pros & cons of female neutering

[lousj]

i would really love some facts on female neutering as, since i lost my cat due to her being poorly...the idea of my kitten going to the vets for an op scares me.
firstly, my siamese won't be an out door cat...so even if she weren't to be spade, she wouldn't be able to mate unless she tries my mum's british blue, freddy....and she's barking up the wrong tree with him :shock:
what exactly happens during the operation? and do they still put a 'tube' down their throw to help them breath....as my baby, Mia Meow who recently passed away, had this during her operation and it caused scarr tissue on her throat, developing into a cough which she had her whole life. do they use masks now? or do you have to ask?
also...how likely is it for something to go wrong during Rina's operation?
i am not very hot on the idea of taking her to the vets that my baby died in...but it's just round the corner from my house and i've been told a short journey home would be best for Rina.
Had my cat not of died, i wouldn't be half as concerned, and i suppose when someone who means the world to you is gone, you blame something for it...but even so....would Rina be at risk to have the operation in any way, or would she be in emotional pain to not have the op?
ty for reading!

[CJK]

I would say there IS some risk with an operation, be it on an animal or hmna, BUT i would get her pseyed if it were me.
All three of my boys are chopped, and my girl will be done ASAP after she had her kittens ( she was pregnant before we brought her but we didnt know that)

There is always a slim chance of the cat getting out when calling, and speying (i belieive) reduces the risks of unterine cancer.

My advice, get her done, but it si your choice at the end of the day

[lousj]

thankyou for your post! yeah my vet, a long time ago, told me that neutering your female cats can decrease the risk of certain cancers in their uterus and womb. i will most probably have her spade as the last thing i want to do is cause her any harm, emotionaly or physicaly, but i think its like when you lose someone in a hospital. you start to not trust every doctor and every hospital for a while lol x

[CJK]

I know what you mean. December we lost a bunny, two years ago a 4 month old cat. Makes you scared in case it happens all over again

[bobbie3917]

as your girl grows she can start having calls from as young as 5 months old. that first call can be quite and only last for a few days but the more calls she has the loader she will get and she will also call for more day. i have head of queens calling every other week with a call lasting 5/7 days then 7 days later there off again calling. its not called calling for nothing cos they do shout and can be heard out side :shock: they can also spray while calling (some will spray all the time) there is also a small risk that ever time she calls she might get an infections which will mean she needs to be spayed or she could die. now you might be lucky and have non of this. a cat that calls every 6 months or so and does not spray at all but that is rear

queens that are calling will try anything to get out.

when a girl gets done they take every thing away. its a op that is done a lot so there are every small risks but still risks just like any op

if i was not breeding my cats then i would get them done as soon as my vet would do it cos its easier all around (i think)

[bobbie3917]

hi Lou can you not take her to a diff vet just to get her spayed? it might make it easier for you if its not the same vet

[Donna]

I would recommend speying. I was worried about my baby kitties but in the end it was the only answer I had. It helps with some cancers, it stops them constantly trying to get out and calling. It must make them happier all round.

My kitties spent the morning at the vets (different one to usual as a lot cheaper) and came home as if nothing had happened. Just a bald patch on their sides.

I would get it done, but it is your choice at the end of the day.

[Booktigger]

Please, please get your cat spayed - you could try going to a different vet if it would make you feel better. Cats that are spayed before their first heat are 200 times less likely to get mammary cancer, they are also at less risk of pyometra (which requires an emergency spay and is more risky), uterine and ovarian cancer. I took on a 14 year old rescue last year, and she hadn't been spayed - I lost her 7 weeks and 6 days later to mammary cancer (and she may have had some kind of mass internally as well, but her health wasn't good enough to withstand exploratory surgery). And cats being in heat nearly constantly isn't a nice thing to deal with - and they will do anything to get out and find a mate (and are generally very succesful, esp if you read about the amount of indoor only cats that get pregnant), which then puts them at risk of other things.

[dinahsmum]

You asked for facts Lou and I'm not sure I've got them. I would think a google search might be one place to look for statistics of mortality rates etc, or a talk with a vet/vet nurse/cat charity that you trust.
However, if you want opinions I'm afraid I can only concur with everyone else here. It's a teeny operation, done when your kitty is young and fit and strong, and she will take no notice of it. A night's sleep when she gets home and she will be good as new. You are protecting her from unwanted pregnancy, likelyhood of accidents/being stolen, should she escape seeking a mate (and they do - they are total trollops! :) ) and future gynae cancers/infections.

Hope I haven't sounded cold-hearted. The litter-sister to my sbt bitch died under anaesthetic (a complication of a breathing disorder) before I had my Dinah spayed. I was very, very apprehensive but talked it through with the vet who reassured me and did extra tests before her op. It was all over in no time - we dropped her at 8.30 and he phoned me at 9.45 to say she was in the recovery room, awake and breathing well for herself. Maybe you could get your vet to give you an early reassuring phone call?

So, I'd advise getting it done as early as your vet will do it. Sure you won't regret it.........and we'll all be here to talk to whilst she's at the vets!

[CJK]

hi, i totally forgot i have this petvet website saved in my favs.
here the link to info on speying, am sure you knw most of it anyway, but it may offer some reassurance
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/the_feline_spay.html

[emma_pen]

I am a veterinary nurse at a busy practice so can help you here.

firstly, my siamese won't be an out door cat...so even if she weren't to be spade, she wouldn't be able to mate.

True, but bear in mind that accidents happen. Cats in season will try everything and anything to get out of the house. And if she does get outside, she could wander for miles in search of a mate, and get mated by any tom cat who could potentially have a number of diseases. I hear this all the time that cats are housecats, but believe me, these cats get out. If your girl is speyed she will have far less desire to escape.

what exactly happens during the operation?

A very small incision is made, usually on the cats flank. Because your cat is a Siamese, I would always offer you the option of a midline spey, where the incision is on her abdomen rather than her side. This is because quite often with Siamese, the hair can grow back slightly darker and leave a darker square patch on her side. This is purely for cosmetic reasons, and makes no difference to the cat. If you want her done midline, you'll have to request it.
Through this incision (at my practice, its usually around an inch long) the entire uterus & both ovaries are completely removed. In cats, this is usually a simple and straight forward procedure. The chance of post-op infection is rare and there are very rarely complications.
In my experience, a young slim cat takes about 20 minutes to spey from anaesthetising to coming off the table.

do they still put a 'tube' down their throw to help them breath

Yes, we use ET tubes. It is much safer and more reliable to use them than a mask. A mask allows gas to escape and is a less reliable anaesthetic. Our tubes are sterilised and flushed after every use, and we only use very small ones for cats. Yes, it is possible to get irritation and even infection from the ET tube, but this is rare. I am sorry you had such a bad experience. All I can suggest is that you discuss your concerns with a vet before your cat comes in to the surgery.

how likely is it for something to go wrong during Rina's operation?

I am not going to tell you it is not likely at all. There are risks with all anaesthetics and surgeries. But in a young healthy cat, the risks are very rare. We neuter approx 40 cats every week and rarely see problems. If you have a favourite/preferred vet, request that this vet does the surgery personally.
The risks of infection are greatly reduced in cats than dogs, as the procedure is somewhat less invasive, no more than a finger goes into your cats abdomen, and everything that is lifted out of the abdomen is removed. Because the wound is so small, healing is very quick and clean in 99% of cases.
The op itself can be more difficult if the cat is in season, as this means her uterus is larger, more vascular and more fragile. This does not stop us speying the cat, however, and we do many cats in season without problem, as a lot of people don't realise and neither do we until the cat is opened up. Also, a lot of cats once in season do not really come out of season all summer unless speyed.

would she be in emotional pain to not have the op?

I wouldn't exactly say 'pain' is the right word to use, but it would certainly make life easier for you and her both to have her speyed. Seasons can be very traumatic for a confined cat (I should know, I have a cat in season in my spare room!) and like I mentioned earlier, some cats continually come into season every fortnight all spring/summer.

Hope this helped somewhat, and can help you come to your decision.
Ems

[Snoof]

I agree with what everyone else has said. Also, while she may be barking up the wrong tree with your mum's cat, unless he's been neutered he'll most likely mate with her anyway if she's in heat.

I think it's going to be more productive for you to take her to a different vet if you're uncomfortable with this one. Yes, it'll require more travel time, but it'll give you more peace of mind - and bear in mind most people don't have a vet around the corner (I don't) and still have no trouble getting their cats altered.

Best of luck!