Neutering a female cat involves the permanent surgical removal of the reproductive organs. There are many techniques employed. At Whiskers Vets, we perform an Ovariohysterectomy (OVH) – this includes the removal of both the ovaries and the uterus. In cats, this is often done via a flank incision (on the side of the body) as the incision is smaller and healing is often quicker. In some cases, we will decide to perform a midline incision (on the abdomen). This is often recommended if your cat is pregnant or if your cat is of a certain breed. Please book an appointment with one of our vets if you would like more information on which procedure will be best for your cat.
Advantages of Neutering Female Cats
- Eliminates the risk of pregnancy so they can roam all year round worry-free!
- Eradicates unwanted oestrus behaviour such as excessive vocalisation and trying to escape/going missing.
- A reduced risk of developing mammary tumours. One study suggests it reduces the relative risk of developing mammary tumours by 24% if performed by 2 years of age. 85% of mammary tumours in cats are malignant, so any reduction in risk is beneficial.
- Eliminates the risk of an infected uterus (pyometra), which can be life-threatening. The recommended treatment involves an emergency ovariohysterectomy (OVH), requiring anaesthesia in an already ill patient.
Risks of Neutering Female Cats
- There is always a risk of adverse reactions with any general anaesthetic or surgery, which can include death. However, this is very low, and most recover remarkably well.
- Specific risks of OVH include haemorrhage, abdominal infection, breakdown of the wound, suture material reactions, bruising, inflammation, and infection of the wound. Post-operative complications such as bruising, inflammation, and infection are more common in animals than humans undergoing the same procedure. Our involvement in keeping them calm and preventing wound interference will reduce these risks.
- There is an association with an increased tendency to gain weight. This can be controlled with dietary management discussed at the post-operation check. We recommend booking your cat in for a free weight assessment 2-3 months post-operatively.
Age
Traditionally, male and female cats have often been neutered at six months of age, but this is after many cats reach sexual maturity and not based on any scientific rationale. For social, health, and population control reasons, it is now recommended neutering should routinely take place at around 4 months of age. However, we suggest waiting until your cat is at least 2kg in weight. This makes both the anaesthetic and medications used for the operation safer and the procedure more straightforward. Please feel free to book a pre-neuter nurse consultation if you wish to weigh and/or discuss this.
Can You Neuter a Cat Who is Currently in Season?
Yes. However, when a cat is in season, her reproductive system has a higher blood supply, and the tissue is more fragile, making the surgery riskier. If you are able to keep her indoors away from other entire male cats, we recommend waiting until she has finished her season before neutering.
Can You Neuter a Cat Who is Pregnant?
Yes. If your cat is in early pregnancy, we can often perform neutering as normal via a flank incision. If your cat is over 3-4 weeks pregnant, we usually recommend a midline incision to make it easier to exteriorise the uterus. In some cases, we may feel that a pregnancy is too far along to consider neutering, but this can be discussed with a vet at your admission appointment.
Pre-operative Care
Please make sure your cat has not had access to food after 8pm the previous evening. Water can be left down until approximately 7.30am on the morning of the surgery. Please keep your cat inside overnight to ensure they don’t hunt or eat anything outside. Make sure to provide them with a litter tray to encourage them to go to the toilet before they come in. Try to keep your cat as clean as possible before bringing them in to reduce the chance of infection. If your cat has any special dietary requirements, bring their own food for when they wake up. If your cat gets especially stressed or has any behavioural issues, please notify us so we can help them stay as calm as possible during their stay with us.
Admission for Surgery
On arrival at the surgery, you can expect to be seen by a vet or veterinary nurse who will check that you understand the nature of the operation and examine your cat to ensure they are well enough for surgery. You will also be asked to read and sign a consent form for the procedure and supply contact phone numbers. It is important to keep a phone at hand in case of emergencies during the day.
Post-operative Care
Cats generally recover quickly from the surgery. Post-operative pain relief and two post-operative checks are included in the cost of the procedure. We usually don’t place any external sutures, but it is still necessary for your cat to either wear a collar or a pet t-shirt to stop them licking the wound, as they may still pull out the sutures or cause inflammation and/or infection. Please discuss your preference between shirt and collar with your vet or vet nurse on the day of the procedure.
It is important to monitor your cat closely for 24 hours following the procedure. Some cats may require further monitoring depending on their reaction to the anaesthetic/procedure. Please be aware of this when booking a date for surgery. You will be given a post-operation care sheet to guide you through this process, and you will be allocated a dedicated discharge slot to discuss it before taking your cat home. We recommend keeping your cat in for a minimum of 10 days post-surgery to allow her wound to heal completely.
