: during the first 3 weeks after the introduction of the implant, the cat will experience the opposite of the expected effect - libido increases, the cat yells and marks the territory even more strongly. This is due to the mechanism of action of the drug - first there is stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary system, and then there is a stable inhibition and castration effect. Therefore, if the priority is to quickly eliminate sexual behavior, chemical castration is not the best method.

Installing an implant will be of interest to cattery owners who do not yet plan to breed a cat, but this may be necessary in the future.

This method is also recommended as an alternative to traditional surgical castration in case of detection of pathologies in which the use of anesthesia is contraindicated or undesirable (HCM, hepato-, nephropathy, old age of the animal).

Caring for a cat after surgery

A cat after castration requires some care. Many veterinary clinics offer a postoperative hospital service - the animal is placed in a separate box with an optimal microclimate, monitored until it completely recovers from anesthesia, and then released to the owners.

If your veterinary clinic does not provide such services, or if you decide to have your cat operated on at home, below are our recommendations for caring for your cat after neutering:

• In order to prevent vomiting and aspiration of the respiratory tract with vomit, it is not recommended to feed the cat within 24 hours after castration. Water can be offered 4-6 hours after the cat regains consciousness.
• While the animal is unconscious, it is better to place it on the floor. You should not place your cat on a sofa or table, because... he may fall while coming to his senses. In addition, spontaneous urination is possible during anesthesia, so it is advisable to lay down an absorbent diaper.
• Bright light causes irritation of the optic nerve during recovery from anesthesia. If possible, create semi-darkness in the room by closing the curtains. This will make it more comfortable for the cat to wake up.
• During anesthesia, body temperature decreases by 1.0 o C-1.5 o C. To prevent hypothermia, especially if the room is cool, it is advisable to place the cat in the area of ​​the heating radiator, but not next to electrical appliances that have an open heating element. You can also use a plastic bottle filled with hot tap water (not boiling water!) - place the cat on a warm bedding, place the bottle next to it and cover the animal with a thick cloth, blanket, old sweater, etc. This recommendation applies to the cold season. In warm and hot weather, additional heating is not required.
• Anesthetized cats are unable to blink, so it is recommended to periodically apply sterile saline, water for injection, contact lens fluid, or non-antibiotic eye drops (eg, Diamond Eyes) to the cornea before waking up.
• The duration of deep sleep during anesthesia is from 15 to 120 minutes, depending on the method of administration and dose of drugs. At this time, it is necessary to ensure that the cat does not bury its nose somewhere and suffocate.
• When recovering from anesthesia, the cat may show aggression. For the next 24 hours, give the animal complete rest; do not try to wake him up by force. Try to limit access to the premises to other cats and dogs, and keep children away. The time for complete recovery from the state of anesthesia varies from 6 hours to a day, depending on the individual characteristics of the body. When the cat comes to his senses, for some time (up to 8 hours) a shaky gait, lethargy, drowsiness, vomiting, and involuntary urination may be observed. This is a normal post-anesthesia state and there is no need to worry.
• The castration wound is not sutured, therefore, in order to avoid cat litter getting into it, it is advisable to reduce its layer to a minimum or even replace it with newspapers, an absorbent diaper or toilet paper for several days. This will prevent the entry of small particles and eliminate complications.
• During the first hours after surgery, the wound may become moistened with blood. Minor bleeding is acceptable and not dangerous for the animal. The wound can be dried with a sterile gauze pad. If there is significant bleeding (more than 1 ml), it is better to consult a veterinarian.
• Often cats are overly diligent in hygiene of the castration wound and can injure it with their rough tongue. To prevent self-injury, it is advisable to purchase and wear a protective collar for several days. It does not interfere with eating, but does not allow the cat to get to the wound.

Possible complications after castration of a cat

Typically, cats tolerate surgery well and complications after castration rarely occur. However, you should be wary and seek qualified help in the cases listed below.

• Bleeding from a wound. A few drops of blood appearing in the wound area are not a complication. If blood flows out actively or runs in a trickle, it is possible that the ligature has slipped off or a biological knot has become untied. In this case, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
• Self-injury. If a cat actively licks the scrotum in the first days after castration, a complication may be a wound inflicted by the cat on itself during compulsive licking. To prevent this, it is enough to put a protective collar on the animal’s neck. The collar can be removed 3-5 days after surgery.
• Inflammation, wound suppuration, abscesses. In any veterinary clinic, during castration, a number of antiseptic procedures are carried out aimed at preventing such complications. In the case of castration of a cat at home, postoperative suppuration is not excluded due to insufficient sterility of the room, fecundity of the suture material, the doctor’s attitude towards his work, etc. If you suspect wound suppuration, contact your veterinarian immediately.
• Fistulas as a result of ligature rejection. Due to an individual specific reaction to the suture material, the cat’s body may begin to reject it. After the operation, sometimes after several months, a fistula forms on the skin of the scrotum, from which the surgical thread may “peek out.” However, fistulas are rare in cats. Treatment is reoperation and removal of the ligature. Currently, most veterinarians prefer the non-ligation method of castration, so the percentage of such complications is vanishingly small.
• Urolithiasis(more precisely, lack of urination, obstruction of the urethra with sand). Urolithiasis itself has nothing to do with castration. Sand forms in the bladder in both castrated and non-castrated cats. However, after castration, especially when it is carried out at an early age, the lumen of the urethra narrows. Prevention of the formation of stones in the urine consists of proper feeding of the cat after castration. Read more below.

Cat castration and urolithiasis

Urolithiasis (urolithiasis) is the formation of soluble and insoluble stones (stones, sand) in the organs of the urinary system.

It is believed that this disease in cats is directly related to castration. However, this is not true. Sand is formed due to an insufficiently balanced diet, low water consumption, and also due to a sedentary lifestyle in both castrated and non-castrated cats. But, due to the narrowing of the lumen of the urethra, in castrated men the risk of obstruction (blockage) with sand increases significantly. That is why we focus the issue on urolithiasis in cats after castration.

Symptoms of urethral obstruction in cats:

• the cat often sits in the tray for a long time,
• worried,
• vocalizes pitifully (meows),
• after visiting the tray, the litter remains dry or slightly damp (the cat pees drop by drop),
• loss of appetite, refusal of water.

It is important to remember that the absence of urination for more than 12 hours is a reason to consult a veterinarian. Urine that does not find a way out of the bladder flows back into the kidneys, leading to irreversible damage.

To treat urolithiasis, a series of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures are carried out aimed at evacuating urine, determining the type of stones, providing symptomatic treatment and adjusting the cat’s diet. In case of frequent relapses of urethral obstruction, an operation is performed - urethrostomy.

Feeding a castrated cat to prevent urolithiasis
Treatment of a cat with urolithiasis is expensive, and in the case of urethrostomy, the result is also unpredictable, so it is better for the owner to listen to the recommendations for proper feeding of a neutered cat to prevent the formation of sand in the urinary tract and prevent the development of the disease:

• A castrated cat must be fed with special industrial food. The main task of such food is to ensure sufficient water intake, which helps maintain urine acidity at a level of 6.0-7.0. This urinary pH range promotes the dissolution of tripelphosphates (the most common type of stones in cats) and prevents the formation of oxalates (insoluble stones).
• If for some reason the cat does not accept commercial dry and wet food, the owner should pay special attention to feeding homemade food. It is necessary to permanently exclude fish and seafood in any form from the diet, as well as anything that contains a lot of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium.
• It is necessary to ensure that the cat drinks enough water. According to scientific research, a cat weighing 4-5 kg ​​should drink 150-200 ml of clean water per day. When feeding dry food, even more water is required.
  Remember that low water consumption is a direct path to urolithiasis!

Cryptorchidism in cats

Cryptorchidism is an inherited genetic pathology of cat development, in which one or both testicles do not emerge into the scrotum, but remain in the groin under the skin or in the abdominal cavity.

And this is a direct indication for surgery. The fact is that the normal temperature to maintain testicular function should be 1-1.5 degrees lower than the cat’s general body temperature. With cryptorchidism, the testicles are in an unnatural environment, which can lead to the development of testicular pathologies, including the development of a testicular tumor (seminoma). In addition, if only one testis is removed (the one located in the scrotum), there will be no effect from such castration - the second testis will continue to function and the cat’s sexual behavior will remain intact.

When examining a cryptorchid cat, the doctor determines the location of the undescended testicle. If the testis is in the inguinal canal, it is palpated under the skin in the lower abdomen. If palpation is unsuccessful, an ultrasound examination is prescribed to determine the location of the testicle in the abdominal cavity.

After determining the location of the pathological testis, castration is performed. A healthy testicle is removed in the generally accepted way, and a pathological one is removed from under the skin or from the abdominal cavity.

Castration of a cryptorchid cat costs more than regular castration, because much more work is required during this operation.

To perform the operation, it is better to contact a veterinary clinic. It is dangerous to castrate a cryptorchid at home due to low sterility. In addition, there are cases of outright hack-work by doctors providing services at home. It happens that cryptorchidism is detected already on the day of the operation; the doctor does not have the necessary tools with him, but he does not want to lose money. Therefore, without telling the owners anything, he simply removes one testicle from the scrotum, leaving the second inside the cat. The consequences are known - the cat continues to vocalize and mark, the owners, having not received an intelligible answer from their veterinarian (or simply not finding one), turn to another specialist at a veterinary clinic. And they are forced to pay for diagnostics and re-operation.

Cat owners resort to the castration procedure so that their pets behave calmly and do not annoy them by marking their territory, screaming, fighting, or running away from home.

However, when the male, despite the absence of testes, tries to mate a cat, the owners become upset. Why is this happening? This article will talk about this.

If a cat was castrated at a young age before he had sexual experience, he does not walk on the street and there are no females in the apartment, then in most males the sexual desire disappears after sterilization. But when surgery occurs after the male cat has been bred, the habits can last a lifetime.

For some time, testosterone produced by the testes circulates in the blood, and if a month after the operation the cat smells a leaking female, he becomes excited. Even in most adult males, the desire to cover cats disappears after several months and sometimes years.

Can a neutered cat mate with a female cat?

Some males with sexual experience, even after castration, retain the desire and are able to mate for months and sometimes years. Breeders, as well as some veterinary clinics, keep such cats for mating with cats that the owners, for some reason, do not want to breed.

The body gets what it wants and the female calms down. Of course, there will be no offspring.

What to do if a cat wants a cat after castration

The situation arises when several animals of the opposite sex live in the same room. If the owner does not like that the castrato is trying to cage and there are several rooms allocated for the needs of cats, the animals are seated. If a male who has recently been castrated shows interest, hormonal contraception is used. A veterinarian will help you choose the right remedy. If the layout of the apartment allows, animals of different sexes are separated during estrus.

Despite the fact that the pet’s behavior does not suit the owner, the pet cannot be punished. Otherwise, a stressful situation will arise in which the animal becomes aggressive.

To distract the animal from acquired habits, it is occupied in the following ways:

1. Expansion of vertical territory. The cat wants to have safe places for rest and entertainment. Beds are placed on the window, shelves are attached to the walls, as well as hammocks. The cat climbs on a hill and feels comfortable.
2. Using a scratching post will protect upholstered furniture, allow the cat to relax and relieve stress.
3. Interactive toys increase physical activity and distract from other activities.
4. If there are several cats in the apartment, you need to place a feeder and tray for each in different places.

In some situations, the owners themselves provoke the cat into inappropriate behavior. Stroking and squeezing the animal affects the erogenous zones, and the pet becomes excited. At such moments you should stop communicating.

Conclusion

Pet owners should understand that in a castrated young animal, sex hormones circulate in the blood for some time and libido is preserved. In this case, you need to wait some time and sexual behavior will stop due to the lack of testosterone.

If a cat is neutered after acquiring sexual experience, his habits remain. In most cases, instincts gradually fade away. During this period, the pet needs to be distracted with care, affection, and interactive play. Then he will calm down sooner and stop pestering others with his behavior.

A cat from China decided to lick himself after castration and discovered something terrible: something very important was missing. He reacted so emotionally to the loss that now the entire Internet sympathizes with him. But at the same time he can’t stop laughing.

The American shorthair cat from the Chinese province of Sichuan clearly did not have a good day, writes the Daily Mirror. When the owner brought him home from some strange procedure and the cat finally recovered from the anesthesia, he decided to take a full bath. But he raised his paw and saw something terrible - something very important was missing under it.

The unpleasant discovery shocked the cat so much that his eyes literally almost popped out of their sockets. For several seconds he looked around in shock with his mouth open, and a single question was written on his face: “Where are my bells?”

However, the cat’s reaction cannot be conveyed in any words. Better look for yourself and sympathize with the poor fellow. It is interesting that the publication calls the cat “she,” although it clearly hints that she now has something missing between her legs, while other sources use the neutral pronoun it to refer to her, which is usually used to refer to animals regardless of their gender.

The video was widely circulated online and ended up on Reddit, where many felt sorry for the cat.

"The True Face of Betrayal"

There was also a gif from the second episode, in which the dog Snuffles, wiser thanks to Rick’s invention, asked Summer where the thing that made him a man went.

However, someone noticed that in fact the cat reacted this way because the usual smell had disappeared.